Living The Risen Life

Good morning to one and all. Praise God for this opportunity. My daughter was not feeling well till yesterday. It was kind of very tough. She had viral fever for two days. She was not drinking milk and she had rash all over. We wanted to admit her in the hospital so I was not sure whether I would come today or not. But praise God, she’s well now and fever is not there, fever has gone down and she slept well. While I was coming, she was still sleeping. Actually, she wakes up at 6 a.m. or something in the morning, but praise God for that.

I’m happy to be here with you guys. Let’s turn our Bibles to Colossians. Colossians chapter 3, verses 1 to 9. Colossians chapter 3, verses 1 to 9. Let’s all read it together if you are there. Colossians chapter 3, verses 1 to 9. Okay, shall we start? “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things…” Hello, I cannot hear you guys. Shall we start again, please? Yes. Okay. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated, at the right hand of God.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you, sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked when you were living in them, but now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off old self with its practices.”

We’ll stop here. Shall we look to the Lord in prayer? Father, we thank you for this wonderful, beautiful day. Yes, we remember. Remember, this life is not ours. This is yours. And you purchased it for us. You paid it for us with your own life and blood. And we give you all glory and honor. And the life that we live, you are calling us to live for you. Knowing that you gave your life for us. And this life has meaning and purpose only in living it for you. Not for ourselves, not for this world or anything else. I pray, Holy Spirit, God, please, this is your time. Speak to me, speak to us from your word. Not my thoughts, but your word, your thoughts. Speak to us. In Jesus’ name we ask and pray. I mean, Colossians is a very rich book.

Uh, Christologically rich, and the role of Christ as the center of the universe and his preeminence. Amazing book, amazing book. Ephesians is my favorite epistle first. And as I am reading, meditating and preaching from Colossians, this is becoming my next best epistle. I request you to please take time as family and go through Colossians slowly, slowly. Amazing book.

Colossian church is said to be started by Epaphras, who might have met Paul in Ephesus while he was doing the ministry there, and this letter is addressed to Colossian church from the prison by Paul again. Epaphras has talked about the church and he’s in reply, he’s responding to this. There are lots of false teachers that are there in Colossians, and the church is being different teachings, and in addressing that, Paul is writing these matters to the church. Some of the things that are the false teachings that are happening in the Colossian church are, false teachers were saying, “Christ is not enough.

You need some kind of special experience to be a Christian.” That’s one. And second, they would say, “You need to do some things, follow some rules and regulations along with Christ. Then you will be saved.” And some of them would say, “You need special wisdom, special revelation.

Then your salvation is complete.” And some of them would go to an extreme and say, “You need to stop doing this. Start doing this. Stop eating this. Stop drinking this. Don’t new moons, festivals.” All these along with Christ for your salvation and Christian living, all comes along. And he says, no, Christ is enough. Christ is enough for our salvation and for our Christian living. Christ is enough. And what he has done on the cross is enough as believers for us. That’s what the best this book talks about, all this book talks about. Can I have a copy of worksheet? If I miss any section in the worksheet, if you can raise your hand, I’d be happy to go through with you. Right. So this is the background of the Colossian church. People were saying Christ is not

enough for you to be saved. You need to have angel worship. You need to follow, you need to follow the commandments. You need to be circumcised. Not only that, you need to have special revelation, special experience for you to be saved. Do we have these kind of false teachings today also? Yeah. Oh yeah, a lot of them. Maybe not in same way, but similarly also, but in a more, uh, various different kinds of teachings are there. And as we learn and go through this, this will help us to see who Christ is and what he has done for us. And they were also saying

for your spiritual perfection, for spiritual perfection as a Christian, you need to follow some formulas, you know. Maybe as believers we don’t, we don’t, we only say by grace alone, by faith alone. But sometimes maybe we try to look for some formulas, you know, to become more perfect, to become more holy. Maybe do this, do that, and if I don’t do this and this and this, then I am perfect. It’s like we are moving backward, but not forward in Christ. That’s what Paul is trying to teach us in this book. So first two chapters talk about doctrine.

