Please turn in your Bibles this evening to the letter of Paul to the Colossians. The letter of Paul to the Colossians. In a change from the bulletin, we will begin reading from chapter 2 with our text this evening coming from chapter 3. So Colossians chapter 2 is where you should have your Bibles open. Piety, a word we hear, don't know that we're so sure what it means, piety, true piety, true godliness in how we live can only grow when it is rooted in Christ. Piety that is not rooted in Christ is what's known as pietism. And that is what was going on in Colossae. However much it might look like true piety, having a form of godliness, pietism undermines the gospel by denying its power. It promotes a false gospel. A gospel in which Christ is but half a Savior, and by which his disciples need something more or something other than Christ alone to not only be justified, but to be sanctified, to be made holy, And ultimately to be glorified into heaven. Pietism is about striving to become what you think God wants you to be. To become a better you. To become a better person. It does not depend on the gospel of Jesus Christ alone. It depends at least in part on me. True piety, on the other hand, is about striving to be who you are. Already in Christ. Through faith alone, in Christ alone, believers are already set apart as holy. That's what it means to be called a saint. By God's design and God's choice, you've been set apart for His purposes. You are set apart as holy. And through faith, true piety continually is mindful of what God has done and dependent upon what God has done in Jesus Christ. Only the good news of Jesus Christ, only the gospel of His saving work will motivate us, make us want to, enable us, make us able to more and more to strive to be who we already are in Christ. In the first half of this letter to the Colossians, Paul has dedicated himself almost exclusively to the good news of the gospel. Making clear and making sure as he is able that you know who Jesus Christ is and what he has done for his people. Wanting you to know that through faith in Christ the saints are joined to him both in his life and in his death. And we read by way of reminder from chapter 2, beginning in verse 9, this reality that we need to bear in mind as we step forward into the rest of this letter. Taken up in chapter 2, beginning at verse 9, the Word of God, we read, In Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form. And you have been given fullness in Christ, who is head over every power and authority. In Him you were also circumcised in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with the circumcision done by the hands of men, but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God who raised Him from the dead. And then dropping down to chapter 3, verse 1. And since then you have been raised with Christ, Set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things, for you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Paul has gone to great pains to make sure that you, the people of God who are trusting in Christ, know that this is done for you. Because beginning in chapter 3, verse 5, and continuing into chapter 4, Paul turns our attention to the law of God, his call on our life, and our only guide for true piety. And he does so in a way that does not leave the gospel behind. He doesn't leave it behind as though we've graduated from it and we don't need it anymore. He doesn't forget the gospel, which is what was happening in Colossae. And he doesn't take it for granted. He doesn't assume that we will remember it as we're in the battle day by day against sin and pursuing obedience to the law of God. Instead, as we move forward, we're going to find Paul reminding us over and over again of how the gospel of Jesus Christ alone grounds us in our piety and even carries us along the way day by day. So listen carefully as we read, starting in chapter 3, verse 5, For God's call for you to be who you are in Christ His call to lifetime conversion to all who have been converted once and for all, having been joined to Christ, and who are being converted and converting every day. In verses 5 through 17, just to get you oriented, Paul calls to mind the image of changing clothes. Some of you did that today before he came back to church. You took off something and you put something on. In this case, he's drawing a picture of taking off clothing that's soiled and dirty and putting on clothing that's clean and bright. And he uses this image to illustrate that true piety, the pursuit of the law of God requires doing two things together. Putting off sin and putting on righteousness. And then he goes on in verses 18 through chapter 4 verse 1 to tell us how true piety is expressed in earthly relationships. This all hangs together. We're going to consider only part of it tonight. We give our attention this evening to verses 5 through 11, which is but half of what's involved in lifetime conversion. Here again, the Word of God, beginning in chapter 3, verse 5. Put to death, therefore, put to death in light of the gospel, Whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived, but now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with his practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and is in all. