November 12, 2017, Sunday Morning

Dressed For Success  

Colossians 3:5-13

1…We Must PUT OFF the Corruption of the Sinful Man!

Paul uses rather strong language in exhorting us to put off the corruption of the sinful man.  He begins verse 5 by saying,

"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth..."

The word "mortify" means, "to put to death."  Or, in other words, Paul is literally saying "Kill it!"  In putting off this corruption of our sin nature there are two steps which must be taken.  First, there is:

A…A Reminder of Sinful Behavior!

verse 5:

"..fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry."

• Sins of immorality: "fornication, uncleanness."  It takes in the whole spectrum of immoral sexual relationships, such as fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and incest.  This kind of behavior can only be expected from one who is a sinner.

• Sins of impurity:  "inordinate affection, evil concupiscence.  These words are better rendered "unnatural affection, and evil desire."  This speaks of moral indecency, filth and lust.  

• Sins of idolatry: "covetousness.  The word "covetousness" comes from two words.  One is the word "desire;" and, the other is the word "have more."  Thus, put together, the word covetousness" literally means, "the desire to have more."Idolatry occurs when a person gives his deepest loyalty to some power, or force other than God.  

Luke 12: 15:

"Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."

B…A Removal of Shameful Behavior!

In verse 8-9, twice we are instructed to "put off" certain things.  That is, these matters are to have no place in our lives, and are to removed.  What type of shameful behavior is to be removed from our lives?  

1)...First, we are to remove inward hostility.  It is characterized as,

"...anger, wrath, malice..."

In Matthew 5: 22, Jesus equated anger with murder.

2)...We are to remove outward hypocrisy.  The word "blasphemy" is a word which had a two-fold meaning.  The word was often associated with the word 'slander.'  

• Whenever the speech was directed toward another person, it was considered slander.  

• Whenever the speech was directed toward God, it was considered blasphemy.

3)...In verse 9, we are exhorted to:  "Lie not one to another..."

The word was used to describe an actor who wore a mask, playing the part of someone else.  It speaks of a pretense, or a facade.

Falsehood, misrepresentations, suspicion and partisanship separate and cause disunity in a church.

2…We Must PUT ON the Character of the Godly Man!

Every Christian is a child of the king. He is a prince of heaven, and Paul makes the point that we ought to talk like it, think like it, act like it and live like it. 

A…The Source of Godly Character!

Verses 10-11 Paul reminds us from whence godly character originates and begins.  After we change our spiritual clothes, and put off the old man, we are to:

"...put on the new man , which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 

The old man is the old nature of sin.  The new man is the new nature of Christ.  

R. H. Lenski writes:

"The old man is not converted, he cannot be; he is not renewed, he will not be.  He can only be replaced by the new man!" 

B…The Course of Godly Character!

Those who have been saved by the grace of God, and have partaken of the divine gift are those whose old life has been put to death, and whose new life has been brought to life, and raised with Christ.  It is more than a changing of spiritual apparel, it is a changing of spiritual attitudes, actions and appetites.

Verse 12

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved...

• bowels of mercies
• kindness
• humbleness of mind
• meekness
• longsuffering

Verse 13, Paul speaks of a generous virtue to be expressed.

"Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any..."

One of the saddest ways to go through life is to hold, and harbor resentment in one's heart.  After everything that God, in Christ, has forgiven us of we should be eager to share that forgiveness with those who have mistreated, and offended us.