Welcome to The Daily Platform from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Today on The Daily Platform, we're continuing a study series entitled, Seeking Things Above, which is a study of the Book of Colossians. If you would like to follow along in the study booklet, you can get one on Kindle or you can order a printed copy from the website, thedailyplatform.com. Would you please take your Bibles and turn this morning to the Book of Colossians, Colossians chapter 3. And we'll pick up this morning as we begin in verse 5 and read down to verse 9 this morning as we continue the theme of seeking things above. And we have been setting up what that means, understanding Christ as being our all in all, understanding the problem in the church of Colossae where certain teachers had come in and they began to teach that what you had received in the Gospel message from Epaphras was not really enough, that there's more to it, and really they were diminishing the power of the Gospel. And so Paul brings us here to Colossians 3 and he tells us in verses 1, 2, 3, and 4 that we are to seek the things that are above and we're not to seek the things that are below. And now we come to verse 5 and in verse 5 we really find the beginning of how he's really leading us how to live out this life on a daily practical basis.
He's putting real feet to the message that has to do with just how we live in this world. And so this morning we'll begin reading in verse 5 and we'll read down to verse 9. Here what God has to say. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry. For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience, in the which you also walked sometime when you lived in them. But now you also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds. In J.I. Packer's book entitled 18 Words, The Most Important Words You Will Ever Know, he writes in one chapter on sin these words. Our first need in life is to learn about sin. He states if you have not learned about sin you cannot understand yourself or your fellow men or the world you live in or the Christian faith and you will not be able to make head or tail of the Bible. Understanding sin is absolutely crucial to understanding our theme seeking things above because it is implied by the Apostle Paul that a part of seeking things above is actually dealing with the things that are below. Notice what he says in verse 1, if you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. Verse 2, set your affection on things above and not on things of the earth.
You see the contrast. And then we read in verse 5, mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. So question, what does he mean by the things that are below? And we will see this morning that Paul is referring specifically to the sinful desires and the sinful affections that come out of the human heart and they are manifested in our choices, in our actions, in our responses and these are the things that we do on this earth. Or you could say it in other words, these are not things that are being done in heaven. So what we read in verse 5 down to verse 9, we are resting assured that they are not living this way in heaven and since we are God's people, we are heavenward people, then we should live like we're going to heaven and not the reverse. And Paul identifies very clearly, very directly, very straightforward, he declares what these things are.
But he does more than that. He actually shows us that these are not just things that are wrong for believers to do but there's a reason for it. And that is because of these things God is reacting in judgment upon unbelievers. Notice what he says in verse 6, for which things sake the wrath of God. Or because of these things that they're doing, the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.
What does the word wrath mean? It speaks of God's divine punishment based on His judgment against sin. Paul is speaking specifically about God's judgment that is going to come on believers, on believers. But what is important is that the word cometh is in the present tense. Paul is not saying that something is going to happen in the future as if he says the wrath of God is going to come.
That's not what he's saying. What he is saying is that God's wrath is being demonstrated right now on unbelievers. And actually Paul explains this very thoroughly in Romans chapter 1. And I want you to take your Bibles and turn with me please to Romans chapter 1 verse 18. Because actually Romans 1 is a thorough explanation of the wrath of God coming on society right this very moment.
And it is important for you to see this and be perceptive. What is he saying in Romans 1? Well Paul is saying that when men and women reject God for atheism and idolatry, God responds in judgment. And let me say this about God.
God is not indifferent to anything that we do. For example, when you do something wrong, what's the first thing you naturally feel in your heart? You feel guilt. How many of you have ever done something wrong and you feel guilty about it and you feel like God's going to get you for it?
How many of you have ever felt that way? Well of course. Because guess what?
He is. Now I know that kind of cuts cross way to some of you. But you cannot sin before God and God sits there like a grandfather in a rocking chair, indifferent and apathetic to what you do. God never works that way. Now God will respond in mercy if you humble yourself, but if you continue on in sin, God's not going to be passive about it. And Romans chapter 1 is teaching us that God responds in judgment on society. And how does he do that? He deliberately removes moral restraints within human society. Let's look at what he says in Romans 1.18.
Notice. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, that's presently, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. So God is revealing his wrath.
Verse 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power in Godhead, so that they are without excuse. What he's simply saying is that creation reveals that there is a creator.
All men know that there is a divine supernatural being because of creation. Verse 21. Because that when they knew God, that is by general revelation, they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful, but they became vain in their imaginations. And their foolish heart was darkened, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. They changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man into birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things.
He's speaking here about idolatry, the worship of idols. Now note verse 24. Therefore, because of this, God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lust of their own hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves.
Notice if you will please verse 26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections. For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature, and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of women burned in their lusts one toward another.
