How does Colossians 3:9 relate to the concept of the "old self"? Canonical Text “Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices” (Colossians 3:9). Immediate Context in Colossians 3 Verses 5–11 form a single exhortation. The aorist participle “having stripped off” (ἀπεκδυσάμενοι) signals a decisive past event tied to conversion (cf. Colossians 2:11–13). Lying is singled out because deceit is antithetical to Christ, Who is “the Truth” (John 14:6). The community dimension is clear: falsehood fractures the one “body” renewed in Christ (Colossians 3:15). Parallel Passages Intensifying the Theme • Romans 6:6—“Our old self was crucified with Him.” • Ephesians 4:22—“Put off your former way of life, your old self.” • 2 Corinthians 5:17—“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Together these texts reveal a consistent Pauline doctrine: the “old self” dies positionally with Christ, yet its residual habits must be mortified daily. Theological Framework: Union with Christ 1. Positional Reality—At conversion the believer is united with Christ in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5). The “old self” is legally terminated. 2. Progressive Renewal—The “new self” (Colossians 3:10) is “being renewed” (present participle), indicating an ongoing sanctification energized by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18). 3. Eschatological Completion—Final glorification (1 John 3:2) will fully erase every vestige of the old identity. Anthropological Implications: Restoring the Imago Dei Colossians 3:10 links the new self to “the image of its Creator,” echoing Genesis 1:26-27. The old self is not merely moral failure; it is a distorted image. Redemption restores functional likeness—knowledge, righteousness, and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). Historical-Cultural Background Colossae’s syncretistic milieu blended Jewish legalism and Hellenistic mysticism (Colossians 2:8, 16-23). Lying was endemic to pagan patron-client systems. Paul counters this by grounding ethics in the believer’s new identity rather than cultural convenience. Patristic Echoes • Chrysostom (Homilies on Colossians, 8): “He did not say ‘cast away’ but ‘put off,’ as one removes a garment, for the old man cleaves not by nature but by choice.” • Irenaeus (Against Heresies 5.12.3): links the stripping of the old self to baptismal renunciation of Satan, reinforcing the early church’s sacramental understanding. Practical Outworkings 1. Truth-Telling Community—Integrity in speech evidences the new creation and safeguards unity. 2. Intentional Discipleship—Regular Scripture intake (Colossians 3:16) renovates thought patterns replacing deceit. 3. Dependence on the Spirit—Only divine power can consistently subdue the lingering impulses of the old self (Romans 8:13). Defending Coherence with a Young-Earth Framework The historicity of a literal Adam (Romans 5:12-19) undergirds Paul’s old/new self antithesis. Fossil record discontinuities, polystrate fossils, and cellular complexity support a recent, purposeful creation, not random evolution; thus human corruption is moral, not developmental. Conclusion Colossians 3:9 situates the believer’s ethical mandate within a redemptive narrative: the decisive repudiation of the “old self” at conversion, the daily renewal of the “new self” by the Spirit, and the ultimate restoration of God’s image. Lying is incompatible with a reality grounded in the resurrected Christ, whose truthfulness guarantees both the doctrine and the experience of new life. |
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