As always, in all the epistles of Paul, he starts with the doctrine because he knows that for Christian life, you cannot live as God wants you to live or follow the commands of God unless you know who God is and who you are in God or in Christ or what he has done for you. Unless your heart and mind are soaked in the doctrine, not complicated doctrine, doctrine, but the reality, the fact of who we are and who God is, when we understand that part of the doctrine, that’s a foundation for our Christian living. That will help us, help us clearly to obey and live as God wants us to do, the orthopraxy part, the practical part, practical living part. Right thinking in the Word of God, laid on the foundation of the Word of God, will help us to the right living. Again, remember, not living, not living

on our own strength. Sometimes even for us as believers who are following, um, right doctrine, sometimes I feel some — you help me if I’m wrong — sometimes we just move from grace slowly and slightly, subtly, to a side track where we try to stand on some kind of support, you know, along with grace.

maybe my holiness, you know, my hard work, my efforts in holy living, or, um, you know, the amount of faith I have or the amount of repentance I bring into the table. Sometimes we try to depend on that also, maybe. But we have to see what real, uh, doctrine for us is as believers. So first two chapters are doctrine, second two chapters are how we live because of this doctrine as Christians. And then first two chapters talk about Christ as Lord, the Lord. And amazing, recently I was hearing a video, uh, by, um, by B-O-U-I channel.

Um, I think they don’t believe in divinity of Christ. Uh, so he was saying Christ is like a beggar in front of God, begging Christ, you know, basically he’s questioning, um, the divinity of Christ based on Hebrews chapter, uh, I think chapter where Christ is pleading with the Father, supplication, you know. He’s saying, um, uh, “Please, if it is your will, remove this cup from me.” And this man says our Muslim brothers also point to the same thing. As I was reading that and I was reading Colossians, I’m, I was thinking, did you ever read Colossians in your life? Simple reading will help you to

see who Christ is. Okay, Christ is Lord, first two chapters. Chapter three, Christ is our life. Chapter four, Christ is love. This is basically the framework of four chapters of Colossians. Okay, I want to lay a foundation for us to the doctrine of Colossians as believers and then move to what the commands talk to us. Uh, let’s turn to chapter 1, verses 13 to 15. We are looking at who we are in Christ, what Christ did for us on the cross. If that foundation is clear for us we can move forward, that will help us. Uh, chapter 1, verses 13 to 15.

When we all are there we’ll read it together, please. Colossians chapter 1, verses 13 to 15. Yes, okay. “Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom, Beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Paul is starting off this letter to the Colossians and he is saying, “Father who has qualified you?” Father has qualified you for what? To become inheritance of the saints of light. One.

Then he has delivered us from the domain of darkness, kingdom of Satan, darkness, sin, and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. Change of King, change of kingdom. Okay, in whom, why did he do that? Why did he do that? To redeem us, redeem us, break our chains, give us freedom from the bondage. That is redemption. He paid the price with his life, he redeemed us, for the forgiveness of our sins. God the Father qualified us, no qualification of ours, nothing in us, is the God the Father who qualified us even before the foundation of the earth, as we see in Ephesians

to become part of the saints in light. He delivered us from the power of darkness, from the power of Satan, from the power of sin. And not only that, but he delivered us to a new kingdom, new King, that is his Son, so that our sins are forgiven. That’s one. Second one, chapter 1, verses 21 and 22. Who we were and what Christ did for us. Let’s remember who we were and what Christ did for us. Chapter 1, verses 21 and 22. “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his

death, in order to present you holy, blameless and above reproach before him.” Three things. Let’s remember what Christ has accomplished by his death so that he can present us holy. Christ is making us holy. Second, blameless, no pollution, no corruption, blameless. And third one is above reproach.