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish each other with all wisdom. And as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Wives, submit to your husbands as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. Slaves, obey your masters, earthly masters in everything, and do it not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a master in heaven. Here ends the reading of God's Word. And again, our attention this evening is beginning in chapter 3, verse 5, through verse 11. Now in this section, in verses 5 through 9, Paul issues three commands. We'll consider the content of these commands in our second point, but he grounds these commands in the gospel in chapter 3, verses 9 through 11, which is where we turn our attention first. The NIV introduces the gospel here with these words, Since you have, and the English Standard Bible says, Seen that you have. Something has happened. Paul wants to bring to mind what pre-exists in the Christian life, a pre-existing reality that equips the saints to receive these commands and to obey them in the Lord. Through faith in Christ, God has changed who you are. It's what he wants you to remember. God has changed who you are. The saints are those who have been converted once and for all. They've been changed once and for all. Reading from the ESV for just a moment, verses 9 and 10 reads this way, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Seeing that you have done this. Seeing that in Christ you have put off your old self. The earthly nature that belongs to Adam. The old man inherited from him. His sin was our sin. As well as our own, but now in Christ Jesus, all of our sin, our sinfulness we inherited from Adam, has been forgiven. It's been taken away. It's been put off. In Christ, you have put on the new self. The heavenly human nature of the second Adam, Jesus Christ. The new man, the firstborn of all the new creation. Righteousness belongs to him alone. he's the only righteous man but through faith in his his righteousness is now your righteousness God has changed you if you are trusting in Christ alone for complete salvation you were a son of Adam you are now a son of God that is really who you are it's really who you are already God has changed your status once and for all. And it can never be taken away. It can never be reversed. It can never be undone. The experience of this change is not as simple to perceive. The experience of this change happens to us individually in what we know as our conversion. our turning, when we personally come to know and to own for ourselves three things. Young people from the youngest grades, you know what these three things are that you need to know. First, how great my sin and misery are. Second, how I am set free from all my sins and my misery. And third, how I am to thank God for such deliverance. When we know those things and own those for ourselves. Whether that happened all at once or over years. We have evidence from God that He has worked in us to make this change. We have evidence in us of His justifying work, His conversion once for all. And this change of status belongs to all the saints. Not only to me individually or you individually, but to all of us together corporately. The new man is Christ. He's the head. And the new man is put on by his church, which is his body. Therefore, our change of status with God has brought about a change in status between us. Our relationship is not the same as it was apart from Christ. Together with all the saints, we comprise a new humanity, a new creation in Christ. And therefore, Paul says in verse 11, he says, Here, here in the new man, Christ is all and is in all. Here in the church is what he's saying, Christ is all. It's his body. And he's in all by his Holy Spirit dwelling in and among his people. In Christ, here in the church, there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised. Barbarian, Scythian, slave or free. Our status has been changed with relationship to God. Our status has been changed with relationship to each other. We are the new man in Christ. Now, this world is full of distinctions between men, distinctions that divide and separate. Racial, religious, cultural, social. These are all characteristic of the old man. That's how this world works. Paul highlights the major divisions of his time here. Greeks understood and considered the Jews to be despicable, and the Jews considered the Greeks unclean. The Jews, of course, were set apart from everyone else by the Sacrament of Circumcision, which belonged to the Old Covenant Church. No one else had it. No one else could join apart from being circumcised. The barbarians were the hicks from the sticks. Unrefined. Ill-mannered. The worst of all were the Scythians. The culture at large, mainstream culture, would have nothing to do with them. Bad folk. And free men considered slaves non-persons. Animated tools that were dispensable, expendable. Distinctions that divide. It's always been the case. It will always be the case in the world. The names may change, but the divisions remain. But here, Paul says, here