“Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5).

Just how seriously do we take sin? Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). It separates us from God (Isa. 59:1-2). And we are to hate evil (Rom. 12:9). We are to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Gal. 5:24). After all, fleshly lusts war against our soul (1 Pet. 2:11). And Paul here (Col. 3:5) tells Christians to put sin to death. We are to kill what is earthly in us! Those called to be saints must take quick and decisive action in putting these sins to death by utterly destroying them! Stop committing these sins entirely! A little bit of it is not okay. It must come to a decisive end in our life.

And here’s the thing...if we don’t kill sin, sin will kill us! “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). The soul who sins shall die (Ezek. 18:4, 20). Those who sow to the flesh, will of the flesh reap corruption (Gal. 6:7-8). Those who practice the works of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21). “Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them” (Col. 3:6-7).

And so let us resolve to put all sin in our life to death! Let us “put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:10; see vv. 12-15). Let us “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24; see vv. 25-32).

Let us “seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:1-3). If we will do so, beloved brethren, then “when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:4).