One Believer Helps Another Put On a Clean White MantleBible World
3:9Colossians 3:9
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Lying to one another is forbidden because the old self with its deeds has been put off, and falsehood belongs to that former life while honesty, truth and purity belong to the new life renewed in the image of the Creator. This putting off stands with mortifying fornication, uncleanness, evil desire, covetousness which is idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy speech, as things once walked in that bring God's wrath on the children of disobedience. Its setting is death and resurrection with Christ, being dead to earthly desires, seeking things above where Christ sits at God's right hand, with life hid with Christ in God until appearing with Him in glory. The change is pledged in baptism into death with Christ and rising to walk in newness of life, when self dies and the whole being is transformed and made new in knowledge after the Creator's image. Putting on the new self is putting on Christ without delay, shown in mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, forgiveness as Christ forgave, charity, peace and thankfulness, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Words and Setting
The command forbids lying and deceiving one another because those addressed have put off the old self with its deeds. Falsehood belongs to the former life, while honesty, truth and purity belong to the new life renewed in the image of the Creator. This turning belongs to turning mind, affections, heart and intellect away from the world and toward the things of God. It is a guide for living and for preparing for immortal life, shown in truthful, loving conduct.
Lying stands together with the evils to be mortified and put off as things once walked in that bring God's wrath on the children of disobedience. These are fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desire, covetousness which is idolatry, and anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy speech from the mouth. Selfishness and self-indulgence are to be cut away, with no thread of selfishness drawn into the pattern of life.
The setting is death and resurrection with Christ. Believers are dead to earthly and carnal desires and to fierce, burning passions, seek the things above where Christ sits at God's right hand, set affection on things above and not on things on the earth, and have their life hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is their life appears, they will appear with Him in glory. Putting off the old man with its deeds, including lying, requires the transforming power of Christ's grace affecting heart and character.
The context continues with putting on the new man renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator. There there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all. This is joined to putting on as the elect mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and forgiveness even as Christ forgave, and above all charity as the bond of perfectness, with the peace of God ruling in the heart, thankfulness, and the word dwelling richly with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, doing all in word or deed in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Conversion and Baptism
Baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is a pledge to the service of God, separation from the enemy, death to the old sinful life, and resurrection to new life representing the resurrection of Christ. Those buried with Christ in baptism and raised in the likeness of His resurrection have pledged to live in newness of life, with life hid with Christ in God, as people renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator. This is the new life pledged on entering covenant with God and entering the church, in which lying and deceiving one another must cease because the old man with his deeds has been put off. The old life now dead and to be put off includes fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence or evil desire, covetousness which is idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication or filthy speech, and lying. As baptismal vows are faithfully kept, fruits of righteousness appear.
At conversion self dies and the old sinful, self-indulgent character with its deeds is put off, and a new life of heavenly origin with changed life purposes is imparted to be brought into daily experience. Conversion brings a new state before God transforming the entire being, not resting on past profession but on present experience, so the repentant becomes a new person, born again, transformed and renewed in the knowledge of God's image. The born-again person overcomes and empties from heart and life the quick impatient temper, hate, envy, revenge, retaliation, pride, emulation, and seeking for supremacy, with no thread of selfishness drawn into the pattern of life, each finding his place in the Lord's work. Putting off the old man includes putting his deeds to death, crucifying the old self so that self no longer rules, which requires surrender to God and a thorough work of conversion leading beyond self to God's saving power. Without being made all over new, a person keeps an insubordinate, untamable, self-willed, stubborn, irritable, self-sufficient spirit, and bringing such spirits together destroys the peace, unity, love, patience, and prosperity of the church.
The converted person still faces continual temptation from the devil and a strong undercurrent pulling back to sin and the natural passions of the unrenewed heart, with seducing and evil spirits assailing weak points of character. Staying pure and remaining converted requires constant grace, watching unto prayer, keeping united to Christ every moment, and working heavenward against sin with faith and works. It requires guarding weak points with self-control and purity, fulfilling the call to be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect. This is made possible by God's covenant that the power and grace of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will aid all who call when tempted to deny Christ so they stand as victors.