And I'm going to read this phrase from the ESV. Men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. Verse 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient. Essentially what Paul is saying is that when men and women reject God, then God responds in judgment.
And what is the judgment? It is removing his restraining power from men and women. That is he gives them over to allow them to fulfill their own corrupt desires or the things that are below as a form of judgment.
When God takes away his restraining moral power in a society, then it is an evident sign that God is actually judging that society. And there are three areas to which man is given over in judgment. The first one is found in verse 24, that is unrestrained sexual activity. That is any form of promiscuity, any form of premarital sex, any kind of sexual behavior. Then secondly, he says in verse 26 that they are given over to inordinate homosexual acts. Women with women, lesbians, men with men, homosexuality. And he says here that they are committing shameless acts.
They are involved in sexual activity. And then the third is ultimately God giving them over to a reprobate mind. I'll not read the passage.
You can read it yourself. But essentially you have societal disruption. It is all because of God's hand of restraint is taken away. The presence of these sinful actions is a manifestation of the present judgment of God upon man.
Now, if it is in the present, then surely it's going to come in the future. What's happening now is a revelation of what's going to happen in the future. That is the ultimate judgment of God on man in hell.
So let's just stop here and say something. If you can live in unrestrained sexual activity or homosexual activity, and it's unrestrained in your life, and you live that way, then it is an evident sign that you're already under the judgment of God and your future eternity cannot be heaven. It will only be hell. Now we go back to the book of Colossians and now we have a better understanding of what Paul is saying to Christians. He says these things below are the very things that you need to remove completely from your life as a believer.
Why? Because you've been saved. You have been delivered from God's wrath. If your future is above, then we should live like it right now. We should seek those things that are above and deny the things that are below. So, what then specifically are these things below? And Paul tells us in two lists. The first list is found in verse 5.
Notice what he says. Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry. Obviously here, he's speaking of sexual sins. Sexuality lies at the very core of human creation and social culture. When God made man and woman, he created them with strong sexual desires. He also created the means to satisfy and to fulfill those desires.
How does he do that? Hebrews 13, 5. Marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled. The Garden of Eden was the perfect environment where sex was experienced guilt-free in the covenant of marriage. God is always intended for sex to be that kind of experience.
One that enhances a married couple's love for one another through a pleasurable, enjoyable experience. But with the fall of man, sexual desires became enslaved within corrupt human nature. And what was one of God's best gifts reserved for the marriage commitment was turned into a self-centered desire that flows out of a sinful heart. Listen to what Jesus said about man's own heart.
Mark 7, verse 20. That which comes out of the man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceeds evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications. He goes on to say covetousness, lasciviousness, all sexual sins. All of these evil things come from within and defile the man. Out of a defiled heart comes the desire to fulfill one's own sexual appetites regardless of God's laws and even regardless of the person themselves. That is, for many, it's just a hookup. And this has deeply infected the culture in which we live.
In many ways today, our social culture that we live in has become a sensual culture. And this is a real problem for a Christian. You see, we are to be a part of human society as believers. Why? Because this is where we interact and this is where we connect with people.
Why? For the sake of the gospel. There has to be connections. We have to live in this world. For the people of God, isolation is not the answer.
We don't go hide from the world. We live in the world. However, we are called to be different, set apart, seeking things above. In every way, we are to be different from the sensual aspects of our social culture. This is a part of our witness. Therefore we live as if we are seeking things above.
We are living as heavenward people in a world that is doomed to hell. And so therefore, as Christians, we should seek to remove the sensual aspects of our culture from our own lives. This includes everything in culture, our language, what we say, our dress. You should not dress sexy. Your music, your music should not be sexual music, art forms, communication, entertainment, personal relationships.
There should be an absence of the sensual in our social behavior. And Paul uses a graphic command to describe our response to sensual culture. Notice what he says, the opening word in verse 5, he says mortify.
What is that? It's a death term like a mortician or a mortuary. Mortify is the action. It means to put it to death.
Paul is saying that every sensual and evil thought or act of immorality must receive a death blow. Take it outside and shoot it. Throw a noose around its neck and hang it. Strap it into an electric chair and throw the switch and electrocute it. Put it to death.
Jesus used graphic language. He says radical surgery, if your hand causes you to sin, what do you do? Cut it off. That's pretty radical, is it not? If your eye causes you to sin, what do you do?
Take your finger and stick it into your eye socket and rip out your eyeball. Now is that what he's saying literally to do? No. But what he is saying is that's your attitude towards moral corruption. And do you know what? Paul is candid. Look at the words he uses. Notice what he says, fornication. It's the Greek word porneia. It's the word we get the word pornography from. It means the arousal and fulfillment of sexual appetites outside of marriage, whether heterosexual or homosexual. The word uncleanness means that which makes you unclean.