of spot, no spot, no blame, you know. That is what Christ did by his death on the cross. Why? The first part says we were alienated, separated from God. We were not with God, we were separated from God. Why were we separated from God? Why? Sin. Yes, who said? Okay, my sin, right? Separated from God. And hostile in mind, because of our sins we were in hostile relationship with God, that is enemies of God. At that time he reconciled us, enemies reconciled with God, made peace, so that three things will happen. What are those three things? We’d be holy, blameless, above reproach before him. And

Do we have anything to do in this? Do you see any action of ours in this? Do you see anything that we have done in this to achieve this? No, nothing. It's all God. So let's remember this as background, okay? Next, chapter 1 verse 27. Yes, yes, faster. Okay, women's team won the World Cup cricket. Now I see. Okay, Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him, chapter 1 verses 15 onwards, preeminence of Christ. If you see, he is the image of invisible God, firstborn of all creation. For by

him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible, invisible, thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities, all things were created through him, for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Because of him they are running, they are in sustenance, they are alive, because of him. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might have preeminence. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him reconciled to himself all things, whether on earth in heaven, making peace by the blood of his

cross why I read this is this creator this master maker the omnipotent the magnificent God all says 127 he says he lives in this God it's all-powerful majestic God he is in you know as a believer this Christ the God the creator he is living in every believer who has put his faith in him he is living in us and he is the hope of the glory that is going to come not only golden streets heaven and all but become like christ live with him eternally that's our hope and this christ is the guarantee in our hearts of the future finally let's read

one verse, chapter 2 verses, chapter 2 verses 13 to 15. Paul is saying, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” He's saying, you were dead in your trespasses, dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your — you were Gentiles, you did not know the God of laws

you did not know the holy God. You were not even Jews. He's saying you were dead in sins, you were not even Jews, but God made you alive together with Christ. You were dead, God made you alive with Christ. Death in by biblical sense is never cessation or come to an end, it's always separation. Our soul is separated from the body, we don't cease to exist, our soul is there. So here what Paul is saying is, Paul is saying we were dead in sins and now we are made alive with Christ, separated from the world and the power of sin. And in

verse 14 he says, “canceling the record of debt that stood against us.” There's a debt, with its legal demands against us. Understand the implications, okay? There's a record of debt, list of sins, all that we did which we did not obey against God. There's a big list for each one of us, against us, testifying against us. And they have a legal demand, that is, because of every sin I have to pay, there is punishment for every sin that I have committed. So there's a big list for every one of us. And what did Christ do? He took the list, he took the list, put it

to the cross and he nailed it there. Not just nailing it to the cross, but his own flesh. All our sins, all the sins that we ever commit, all of them, past, present and future, he nailed it to the cross with his own flesh. That is what Christ did for us, and he made us alive. Not only that, he disarmed the rulers, the demons, the minions of Satan, and the power of Satan on the cross. That is what Christ has done. So let's remember this, who we are and who we are in Christ, as the foundation for us, and let's try to build

on this. Let's, chapter 3 verse 1, chapter 3 verse 1, “If then you have been raised with Christ” — let's stop there. If then you have been raised with Christ. That's the first point, our identity in Christ. We are raised with Christ. In your worksheet you can look at that, our identity in Christ is we are raised with Christ. This is a reminder for us as believers. Remember, we are raised with Christ all the time. Remember that we are raised with Christ, that is our identity. The verse starts there, “if then,” but actually the word used in Greek is S-I-N-C-E.

Because you are raised with Christ. That is what Paul is saying. It's an accomplished fact. It's a completed action. It is done. You have been risen with Christ. Co-resurrected with Christ. It's an accomplished fact. Galatians 2:20, Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” This is clear, saying that Paul is saying, now Christ is living in and through me. It's not me, I am dead, I am separated from the power of sin and the flesh, and the life that I now live, Christ is living in and through me. Romans 6:3 and 4, it says, “Do

you not know that all of us who have been baptized with Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” Baptism here is not water baptism. He is talking about our immersion with Christ. When we come to Christ, spiritually, we are buried with Christ and we are rising up new, made new creation. “We were buried therefore with him by the baptism into death, in order that just as Christ raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life.” This is our life. We were dead, buried, but in Christ we are raised along with Christ by the power of God.

