"MORTIFY THOSE EARTHLY MEMBERS"

"MORTIFY THOSE EARTHLY MEMBERS"

"MORTIFY THEREFORE YOUR MEMBERS WHICH ARE UPON THE EARTH...." Paul lists such sins as "...fornication, uncleanness, in-ordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Col.3:5),and he says concerning these sins:

"For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience" (Ver.6).

How beautiful is the grace of God! The wrath of God does not come upon us, but His GRACE is showered upon us. Therefore DO NOT repay such love with ingratitude.

Rather, as he says in Romans 6:11- "reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin" and "alive unto God...", or as here in Colossians:

"PUT TO DEATH" those very sins for which God’s wrath does come upon the children of disobedience.

And he adds, "PUT OFF" these sins also: "...anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication..." (Col.3:8,9). "...PUT OFF the old man with his deeds", and...

"AND PUT ON THE NEW MAN, WHICH IS RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE AFTER THE IMAGE OF HIM THAT CREATED HIM" (Col.3:10).

"PUT ON therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, [inner feelings] of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a
quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. "AND ABOVE ALL THESE THINGS PUT ON CHARITY, WHICH IS THE BOND OF PERFECTION" (Col.3:12-14).

"AND LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful" (Col.3:15).

"LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonish-ing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col.3:16).

There is no other avenue of wisdom today whereby the Spirit of God works in the hearts and lives of men and women, boys and girls, than THE WORD OF GOD. And especially the Word of God, "rightly divided", as we find it today in the Epistles of St. Paul. No other source can "renew our minds" today except "the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery" (Rom.16:25). So "LET THIS WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM..." (Col.3:16).

"AND WHATSOEVER YE DO in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him" (Col.3:17).

By Russell S. Miller

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