July 6
“Put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,” Colossians 3:5-10.
What changes take place in the life of an individual when he or she becomes a Christian? The big change is expressed by the apostle Paul when he says, “Put off the old man with his deeds,” and, “Put on the new man.”
The ‘old man’ is our sinful nature with which we were born and which we inherited from our parents. We live according to this sinful nature until we become Christians. The ‘new man’ is the Christian in us. Having become Christians, we should, “Put to death our members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” On this same subject, the apostle wrote to the Ephesians: “Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man, which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness,” Ephesians 4:22-24.
Living according to our sinful nature particularly involves living in the sins of sexual activity and perversion outside of the married state as husband and wife. Those sins were very prominent among the people in Paul’s day, as it had been in previous generations, and as it is also so prominent in our day – for example, through the efforts to promote and make acceptable the activity of the gay community and the sexual perversion of men with men and women with women. As Paul writes, the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.
As Christians, we should also put off and avoid those sins that result in division and dissension, in war and fighting among the people in every community and among men and nations. Paul mentions a number of such sins: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth, and lying. In every community and in every nation of the world, we see the consequences of the ‘old man’ – people’s sinful natures – being in charge!
“Put off the old man and put on the new man” is a call for true repentance – the call for a real change of heart and soul. As Christians, we should be an example for the rest of the world. Let us heed the words of the Savior in the Sermon on the Mount: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world . . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven,” Matthew 5:13-16.
The Savior’s words can easily be summarized. Are you a Christian? Yes – then live like one! Your deeds and actions should be in harmony with the confession of faith that comes out of your mouth! As we examine our own hearts and lives, we realize that our failures and sins are many. We must flee to the cross, humbly kneel, and plead, “God, be merciful to me a sinner! For my peace of heart and mind, assure me that the blood of Jesus Christ, Your Son, has washed away my sins!” Trusting and believing in Jesus’ blood and righteousness, the Lord sends us on our way rejoicing in our salvation, and we invite others to believe and rejoice with us.
“Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe;
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.” Amen.