Putting off the old man with his deeds, including lying, belongs to the call of those risen with Christ to seek things above where Christ sits at the right hand of God and to set affection on things above, and it requires the transforming power of the grace of Christ affecting heart and character. The Spirit of God works in the heart to expel corruption and establish virtue, destroying sinful deeds and bringing every rebellious thought under Christ's rule, since human effort and learning cannot reform the sinful character without the Spirit. It is not covering the deformity of sin with a self-righteous garment, nor having a form of godliness with smooth, correct talk and writing while the true language of the heart is not spoken and the cleansing, transforming power of God is missing. It requires brokenness over impurity and vileness of soul, feeling rottenness without God, and falling broken at His feet to be saved and made clean.
Putting off the old man means abandoning the errors and sinful traits that deform the soul, and putting on the new man means following Christ's life as a guide, so that through Christ's merits people can leave behind old ways and devote talents and intellect to God's service. It means destroying its sinful deeds and bringing every rebellious thought under Christ's rule. It means putting its deeds to death and crucifying the old self so self no longer rules through thorough surrender and reformation.
Renewed Life in Christ
Putting on the new man is putting on Christ Jesus Himself, and the change is to be made without delay. His life is the guide to follow in abandoning the errors, sinful traits and deeds of the former life that deform the soul. Through His merits the old ways can be left behind so that talents and intellect are devoted to God's service. The new man is renewal in the image of God and the likeness of Jesus Christ, with the standard raised high and never counted too high, in order to be fitted for the city He is preparing.
That new life bears the sure fruit of beneficence, doing good to family, neighbors and acquaintances and speaking always with grace, cultivated as home and church religion. Its clothing as God's elect is mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and forgiveness even as Christ forgave, with charity above all as the bond of perfectness. Peace is to rule in the heart with thankfulness, and the word is to dwell richly in wisdom, teaching, psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, with all done in word or deed in the name of the Lord Jesus. In place of anger, malice, harmful speech and other old habits, the life is marked by humility, patience, love and thankfulness, with selfishness and self-indulgence cut away and all that is cheap, common and unholy not even named.
The change is not marked by an outward badge such as a cross or crown, but by union with God shown in holy character. That union is seen as Christians draw near to one another in Christlike love as those renewed in knowledge after the Creator's image. The renewed life therefore leaves no place for deception or falsehood, and the diseased former life is not retained. Every spiritual faculty is to be restored and shaped by Christ, words are to be faithful and trustworthy expressing what they mean, and the life must not claim to represent Christ while denying Him.
Impartial Unity in Christ
To lie to one another is forbidden because the old self with its deeds has been put off and the new self is renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator, where dividing lines of ethnicity and social standing do not hold, for Christ is all and in all. In that renewal there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, and color of skin does not determine character in heaven. Those redeemed by Christ's precious blood have put on this new humanity, whose clothing is mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and patience.
Having put off the old self therefore rules out despising fellow believers or treating them as lesser because of race or standing. Harsh words, contempt, and looking down on true and faithful brethren who are precious in God's sight and purchased by Christ's blood have no place among those who belong to Christ. Instead the elect are to love one another with a pure heart fervently, showing tender, impartial love with bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering.
Failure to put off the old self is seen when professed believers stand aside from God's work to accuse, criticize, and find fault with those laboring in missionary fields. It is also seen in retaining an insubordinate, untamable, self-willed, stubborn, irritable, and self-sufficient spirit, for bringing such unchanged spirits together destroys the peace, unity, love, patience, and prosperity of the church, whereas being born again makes a person all over new and transformed. Putting the old self to death and refusing to lie to one another includes refusing to cling to sin, to engage in hair-splitting criticism, and to air the faults of others as though it were necessary.
