Before reading any further I encourage you to open your Bible and read through Colossians 3:1-17 a couple of times.

        As I was studying this week and considering Jude’s charge to contend for the faith and the effort Olympic athletes put into contending for the medals, I came across a brief and yet very practical guide to mortifying the sin in our lives and what the author said struck a cord in terms of contending for the faith. He identified four steps in Colossians 3:12-17 that can help us decisively deal with the sin in our lives.

        First: learn to admit sin for what it really is. In other words: call a spade a spade – call sin “fornication” (3:5) – not “I’m being tempted a little;” call it “uncleanness” (3:5) – not “I’m struggling with my thought life;” call sin “covetousness, which is idolatry” (3:5) – not “I think I need to order my priorities a bit better.” His point once again: if we are serious about dealing with sin then learn to admit sin for what it really is.

        Second: see sin for what it really is in God’s presence. “Because of these the wrath of God is coming” (3:6); see the true nature of sin in light of its punishment; take a heaven’s-eye view of sin and feel the shame of that in which you once walked (3:7).

        Third: recognize the inconsistency of our sin. You have put off the “old man,” and have put on the “new man” (3:9-10). New people live new lives. Anything less is a contradiction of who we are “in Christ.” If we are serious about the sin in our lives we must learn to see the inconsistency of sin.

        Fourth: put sin to death. It is a “simple” as that. We cannot “mortify” sin without the pain of the kill. There is no other way! “If our right hand causes us to sin…”

        What is one aspect of contending for the faith? Decisively deal with sin. Remember that the “negative” task of putting sin to death cannot be accomplished apart from the “positive” call of the gospel to “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 13:14). And this truth is what the apostle Paul spells out in Colossians 3:12-17 (see also Eph. 4-5). Not only must we reject sinful desires and habits, they must also be exchanged for Christ-like graces (3:12) and actions (3:13). Sweeping the house clean simply leaves us open to further invasion of sin. But when we understand the “glorious exchange” principle of the gospel of grace, then we can begin to make some real advances in decisively dealing with our sin.

        I encourage you to meditate on these truths – use this bulletin as a bookmark in your Bible this week as a reminder. As we are clothed in Christ’s character and His graces are held together by love (v. 14), not only in our private lives but also in the church fellowship (vv. 12-16), Christ’s name and glory will be manifested and exalted among us (3:17) – amen and amen!

        Pastor John