MESSAGE
FROM THE
WORD
THE WELL-DRESSED CHRISTIAN
Colossians 3:7-10
SERIES: Colossians Message # 16
One of the great movie scenes features an
When you are in dirty clothes and you have an important meeting, all you want to do is to get out of those clothes and put fresh clothes on. Just as that is true in the physical world, so it is true in the spiritual world. We have been looking at the uniquely Christian life over the past few weeks and arrive at a passage on how to be a well-dressed believer. We read COLOSSIANS 3:7-10 There is to be a time in our life when we take off the clothes of the old life and burn them. We are then to take on the new clothes of righteousness and put them on.
We looked in Colossians 3:1-4 how important it is to turn our back on our old life. If we are truly converted, our heart will be directed to follow our new Father. We will focus on Heaven and not on the stuff of this world. This is one of the ways we can reveal whether we have truly been converted. Throughout the book of Colossians, Paul has referred to the contrast between what we were like before Christ and what we should be like after Christ. Once we turn our hearts to Christ, we should be done with all of the desires of our old nature. We read EPHESIANS 2:8-14 When the grace that saves takes over your life, the life you lead is different. Paul wrote II CORINTHIANS 5:17 Because you are a new creature, you need to live a life that reflects that change. This is why butterflies don’t walk. Their nature has changed, so their mode of transportation does too.
As we look at Paul’s words to this small congregation, we are going to look at the old clothes we need to remove. Isaiah stated ISAIAH 64:6 The best wardrobe we have is dirty, stinky garbage. Next week we will see the wardrobe we are to begin wearing. As we look at this issue, I want to break the passage into three separate topics, our need to reject evil attitudes, evil words and evil ways.
FIRST, WE NEED TO REJECT EVIL WORKS. There is no greater threat to the outreach of the church than believers who yield to evil attitudes. Some unbelievers are turned off by the proclamation of the Gospel. However, most are turned off to Christ because of the actions of someone who claims to be a follower of Christ.
It is important that we remember the context of Paul’s words. Paul has received word that the purity of the gospel is being compromised by some claiming to be representatives of the risen Lord. Paul wrote this letter and sent it to the church to confront false doctrine and to promote godly behavior. The old Apostle is stating the case for true Christianity. What does it mean to be a Christian? In chapters one and two he stated that our belief system must be correct. We must understand that Jesus is the true and only God revealed in human form. We must believe that God has revealed Himself through Christ and through His word and that mystical experiences are not proof of God’s blessings.
In chapters three and four, Paul discussed the critical importance of a godly life. This is not unique to Colossians. We read TITUS 2:11-14 When God’s saving grace comes into a person’s life, that grace always leads to a godly life. The “Blessed Hope” must lead to a blessed life. To say that God’s grace comes into an individual’s life and then gives them no desire to serve Him or live for Him is nonsense. Sin will still take place, but the believer’s attitude toward sin will be remorse and repentance, not apathy. When God’s grace invades a person’s life, what will that person seek to remove? Paul tells us to “PUT THEM ALL ASIDE…” The word used is the word for stripping naked. We are not to leave any place for any of these attitudes.
The first attitude is anger. The word is “orge” and has to do with a simmering, resentful bitterness. It is the attitude that someone does something to you and you take it, but you keep a record and allow the hostility to fester. The longer it festers, the deeper the wound grows. It is the crock pot of bitterness. We read LUKE The hostility toward Jesus had been brewing for years. However, the religious leaders could do nothing about it until Jesus gave the ok.
How many families are going through difficulties because of the simmering resentment of one member? One might blame those who are a part of the family who antagonize. There is a place for this review. Paul did write EPHESIANS 6:4 A father who belittles and mocks his children may bring anger to their heart. However, the individual now needs to deal with that anger in their own heart. James has the solution. He writes JAMES Be quick to listen, but be very slow to become angry. It is really good advice.
The second attitude is wrath. If anger is the crock pot, wrath is the microwave. The word is “thumos” and was used by the Greeks to describe a pile of straw that had been lit on fire. This is the explosion that is set off suddenly and then dies quickly. In many cases, the individual who responds in this way sees nothing wrong, because they get it out and it is over with. However, they leave wounded people all over the place.
It is important that we understand that words can either heal or harm. We like to think that, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me”. That is not true. Words can do a lot of damage. Solomon wrote, PROVERBS 18:21 When we yell and scream at people, we wound them just as if we took a knife and cut their wrist.
