Colossians 3:8-11
But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Sometimes, we can fall into the trap of thinking of some sins as ‘little’ sins. The sins in these verses might fall into that category. But Jesus went to the cross for all sin. One of the best parts about the practical instruction we see in Scripture is that we are never told to take something off or get rid of something without also being given something to put in its place. Similar to a changing of clothes, we take off the old self when we choose to believe and follow Jesus and we put on the new self. The other amazing thing that happens when we believe is a breaking down of all the barriers that separate us from other people in society. In Christ, there should be unity.
Practically speaking, what part of your old nature are you still wearing that needs to be stripped off? Where might there be division instead of unity in a relationship? These verses help us put on the new nature by telling us we can become more like our Creator as we learn to know Him. If you don’t have one already, map out a plan to engage with your Bible each day for the purpose of getting to know your Creator better so that you can be more like Him. Now is the time!