in the church, these divisions have no weight. These divisions have no place. The church has put off the old man in all of its practices. All of these divisions included, and he's put on the new man in Christ. And all the saints in Christ are recreated equal. All children of God. All co-heirs with Christ. Here, in the new man, the church is a multiracial, multicultural, socially diverse gathering of people, of saints, who are bound together by a common faith in our common Lord, Jesus Christ. The old man says that blood is thicker than water. But the new man says, as Jesus Christ himself said, Whoever does God's will is my brother and my sister and my mother. Here, in the new man, baptismal water is thicker than blood. There's been a change of status. A conversion worked by God and His people that's affected our relationship to Him and our relationship to one another. Now, I need to make one quick aside. Our equal status in Christ does not obliterate all distinctions in role, in function. As we'll see another day, when we look a little further down the page, we'll consider how true piety includes fulfilling our earthly roles in a heavenly way. But distinctions that divide are gone. Roles may remain, and we'll get back to that another day. But back to our point here this evening, verses 9 through 11 confirm for us what Paul has said already in verses 3 and 4. Verse 3, as we read, says, You have died, and your life is now hidden with Christ and God. This is done. But there's something more. Verse 4 goes on to say something else that's also true, and that is that when Christ, who is your life, appears, that's when you also will be with Him in glory. There's a disconnect. We talked about this two times ago. We are in Christ now. But we still await the day when we will completely enjoy that fellowship and His return. And we live in this meantime. This is why Paul speaks of, in verse 10, he says, the new self that we have already put on, it's already ours, is being renewed in knowledge in the image of His Creator. There's something going on in this new man as it relates to us. And what he's saying is that our piety is not fully conformed yet to the perfect piety of Christ. Our obedience is not perfectly conformed to the perfect obedience of Christ. Ours is still clouded by inclinations and tangled up with habits that are tied to Adam. We've learned them so well, they're hard to put away. The righteous inclinations of the new man have not yet been formed into habits in us. So we have this struggle. We have this renewal. that's happening day to day. So long as we remain in these mortal bodies, true piety in our thoughts, words, and deeds will remain a work of God in progress. Therefore, motivated and enabled by the gospel, which Paul has spent the first half talking about and has reminded of us in verses 9 to 11, motivated and enabled by that good work of God for us, We're called to be who we are moving forward and to pursue true piety continually, converting day by day in conformity to the law of God. This is the nuts and bolts of our sanctification. This is how we make progress in holiness. Converting day by day. Now we highlight this aspect in Lord's Day 33 of the Heidelberg where we ask this question of how many parts does this true conversion of man consist? What's it take to convert day by day? Two parts, we say. The putting to death of the old and the coming to life of the new man. Now, Paul will direct us in the coming to life of the new man in verses 12 through 17, which we'll take up next time. But he directs us in the putting to death of the old man in verses 5 to 9. The weight of these commands. And there we find three commandments that sound our direction and they're wrapped around a warning. We're going to get to the commandments in a minute. There's plenty there to get to. But there's a warning tucked in the middle. A warning that reminds us of how dire the consequences are for these things that we are going to be called to put off. These things that are part of the old man, part of Adam, part of who we were, part of who all men are apart from Christ, these things warrant the wrath of God. These things will face judgment in the end, as we were reminded this morning. Judgment is coming. And these things warrant that wrath. That's how urgent it is for us to put them away. These are not light things. These are not small things. These are worthy of the wrath of God. And such things as these have no place in the child of God. They have no place because they don't belong to the new man. Therefore, if you're going to be who you are in Christ, if you're going to put that into practice in this life, you must deal with these things. And what are you to do? What are we to do? Well, the law of God comes to us in verses 5 and 8, set in parallel, but with one meaning. Hear them together. Verse 5 says, Put to death whatever belongs to the earthly nature. And in verse 8, Put off, rid yourselves of all such things as these. Put them to death. Put them away. And each of these commandments is followed by a list, neither of which is comprehensive. These aren't the only things that we need to put away. These are representative. They