COLOSSIANS 3:8-14
CHANGE YOUR FILTHY CLOTHES
Colossians 3:8 But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy languageG148 from your lips.
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Colossians 3:8 (KJV)
Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to have put on the new man, having been created according to God in righteousness and holiness of truth.
Ephesians 4:21-24 (BSB)
SUSAN: We need to once and for all die daily to self and selfish appetites.
SUSIE: We need to take off sinful behaviors like we change out of dirty clothes into clean ones. What is the difference between anger and wrath or rage?
SUSAN: Anger begins with frustration, hurt, and bitterness. It is a small fire and if left to smolder can mushroom into blazing wrath. Wrath is often displayed via violent outbursts. One example would be domestic violence, but wrath comes out in other relationships as well.
SUSIE: God’s wrath is the righteous indignation against sin, but man’s wrath is rarely, if ever, righteous.
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
James 1:19-20 (NIV)
SUSIE: What is malice?
SUSAN: Malice is evil intention without reason or cause.
MAL’ICE, noun [Latin malitia, from malus, evil.] Extreme enmity of heart, or malevolence; a disposition to injure others without cause, from mere personal gratification or from a spirit of revenge; unprovoked malignity or spite.
Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language
SUSIE: According to John MacArthur, malice in this verse derives from a Greek term denoting general moral evil.
SUSAN: An example would be Hitler who wanted to kill all disabled people, the elderly, all Blacks and Jews, and all who did not fit his profile of perfection. His intent was morally evil.
SUSIE: We usually think of blasphemy as denying the power of God, speaking against the Holy Spirit. We looked up the particular word used here:
blasphēmia988 – vilification (espec. against God) – blasphemy, evil speaking, railing
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
SUSIE: Blasphemy can also mean slander against a person . . .
SUSAN: . . . assaulting someone’s character . . .
SUSIE: . . . which ultimately is against God since we are created in His image.
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Genesis 1:27 (BSB)
SUSAN: We need to encourage and edify each other rather than tearing each other down.
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29 (BSB)
SUSAN: Holy Spirt, bridle my tongue!
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
James 1:29 (BSB)
SUSIE: What does Paul mean by “filthy communication?”
SUSAN: This can range from dirty jokes to foul language to pornography. Nothing vile or obscene should come from Christians’ mouths, or be produced via any means including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
G148 αἰσχρολογία aischrología, ahee-skhrol-og-ee’-ah; from G150 and G3056; vile conversation:—filthy communication.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
G148 . . . Vile conversation. It occurs only in Colossians 3:8 where it refers to shameful words coming out of the mouth, implying that the person who has been redeemed by Christ (Col. 3:1) should never utter improper or filthy words which he may have uttered in his life of unbelief. A Christian ought to have a changed vocabulary, and the genuineness of one’s Christianity can be discerned by his vocabulary.
The Complete Word Study Dictionary, Spiros Zodhiates, Ed.
PONDER THIS: Examine yourself to honestly evaluate if you have “put off” all the things listed in Colossians 3:8. Perhaps a good way to start the day would be to confess any of these traits that are a problem and ask the Lord to help you take off these dirty clothes. You cannot do it by your own effort. Just as we would not put our clean clothes over our soiled clothing, we cannot simply mask these attitudes and behaviors. We must take them off with the Lord’s help in order to “put on” new ones by the Holy Spirit living in and through us and submitting to His control.
Colossians 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices . . .
SUSIE: It seems that being truthful with each other would be a no-brainer.
SUSAN: Believers should be honest and above reproach. All the things we are instructed to “put off,” to strip away, are evidence of our old nature. What we are to “put on” are the proofs of our salvation.
…keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.
Psalm 34:13 (NIV)
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.
Ephesians 4:25 (BSB)
Colossians 3:10 . . . and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
SUSIE: Once we have taken off the old garments of our life before Jesus, we dress in the clothing of the Christian which is the righteousness of Christ.
SUSAN: We have these new clothes because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. They are in our closet, ready to wear, but we choose daily whether to put them on or to walk around in the old, filthy rags.
SUSIE: Let’s look at verse 10 again in another translation:
. . . and have put on the new self, which is continually being renewed in fuller and fuller knowledge, closer and closer to the image of its Creator.
Colossians 3:10 (CJB)
SUSAN: Sanctification is going on and will be going on until we see Jesus face-to-face, and then we will see ourselves as we shall be—just like Jesus. Living the Christian life should be a journey of coming closer and closer to Christ, being made into His image. My conduct must increasingly match my faith, what I believe, the truth I confess.
Sanctification—The act of making holy. In an evangelical sense, the act of God’s grace by which the affections of men are purified or alienated from sin and the world, and exalted to a supreme love to God.
American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828.