Daily Obedience and Witness
The prohibition on lying remains binding instruction for the church to the end of time, and especially for its workers, among whom some still give place to these evils. The wrong of lying must be sternly and determinedly resisted and cleansed from soul and speech. At conversion self dies and the old sinful self-indulgent character with its deeds is put off, and a new life of heavenly origin with changed life purposes is imparted to be brought into daily experience. Each person is thus to find his place in the Lord's work with no thread of selfishness drawn into the pattern of life.
Having covenanted to serve Christ, believers must not contradict the truth they profess by living as sinners while claiming to be saints. Sincere commitment means conduct will not show them acting as sinners for convenience or personal advantage at a neighbor's expense. Words and actions must agree with profession and show that the old life has been put off.
Honest, changed conduct that stops lying to one another helps leave unbelievers with a favorable impression of the truth. Those who have put off the old life are to live as Christ's ambassadors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They learn duty and doctrine from the Word and bring a message of truth to all people, parents and children, masters and servants, employers and employed. The whole heart is to be consecrated for God to mold and fashion after the divine likeness for the great work that will be cut short in righteousness.
The command is straight, plain, and unvarnished, and keeping it keeps from the trap Satan has placed for the unwary. That keeping is by praying in faith, watching unto prayer, and singing praise and thanksgiving in belief. Putting off lying with anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy communication guards weak points of character with self-control and purity against seducing and evil spirits. It fulfills the call to be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect, made possible by God's covenant that the power and grace of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will aid all who call when tempted to deny Christ so they stand as victors. Such penitence and reformation means crooked, worldly, and selfish plans and the world's policies must have no place and must not be brought into Christian institutions.
This instruction is a guide for living and for preparing for immortal life, since honesty belongs to the life of the new self renewed in the image of the Creator. Those who would appear with Christ in glory when Christ who is their life appears must not lie to one another because they have put off the old man with his deeds. Lying belongs with the evils to be put off and mortified in this life of probation by those who follow the principles of heaven.
Lying to one another is forbidden because the old self with its deeds has been put off, and falsehood belongs to that former life while honesty, truth and purity belong to the new life renewed in the image of the Creator. This putting off stands with mortifying fornication, uncleanness, evil desire, covetousness which is idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy speech, as things once walked in that bring God's wrath on the children of disobedience. Its setting is death and resurrection with Christ, being dead to earthly desires, seeking things above where Christ sits at God's right hand, with life hid with Christ in God until appearing with Him in glory. The change is pledged in baptism into death with Christ and rising to walk in newness of life, when self dies and the whole being is transformed and made new in knowledge after the Creator's image. Putting on the new self is putting on Christ without delay, shown in mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, forgiveness as Christ forgave, charity, peace and thankfulness, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Words and Setting
The command forbids lying and deceiving one another because those addressed have put off the old self with its deeds. Falsehood belongs to the former life, while honesty, truth and purity belong to the new life renewed in the image of the Creator. This turning belongs to turning mind, affections, heart and intellect away from the world and toward the things of God. It is a guide for living and for preparing for immortal life, shown in truthful, loving conduct.
Lying stands together with the evils to be mortified and put off as things once walked in that bring God's wrath on the children of disobedience. These are fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desire, covetousness which is idolatry, and anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy speech from the mouth. Selfishness and self-indulgence are to be cut away, with no thread of selfishness drawn into the pattern of life.
The setting is death and resurrection with Christ. Believers are dead to earthly and carnal desires and to fierce, burning passions, seek the things above where Christ sits at God's right hand, set affection on things above and not on things on the earth, and have their life hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is their life appears, they will appear with Him in glory. Putting off the old man with its deeds, including lying, requires the transforming power of Christ's grace affecting heart and character.
