Day 324: Putting sin to death – Colossians 3 vs 1 – 11

1-4 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5-7 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 10-11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Colossians 3:1-11 New International Version

If you saw yesterday’s reading you'll remember it was a solemn one where Israel was told to put the Canaanites to death so that they would not become a snare and trap for Israel and lead them into detestable deeds. I wonder if that was in Paul's mind as he wrote the words we read in vs 5-7? What was a big reason he gave there why we must deal so strongly with things that the Bible calls sin?

There is day when, just as God poured out His anger on the Canaanites because they had filled the land with such wrongdoing, He is going to pour out His anger on all people of the world for their wickedness. Someone might dare to look at vs 5-7 and say they've never done any of those things (forgetting that Jesus said we're guilty of them even if we only did them in our thoughts), but what about vs 8? Can anyone say those things have never been part of our life? And then what about vs 9? Do you think that, in some ways, is the most wrong and dangerous sin of all?

Lying and being deceitful is like a door that lets the other sins into our lives, and then tries to cover them up. It was the lie of Satan that deceived Adam and Eve. Lying plays a big part in cheating in business, adultery in marriage, the breakup of friendships, and so many other wrongs. Notice how Paul implies, in vs 10-11, that it is an honest love and an honest way of living that truly breaks down racial and social barriers. If we put greed, lust and lying out of our life, no-one would be exploited by others. It's a big call – but it is what Christians are called to! So how were the Colossians to go about 'putting to death' sinful ways that had been such a big part of their lives before they became Christians? (vs 1-4)

They were to fix their minds on what God had done for them (raised them to a new life in Jesus Christ) and on the great things that awaited them when Christ returns again. He says you will appear with Him in glory!' They were to aim for the life that comes from above, not for the things people rush after in the world. Notice he says to set your 'hearts' and to set your 'minds'. It's what we treasure most that we spend the most time thinking about. Where we set our affections will determine what we choose in life and how we behave. What about vs 9? How can that help us to make right choices in life?

Paul tells them they are being 'renewed in knowledge' in the image of their Creator. In Ephesians 4:17-21 he puts it this way to Christians: “You must no longer live as 'unbelievers' do, in the futility of their minds.  They  are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to their hardness of heart. They've become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practise every kind of impurity. But that's not the way you learned Christ! - assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus.” Those who believe on Jesus for salvation are called to set Him also as their pattern for life. They set their hearts on Him - and set themselves to follow Him each and every day.