‘Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.’ – Colossians 3:5
The Colossians were dealing with the very same things we all go through and wrestle with after conversion: this putting on the new self and mortifying the old. This transformation does not occur overnight; rather, it is a lifelong fight filled with challenges and victories that shape our pilgrimage as sojourners in this world. Each day brings new opportunities to embrace the qualities of our new identity in Christ while simultaneously confronting the remnants of our former selves. We fight against distractions, temptations, and doubts that try to pull us back into old habits and patterns. Until we have been fully made new and are in the presence of our Lord, this battle will continue. So, while understanding that this will be an ongoing reality in the life of the believer, we must learn how to put to death the old. This requires intentional effort and reliance on the Holy Spirit for strength and guidance. We must distinguish between reigning sin and remaining sin, recognizing that while we may struggle with the presence of sin in our lives, we are not bound to its power. Through prayer, Scripture, fasting, and the support of accountability from our brothers and sisters, we can grow in our ability to resist and overcome the temptations that arise.
‘Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.’ – Romans 6:12
“Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” – John Owen
Sexual Immorality
Sexual immorality is blatantly referenced around 25 times in the New Testament, a clear indication of its crucial role in Christian doctrine. In the King James Version, terms like fornication pop up 36 times, adultery about 40 times, and whoredom around 22 times, each term shedding light on various sexual behaviors that blatantly defy biblical principles. Both the Old and New Testaments are not shy about showcasing the catastrophic fallout that sexual immorality can unleash, revealing its deeply damaging spiritual and social consequences. The fallout from such wicked actions isn’t just a personal affair; it can trigger a sweeping societal decay, driving home the urgent necessity of sticking to moral standards. But before diving deeper into the chaos, let’s pin down what sexual immorality really is and what it entails, as comprehending this is essential for grappling with these issues in the frame of faith.
Sexual immorality (porneia) refers to any sexual act outside of the marriage between one man and one woman. This includes premarital sex (fornication), adultery, rape, incest, prostitution, homosexuality, and even lust.
“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” – Hebrews 13:4
As you can see, under the insidious umbrella of sexual immorality lurk a multitude of issues that our depraved society takes perverse pride in. Today’s culture revels this in glorifying the hookup scene among our youth, turning it into a rite of passage celebrated in both social media and mainstream entertainment, further normalizing this reckless behavior. Just look at the dehumanizing jargon they use—referring to sexual partners as “body count,” as if there’s some twisted trophy for racking up conquests, stripping these individuals of their humanity and reducing intimate connections to mere statistics. Conversely, the notion that someone who’s only been with three partners is considered virtuous is utterly laughable; but dare to admit you’re saving yourself for marriage, and suddenly you’re labeled a prude or a loser, all because of your precious virginity. This contradiction highlights a broader societal hypocrisy, where respect and decency are discarded in favor of fleeting pleasure. The pressure to conform to this hedonistic mindset is overwhelming, driving many to engage in reckless decisions that can lead to emotional turmoil and potential health risks. This is the toxic fallout of immoral individuals celebrating debauchery and masquerading it as something normal and commendable, contributing to a culture that ultimately undermines genuine connection and human dignity.
The Bible places a strong emphasis on sexual immorality because it is a defilement of one’s own body. This comes from a place of our belonging to our Lord and the marriage bed in which He established. We are called to protect and preserve our bodies as a Holy Temple, one in which the Holy Spirit dwells. I believe this is why one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control, for apart from having the Holy Spirit, we will be given over completely to our perverse sexual desires, as we see repeated in history. One might be tempted to compare oneself to that of a prostitute and say that I am not guilty in such ways as they are. But we see that Christ makes it clear that if there is any lust found in our hearts for that of another, we have been found guilty of adultery. This just goes to show you that the desires and thoughts are just as sinful as the actions themselves; the only difference is that the desires have not shown themselves outwardly yet. The word of God is clear that we are to flee such sexual immorality while also putting it to death.
“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” – 1 Cor 6:18
“Lust is a burning fever; by feeding it, you inflame it the more. It is better to quench lust than to satisfy it.” Thomas Watson
Impurity
“but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,” – 1 Peter 1:15
When we think of impurity, we really should think of anything opposite to that which is found in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. He says to think about whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable, emphasizing the virtues that should guide our thoughts and actions. Our desire to be pure must come from a desire to be more like our Creator, who embodies these qualities in their fullest form being that purity stems from His nature. This purity that we seek can only be found in the blood of Christ; only then can we be washed and cleansed of our unrighteousness. From birth, we are naturally unclean and lack the ability to clean ourselves, burdened by the weight of our sins and imperfections. This fundamental human condition causes problems, being that purity cannot come in contact with impurity; our holy God cannot dwell in the presence of sinful people. Therefore, it is crucial for us to seek not just a superficial purity but a deep, transformative change that can only occur through a relationship with Christ, allowing us to strive for holiness and reflect His light in a world often shrouded in darkness.