We know you can touch things in the Old Testament and you would become unclean. This is uncleanness from coming into contact with that which is morally corrupt. And then the word inordinate affection. It's the Greek word pathos. It's a strong desire.
It means living with inflamed lust or habitual enslaving passions. It's the difference between a campfire and a candle fire. Both fires. But if you blow on the candle fire, it goes out. But you blow on the campfire and what does it do?
It grows. God wants our passions to come under control so that we can make a decision and they do not become controlling in our lives. Evil concupiscence.
What is that? Just strong evil desire. So whether it's arousing sexual contact outside of marriage, or looking at provocative images, or personal self-gratification, or reading sensual material or novels, or engaged in inappropriate humor or even sexting on the internet, everything is included. And Paul brings it to the bottom line. He says covetousness which is idolatry.
That's so interesting to me. Covetousness is greed. The desire to want what you cannot get. A greedy heart is the soil for a morally impure life. The heart of greed is a love for the idol of self. In the ancient world, idolatry and immorality always go together.
Temple sex acts were a part of idol worship. We fast forward today in our current promiscuous society, sexual liberty is being promoted even by liberal churches. In the Southern Baptist Convention magazine for the upstate of South Carolina called The Courier, an article came out last year May 2015.
Here's what it said. In May of last year, First Baptist Church of Greenville, already known as a more liberal church, took a step even more to the left when it agreed on a nondiscriminatory policy that would allow gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgendered people not only to be members of the church, but to be ordained into the ministry. The consensus statement of the church reads as follows, in all facets of the life and ministry of our church, including but not limited to membership, baptism, ordination, marriage, teaching, and committee organizational leadership, First Baptist of Greenville will not discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity. baptism always allows or will promote some form of sexual freedom. In true biblical Christianity, sexual purity is one of the distinguishable traits of those who are children of God and who are seeking things above. If you are under the judgment of God, you live like it.
And if you're under the grace of God, then you should live like it. He says mortify these things. And then notice secondly, he tells us, and very quickly, he says in verse seven, excuse me, verse eight, he says we're to put off all of these and then he speaks of words that come out of our mouth. Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
So he speaks about sexual sins and sins of the speech of our tongue. One of the signs of a changed heart is a transformed mouth. What rules the heart wags the tongue. What is the tongue? It's the dipstick of the heart. The tongue is the thermostat that always sets the room temperature or the atmosphere of any group of people, a family, friends together, the locker room, church, or even a school. What Paul is saying is that in heaven, they don't talk this way.
These are things below. In heaven there is no evil communication. That to me is the glory of heaven. Nobody curses.
Nobody blasphemes. Nobody complains. Do you know in heaven there's no complaining? Obviously Bob Jones is not heaven. There's no gossip in heaven. No slander, no lying, no criticism, no exaggeration, no miscommunication. So he says we're to seek the things above how?
By the words that come out of our mouth and our words should be different. And notice he says put these things off. It's like getting rid of old clothes. Sometimes it's hard to put away old clothes. Why?
Because you like to keep them. But what he's saying is strip away all of these words that come out of your mouth that are reactionary words, words that come out of your heart that come out of your mouth like anger. What is anger? It's kind of that slow burn, smoldering fire. Have you ever gone to a Mexican restaurant and they say don't touch the plate because it's hot? How many of you touched it?
Was it hot? Maybe. You know, sometimes you don't really know that people are angry till you get close to them and then when you get close to them, listen to what comes out of their mouth. There's that grumbling, that complaining, that criticism. What is wrath? Wrath is like an IED explosion in Afghanistan.
It's this volcanic eruption. People get mad and start yelling at one another. Malice. What is malice? It's a hatefulness and a hostility that attacks people and tears them down. What about blasphemy? Blasphemy is slander.
We destroyed people's reputation with slight praise. He's a good guy, but, ever heard that one? Did you ever stop to think that the devil spoke three times in the Bible?
That's three times too many. And all three times, what did he do? He tried to tear down the reputation of another. The defamation of character and then notice the last one, filthy communication out of your mouth.
That's a dirty mouth. Curse words, obscene speech, vulgarity. You take all of these five things, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication. You know what it sounds like?
It sounds like the presidential race. And as Christians, what are we to do? We to put all these things away.
Why? Because presently, right now, we are going to heaven. Amen? Amen? Amen. And therefore, since we're going above, then we should live like it down here. Because those that are going below are living like it right now.
It's really not complicated. We're here to seek the things that are above. Father, we thank you for your word. Help us, Father, to put away sin in our life and help us to seek you with all of our heart in Jesus' name, amen. You've been listening to a sermon from the study series in the book of Colossians by Dr. Steve Pettit, president of Bob Jones University. Thanks for listening and join us again next week as we continue the study in Colossians here on The Daily Platform.
Whisper: medium.en / 2024-01-29 17:13:43 / 2024-01-29 17:22:52 / 9