What is the meaning of Colossians 3:5? Put to death, therefore Paul uses strong language—“put to death”—because half-measures will not do when it comes to sin. Our old ways must be executed, not rehabilitated. “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13). The verb is decisive and ongoing; every new day is another swing of the sword against the flesh. In practice this looks like: • decisive repentance the moment sin surfaces (1 John 1:9) • intentional replacement of sinful patterns with Spirit-led habits (Galatians 5:24; Ephesians 4:22-24) • accountability with fellow believers who “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24) the components of your earthly nature The “earthly nature” is the residue of the old self that clings to us even after we are raised with Christ (Colossians 3:1). Paul lists specific “components” to expose them to the light, much like cleaning out a drawer item by item. Our new identity calls us to “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). Yet the contrast remains clear: • old self — dominated by sin, destined for wrath (Romans 6:6) • new self — indwelt by the Spirit, oriented to heaven (Colossians 3:2) sexual immorality This word embraces every sexual act outside the covenant of one man and one woman in marriage. God’s will is “that you abstain from sexual immorality; each of you must learn to control his own body in holiness and honor” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4). Scripture treats sexual sin as uniquely damaging: “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Practical steps include: • guarding eyes and mind (Job 31:1; Matthew 5:28) • establishing clear boundaries in relationships (Ephesians 5:3) • delighting in God-given marital intimacy where applicable (Hebrews 13:4) impurity Impurity widens the lens to any moral uncleanness—thoughts, jokes, media, habits. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). Impurity clouds spiritual sight and dulls affection for Christ. We combat it by: • filtering what we watch, read, and listen to (Psalm 101:3) • confessing the smallest compromise before it metastasizes (James 4:8) • practicing daily renewal of the mind with Scripture (Romans 12:2) lust Lust is the inflamed craving that pushes us toward impurity. “All that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father” (1 John 2:16). While sexual in focus, lust can fixate on anything we wrongly covet. Countermeasures: • recognize the battle begins in the imagination (2 Corinthians 10:5) • redirect desires toward what satisfies eternally (Psalm 37:4) • walk in the Spirit so you “will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16) evil desires Here Paul targets the inner climate that breeds outward sin. James maps the progression: “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own evil desire… desire gives birth to sin” (James 1:14-15). Rather than merely restraining actions, we ask God to transform desires themselves: • pray Psalm 139:23-24—“Search me… and lead me in the way everlasting.” • cultivate new appetites through worship, service, and Scripture (Titus 2:12) • fast periodically to reset the heart’s compass toward Christ (Matthew 6:17-18) and greed, which is idolatry Greed turns the heart from God to goods. “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). Paul bluntly calls it idolatry because it deifies possession and security. Signs of greed include chronic discontent, stinginess, or reckless debt. Freedom grows through: • generous giving that reorients trust (2 Corinthians 9:7) • remembering that “life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15) • setting hope “not on wealth, which is uncertain, but on God” (1 Timothy 6:17) summary Colossians 3:5 summons believers to a ruthless, Spirit-empowered battle against the remnants of the old life. Each listed sin—sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed—undermines our fellowship with Christ and our witness to the world. By putting them to death daily and cultivating holy replacements, we live out the reality that we have already “died, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). |
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