May 19, 2021 -- Colossians 3:5-10 -- Fighting Fit

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Colossians 3:5-10 English Standard Version

Have you ever played Pop-a-Mole? It is a game in which the player has an over-sized, padded mallet, with which to hit down moles which keep popping up from the large game board. As soon as one mole is hit down another one, or several, pop up. It feels like an endless, futile task.

In contrast to this, Christians do not “Pop-a-Mole” when fighting against sin. They put sins to death. Whereas the sins in which you used to walk were once pleasurable, now they are revealed to be sad, a waste of time and worse, an insult against the God of Glory Who has claimed us in Christ Jesus. It is not enough to have old sinful ways put to death, one must be renewed. It is this new life which removes the “Pop-a-Mole” seeming futility of the task. When one is renewed in Jesus Christ, kindness and humility, forgiveness and love rise up powered by the Spirit Who has taken up residence in the heart, mind, soul and imagination of the believer.

Rather than chasing down sins and shadow-boxing the old self, Paul is encouraging the Colossian Christians to put on the new self. Get dressed in the Good News of Jesus Christ. Offer your imagination to Him. Offer your day to Him. Submit your conversations to Him. Renew your mind in Jesus Christ as you read the Bible and listen to godly preaching and good counsel from people whose walk with God you admire! You will find your energies are engaged in what is holy, admirable and good and your life overflows with thankfulness for all that is yours in Christ Jesus.

Kept by God

Jehovah God,

Thou Creator, Upholder, Proprietor of all things,

I cannot escape from thy presence or control,

nor do I desire to do so.

My privilege is to be under the agency of

omnipotence, righteousness, wisdom,

patience, mercy, grace.

Thou art love with more than parental affection;

I admire thy heart, adore thy wisdom,

stand in awe of thy power, abase myself

before thy purity.

It is the discovery of thy goodness alone that can

banish my fear,

allure me into thy presence,

help me to bewail and confess my sins. Amen.

From The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions

https://youtu.be/4j_Hz-khSyE