Putting Sin to Death
Colossians 3:5-8 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. (ESV)
Sadly, way too many of those who call themselves by Christ’s name – “Christians” – have far too cosy a relationship with sin. There’s almost a flippancy when it comes to this old-fashioned notion of “repentance”.
The truth is that we court sin, we entertain her, at our own peril. Sin always has consequences. It did, way back when, for Adam and Eve. And it still does now. But, in this world where apparently anything goes, it’s easy for a so-called Christian to cosy-up to sin; to hang onto their favourite one, as though it doesn’t matter.
Way back in 1656, a man by the name of John Owen wrote a book with the, hmm, somewhat mortifying title, “Of the Mortification of Sin”. In other words, it was about putting the sin in our lives to death.
Basking in the warm glow of 21st century postmodernism, that all seems just a little harsh, just a tad old fashioned. Putting something to death is, after all, an incredibly strong response. Executions are, after all, incredibly … final.
Writes the Apostle Paul to his friends in Colossi …
Colossians 3:5-8 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. (ESV)
John Mortimer put it this way: The life, vigour and comfort of our spiritual life depend much on the mortification of sin.
Make no mistake. The grace of God in Jesus Christ is completely free. But sin which lives on in the flesh will without doubt, drain the life out of you.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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Carol Pumadera
Like it says, PUTTING SIN TO DEATH!
Like it says, PUTTING SIN TO DEATH!