“The heart must be purified by faith, and kept for God. Create in me such a clean heart, O God. None but the pure are capable of seeing God, nor would heaven be happiness to the impure. As God cannot endure to look upon their iniquity, so they cannot look upon his purity.” – Matthew Henry
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’ – Matthew 5:8
Impurity can range from actions to thoughts, outwardly to inwardly, big to small. Impurity affects the mind, the eyes, the mouth, and even the heart. We must strive to avoid such and to mortify it at all costs, for why should we who have been washed be found wallowing in the mud? This is not to say that we can ever reach such full purity this side of heaven, but this does not neglect the goal of pursuing a life more like Christ. We have been commanded to be holy because He is holy; now live like it, laying aside all impurity.
“A pure conscience is a continual feast; but impurity is a continual plague to the soul.” – John Flavel
Passion
‘And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.’ – Galatians 5:24
Men and women consumed by passion and emotions are a volatile force, capable of unpredictable destruction at any moment. Their lives can become a dangerous rollercoaster, where one moment of lost self-control can unleash fits of rage or manic fervor, leaving chaos in their wake. Passion itself isn’t the enemy; it transforms into something magnificent only when harnessed, turning into zeal that compels us to glorify the Lord and pursue noble endeavors. This fire, when properly directed, can ignite movements and inspire others to join in the quest for goodness and truth. But left unchecked, this passion spirals into a path of wickedness and moral decay—this is the reckless passion of the flesh, a seductive force that can lead us away from our path and into the shadows of temptation. The Gospel emerges as a loud and clear call, urging us to prioritize reason and conscience over our immoral appetites. It challenges us to reevaluate our priorities, to seek a balance between our fervent emotions and rational thought. Before experiencing renewal and rebirth, we are mere slaves, shackled to the insatiable desires of our flesh, trapped in a cycle of indulgence that ultimately serves no higher purpose. It is through this awakening that we find the strength to break free from our bonds and align our passions with a higher calling.
“It is not enough that we are ready to fight. We must also be courteous and not base, fair and not ruled by our passions, gracious and not a scoundrel.” – Kevin DeYoung
Evil Desire
‘But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.’ – Romans 13:14
As we have been trying to make it clear above, the war waged against the flesh is ultimately a war against such evil desires and actions. But now the Scriptures want to hit home this idea that not only are the actions wicked, but that also those desires that fuel and lead to such actions are evil. Many want to ignore the desires while also justifying them, claiming that they can’t help those thoughts nor should they be accountable for them. Those desires are only harmful if acted upon. No, the Word of God provides no excuse for those who harbor desires against the commandments. This is one of the evidences of our total depravity: that our minds are deprived of pure thoughts and intentions.
God has set us apart for the renewing of our minds; this transformative process happens by setting our gaze upon things above, where the eternal truth resides. Focusing not on our will and desires, but on the will and desire of the Almighty allows us to align our lives with His divine purpose. By seeking His kingdom, not ours here on Earth, we shift our priorities to reflect the values of Heaven, understanding that our time on this planet is finite and that real fulfillment comes from spiritual, rather than material, pursuits. We do all this by loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, engaging in a deep, personal relationship with our Creator, while also loving our neighbor as ourselves, recognizing that every individual is created in God’s image. As Christians, we can only accomplish this task for two reasons: the first reason is the power we gain from the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, setting us free and delivering us from the bondage of our flesh, enabling us to overcome challenges that would otherwise lead us astray. Secondly, we are privileged to have the word of God; by this, His will is made known to us. It serves as a guiding light in our decision-making and a moral compass for our daily lives. We grow more in tune with the desires of God by meditating on the Bible, allowing its wisdom and truth to saturate our thoughts and actions. With the combined power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, we are not only able to renew our minds but also mortify the flesh by becoming more Christ-like in our character and desires.
‘to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ‘ – Ephesians 4:22-23
Covetousness
“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.” – Ephesians 5:3
Last but not least, covetousness, you know that thing where you want what does not belong to you. That thing that tells you that you never have enough, that you can never be content. This unquenchable desire seeps into our daily lives, creeping into our thoughts and making us desire that which doesn’t belong to us. This is an attack on God’s providence because, at the very least, it says that God didn’t provide enough for me, which undermines our trust in His divine plan and blessings. In a very real way, the things that we tend to covet lead us to a form of idolatry because we place an improper amount of desire on the creation rather than the creator, often losing sight of the blessings already present in our lives. When we chase after things for our own pleasure rather than to glorify God, we end up making ourselves little gods, prioritizing our whims and desires over the will of God, ultimately finding ourselves on a never-ending treadmill of dissatisfaction.
We may be able to fight back against this fleshly desire by contemplating our blessings and God’s providence rather than focusing on worldly things. By taking the time to reflect on the abundance we already possess, we may find that our hearts are filled with gratitude for the simple pleasures of life. When we recognize that God has so richly provided for us everything that we need, it leaves us with little to no room for the necessity of more. This shift in perspective enables us to see each day as a gift, prompting us to cherish what we have instead of yearning for what we do not. Those who are thankful are usually the farthest from greed, as their focus rests on appreciation rather than accumulation, leading to a more content and fulfilling life. As Christians, we should be known for our contentment in God instead of an unquenchable thirst for more possessions.
“A discontented, covetous heart doth not trust God’s providence, but accuses Him of not doing well by us.” – Jeremiah Burroughs
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