Colossians 3:5-10 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
The elements of my old self, my earthly nature, make a repulsive list: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, idolatry, anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language, and lying. But God desires to change me so that I know him and reflect his image. On the one hand is the ugly, foul, rotting nature of my fallen condition. I have to get rid of it (the language is strong: put it to death). The other is the fresh, alive, and free growth of a new nature as I stay connected to God. Like Ephesians 4, this passage teaches me to take an active role in my transformation – daily submitting my will and actions to God and his Word.
Father, please make me more like Christ today, and less like my old self. I hunger for your life and your words to work through me so that I reflect your image.