This dynamis, you know, that special power of God which raised Christ from the dead raises us spiritually. Identity: we are raised in Christ. So let’s remember, uh, when we say, uh, we have raised with Christ, what does it mean? We have raised, we are raised with Christ, what does it mean? That means this is, this happens only by the mighty power of God, not my decision. Okay? Happens, this transformation, inner transformation happens by the mighty power of God. That’s why when people say, are you trying to people by giving them this, that, converting people? No, conversion doesn’t happen like that. If I convert today, I’ll convert back again tomorrow, you give me something better. But biblical understanding of conversion is this is God’s

work in my life. It’s not that I just take a decision, come and say, “Lord, I want to leave all the bad things, I will, I will not sin anymore.” It’s not making a resolution, you know, to just kick out all the bad things and clean up our lives. This is the life-giving power of God who raised Christ from the dead. That is what happens in our lives. Let’s remember that, let’s remember that. Uh, Henry Scougal, he says — the Puritan — he says, “The Life of God in the Soul of Man.” This is powerful. The living God with his power, he lives in us as

believers, in us, life-giving power. And when we say we are raised with Christ, it means we are united with Christ, we are made one with Christ, and our power source is Christ. Like, you know, vine and the branches — unless the vine is connected to the branch, you know, the branch is connected to the vine, there is no life source. When we are raised with Christ, we become one with Christ, he is our power source also. And whenever we are facing temptations, whenever we face sin, let’s who we are, let’s remember our identity, we are raised with Christ, we are raised with Christ. The power

of sin is there because we are still in flesh, the residual sin is there, and we are still living in the world. But this sin does not have dominion over us, it’s not a master over us, because our bodies, our flesh is dead, buried with Christ. We no longer have to be slaves to this sin. Let’s remember that our new life is real and powerful. Let’s remember Second Peter chapter, Second Peter chapter 1 verse 3. It reads like this: “His divine power has granted us all things pertain to life and godliness.” God has given us all things for us to live spiritual life, all things

he has given us, his Spirit, his word, himself living in us to help us face the world and the sins around us. Let’s remember that. If you read only these four verses, you will see Paul emphasizing Christ so much there. He says with Christ, where Christ is seated, when Christ comes, and with him our life is hidden. You know, that’s the center. He’s making Christ as the center of believers’ life and his sufficiency for us believers. So our identity is we are raised with Christ. Let’s remember that. Second one, our duty. Our duty: seek the things that are above where Christ is seated

at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on the things that on earth, on earth. Paul is saying, remember who you are, remember your identity. Now you have a responsibility, you have a duty to do. What is that? Seek things that are above, not on this earth, not the worldly things. See things that are above where Christ is seated. Also, let’s, we’ll come back to that. Our duty is, uh, the word used there is preoccupied, keep thinking up, be preoccupied so much about heaven and heavenly things. That’s what Paul is saying. The word used there, the meaning is

that he’s saying constantly think about it, heavenly things. Every believer is to be heavenly minded. So what is there in heaven? What do you remember? What do you, what comes to your mind when you hear the word heaven? Every time God. Okay, God is there. Very good. Yes.

Sorry. Sorry. Praises to him. Yes. Praises to him. Worship. There's always praise and worship going on there. Yes. No sin. Okay. Sorry. Other saints are there. Okay. Oh wow. Nobody said gold. Yeah. Dion has to teach about that here. Praise God, yes, God is there. Angels are there. Christ is there. And we, through our union with Christ, we are in heaven right now. Seated with him in heavenly places.

And we are going to live there eternally. That’s our place. I just jokingly say this. We should not go think about heaven for the gold’s sake. All our life on this earth we think about gold, live for gold, earn gold, try to save gold. If you want to go to heaven, that too for gold, is — it’s not worth it. Okay? We think about heaven because Christ is there. It’s the person, it’s about that person, about him. And we need to be preoccupied about that. I was listening to a song recently, maybe Deepu can tell me about that, but doctrine and all I haven’t heard properly.