The context continues with putting on the new man renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator. There there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all. This is joined to putting on as the elect mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and forgiveness even as Christ forgave, and above all charity as the bond of perfectness, with the peace of God ruling in the heart, thankfulness, and the word dwelling richly with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, doing all in word or deed in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Conversion and Baptism
Baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is a pledge to the service of God, separation from the enemy, death to the old sinful life, and resurrection to new life representing the resurrection of Christ. Those buried with Christ in baptism and raised in the likeness of His resurrection have pledged to live in newness of life, with life hid with Christ in God, as people renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator. This is the new life pledged on entering covenant with God and entering the church, in which lying and deceiving one another must cease because the old man with his deeds has been put off. The old life now dead and to be put off includes fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence or evil desire, covetousness which is idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication or filthy speech, and lying. As baptismal vows are faithfully kept, fruits of righteousness appear.
At conversion self dies and the old sinful, self-indulgent character with its deeds is put off, and a new life of heavenly origin with changed life purposes is imparted to be brought into daily experience. Conversion brings a new state before God transforming the entire being, not resting on past profession but on present experience, so the repentant becomes a new person, born again, transformed and renewed in the knowledge of God's image. The born-again person overcomes and empties from heart and life the quick impatient temper, hate, envy, revenge, retaliation, pride, emulation, and seeking for supremacy, with no thread of selfishness drawn into the pattern of life, each finding his place in the Lord's work. Putting off the old man includes putting his deeds to death, crucifying the old self so that self no longer rules, which requires surrender to God and a thorough work of conversion leading beyond self to God's saving power. Without being made all over new, a person keeps an insubordinate, untamable, self-willed, stubborn, irritable, self-sufficient spirit, and bringing such spirits together destroys the peace, unity, love, patience, and prosperity of the church.
The converted person still faces continual temptation from the devil and a strong undercurrent pulling back to sin and the natural passions of the unrenewed heart, with seducing and evil spirits assailing weak points of character. Staying pure and remaining converted requires constant grace, watching unto prayer, keeping united to Christ every moment, and working heavenward against sin with faith and works. It requires guarding weak points with self-control and purity, fulfilling the call to be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect. This is made possible by God's covenant that the power and grace of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will aid all who call when tempted to deny Christ so they stand as victors.
Putting off the old man with his deeds, including lying, belongs to the call of those risen with Christ to seek things above where Christ sits at the right hand of God and to set affection on things above, and it requires the transforming power of the grace of Christ affecting heart and character. The Spirit of God works in the heart to expel corruption and establish virtue, destroying sinful deeds and bringing every rebellious thought under Christ's rule, since human effort and learning cannot reform the sinful character without the Spirit. It is not covering the deformity of sin with a self-righteous garment, nor having a form of godliness with smooth, correct talk and writing while the true language of the heart is not spoken and the cleansing, transforming power of God is missing. It requires brokenness over impurity and vileness of soul, feeling rottenness without God, and falling broken at His feet to be saved and made clean.
Putting off the old man means abandoning the errors and sinful traits that deform the soul, and putting on the new man means following Christ's life as a guide, so that through Christ's merits people can leave behind old ways and devote talents and intellect to God's service. It means destroying its sinful deeds and bringing every rebellious thought under Christ's rule. It means putting its deeds to death and crucifying the old self so self no longer rules through thorough surrender and reformation.
Renewed Life in Christ
Putting on the new man is putting on Christ Jesus Himself, and the change is to be made without delay. His life is the guide to follow in abandoning the errors, sinful traits and deeds of the former life that deform the soul. Through His merits the old ways can be left behind so that talents and intellect are devoted to God's service. The new man is renewal in the image of God and the likeness of Jesus Christ, with the standard raised high and never counted too high, in order to be fitted for the city He is preparing.
