Colossians 3:8

but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth:

'BUT NOW' -Since the wrath of God is coming to punish those involved in such things (Colossians 3:6); they need to be departed from immediately. Note: God doesn't say, 'Maybe in. couple of years you can cease the practice.' God expects. complete cessation of such habitual practices "now".

'DO YE ALSO' -Again, freewill is stressed, 'you do it'.

'PUT THEM ALL AWAY' -'you must rid yourselves of every kind of sin' (Wey).

Points to Note:

1. The word rendered "put..away" means to lay aside like old clothes. 'So, he tells them, put off all those old habits, just as you would discard an outworn suit of clothes, which no longer fitted you. And. repulsive collection of habits they are, to be sure..' (Bruce p. 145)

2. The Biblical writers often exhort Christians to "put off" those habits and attitudes which are wrong (Romans 13:12; Ephesians 4:22; Ephesians 4:25; Hebrews 12:1; James 1:21; 1 Peter 2:1).

3. And note that the same moral standard is impressed on all Christians (compare 1 Corinthians 6:9; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:1. etc..). No matter where Christians lived, the same exact moral standard applied. Again, proving that time and culture doesn't change eternal truth.

4. The word "put off" carries some wonderful lessons: (a) The life of sin is like an old stinky suit. Sin isn't "trendy", it is always out-of-date, it is like wearing high-water pants or white socks with. black suit. (b) Sin just doesn't fit the life of. Christian (Ephesians 5:3). And really, it doesn't fit anyone--no one was destined to live in it. (c) The honest person realizes that sin isn't comfortable--these things are like. shirt with. collar that is too tight--sin chokes true human potential for goodness. Sin doesn't liberate us, it restrains us, it holds us back (Luke 8:14). (d) And sin is also like. fancy but very cheap set of clothes--it looks nice, but very soon the poor quality of what it is offering you is discovered.

'ALL' -Which means that one vice, is one vice too many with God. What good news--every sin, every sinful attitude or habit can cease to be. habit-with anyone. Habitual sin can be whipped! In addition, here we see the wisdom of God. God realizes that nobody can engage or hold on to just one sinful practice or attitude. When. am engaged in sin--a number of sins are present, not just one. Too often we think, 'Well,. just have one real problem.' The truth is, if. am allowing. sin to dominate me,. am really allowing. number of sins into my life. For example, anger always includes more than just anger--along with anger usually come resentment, bitterness, self-pity, evil speech, an unwillingness to forgive, etc...

'ANGER' -3709. orge or-gay'; from 3713; properly, desire (as. reaching forth or excitement of the mind), i.e. (by analogy,) violent passion (ire, or [justifiable] abhorrence); by implication punishment: -anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.

'WRATH' -2372. thumos thoo-mos'; from 2380; passion (as if breathing hard): -fierceness, indignation, wrath. Compare 5590.

Points to Note:

1. Barclay points out that the essential difference between the two words is, '"Thumos (wrath) is. blaze of sudden anger which is quickly kindled and just as quickly dies...Orge (anger) is anger which has become inveterate; it is long-lasting, slow-burning anger, which refuses to be pacified and nurses its wrath to keep it warm.' (p. 153)

2. Unfortunately, even some Christians feel that one of these is less serious than the other: (a) Some say, 'But when. get angry, it's only for. short time'. (b) Others justify themselves by saying, 'Well, at least. never blow up!' Both forms of anger are forbidden to the child of God. God is against both types of anger because neither one serves His purposes (James 1:19). Jesus pointed out that. hidden, but settled anger is just as wrong as the vocal outburst (Matthew 5:22).

3. Barclay correctly notes, 'Many. person is well aware that he has. violent temper; and many. person claims that he cannot help it...Because he blazes and forgets he thinks that others should equally be able to forget the pain he has inflicted..' (Flesh and Spirit. p. 53)

4. We often tend to justify ourselves by citing what we haven't done yet, 'Well, at least. haven't beaten my wife or children...at least. never throw anything.'

5. Contrary to what the world says, sinful anger can be ceased.

'MALICE' -2549. kakia kak-ee'-ah; from 2556; badness, i.e. (subjectively) depravity, or (actively) malignity, or (passively) trouble: -evil, malice(-iousness), naughtiness, wickedness.

-'the attitude that wishes or does harm to another.' (Bruce p. 145). Thus malice is the outgrowth of anger. 'the feeling which prompts. man to injure his neighbor.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 538) 'spite' (Knox). 'is settled, cruel malignity, which rejoices in evil to others.' (Erdman p. 92)

Be warned that malice usually doesn't feel like "ill-will", often it feels very good. It feels like justified revenge. The longer you dwell on what others have done to you, the longer you focus on personal slights and real or imaginary wrongs, the better that malice feels. Malice needs an angry heart to survive in.

'RAILING' -988. blasphemia blas-fay-me'-ah; from 989; vilification (especially against God): -blasphemy, evil speaking, railing.

-'is insulting or slanderous speech in general; when that insulting speech is directed against God, it becomes blasphemy.' (Barclay p. 153) This would include slander, false accusations. Speech that is intended to injure.

'SHAMEFUL SPEAKING' -148. aischrologia ahee-skhrol-og-ee'-ah; from 150 and 3056; vile conversation: -filthy communication.

-'Railing', speech which is abusive, this word probably means speech which is obscene. Clearly, God doesn't believe that freedom of speech covers obscenity. Also note that God isn't as confused as some modern advocates of obscenity are. If some people are confused over what is and what isn't obscene--the vast majority of people aren't. And in the end, all the talk about 'we can't define obscenity', is. big dishonest smoke-screen. Direct some profanity at. defender of obscenity--and they will know exactly what you meant!

And let it be noted, that obscenity doesn't come from pure hearts and minds! (Matthew 15:18) Foul-mouthed people are angry people, they are people who have. heart-problem.

'OUT OF YOUR MOUTH' -Again, God is fair. God doesn't demand that we change the speech habits in others. God demands that we change, what we have control over, i.e. our own speech.

Abusive and evil speech are outward signs that we are not setting our minds on things above (Colossians 3:1-2). (James 1:26).