What Does it Mean to Put Off and Put On? Part 3

In the first installment, the apostle Paul wrote that Christians should expect change. Romans 12:2 explains that change is a transformation by the renewing of the mind.

 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2, ESV)

In the second installment, we looked at Colossians 3:1-4 with an emphasis on Colossians 3:2:

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Col. 3:2, ESV)

To set your mind means to have an inner disposition and, in this case, an inner disposition toward heaven. In other words, Paul wants us to have heavenly thoughts learned only through studying the Scriptures.

In Colossians 3:5-17 Paul sets up a contrast between being worldly-minded and heavenly-minded. In this installment, we will make observations based on Colossians 3:5-11.

 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.  In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices  and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Col. 3:5-11, ESV

The word “therefore” in verse 5 raises the question of what it is there for. The answer is found in Colossians 3:3-4:

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Col. 3:3-4, ESV

If our lives are hidden with Christ in God and Christ is our life, then Paul says we ought to live in a way that honors Christ. We do that by putting off all the sinful behaviors and attitudes that defined us while we were dead in sin (See Ephesians 2:1-3).

Paul tells us we are to “put to death” what is earthly in us. Since we have died with Christ (Col.2:20, 3:3), we now have the power to suppress the sinful practices that used to dominate and\or control us. Romans 6:12-14 explains:

 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.  For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:12-14, ESV)

The language of death means to take severe measures to fight and kill sin. 

Jesus gives us an example of what it takes to put to death sexual immorality:

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. (Matthew 5:27-30, ESV)

It is noteworthy that Paul uses five terms to cover what sexual immorality is:

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (Col.3:5, ESV)

Sexual immorality refers to every kind of sexual activity outside of the marriage covenant.

Paul describes the total as idolatry. Having idols in our hearts explains the roots of our sins. As unsaved people, we were, by nature, idolaters and had thoroughly idolatrous or self-centered hearts. Our motives produced yearnings and desires that we believed would bring us happiness. The bad fruit produced resulted from what we wanted, thought, and desired in our hearts. 

The bad fruit associated with sexual immorality is exhaustive. To name a few, a stronghold of self-serving pornography, divorce, bitterness, deceit, and not a few other rotten fruits.

Paul explains in Galatians 5:19-20 some more examples of bad fruit related to idolatry:

 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal. 5:19-21, NIV)

Idolatry is the sin underneath the apparent sins. Paul notes that those who do not deal with idolatry will not inherit the kingdom of God; hence, the urgency of putting the idol to death with its evil desires.

Paul states in Colossians 3:6 that on account of unrepented idolatry, the wrath of God is sure to come.

On account of these the wrath of God is coming.  In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Col. 3:6-10.ESV)

Paul then reminds the Colossians that they, too, walked in idolatry and were slaves to the idols that controlled them.

Then, he gives other examples of the bad fruit produced by idols. He provides these warnings because even as redeemed people, we have remaining “heart problems” and are still tempted toward idolatry that centers around self and getting what we want when we want it.

Paul says the old self has been put off with its sinful practices or habits (Col. 3:9-10; Eph. 4:22) by actively putting on the new self.

In other words, once we are born again, we are in Christ and have a new identity. We are, therefore, to be Christlike since he is our Lord and Savior. As our Lord, we should have it as our desire to please him and bring our attitudes and behaviors in line with our new identity in Him. The process is ongoing as we fight forgiven sin.

In Colossians 3:12-17, Paul gives specific examples of what putting on looks like, which is our next installment.

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