But he says, “I’m homesick for heaven.” “I’m homesick for heaven.” Joshua, I think. Joshua, I don’t know the singer’s name. “I’m homesick for heaven.” And he says, not only just, you’re so heavenly minded that you’re of no use on earth. It’s not like that. Paul is not saying like that. But your thoughts should be on things above. Our home, our citizenship. Like the God who is there, think about him, his thoughts, and also how he sees people, what are his plans, purposes, what does, what does he will, think on those things. The characteristics of Christ who lives in him: kindness, love, joy, peace, wisdom, purity and love. Think on these things, that inner

disposition. You know, you must not only seek heaven but you also think like heaven. Let's this. So our identity, our duty, then our strength. Christ is seated at the right hand of God. We think about this, and the reason we think about this is because Christ is, uh, the resource. The strength is Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Christ is sitting in the exalted position. There he is sitting in the exalted position, that the place of honor and majesty. And when we pray He hears us. He answers us. He says, “Ask and I will do it.”

He is in that position. He is there. He is our resource, our strength. The third one, our motivation. Next one, motivation. What's the motivation? Why we should seek the things above? Why we should think about — not think about the earthly things, not be preoccupied with roti kapra makan and all those things that we are so preoccupied all the time. Not about those things, not of the world. He specifically says — not my words, okay — Paul specifically says, “Seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God,” in power and majesty. Verse 2: “Set your mind on things above,” that are above.

“Not on the things that are on earth.” We are raised with Christ. We don't belong here. Paul is saying, think of things above. And why? Verse 3: “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ.” In amazing statement. When I was reading, learning, meditating on that, it blew my mind. Amazing verse. Amazing verse. It says, you have died.

You have died. No power of sin, no power of flesh or the world on you. You are dead. Your body is dead. Separated from that. Now you are raised with Christ. Identified with Christ in death. You remember that. Okay. And then he says, let me give an example. For example, in India there's curfew every day evening six o'clock. There's a curfew every day evening six o'clock. Everybody has to go indoors and shut and done. No shopping, nothing. And if I move to the US, do they have curfew every day evening? They don't. And if I go in every day evening at six o'clock, does it make sense in the U.S.? Does it make sense? You understand why? I'm not under that law, not under those rules, not under the leadership of that nation, India, anymore. I'm in the U.S.

New kingdom, new rules, new place. It's — Paul is saying you're dead. That it means the same thing. Uh, Steven J. Cole is a — was a pastor at Flagstaff church. He gives this example. He says, uh, you lift the car and put your foot on the gas pedal. Lift up the wheels from the ground and put your leg on the gas pedal. What happens? Wheels spin crazily. Okay, there's a lot of noise and we'll, but is the car moving? For our context, let us put the bike on stand, side stand. Okay, now bend the vehicle X later. What happens? The wheel is spinning crazily, but is

the bike moving? No. He says it's same with Christian life. Here we are dead. The power of sin, the power of the world no longer has mastery over us, no longer has dominion over us. Do I still face temptations? Yes, absolutely. Do I feel that pull? Do I feel that longing? Yes, definitely, yes. But am I a slave to that? No. Why? Because I am buried with Christ and I am risen with Christ. This is the work of God, not my work, and it is not my decision. By his almighty power he has transformed me from inside. My desires are changed, my passions are changed,

my perspective is changed because of what Jesus did in my heart, not my own work or decision. Clear? Okay. That's one. So when he says dead, you have died. It's not just a feeling for every believer. I have died. I have died. But sometimes I feel very alive when I see sin and not like that. It's not just a feeling. It's a legal fact. We were one with him in his death. Now we are married to a new husband. He gives us new life and freedom from sin. Let's remember that. And we are hidden with Christ in God. Remember this, we are hidden with Christ in God. We are hidden in Christ and with God.

