Out With the Old: A Fresh Start in Christ
Colossians 3:5–9
Spring is often the time we dive into a long-overdue closet cleanout. We pull out shirts we no longer wear, jeans we’ve outgrown, and we let go of things that no longer suit who we are today. It’s about more than fashion—it’s about alignment. We let go of the old to make space for the new.
But what if the space that needs cleaning isn’t our closet—but our heart?
In Colossians 3:5–9, the Apostle Paul calls us to a much deeper cleanout. He doesn’t tiptoe around the subject. He urges us to be ruthless with sin, to “put to death” the things in our lives that no longer reflect who we are in Christ. These aren’t just personal bad habits; they are the old self—the version of us that Jesus came to save us from. And it’s time to let that version go.
Let’s explore three areas Paul highlights in this passage and see how Christ offers hope on the other side of surrender.
1. The Sin Beneath the Surface
Paul starts his list in verse 5 with external sins—sexual immorality, impurity, lust—but he quickly moves deeper, uncovering their true source: idolatry.
It’s easy to brush off sins like these as private issues, but Paul reframes them as relational poison. These are the outcomes of misplaced worship. When people or pleasures become our gods, they become objects of self-gratification rather than recipients of love and honor.
Culture often feeds this with whispers like, “I deserve this,” or “It’s just how I feel,” or “It’s harmless.” But Romans 12:2 reminds us not to conform to the pattern of this world. Sin thrives in secrecy and conformity. Transformation begins with mental and emotional surrender to the way and will of Christ.
What we idolize will ultimately shape or destroy who we love. When our hearts are fixated on worldly desires, love becomes transactional. But when Christ is at the center, our love becomes transformational.
2. Why the Old Us Must Die
Paul is blunt: the wrath of God is coming because of these sins. That can sound frightening, even harsh. But for those who are in Christ, this isn’t a threat—it’s a wake-up call. We’ve been saved from wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9). So why would we live like those still destined for it?
Living out the old self is like slipping back into a pair of jeans that just don’t fit anymore. We’ve been given a new identity, a new direction, and a new desire. The person we were before Christ is not who we are today—and we dishonor His sacrifice when we continue to live like the person He died to save.
Every day becomes a reflection: “Lord, how am I living in light of what You have done for me?”
Transformation isn’t just about behavior modification. It’s about heart reorientation.
3. The Words That Wound
Paul finishes this section by zeroing in on speech—anger, slander, malice, abusive language, and lies. These sins may feel less visible, but they’re no less damaging. They fracture churches, destroy families, and poison communities. And just like lying in Genesis 3 unraveled creation’s harmony, our careless words unravel relationships today.
Lies are not harmless. They are satanic in nature (John 8:44). When we lie, we align ourselves not with our Heavenly Father, but with the enemy. Conversely, when we speak truth with love, we mirror the character of a God who “does not lie” (Titus 1:2).
Our words matter. They can build up or burn down. What we say has the power to echo heaven—or to echo hell.
A Hopeful End to a Heavy Word
Let’s be honest—this is a heavy passage. It feels like spiritual surgery. But it’s not without hope. In the Christian story, death is never the end.
When sin dies, new life begins. The death of the old self makes room for resurrection. And as we’ll see next week in Colossians, what God raises in its place is beautiful—compassion, kindness, humility, love. That is our new self, and it’s already ours in Christ.
So, maybe it’s time for a different kind of spring cleaning. Not just for your closet, but for your soul. Out with the old—and in with the life Christ has already made new.