give us a taste, but a purposeful taste. They present a spectrum of sin that's to be put to death and to be put off. This language is strong. This is the language of execution. It's not enough that we simply avoid these things, though avoid them we must. It's not enough that we simply restrain ourselves, although restraint is involved. These things are to be put to death. They're to be gotten rid of entirely. No trace left. No residue. No lingering attachments. And we already know, those who have walked in this walk for any length of time, we know that this is not easy. nor is it painless. Such things of the old man are ingrained in our attitudes. They're enmeshed in our thinking. They're tangled up in our words. They're embedded in our flesh. They're always there. And yet we're to put them to death. We're to rid ourselves of them. Now we should not expect to finish this good work before Christ returns. The Word of God tells us that it will not be done until He comes back. But we can, however, expect, and we should expect, to make progress in true piety as we exert ourselves to be who we are already in Christ. And so now to verse 5, we hear the commandment, put to death whatever belongs to the earthly nature. And this command is followed by a list of sins representing sins that are destructive to yourself, that eat you away. Paul begins with sin that is obvious and he traces it back to the hidden recesses of the heart from which it springs. These are not individual things. These are all manifestations and stages of bloom for sin that's born in the heart and comes to expression in your life. Put to death sexual immorality. any and all sexual relations outside the bond of marriage. It's simple. We can make a list as long as my arm of all the ways that that looks, but it's simple. It's any and all sexual relations outside of marriage. Put it away. Put it to death. This is the flagship sin. This is the poster child sin about what it is to offend a new man. in 1 Corinthians chapter 7 Paul explains it this way about sexual sin it's a prominent sin it's inescapable in our world all other sins a man whether that be a male or female all other sins a man commits are outside his body but he who sins sexually sins against his own body do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you and whom you have received from God do you not know this you are not your own you've been bought with a price therefore honor God with your body put to death sexual immorality closer to the heart put to death all impurity this is broad and it's anything that's considered vile or degrading or shameful your conscience knows what this is wherever you find it or do it you know what this is put it away it's impurity it has particular attachments to things that are abuses and perversions of sexuality and in this category in our day and age we certainly have the pornography issue which is rampant and sexting which is the new rage it's impurity it's an outward act of a sinful heart put it to death it has no place in the new man it has no place in the church it has no place in the saints it doesn't belong put it to death and the law keeps cutting it keeps cutting deeper put to death lust and evil desires put to death the passions that seek satisfaction in these outward acts those things that drive us to do what we do to get what we want desires for things and they might be good desires that move us from not only wanting good things but needing things good and evil needing them so much that we'll do whatever it takes to get them when we want them, how we want them, as much as we want them. Your conscience knows these things too. Put them to death. James chapter 1, verses 13 through 15 gives this warning. When tempted, no one should say God is tempting me. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when? By his own evil desires. He's dragged away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death. Put to death the lusts and the evil desires. It's like trimming your garden, trimming your rose bush. If you trim early, it's less effort. You save yourself a lot of grief. Put to death. Then Paul closes this list with the root of the matter. He's come down to the root. An idolatrous heart. Jeremiah 17 verse 19 is right to say that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. Who can understand it? We might hear this expression said this way today. I've heard it many times. The heart wants what it wants. The heart wants what it wants. As if that's an excuse for you to go get whatever you want. Put to death. Greed. Covetousness. Which is idolatry. And you can know that your desires have become idolatrous. that it's coming from an idolatrous heart when you're willing to sin to get it. And you're willing to sin when you don't. Put it to death. Put to death all such things as these, whatever belongs to the earthly nature, make it quick, show no mercy, and do it day by day. well said in parallel with that we have verse 8 you must rid yourselves of all such things as these followed by a list representing behavior that's destructive to others here Paul begins with sin that's hidden in the heart and he takes it to a sinful expression toward our