I gave this illustration in the church, uh, we are hidden with Christ. Okay, now there are two more set of hands, another set holding it together in Christ. In Christ. Not only Christ is holding me, but the Father is holding me. I am hid with Christ in God. Let's remember this, believers. Christians, let's remember this. We are hidden with Christ in God. So what does it mean when I'm hidden with Christ? We share life with the Father and Son. Our life is concealed from the world. Okay, they don't know who we are as believers. There's persecution. There's trouble.

They don't see us as children of God. Okay. And finally, it says believers are eternally secure, hidden protectively from the spiritual force. Because of our high priest, great high priest, who is interceding for us forever. We don't lose our salvation. We don't fall away from God. And nobody can snatch us out of the hands of our Savior, as we see in John 10:28. And nothing can separate us from the love of God, as we see in Romans 8:31–39. We are secure. We are hidden with Christ. Let's remember these, believers. Let's remember these, brothers and sisters. Our life is hidden with Christ in God. And finally he says the revelation, the future glory, verse 4:

When Christ who appears, who is your life, appears, then you will appear with him in glory. When Christ appears, you will appear with him in glory. Let's remember this. Remember your identity, remember your duty, remember your strength, that is Christ seated at the right hand of God. Your motivation — what is your motivation? Okay, you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. And the revelation that is going to happen, the future glory. World may not recognize you now, but when he comes they will see you. They will know who you are. They will know to whom you belong. They will know to

whom you belong. He is our life. The verse says he is our life, and we will be like him. We will be like him. That’s why Paul could say, even when he was facing martyrdom, “For me to live is Christ and die is gain.” So we’ll — this is part one, okay? The key to living the Christian life is to have Christ in the center. Is Christ the center of our universe? Is Christ the center of your universe? Is he — is he your strength? Is he your motivation? Is he your hope for future glory? Is he everything for — let’s remember, we were dead, we were buried

with him. Now we are alive, made alive with him. He is the center of our lives. Let’s go to part two, okay? Shall we remind ourselves all the five points before we go to the next part? Risen with Christ, okay. What’s our duty? Okay. What’s our strength? Christ seated at the right hand of God. Very good. What’s our motivation? We have died. Our life is hidden with Christ in — one pastor illustrated it like this. He brought three boxes, okay? Small one, little bigger one, and a bigger one. So he puts the small box in the medium-sized one, and he put both the boxes in the big-sized box.

So beautiful, I thought. Our life is hidden with Christ, in God, like that, okay? So we are secure in Christ. Let’s remember that when Satan brings all kinds of doubts and questions, and, you know, anxiety, worry, am I still saved or not? Live like this no longer as child of God? Am I still — you’re still in the hands of God. Praise God for that. Okay. Uh, our future glory. What’s our future glory? When Christ appears, we will appear with him in glory. We will appear with him in glory. How many of you will appear with him in glory? Ah, yes, very good. I know all of you will appear, but I’m just asking excitement. Okay, let’s think about this. Let’s remember, see, what happens in Christian life is, I feel — please, uh, help me if I’m wrong — we are so caught up in things of this world, and even

our spiritual lives. We forget heaven most of the time, unless at the funeral, or, you know, that’s one example, or when we sing about heaven. We don’t think much about heaven. But as believers, our focus and our concentration and our view is always on heaven. Who is there, and how are we to think and live in the light of the heaven? Okay, now the important part, verse five, killing the sin, okay? Putting sin to death, part one. “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you.” Paul is saying put to death, saying we were dead in Christ, right? We just finished saying we

were dead in Christ. What is this putting to death again? We were dead in Christ. Why put to death again, right? Very good. We will read that. Very good. It says because of the remaining sin, because of the pull of Satan, we are called to put to death. Put to death. The verb here is used is very strong: put to death. He is not saying control your sin. He is not saying overcome your sin. He is saying kill. Very strong word. He is saying kill. Radical action. Radical action to wipe out completely, exterminate, slay utterly, you know, like those words. Very strongly, kill sin.

kill sin it's decisive action and in a sense of urgency every believer for every believer every time you face temptation every time you face sin this is what needs to come to your mind kill sin now we have died to sins penalty but since power still can be strong in our flesh sometimes make us with that's why we need to put sin to death Romans 8 13 shall we read Romans 8 13 please for if you live according to the flesh you will die Romans 8 30 for if you live according to the flesh you will die but if by You put to death

the deeds of the body, you will live.” Put to death by the power of the Spirit, you will live. God has given us his word and his Spirit to put sin to death. Let’s remember that. Sin is like a deposed king or a monarch. Question?

