So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Colossians 3:5 NLT
Like the shedding that a marathon runner must do so that he can run without hindrance, so every believer must mortify every sinful nature. Other translations like the NKJV contain a keyword in rendering this verse. “Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth…”. The word “members” in this verse emphasises that what we are to put to death is something that is natural to us as human being.
In the past we were ruled by our sinful selves. The law made us want to do sinful things. And those sinful desires controlled our bodies, so that what we did only brought us spiritual death.
Romans 7:5 ERV
The nature we were born with is one that is dominated by sin. Therefore, we see that we needed no one to train us on how to lie, cheat, etc. Moral training may however help us from some ‘obvious’ sins like stealing, but it is limited in its effect. Hence, a man may not be stealing but he is a ‘pro-liar’ – lying flows easily and effortlessly as breathing. This is because this lifestyle comes naturally.
Now as a Christian, your lifestyle is expected to actively change. However, the sinful nature does not disappear overnight. This is where the need now arises for a deliberate action, to put to death those former ways of life – the natural sinful lifestyle. We mustn’t passively tolerate these sinful inclinations but instead, actively seek to eliminate them from our lives. This is through the help of the Holy Spirit. He is given to every believer as a seal of adoption into God’s kingdom.
So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body [with its sensual, self-centred instincts] immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is [a kind of] idolatry [because it replaces your devotion to God]. Because of these [sinful] things the [divine] wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience [those who fail to listen and who routinely and obstinately disregard God’s precepts]
Colossians 3:5-6 AMP
The wrath of God is coming on everyone living in disobedience. Those who are living in sin whether as a believer or not. They are all disobedient in God’s sight. It is not too late to make amends so that you might escape this wrath. You can also become a part of God’s kingdom. Now empowered through the help of the Holy Spirit to live a victorious life over sin.
He who believes and trusts in the Son and accepts Him [as Saviour] has eternal life [that is, already possesses it]; but he who does not believe the Son and chooses to reject Him, [disobeying Him and denying Him as Saviour] will not see [eternal] life, but [instead] the wrath of God hangs over him continually.
John 3:36 AMP
