Bible Study: Who Are You? (Session 2)
SESSION 2: WHO YOU ARE NOT
Colossians 3:5–11
Read the Text
Colossians 3:5–11 (ESV)
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Setting the Context
After reminding believers who they are in Christ, Paul turns to address who they are no longer called to be. Identity precedes behavior, but identity also demands change. New life in Christ requires a decisive break from the old way of living.
Here the believer’s effort runs parallel with the sovereignty of Christ in their lives. Admittedly, there is no earning of salvation taught here, but even Paul understands that the believer must take responsibility in how they live in relationship to Christ and the salvation they have found. Philippians 2:12 reminds us to “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling… remembering it is God who works in you…”
Paul does not soften his language here and his intention is not to belittle the individual but to build them up and guide them in their salvation. He speaks plainly because sin is not a minor issue that can be managed or tolerated. It is a threat to spiritual growth, unity, and faithfulness. The Christian life involves not only putting on what is new, but also putting away what no longer belongs.
Put to Death What Is Earthly (v.5)
Paul begins with a command that is intentionally strong.
“Put to death…”
This calls for deliberate and decisive action on the part of the believer. It does not imply gradual improvement or careful negotiation because sin is not something the believer can make peace with. The sins Paul names are not to be entertained or excused. They are to be dealt with completely.
The list begins with sins that corrupt the inner life and the thought life. Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness all center on misplaced desire. These sins elevate personal appetite above God’s design.
Paul identifies covetousness as idolatry because it places self at the center. When desire rules the heart, God no longer does. This returns us to the root of sin, which is pride. Throughout Scripture, rebellion consistently flows from wanting what God has not given or rejecting the limits He has established.
These Once Defined Your Walk (v.7)
Paul reminds the believers that this was once their way of life.
“In these you too once walked…”
This statement by Paul places these sins firmly in the past. This is not a statement meant to shame, but to clarify identity. What once defined our identities, no longer does because they are sins and actions associated with the “old self.”
To continue living in these patterns would be to deny the reality of resurrection life in the believer. They are contradictions to the new life because the believer who has died and been raised with Christ cannot live comfortably in the grave clothes of the old self.
But Now You Must Put Them Away (v.8–9)
“But now you must put them all away…”
Paul then turns to sins that damage relationships and destroy unity within the body of Christ.
Anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, and lying all flow outward. These sins reveal what is happening internally, and they fracture trust among believers.
Lying is especially destructive because it undermines the foundation of Christian community. Truth is essential for unity, accountability, and love. A life that is being renewed in Christ must also be marked by honesty.
Paul’s language emphasizes finality. The old self has been put off. The practices associated with it no longer belong to the believer’s identity or way of life.
Clarifying the Sins That Must Be Put Away (Colossians 3:8–9)
Paul now addresses sins that directly affect our relationships with others and, by extension, our relationship with Christ. These sins reveal what is happening in the heart and often surface in our words and reactions.
Why These Sins Must Be Put Away
Each of these sins damages relationships horizontally with others and vertically with Christ. They disrupt unity, resist the work of the Spirit, and hinder spiritual growth.
Paul’s command is not to manage these sins, but to put them away entirely. A life being renewed in Christ must also reflect Christ in attitude, speech, and conduct.
Renewed in Knowledge After God’s Image (v.10)
“…put on the new self, which is being renewed…”
The new self is not static; it is a dynamic relationship with Christ that is continually progressing as we grow closer to Christ and more in line with His will in our lives.
This renewal takes place through knowledge, not merely information, but a growing understanding of God’s truth that reshapes the heart and mind. As believers grow in knowledge of Christ, they are progressively restored toward the image God intended from creation. An image that reflects to the world who God is, while also promoting a desire to regain what was lost in the fall and live a life that reflects God’s glory.
This renewal affects both the vertical relationship with God and horizontal relationships with others. Growth in Christ should result in visible change in how believers think, speak, and treat one another.
Christ Is All, and in All (v.11)
“…Christ is all, and in all.”
Paul closes this section by emphasizing unity in Christ.
Earthly distinctions that often divide people lose their power in the body of Christ. Background, ethnicity, status, and social position no longer define worth or belonging. Christ alone defines identity.
This truth has practical implications. How believers treat one another reflects what they believe about Christ, and the unity within the church becomes a testimony to the transforming power of the gospel.
Reflection and Application
Take time to reflect carefully.
Prayer
Lord, search my heart and reveal anything that does not belong in a life raised with Christ. Give me the grace to put away what is old and to walk in the new life You have given me. Renew me in truth and shape me into the image of Christ.
Notes/ Reflections:
Colossians 3:5–11
Read the Text
Colossians 3:5–11 (ESV)
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Setting the Context
After reminding believers who they are in Christ, Paul turns to address who they are no longer called to be. Identity precedes behavior, but identity also demands change. New life in Christ requires a decisive break from the old way of living.
Here the believer’s effort runs parallel with the sovereignty of Christ in their lives. Admittedly, there is no earning of salvation taught here, but even Paul understands that the believer must take responsibility in how they live in relationship to Christ and the salvation they have found. Philippians 2:12 reminds us to “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling… remembering it is God who works in you…”
Paul does not soften his language here and his intention is not to belittle the individual but to build them up and guide them in their salvation. He speaks plainly because sin is not a minor issue that can be managed or tolerated. It is a threat to spiritual growth, unity, and faithfulness. The Christian life involves not only putting on what is new, but also putting away what no longer belongs.
