Colossians 3:8 — Putting Away the Sins of the Old Man Santamaria

 

Colossians 3:8 — Putting Away the Sins of the Old Man

“But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.” — Colossians 3:8 (KJV)

The Apostle Paul addresses a profound contradiction in the Christian experience. Those who have been made alive together with Christ may still manifest the sinful dispositions that characterized their former manner of life. The believer possesses a new standing in Christ, yet continues to contend with the corruption of the flesh. Paul therefore commands the Colossians to put away those things that are inconsistent with their spiritual identity.

The words “But now” are particularly significant. Paul has already described the former condition of these believers: “In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them” (Colossians 3:7). Their former conduct belonged to a life from which they had been delivered. They were no longer what they once had been, and therefore ought not to live as they once lived.

Yet Paul does not suggest that regeneration has entirely removed the capacity for sinful conduct. If that were so, his admonition would be unnecessary. The very existence of the command demonstrates that those who are born of God may still experience anger, wrath, malice, and corrupt speech. Their presence does not necessarily establish the absence of spiritual life, but neither does spiritual life excuse their continued indulgence.

The expression “put off” translates the Greek verb apothesthe, conveying the idea of laying something aside or stripping it away. The imagery resembles the removal of soiled clothing. Just as a man removes garments unfit for his new circumstances, the Christian is instructed to abandon conduct that contradicts his calling.

Paul first identifies anger, a disposition of hostility or resentment that may remain concealed within the heart. The Greek term orgē can describe a settled attitude rather than merely a momentary emotional outburst. It is possible for a person to maintain an outward appearance of composure while inwardly nourishing bitterness against another.

Next comes wrath, translated from thymos, which frequently describes a more passionate or explosive expression of anger. The distinction is not absolute, but the two terms together encompass both inward resentment and outward displays of hostility. A man may sin through the anger he conceals as well as through the temper he openly expresses.

Paul then names malice, the deliberate disposition to injure another. Malice is especially destructive because it transforms personal resentment into a desire for another person's humiliation, misfortune, or suffering. It is entirely possible for a religious man to defend his malicious conduct under the pretense of zeal for truth. He may imagine that because his doctrine is correct, his bitterness is justified. Scripture recognizes no such exemption.

The word blasphemy, from blasphēmia, is often associated with irreverent speech against God. In this context, however, it can also signify slander, abusive speech, or language intended to damage the reputation of another person. The tongue that professes the glory of God may become an instrument of cruelty against one's neighbor.

Finally, Paul condemns filthy communication, translating aischrologia, shameful or disgraceful speech. The expression encompasses language that is morally indecent, degrading, or otherwise unbecoming to those professing godliness. The concern is not merely the violation of social politeness, but the moral character of speech itself.

There is an important progression in the Apostle's description. The sins begin with inward dispositions and proceed toward their outward expression. Anger may become wrath; wrath may cultivate malice; malice may express itself through slander and shameful speech. What begins within the heart eventually finds expression through the tongue.

Our Lord had already established this principle: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). Speech is therefore not simply an isolated moral activity. It reveals something of the inward condition of the speaker.

There is also a considerable difference between the believer's standing in Christ and his practical conduct in this world. Paul declares in Colossians 3:3, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” This is an extraordinary declaration concerning the believer's spiritual identity. Yet only five verses later he commands those very believers to put away anger, wrath, and malice.

The distinction must be carefully preserved. Their life in Christ is not created by their success in subduing these sins, nor is their union with Christ sustained by the perfection of their daily conduct. Nevertheless, their conduct remains a serious matter of Christian obedience.

From an Old School Baptist perspective, this passage provides no foundation for supposing that practical obedience is the efficient cause of regeneration or the condition upon which eternal redemption ultimately depends. Rather, the Apostle addresses those already identified as belonging to Christ, instructing them concerning the manner of life appropriate to their calling.

Nor should the passage be distorted into an argument that the regenerated man becomes incapable of sin. Paul recognizes the continuing conflict between the flesh and the demands of godliness. The Christian may outwardly resemble the unregenerate man in particular actions, even though their spiritual standing before God is fundamentally different. This outward similarity should never lead us to confuse the evidences of spiritual life with the cause of spiritual life.

Yet there is an equally serious danger in using the doctrine of grace to diminish the importance of Christian conduct. Paul does not reason that because believers are secure in Christ, their anger and malice are unimportant. On the contrary, the certainty of their spiritual identity supplies the setting for his commands.

The Apostle's language is direct: “put off all these.” He does not instruct believers merely to moderate their malice, conceal their wrath, or make their abusive speech more socially acceptable. These things are to be rejected as incompatible with the character of Christian fellowship.

This admonition is particularly relevant to religious controversies. Men who profess to defend the sovereign grace of God may nevertheless speak of their brethren with bitterness, contempt, and personal hostility. The correctness of a theological argument does not sanctify the sinful disposition of the person making it. Truth does not require malice for its defense.

Paul's instruction challenges the believer to examine not only what he says but why he says it. A rebuke may be doctrinally accurate yet delivered from a corrupt motive. A criticism may contain factual truth while nevertheless being governed by resentment. One may triumph in controversy and still have violated the spirit of the Apostle's command.

The practical significance of Colossians 3:8 is therefore considerable. It teaches that spiritual life and moral imperfection coexist in the present experience of God's children, while insisting that such imperfection must never become an excuse for indulging sin.

The believer does not put away anger and malice in order to persuade God to make him alive in Christ. He is called to put them away because the life he has received is inconsistent with their dominion.

The Christian's profession is not vindicated merely by the doctrines he defends, but ought also to be reflected in the spirit with which he defends them. A man may speak eloquently concerning divine love while nourishing hatred toward his brother. He may proclaim the riches of grace while refusing to extend the ordinary kindness and forbearance that grace ought to produce.

Colossians 3:8 thus stands as a searching admonition to every believer, and especially to those entrusted with the public defense of the gospel. The truth of God must never become a cloak for the passions of the flesh. The same Apostle who proclaimed salvation by grace also commanded the saints to put away anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speech.

The command does not diminish sovereign grace. It reminds us that those who have received grace are called to walk in a manner worthy of their profession.

For it is possible to be correct in doctrine and grievously wrong in spirit.