Today’s Road Map for the Journey: Colossians 3:5-11 (SOAP: 8-9); 1 John 1:5-2:2
8But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.
Colossians 3:8-9 NLT
Today’s portion of our journey continues with Paul’s instructions for the believers to turn from their sins. To the sexual sins he listed in verse 5, Paul, “not wanting to leave anyone wondering what our dirty clothes actually look like,” now adds other areas of spiritual failure, including anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and foul (or abusive) language. He also adds, “do not lie“(v. 9) to the list, reminding them that these things were all part of who they were before they came to faith in Jesus Christ. He desperately wants them (and all believers, including us) to understand that their new life in Christ is a changed life. The old is gone; the new is here. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Friends, the same is true for us. For we know that we are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ – and not by our works. Paul continually reminded the believers that the Christian life is a changed life. There isn’t a magic button to push or a transformation pill to take – it takes daily choosing to get rid of or to stop doing all of the things that belong to our old sinful nature. While Paul gives us a short list in this letter to the Colossians, note that it is not a complete list but examples of things we do or attitudes we have that do not please God.
As today’s LGG Journal entry explained, it’s very tempting for us to be unspecific and vague about our own sins. Instead of calling it “anger” or “rage”, we may say, “I’m just irritable today.” When we speak unkind things about other people, we may call it “openly sharing”, but we would never consider ourselves to be slanderers. Instead of admitting that we have lied, we call ourselves “clever” or “shrewd.”
The writer also points out that “Paul says in verse 6 of Colossians 3 that it is because of these sins the wrath/anger of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.” She goes on to write that, “In other words, God hates sin. Sins are not small matters to be played around with or to be tolerated in our lives.”
We will only “put off” our sins if we have become aware of what they truly are. We need to stop excusing our selfish attitudes and behavior. If we want to gain victory over sin, we need to name it. Tell it for what it is. ~Christ Is All I Need, p 156
Response of Worship
Response of Prayer
Father, thank You for the reminder that sin is no small matter and shouldn’t be something we play around with. Help us to hate sin as you do and to never tolerate it in our lives. Help me to be a little less like me and a lot more like Jesus. Help me to filled with kindness, goodness, love and grace ~ In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The More We Know
A closer look at things that should no longer be a part of or characterize a believer’s life1
First, Paul speaks against anger. Outbursts of uncontrolled anger are not meant to be found in the life of a Christian. Anger in and of itself is not always wrong, but it can lead to much sin (Ephesians 4:26). Human anger tends to pop up over issues which are not worth that emotion.
Second, Paul addresses wrath. In modern English we often mingle the words “anger” and “wrath.” However, they are really two separate ideas. Anger is an emotion, wrath is an action. In this context, wrath suggests the idea of revenge, and is sometimes translated as “rage.” In Romans 12:19, Paul taught that believers ought to leave wrath to God and not seek revenge on our own terms.
Third, Paul condemns malice. The Greek term used here is kakian, which includes the idea of desiring to harm another person. Paul has already condemned the emotion of unrighteous anger. He has done the same with wrath, which is the act of revenge. “Malice” is a broader term, referring to a general desire to see another person suffer or be harmed. We should not hope for harm to befall others.
Fourth, Paul speaks against slander. In the Biblical context, slander is putting down other people or speaking evil against others. This can include insults, lies, harsh speech, or even gossip.
Fifth, Paul prohibits obscene talk. Speech which is vulgar, or intended to be offensive, is not to be : associated with the life of a believer.
More insight from the LGG Devo2
“It’s painful to have our sins exposed by Jesus. It’s not easy to articulate our wrong thinking, speaking, and acting by bringing it all out into the open before a holy God. Yet, the reason He shows us a specific sin is so that we can confess it, be forgiven, and gain victory over it. Jesus is the good doctor who lovingly shows us our sickness and then offers us the cure. He gives us His gracious cleansing and the power to change.”3
Me From the Inside Out 