“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. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 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.” (Colossians 3:5-10 NIV)
Today’s passage is full of practical Christianity. It removes the excuse of not being able to change ourselves. Yet, Paul instructs us to nekroō (slay, put to death, to make dead) everything that proceeds from our earthly nature. Then he gives us some examples of the things he is talking about. We may conclude that salvation and deliverance from our old selves did not get rid of these “earthly things.” Now, we might also conclude that we can’t be rid of them, but that is an earthly conclusion. In this passage, Paul teaches Christians to take personal action against the earthly nature. Sentence it to death. Kill its influence in your life. Stop its activity in you. Take away its life.
In his instructions, Paul presents five personal actions a Christian can do to put the earthly nature to death. Knowing about its activity in our lives is not sufficient. We must take action to remove such behavior from our lives! Its what we do when we are dead in Christ and risen with him . . . when our life is hidden with Christ in God. Its how we behave when we have put off the old self and put on the new one in Christ.
Frank Outlaw wrote, “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” Destiny . . . what a good reason to act against “whatever belongs to your earthly nature.”
Dear Father, thank you for daily renewal in the knowledge of your image. Empower us with personal strength to defeat the earthly things in our lives. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today as you defeat your earthly things,