Anybody has a question? Yes, okay. No? Okay, right. Sin is like a deposed monarch or a king, like, you know, like this party that’s — a BRS party lost. Are they quiet now? Who is ruling now? Who is ruling now? What is BRS doing?

Right, and they are doing everything possible. Jubilee Hills, you know, everywhere, talk against them, bad about them, they’re not doing this, they’re not doing that, they’re doing wrong, there’s corruption. These people are not quiet. As believers, sin in our lives is deposed, separated. It’s, it’s away from us. We are no longer slaves to it, but it is not silent. It does not sit quiet stillness. Sin is still potent, and to succeed over it demands the power of the Spirit of God. Richard Baxter, he said it like this: “Use sin as it will use you. Spare it not, for it will not

spare you.” Did sin spare any of you any time? Sometimes I escaped, but then I fell immediately. “It’s your murderer and the murderer of the world. Kill it before it kills you.” Kill sin before it kills you. Putting sin to death then is not optional for Christians. It is the duty of the Christians. And we have a sword, right? What is the sword? Every Christian believer has a sword. What sword is that? The word of God. It’s the word of God. We are filled with the Spirit of God. In Colossians we read 3:16, be filled with the word of God, being filled with the

Spirit of God is being filled with the word of God, and you face your temptations, face devil with the word. You fall, you succumb to sins because we are not equipped with the word of God to fight. To be, to be a Christian is to die for self, to kill my ambitions, to kill my ego, my pride, and bow in humble submission to Christ lordship. Let's remember that Spirit is weapon of the word of God, Ephesians 6:17. And in 1 John 2:14 it says you overcome the evil one because of the word, you overcome the evil one because of the word, because the

word of God is living in you, 1 John 2:14. And being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:18 is again compared to Colossians 3:16 where Paul says, “Let the word of God richly dwell in you,” richly dwell in you. Uh, Stephen J. Cole, he says, “Lay hold of your sinful nature, wrestle it down, nail it to the cross. Nothing short of death will do. And as often as the old nature squirms and cause, resurrects itself, nail it back again.”

Some of us might ask, is this going towards legalism? Is this going towards legalism? No. This is what Christ is asking us to do. And that is with his spirit and his word. He's asking us to crucify that. Sometimes we think, yes, grace of God, I don't have to do anything now. I am saved by grace through So I will live a normal Christian life. But if you look at that normal Christian life, you have fallen so many times. Sorry, I have fallen so many times because I did not take sin seriously or I have not taken my Lord seriously or his words seriously.

His power is available. His weapons are available. He is available. He is saying depend on me and kill sin. He enables us. He lifts us up. He gives us strength. He fights on our behalf. He's calling us to sin. Puts sin to death. That's what he's saying. I'm sorry.

Some of us might look godly outwardly. But be entertaining, lustful thoughts that no one else knows about. It's like tolerating cracks on the dam. Dam? Tolerating cracks on the dam. What happens? Breaks open one day and will cause a lot of damage. Your testimony, your life will blaspheme the name of Christ, shame the name of Christ because of our negligence in dealing with sin, taking sin lightly. Remember, nobody falls into to the sin of sexual immorality without thinking about it for some time beforehand. Okay? Nobody falls into that. So putting to death is what Christ is calling us to do. If you are facing this, it's time for us to confess and forsake. As soon as you get the thought, confess to Christ and say, “Lord, I'm having this dirty thought

please forgive me, please wash me from this, release me from this bondage.” And if you have been living in that life, come out, confess, ask for his forgiveness, washed in his blood, start afresh in Christ. Okay, I'll put my notes aside. I cannot finish in another 10 minutes or else it will be been like 97 minutes last time. Sorry. Okay. “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you.” Then he says, what are — he gives two lists, actually list what happens if you sin, then another list. Sexual immorality — the word used there is porneia, which is equivalent to prostitute, with from where the word pornography