That new life bears the sure fruit of beneficence, doing good to family, neighbors and acquaintances and speaking always with grace, cultivated as home and church religion. Its clothing as God's elect is mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and forgiveness even as Christ forgave, with charity above all as the bond of perfectness. Peace is to rule in the heart with thankfulness, and the word is to dwell richly in wisdom, teaching, psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, with all done in word or deed in the name of the Lord Jesus. In place of anger, malice, harmful speech and other old habits, the life is marked by humility, patience, love and thankfulness, with selfishness and self-indulgence cut away and all that is cheap, common and unholy not even named.
The change is not marked by an outward badge such as a cross or crown, but by union with God shown in holy character. That union is seen as Christians draw near to one another in Christlike love as those renewed in knowledge after the Creator's image. The renewed life therefore leaves no place for deception or falsehood, and the diseased former life is not retained. Every spiritual faculty is to be restored and shaped by Christ, words are to be faithful and trustworthy expressing what they mean, and the life must not claim to represent Christ while denying Him.
Impartial Unity in Christ
To lie to one another is forbidden because the old self with its deeds has been put off and the new self is renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator, where dividing lines of ethnicity and social standing do not hold, for Christ is all and in all. In that renewal there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, and color of skin does not determine character in heaven. Those redeemed by Christ's precious blood have put on this new humanity, whose clothing is mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and patience.
Having put off the old self therefore rules out despising fellow believers or treating them as lesser because of race or standing. Harsh words, contempt, and looking down on true and faithful brethren who are precious in God's sight and purchased by Christ's blood have no place among those who belong to Christ. Instead the elect are to love one another with a pure heart fervently, showing tender, impartial love with bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering.
Failure to put off the old self is seen when professed believers stand aside from God's work to accuse, criticize, and find fault with those laboring in missionary fields. It is also seen in retaining an insubordinate, untamable, self-willed, stubborn, irritable, and self-sufficient spirit, for bringing such unchanged spirits together destroys the peace, unity, love, patience, and prosperity of the church, whereas being born again makes a person all over new and transformed. Putting the old self to death and refusing to lie to one another includes refusing to cling to sin, to engage in hair-splitting criticism, and to air the faults of others as though it were necessary.
Daily Obedience and Witness
The prohibition on lying remains binding instruction for the church to the end of time, and especially for its workers, among whom some still give place to these evils. The wrong of lying must be sternly and determinedly resisted and cleansed from soul and speech. At conversion self dies and the old sinful self-indulgent character with its deeds is put off, and a new life of heavenly origin with changed life purposes is imparted to be brought into daily experience. Each person is thus to find his place in the Lord's work with no thread of selfishness drawn into the pattern of life.
Having covenanted to serve Christ, believers must not contradict the truth they profess by living as sinners while claiming to be saints. Sincere commitment means conduct will not show them acting as sinners for convenience or personal advantage at a neighbor's expense. Words and actions must agree with profession and show that the old life has been put off.
Honest, changed conduct that stops lying to one another helps leave unbelievers with a favorable impression of the truth. Those who have put off the old life are to live as Christ's ambassadors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They learn duty and doctrine from the Word and bring a message of truth to all people, parents and children, masters and servants, employers and employed. The whole heart is to be consecrated for God to mold and fashion after the divine likeness for the great work that will be cut short in righteousness.
The command is straight, plain, and unvarnished, and keeping it keeps from the trap Satan has placed for the unwary. That keeping is by praying in faith, watching unto prayer, and singing praise and thanksgiving in belief. Putting off lying with anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy communication guards weak points of character with self-control and purity against seducing and evil spirits. It fulfills the call to be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect, made possible by God's covenant that the power and grace of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will aid all who call when tempted to deny Christ so they stand as victors. Such penitence and reformation means crooked, worldly, and selfish plans and the world's policies must have no place and must not be brought into Christian institutions.
This instruction is a guide for living and for preparing for immortal life, since honesty belongs to the life of the new self renewed in the image of the Creator. Those who would appear with Christ in glory when Christ who is their life appears must not lie to one another because they have put off the old man with his deeds. Lying belongs with the evils to be put off and mortified in this life of probation by those who follow the principles of heaven.