The third attitude is malice. Malice is the desire to injure. We read PROV. 6:16-19 Malice is, “A HEART THAT DEVISES WICKED SCHEMES…” The term for enemy in the Hebrew is the same root word from which we get “watcher”. What is an enemy? In some cases it is the person who attacks you from the front and takes you on. Tragically, most enemies are watchers. You think they are on your side and then all of the sudden they have stuck a knife in your back and are telling everyone all the things that they have been observing in your life. This is so destructive and churches are filled with people who disguise themselves in the persona of one who sharers prayer requests.
SECOND, WE NEED TO REJECT EVIL WORDS. I just mentioned how hurtful words can be. Paul continues that thought. The reason malice is not included here is because, even though malice can involve words, it is much more involved in plotting evil deeds. Words are simply the means by which they get their ammunition.
First, we see the condemnation of slander. Slander is an interesting word. It is the word from which we get blasphemy. When we think of blasphemy, it is usually in connection with God. The word itself simply means “to speak ill of another”. Blasphemy is simply speaking ill of God. It has to do with the desire to defame. We read GENESIS 3 What was Satan doing? He was trying to minimize God’s love for Adam and Eve. “Has God truly said…”? Or, was He holding out on you? Satan was trying to defame and belittle God.
How do we slander people? We read PROVERBS 22:1 There is nothing that is more valuable than a person’s reputation. If you say something untrue, say something that may be partially true but with intent to harm, or do something to damage another’s reputation, you have slandered that individual. The Pharisees did this to Jesus when they accused Him of eating with sinners.
We live in a culture that advocates the free expression of whatever the individual wants to say. Nicki and I attended a memorial service last year honoring the husband of a friend of hers. As we gathered together, a man stood to introduce himself and greet everyone who came. A short time later, the son of the deceased man was asked to come to the microphone and speak. For the next ten minutes he recounted how terrible his father was and blamed his father for all of the problems he had. It was absolutely the most toxic speech I had ever heard. After the ceremony, we talked to the widow and she told us that her son’s psychiatrist had asked the son to speak because he felt that getting out his feelings of anger and hostility would be good for him.
There was no one helped by that message, especially the son. What he learned was how the world revolved around him and if he had something he wanted to say, he should say it. It didn’t matter what others felt or how hurt his mother was. All that mattered was the young man needed to vent his anger. The fact that this was neither the place nor the way to deal with his hostility didn’t matter. We do not have the right to slander another’s reputation.
Second, we see the condemnation of abusive words. KJV translates this “FILTHY COMMUNICATION”. It reminds me of Paul’s call to elders in Titus where some where selling out to “FILTHY LUCRE”. What is “FILTHY COMMUNICATION”? NASB translates this passage “ABBUSIVE SPEECH FROM YOUR MOUTH”. This is the language of the rap stars. It is the “who can say the most dirty words to be cool”. It is the desecration of what is holy so that you can make a joke.
You will remember that after Jesus was betrayed; Peter went down to warm himself by the fire and was recognized. After denying he knew Christ twice, the observation was made that His speech betrayed him. The allusion was probably to his accent, but the phrase is a valuable lesson. Jesus had much to say on this. We read MATTHEW If garbage is cascading from your lips, it is because trash fills your heart. Don’t fill your heart with the trash talk of our culture. Learn to elevate your speech.
Third, we see the condemnation of lies. If there is anything that should characterize the people of God it should be a rejection of lies and a promotion of truth. Jesus stated JOHN 14:6 At the heart of Christianity is the truth. Jesus stated JOHN This is promoted elsewhere in the scriptures. Paul wrote EPHESIANS 4:15, 25 We are to tell the truth.
THIRD, WE NEED TO
Let’s look at our own life. All of us have skeletons in the closet. We all have dark sides. To this Peter counseled, I PETER 4:3 You might be here and have an anger problem, lying issues, trust problems, or immoral lifestyle. You might be thinking, “I can’t give it up, it hurts too much, or it is just who I am”. That is not true. It is who you were. II CORINTHIANS You are a new person. Your DNA from your former life was pretty bad. However, when you came to Christ, your DNA changed to that of your Heavenly Father and your Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit has come into your life and He has a special job. Jesus said JOHN 16:7-11 God’s grace is sufficient to overcome your sin nature, your struggles caused by the sins of others, and by your wicked desires. This is why the Apostle Paul could write 1 CORINTHIANS That verse was written for you.
Whatever sins you are dealing with, it is time to confess, to repent, to turn away and to follow Jesus Christ. The closer you get to Him, the farther from sin you will be.
This message is from the teaching ministry of Glen Jackson, pastor of Faith Christian Church in
