...the whole truth...

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8 But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all” Colossians 3:5-11!

Paul is pushing us hard here, yet always in the right direction, when he warns us: “5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry)” Colossians 3:5. This is a continuation of how our thoughts, spoken in the earlier verses of this chapter, are the sources of temptation. So, the only way to “put to death” our sinfulness, especially our habitual sinfulness, is not to fight the sin, but to fight the temptation to sin. And that means we fight our thoughts, which are where Satan drops in to tempt us every time — again.

If you and I wish to “put to death fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed” in our lives, we put to death these sins — and all sins — when we first begin to think about doing these things — and all sins! IN OUR THOUGHTS! With all sexual sins, with all passions of every kind, and with every evil desires (or thoughts), and with all kinds of greed, we ask God to help us AS SOON AS WE BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT IT!

Simple advice — but delightful advice!

Simple truth — but delightful truth!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.

Today’s Prayer

Oh Lord, I thank You because I know You are with me.

I know You love me so much that You are with me to help me.

So, today I need You all day!

I need your loving presence to help me put to death

every thought that is going to pull me from You!

I love You so much that I wish to depend on You for everything,

that I never want to walk away from my sinful choices.

So this is what I give You thanks!

I thank You for helping me put to death all that is not You!

And this I pray in your name, Jesus Christ, amen!