Dressed for Success in the Garments of Grace, Colossians 3:9-11
“Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its
evil practices ” (3:5-9).
- These sins (vv. 5-9) defile believers. They take them back to the old life and they grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30–31). The final sin (v. 9) Paul named was lying. Satan is the liar (Jn 8:44), while the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (Jn 14:17; 15:26). When a Christian lies, he is cooperating with Satan; when he speaks the truth in love (Eph 4:15), he is cooperating with the Spirit of God.
The believer’s only recourse is to ‘put off the old man with his deeds’. Put off —“wholly put off,” utterly renounce. (Eph 4:22). the old man—the unregenerate nature which ye had before conversion. his deeds—habits of acting.
“. . .that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth (Eph 4:22-24).
This putting off is what is done in principle at conversion, Paul is now asking believers to do it in practice. By regeneration Christians have new life; by sanctification they have new love (of God, holiness, the brethren). They are not what they were, and they can never be the same again. What was normal in the old life is unnatural now. What we were in Adam is, by grace, set aside in the risen Christ.
- “. . .and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him” (
v. 10
).
What
is God’s redemptive plot? Because we are alive in Christ, we must seek the things that are above. And, because we died with Christ, we must put off the things that belong to the earthly life of past sin. The result is that we can become like Jesus Christ! God wants to renew believers and make them conformed into the image of His Son!
“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified” (Rom. 8:29-30).
This transformation into Christ-likeness refers to Christian character, the spiritual quality of the inner man. When we see Jesus Christ, we shall be like Him and have glorified bodies; but in the meantime, we are to strive to become like Him and share His holy image.
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure”(1 Jn 3:1–3); but in the meantime, we are to strive to become like Him and share His holy image.
Who
is the new man? Adam was created in the image of God (Gen 1:27), which included a moral and intellectual likeness to God. This image was effaced and corrupted by the fall and needs to be repaired and renewed. The ‘new man’ means “the recently-put-on nature;” lately received at regeneration. The new creation is analogous to the first creation (2 Cor 5:17). As man was then made in the image of God naturally, so now spiritually. But the image of God formed in us by the Spirit of God, is as much more glorious than that borne by Adam, as the Second Adam, the Lord from heaven, is more glorious than the first man (quadrant diagram of completeness, Colossians 2:10).
It is interesting in the original language that the word, ‘new’ in v. 10 means fresh, brand, spanking new, while the word ‘renew’ which contains the concept of newness means new in quality—having a fundamental difference. There is a change in quality, for he (the new man) is becoming like Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ the prototypical “new Man,” the last Adam. He is the Head of the new creation.
“So also it is written, ‘The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit” (1 Cor. 15:45).
How
is this progressive renewal into the image of Christ taking place? The Greek verbals translated put off and put on (Col 3:9–10) indicate a once-for-all action. When we trust Christ in obedience, we put off the old life and put on the new. The old man has been buried, and the new man is now in control (pictured in water baptism). A Christian is to put on the new self (as a new way of life or disposition). Hence his conduct should be in accord with his new position. Believers must daily co-operate with the Holy Spirit by putting ‘on the new man who is renewed in knowledge’. This is a day-by-day process which refreshes and restores the new soul-life of the saints.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect”(Rom 12:2; Titus 3:5).
This transforming renewal is more than a human resolution to ‘be good’; it is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart and mind remaking us in Christ’s image, so that we will reflect his glory and do his works.
What
is the means of this renewal/transformation? We were formed in God’s image, and deformed from God’s image by sin. But through Jesus Christ, we can be transformed into God’s image! We must be renewed in the spirit of our minds (Eph 4:23). As we grow in knowledge of the Word of God, we will be transformed by the Spirit of God to share in the glorious image of God.
”But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18).
When God transforms us by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2), this involves the diligent study of God’s Word. A daily personal ‘quiet time’ with reflection on the Word of God will help the saint to achieve this. The very presence of the new life within enables the saints, no matter their background, to reject lust and contempt of all kinds. Thus, since the resources for obedience are ours in abundance, the question is: is it really our intent to put the deeds of the old man to death, and to loyally obey Christ? For, the terms of true discipleship laid down by Christ are nothing less than a radical self-denial (a denial of the sinful appetites and passions of our former self.)
This is why the renewal of the new self is ‘in knowledge’, knowledge of Christ.
“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col 1:9-10).
“. . . that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself” (Col 2:2).
Renewal takes place as a believer comes to a personal, deep knowledge of, and fellowship with Christ. And the renewal is ‘in’ (“according to”) the image of its Creator. The goal of renewal is to make believers like Him, for the new self was created to be like God in Christ.
“be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Eph 4:24).
Its development into a perfectly renewed nature is continually progressing to completion. “Unto perfect knowledge.” Perfect knowledge of God excludes all sin (Jn 17:3). This is a process of constant renewing as the Spirit of God uses the Word of God. The better he gets to know Christ (devotion, communion, fellowship, worship, obedience), the more he becomes like Him
“. . .that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Phil 3:10).
- “ a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all” ( v. 11
).
In terms of divine favor and access to God in Christ, there is no such thing as Greek and Jew (the difference of privilege between those born of the natural seed of Abraham and those not, is abolished). The present Church is one called out of the flesh, out of the present world-course (Eph 2:2), for, it is the world where such distinctions exist. The Christian is called to life in the Spirit, and to the future first resurrection.
At Christ’s second coming, when Satan shall no longer rule the flesh and the world, the nations in the flesh, and the world in millennial happiness, shall be the willing subjects of Christ and His glorified saints. Satan and his demons will be bound for 1000 years (Rev 20:1–6).
“And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed” (Dan 7:14).
“‘Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him’” (Dan 7:27).
“And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’” (Lu 19:17).
“‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Rev 3:21).
Christ is all—Christ absorbs in Himself all distinctions, being to all alike, everything that they need for justification, sanctification, and glorification:
“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD” (1 Cor 1:30; Gal 2:20).
Thus, Christ is in all—who believe and are renewed, without distinction of person.ⁱ
The Greeks considered all non-Greeks to be barbarians; and the Scythians were the lowest barbarians of all! Yet, in Jesus Christ, a person’s cultural status is no advantage or disadvantage. Nor is his economic (“bond or free”). Paul made it clear that a slave should try to get his freedom (1 Cor 7:20–23), but he should not think he is handicapped spiritually because of his social position.
All of these human distinctions belong to the “old man” and not the “new man.” It is wrong to build the fellowship of the church on anything other than Jesus Christ, His person and His work. “Christ is all and in all” is the emphasis in this letter to the Colossians. “That in all things He might have the preeminence” (Col 1:18).
CONCLUSION: Because we who are believers are complete in Christ, we can look beyond the earthly differences that separate people and enjoy a spiritual unity in the Lord (2 Cor 3:18). We are alive in Christ; therefore, we should seek the heavenly (‘things above’). In Christ, we are dead to sin and alive to God; therefore, we should slay the earthly (the sinful tendencies and passions that remain in our fleshly members). We can become like Christ, therefore, we must strengthen the Christly and permit the Spirit to renew our minds, making us more into the image of God.ⁱⁱ
End Notes:
i Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol.
2, p. 380). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
ii Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 136–137). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.