neighbor rid yourself of anger rid yourself from anger that rises up in judgment that's what your anger is whether you're mildly frustrated or extremely exasperated you are acting as prosecutor, judge and jury against someone and you're angry get rid of it it has no place rid yourselves of rage or wrath that takes your anger as a writ of execution that can drive you to attack the other either with words in your own thought life or in actions it can drive you to withdraw back into silence or show them the cold shoulder or even just run away get rid of it It doesn't belong. Rid yourselves of malice that opts for a slow execution by meanness or wickedness. This is what grows under the rug when you sweep things there in your rage. Malice. Put it away. Rid yourselves of slander. broadcasting your judgment to whoever will give you an ear, cursing, defaming, and abusing the one you've judged to whatever audience you can find. Put it away. And rid yourselves of filthy language from your lips, language that inflicts pain or damage on your neighbor. Yes, sticks and stones may break their bones, but words will certainly hurt. Put it away. It doesn't belong. It's not part of who you are. James is right to say in James 3, verse 9, with the tongue we praise our Lord and Father and we curse men who are made in God's image. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. It doesn't belong. Put it away. Of course, we could keep on going. We know where this leads. We don't need a list as long. We know where it's going to lead. The Apostle John does. In 1 John 3, verse 15, he says, Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. You must rid yourself of all things such as these. They don't belong to the new man and they have no place in you personally. They have no place for you in the church. Strip them off. Throw them away. Stay at it day by day. This is the life we're called to. This is true piety. At least half. And Paul puts a period on this brief survey in verse 9 with the commandment, Do not lie to each other. Do not lie to each other. It sits all alone. We might be tempted to pass it over. It seems such a little thing compared to these other things we're supposed to put to death and get rid of. That's how we lie to ourselves, isn't it? It's just a little thing. Whenever we manipulate the truth or avoid the truth or deny the truth in order to get what we want, it's just a little thing. Well, it certainly is the most subtle of sins, but it's no little thing. it is the fitting inheritance that characterizes the old man, Adam, himself deceived by the father of lies, the devil in the garden. It's a fitting inheritance. It certainly belongs to him and to everyone who lives in his nature. But you, saints of God, have died to that nature. Your life is now hidden with Christ. You have heard and believed the word of truth, the gospel. And it has set you free. And in that freedom, there's no room. There's no place for lying. Do not lie to one another. Through faith, you've been joined to Christ. In him, you have once and for all put off the old man. It's a done work, and you put on the new man. It's a done work. You've been justified before God in Christ. That's who you are. Therefore, grounded in this gospel, as Paul has made sure that you are in the power of the Holy Spirit, you are now motivated and you are equipped to obey these commandments. You can in Christ. Put to death such things as these. You can rid yourself of such things as these, day by day. This is your sanctification. The work of conversion has begun once for all. The work of conversion goes on day by day and it will continue until Christ comes for you in death or in glory. But as you face this battle, as you fight this fight, remember that the battle belongs to the Lord. And because you belong to Him, the battle is being waged in you. Therefore, be who you are in Christ. And put to death everything that does not belong to Him. That's in you. Let's pray. Almighty God and Heavenly Father, we thank you that through Jesus Christ, your Son, you have secured for your people a righteousness that is not our own and the forgiveness of all of our sins and sinfulness. We thank you that through faith in him you indeed have changed who we are. You've rescued us from the old man and you've set us on firm foundation, firm ground in the new man, Jesus Christ. You've changed who we are. And Lord, that's impossible for us to remember in the day-to-day life that we live apart from your word, apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we thank you that even in our text this evening as Paul issues these firm and stern and demanding commandments, that he does so in a way that reminds us that this effort that we're called to is an effort that is born by you, in us help us Lord to remember the gospel when we face temptation help us to remember the gospel when we struggle against sin that we can face it and we can put it to death and we can put it away because we are in Christ Jesus through faith and his spirit is at work in us to want to do it and to be able to do it more and more as we wait for His return in glory. Equip your people, Father. For Christ's sake we pray. Amen.