PUTTING DOWN UNGODLY THINGS (COL 3: 5-9)

PUTTING DOWN UNGODLY THINGS (COL 3: 5-9): 

After rightly pointing out to the Colossians to seek Godly things, Paul continues to move on to the next stage of his instruction. Paul mentions to them to put to death therefore what is earthly in them, such as sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Paul also states that, on account of those the wrath of God is coming. Earthly things are meant to be those practices or way of life or way of being that is widely practiced or sought by most people in the quest for the search for happiness, without remembering and following the Godly values and standards by keeping up His commands. Sexual immorality is lusting towards another person just for sexual gratification, outside the marital binding. Impurity is mixing up with someone and following misleading actions or beliefs. Passion is having a strong affection or concern towards something, and here Paul mentions the unlikely passions that don’t support Godly principles. Evil desire is a self-oriented interest and it is unlawful. Covetousness is jealousy over others' possessions or something that is valued by most people. All of those things take away the place of God and make a person lean on it and prioritize it. So, the wrath of God towards that person shall surely come and the person will be judged for sure.

Paul writes that in those they too once walked when they were living in them. But then they must put all those things such as anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from their mouth, away. Every person will be caught in something earthly, without God and the Word of God. So everyone would have done some wrong in one way or the other, but there is always a solution to come out of it by giving up undesirable characteristics, unlikely thoughts, and useless actions.

Paul also writes that they shall not lie with one another, seeing that they have put off the old self with its practices. When a person starts practicing speaking the truth completely, there will be surely goodness to the self and to the others who are associated. It will also help to avoid what has gone wrong in life by putting it off and also lay all the evil practices and customs.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection:

1.      What should be put to death?

2.      Why the author mentions certain characteristics as earthly?

3.      Why the earthly things are idolatry?

4.      On account of the earthly things, what is coming? Why?

5.      Are we free from earthly things? Why?

6.      What are the things that should be put away?

7.      Why we should not lie to one another?

8.      What should be put off? Why?

9.      How we can come out of the Earthy things?

How we can always be truthful?