Put to Death What Is Earthly (v.5)
Paul begins with a command that is intentionally strong.
“Put to death…”
This calls for deliberate and decisive action on the part of the believer. It does not imply gradual improvement or careful negotiation because sin is not something the believer can make peace with. The sins Paul names are not to be entertained or excused. They are to be dealt with completely.
The list begins with sins that corrupt the inner life and the thought life. Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness all center on misplaced desire. These sins elevate personal appetite above God’s design.
Paul identifies covetousness as idolatry because it places self at the center. When desire rules the heart, God no longer does. This returns us to the root of sin, which is pride. Throughout Scripture, rebellion consistently flows from wanting what God has not given or rejecting the limits He has established.
These Once Defined Your Walk (v.7)
Paul reminds the believers that this was once their way of life.
“In these you too once walked…”
This statement by Paul places these sins firmly in the past. This is not a statement meant to shame, but to clarify identity. What once defined our identities, no longer does because they are sins and actions associated with the “old self.”
To continue living in these patterns would be to deny the reality of resurrection life in the believer. They are contradictions to the new life because the believer who has died and been raised with Christ cannot live comfortably in the grave clothes of the old self.
But Now You Must Put Them Away (v.8–9)
“But now you must put them all away…”
Paul then turns to sins that damage relationships and destroy unity within the body of Christ.
Anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, and lying all flow outward. These sins reveal what is happening internally, and they fracture trust among believers.
Lying is especially destructive because it undermines the foundation of Christian community. Truth is essential for unity, accountability, and love. A life that is being renewed in Christ must also be marked by honesty.
Paul’s language emphasizes finality. The old self has been put off. The practices associated with it no longer belong to the believer’s identity or way of life.
Clarifying the Sins That Must Be Put Away (Colossians 3:8–9)
Paul now addresses sins that directly affect our relationships with others and, by extension, our relationship with Christ. These sins reveal what is happening in the heart and often surface in our words and reactions.
- Anger: an unsettled attitude of irritation or resentment. This is not a momentary emotion of frustration, but a heart posture that simmers beneath the surface. When anger becomes a pattern, it interferes with our communion with Christ because it resists the fruit of the Spirit, especially patience and self-control (Gal. 5:22–23).
- Wrath: anger that has boiled over, explosive, reactive, and uncontrolled that is expressed outwardly. A life marked by wrath contradicts the call to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts (Col. 3:15).
- Malice: anger that has matured to ill intent. It is a desire to harm, diminish, or see another suffer emotionally, physically, or socially. Malice poisons both vertical and horizontal relationships because it resists grace and fosters a spirit contrary to the heart of Christ (Eph. 4:31-32).
- Slander: involves speaking in a way that damages someone else. Whether spoken aloud or in private, its purpose is to tear down. Words matter deeply in the Christian life. Speech that harms others reflects a heart that is not being governed by love (Eph. 4:29).
- Obscene Talk: vulgar, degrading, or morally corrupting language that includes coarse joking, crude language, and words that trivialize sin. The mouth reveals the heart (Matt. 12:34). When our speech is careless or corrupt, it signals a disconnect between our confession and our conduct.
- Lying: any distortion of truth, whether false statements, deception, exaggeration, or withholding truth to deceive. Because the believer has put off the old self and put on the new, truthfulness is essential. A community built on truth reflects the character of Christ, who is the truth (John 14:6).
Why These Sins Must Be Put Away
Each of these sins damages relationships horizontally with others and vertically with Christ. They disrupt unity, resist the work of the Spirit, and hinder spiritual growth.
Paul’s command is not to manage these sins, but to put them away entirely. A life being renewed in Christ must also reflect Christ in attitude, speech, and conduct.
Renewed in Knowledge After God’s Image (v.10)
“…put on the new self, which is being renewed…”
The new self is not static; it is a dynamic relationship with Christ that is continually progressing as we grow closer to Christ and more in line with His will in our lives.
This renewal takes place through knowledge, not merely information, but a growing understanding of God’s truth that reshapes the heart and mind. As believers grow in knowledge of Christ, they are progressively restored toward the image God intended from creation. An image that reflects to the world who God is, while also promoting a desire to regain what was lost in the fall and live a life that reflects God’s glory.
This renewal affects both the vertical relationship with God and horizontal relationships with others. Growth in Christ should result in visible change in how believers think, speak, and treat one another.
Christ Is All, and in All (v.11)
“…Christ is all, and in all.”
Paul closes this section by emphasizing unity in Christ.
Earthly distinctions that often divide people lose their power in the body of Christ. Background, ethnicity, status, and social position no longer define worth or belonging. Christ alone defines identity.
This truth has practical implications. How believers treat one another reflects what they believe about Christ, and the unity within the church becomes a testimony to the transforming power of the gospel.
Reflection and Application
Take time to reflect carefully.
- Are there sins Paul names here that I have tolerated rather than put to death?
- In what ways do my words and attitudes reveal remnants of the old self?
- How does understanding my identity in Christ change the way I view repentance?
- What steps do I need to take to put away practices that interfere with my walk with Christ?
Prayer
Lord, search my heart and reveal anything that does not belong in a life raised with Christ. Give me the grace to put away what is old and to walk in the new life You have given me. Renew me in truth and shape me into the image of Christ.
Notes/ Reflections:
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