Colossians 3:9

lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings,

'LIE NOT ONE TO ANOTHER' -'do not tell lies at one another's expense' (Knox).

Points to Note:

1. Lying naturally follows for, 'falsehood is usually due to lack of love and is commonly an instrument of malice and hatred.' (Erdman p. 93)

2. Notice the emphasis upon "one to another". Falsehood and deception has no rightful place among Christians. We claim to follow the God of truth. If we can't even be truthful with those we claim to love, then we don't have the right to claim to be Christians.. owe the truth to others, for God has shared His truth with me. (Ephesians 4:25)

3. False promises, half-truths, deception, etc..are all deadly to the unity of any congregation.

4. People get very offended when anyone accuses them of dishonestly. And yet God is honest. He knows that many of us have. problem with stretching the truth, engaging in gossip and being too ready to believe some half-truth.

'SEEING THAT YE HAVE PUT OFF THE OLD MAN' -'the old self' (Knox). (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22).

Points to Note:

1. So many commentators want to make the "old man" into the "old sinful nature". But if the old man was inherently inborn in us, then there is no way that we could put it off.

2. The proof is in the life. If we are still doing these things, if we are still practicing them, then obviously we are still unwilling to part with the old life. John states that habitual sin is proof that we are serving the devil and not God (1 John 3:6; 1 John 3:9).

'WITH HIS DOINGS' -'your old self and its habits' (TCNT); 'the old man and all he did' (Phi).

THE NEW MAN: