Colossians 3:5–11
Resurrection life requires the killing of old patterns and the embrace of renewed identity in Christ.
5 Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 For these things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.
7 You also once walked in those, when you lived in them;
8 but now you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth.
9 Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings,
10 and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,
11 where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all, and in all.
Resurrection life requires the killing of old patterns and the embrace of renewed identity in Christ.
To command believers to mortify sinful behaviors belonging to their former life and to embrace renewed identity in Christ that transcends earthly distinctions.
Colossians 3:5-11 applies the resurrection identity of Colossians 3:1-4. Since believers have been raised with Christ, have died, and have their life hidden with Christ in God, they must now put to death earthly sins and put off the practices of the old self. This section begins the concrete ethical application that continues into Colossians 3:12-17.
Raised with Christ: Putting Off the Old Life and Putting On the New
Because believers have been raised with Christ and their life is hidden with him, they must put off the old life, put on the new, and bring every relationship and action under the lordship of Christ.