Clean Your Spiritual House

“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him…”  (Colossians 3: 8 – 10)

The approach of a new year motivates most to clean up and throw away things. My wife just told me she organized the food pantry. I have gone through my clothes closet and thrown away or given away a number of things that no longer fit or have served their day. Why not apply the same techniques to your moral and spiritual life? The text gives an inventory to work with, things to “put off.” 

Anger, org? is the emotion of instant displeasure on account of something.

Wrath, thymos, is anger on steroids, to be “snorting angry.”

Malice is a desire to destroy something or someone.

Blasphemy primarily means to defame someone, also it is impious, and irreverent speech against God.

Bitterness is the number one sin of Christians. There is the old axiom, “Bitterness does more harm to the vessel it is stored in than it does to the one on which it is poured.” Therefore, “Be kind, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ sake has forgiven you.”

Filthy language, enough said.

Equally clear is the meaning of a lie. It is meant to deceive. Now look at the New Living Translation of the text.

“But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” (Colossians 3: 8 – 10)

Now after this house cleaning you can begin to “put on the new nature,” the person God created you to be. It is expedient to clean house and build your spiritual resources. Not knowing what is ahead, we need all the strength possible to deal wit it. We have no assurance 2021 will be better than 2020, nor that it won’t be worse. For self-encouragement sing to yourself . . . . 

“… because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future, 
And life is worth the living just because He lives.”

For an encore sing, “You are Good Good Father.”