Put Off All These

Colossians 3:8-9 But now you also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds

‘Put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.’ Seven things to put off: Anger (3:8; Eph. 4:26); wrath; malice (3:8; Eph. 4:31); blasphemy (3:8; Matt. 12:31); filthy communication, foul language (Eph. 4:29; 5:4); lying (3:9; Eph. 4:25); the old man (3:9; 2Cor. 5:17).

‘Old man with his deeds’ – Two old things that pass away: [1] The spirit, nature, and power of sin the old man, which is nothing more nor less than the spirit, nature, and power of the devil working in men of disobedience (John 8:44; Eph. 2:2; 2Cor. 4:4; 1Jn. 3:8; 5:18). This is what the Bible calls: The old man (Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9); sin (John 1:29; 8:34; Rom.  6:4 – 8:2); the body of sin (Rom. 6:6); the power of satan (Acts 26:18); the body of this death (Rom. 7:24); the lusts of the flesh (Eph. 2:3); the lust of the eyes (1Jn. 2:15-17); the pride of life (1Jn. 2:15-17); the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19); the world (1Jn. 2:15-17; Jas. 4:4); vile affections (Rom. 1:26, 29); the lusts of the mind (Eph. 2:3); the lusts of sin (Rom. 6:11-12); the motions of sins (Rom. 7:5); the law of sin and death (Rom.  7:7 – 8:2); the carnal mind (Rom. 8:1-13); the god of this world (2Cor. 4:4); spiritual wickedness in high places … rulers of darkness (Eph. 6:12); the lusts of your father (John 8:44); sin that dwells in me (Rom. 7:17); the course of this world (Eph. 2:2); the body of the sins of the flesh (2:11; Gal. 5:24; Rom. 8:1-39). [2] Outward sin or transgression of the law (1Jn. 3:4; Rom. 4:15; Jas. 1:13-15). The outward acts are listed in Mark 7:19-21; Romans 1:18-32; 2Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-21 and Colossians 3:5-10.

Both outward and inward sin must pass away or one cannot claim to be in Christ. The theory that only outward transgressions are forgiven and one is still under the control of the old man (the devil) is one of the most erroneous doctrines in Christendom (2Cor. 5:17-18; Eph. 4:24; 1Jn. 5:18; Rom. 6:6-23; 8:1-13).