. . . to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24
SUSIE: When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are not instantaneously made perfect. As Susan said, it is a journey. God SEES us through the righteousness of Christ but becoming righteous is a lifelong process called sanctification.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2
For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
Romans 8:29
SUSAN: We quote Romans 8:28 about God “working all things together for good,” but fail to continue to verse 29 to see what God means by “good.” The good is that we are adopted into His forever family and become more and more like Jesus. We begin as useless rocks, but as the Holy Spirit works in our lives, we become His workmanship, skillfully formed precious jewels.
QUESTION: How do we put on the new self that God has given us? How do we grow in the knowledge of Christ?
Colossians 3:11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
SUSIE: There are no longer divisions of race, class, or gender; but we are united in Jesus as the family of God.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28 (BSB)
SUSAN: No person is superior or inferior: there is no caste system among believers because we are all equal in God’s family. We worship together as brothers and sisters.
SUSIE: Christ is all we need, and His Holy Spirit resides in each believer. If we harbor prejudice against another believer, we are in essence being prejudiced against our Lord since He lives in each of us.
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
SUSAN: We need to have the attitude of Christ toward others.
Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:1-4
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
Romans 12:10
The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.
Coretta Scott King
SUSIE: Once we have taken off the old nature, we need to put on the new. As true believers, chosen by God and surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus, we should be changed within and exemplify certain attributes outwardly. What does Paul mean by “bowels of mercies” in the King James Version?
SUSAN: This refers to a person’s heart of compassion. We should be tender-hearted toward the needs of others. A person that comes to mind as demonstrating this to the nth degree is Mother Teresa.
SUSIE: We looked up the Greek word for “kindness” to get the shades of meaning:
chrēstŏtēs5544– usefulness, i.e. moral excellence (in character or demeanor): gentleness, goodness, kindness
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
SUSAN: Kindness is preferring others. Some examples would be allowing someone to move in front of you in line when they have only a few items or seem to be in a hurry. Encouraging others, being there for them in a time of need, is also kindness. A kind person intentionally looks for something good to say about everyone. I noticed that many of the things we are to “put on” are listed also as the Fruit of the Spirit:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 (BSB)
SUSIE: Humbleness of mind—the opposite of being puffed up. This makes me think of Paul’s instruction to the Philippian believers:
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves.
Philippians 2:3 (AMP)
SUSIE: What is meekness?
MEE’KNESS, noun Softness of temper; mildness; gentleness; forbearance under injuries and provocations.
1. In an evangelical sense, humility; resignation; submission to the divine will, without murmuring or peevishness; opposed to pride, arrogance and refractoriness. Galatians 5:23.
I beseech you by the meekness of Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:1.
Meekness is a grace which Jesus alone inculcated, and which no ancient philosopher seems to have understood or recommended.
Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language
SUSIE: Meekness is a submissive attitude . . .
SUSAN: . . . toward God and each other as opposed to haughtiness and arrogance.
SUSIE: Longsuffering: The believer can endure . . .
SUSAN: . . . the monotonous, seemingly continuous challenges of this life because we know that Jesus is in control of everything, and we have certain hope of relief. If I am being perfectly honest, this reality is difficult to embrace when we are in the middle of a severe trial. I believe it with everything within me, but to embrace this truth and live it out is a whole other level.
SUSIE: Longsuffering can only be achieved with much prayer and the strength the Holy Spirit gives us. It helps a lot to have encouragement from other believers as well.
ACTIVITY: In our study of Ephesians, we were encouraged to mentally put on the armor of the Lord (Ephesians 6:10-18) each morning. This week, read Colossians 3:12 to begin each day and pray that Jesus will help you wear these new clothes consistently.
Colossians 3:13 Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
SUSIE: We are to be patient with each other and forgive as Christ forgave. How did Christ forgive?
SUSAN: Jesus forgave us completely and without strings attached. We can only follow Christ’s example of forgiveness as we are infused and enveloped by His Spirit, being yielded as instruments of His grace and love.
SUSIE: However, forgiveness, meekness, and humility do not mean we are to lie down and be a doormat for someone to tread on. We can try to work things out biblically (Matthew 18) and as much as it depends on us, be at peace (Romans 12). However, if things cannot be worked out and even if the other person never apologizes, we can truly forgive but remove ourselves from harm’s way.
QUESTION: Is there anyone in your life you have not forgiven? If so, ask the Lord to help you truly forgive that person and move on, trusting Him to convict the one who wronged you.
Colossians 3:14 And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bondG4886 of perfect unity.
G4886 σύνδεσμος sýndesmos, soon’-des-mos; from G4862 and G1199; a joint tie, i.e. ligament, (figuratively) uniting principle, control:—band, bond.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
SUSIE: Charity, love for the Lord and our brothers and sisters in the family of God . . .
SUSAN: . . . causes everything to function as it was intended by the Lord, according to His perfect will. God’s love flowing through His children to one another is the supernatural glue that holds the body of Christ, His bride, the Messianic community, together. From love flows the other virtues: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
REVIEW THE CHANGE OF CLOTHING:
TAKE OFF PUT ON
Anger Mercy
Wrath Kindness
Malice Humbleness
Filthy Communication Meekness
Lying Longsuffering
Forgiveness
Love