comes. That's the first word Paul is saying: sexual immorality is porneia, pornography. He says kill this sexual desire in your life. And Bible clearly says any relationship, sexual relationship outside of marriage between one man, one woman is sin. Sexually attracted to women, men, lesbian, gays, all this is sin and all this leads us to hell. That's the word of God, that is very clear about it. Sexual immorality. No extramarital affairs, no extramarital of affairs outside of marriage, no same sex, no sex before marriage. Word of God is clear. If you have temptations in this area, you have to kill that sin. No options for us believers. You

cannot play with fire. No options for us. Charles Spurgeon says — I have to say this point later, but I will say now — he says you have put your head once in the mouth of lion, you did that once, will you go again and into its cage? Because you lived like that once before Christ. That is acceptable to the world, in your office it is acceptable, in the place where you are studying it's acceptable, on Instagram, on Facebook, Netflix, Amazon, it's acceptable. It's okay if you're not doing it's bad, you are bad. But according to us, the people who are buried with Christ and risen

with Christ, who are washed in blood and who are hidden with Christ, this is not acceptable for us. We belong to him now. We cannot associate our bodies with somebody else because we are with Christ already and we are committed to somebody already.

already. Second one, impurity. Sorry, sexual immorality, impurity is about impure thoughts. It is talking about impure thoughts. So Paul is saying not only physical sin but even in your mind, in your thoughts, you have to maintain purity. You cannot entertain lustful thoughts which nobody will know. You cannot scan, full scan women when they are walking by and entertain dirty thoughts. You cannot do that because you are in Christ, your life is hidden with Christ, your washed in blood, he paid for your sins already on the cross. So you cannot live like that. We cannot believe us entertain and live in that dirty, ugly things

anymore. Paul is saying sexual immorality, impurity, we cannot entertain. We need to have purity of eyes and thoughts. When we are talking to the people who are opposite gender, we need to have that purity of thought in our eyes. Paul is saying you cannot have that. Then impurity and passion, both words are together — impurity, sorry, passion and evil desire. Passion is again physical desires and evil desire is in the mind. Paul is repeating those words and saying, brothers and sisters, in the church, in the church as believers, we cannot have these sexual immorality, neither in our relationships nor in our thoughts. We should have purity

in all this. And then he says covetousness, which is idolatry. All these above-mentioned things, root is covet. You know, you covet, you're not satisfied with who you are, what you have, so you long for somebody else. In the name of love, in the name of pleasure, in the name of emotional dependence, in the name of whatever. I am not satisfied, I want more, which is not legal, which is not right for you, which don't, doesn't belong to you, desire more of it. For a believer this is not permissible. Paul says this in Ephesians chapter 5, I think, he says these should not be named

among you. That means you should not have these conversations also. It is so bad and ugly in the sight of God. You should not. Then he says, covetousness is greed, running after money. I want this, I want that, I want this and that.

It is idolatry. It is in the place of God. Paul is saying you cannot have idolatry. You know when we covet what we are saying, when we sin what we are saying, we are taking God from our heart and putting him aside and saying, I will put lust here. I don't want you God. God, I don't want you. I want this sin now because my selfish desire is stronger than obedience to the word of God. You understand what I am saying? Because I want to be happy now. I want to be satisfied now. But remember guys, I am 47. Remember this.

47 years I have seen sin a lot. A lot of sin. And what I have realized is sin will never give you happiness. It will never give you happiness. It promises a lot. But never gives you happiness. Never gives you satisfaction. And you know what it brings? It always brings the judgment of God. And you will always have consequences for sin. Always. If not today, tomorrow. You will have consequences. Let's remember that. That's why in verse 6, you kill sin. You kill sin. You know why you have to kill sin? On account of this the wrath of God is coming. The wrath of God is coming. The wrath of God is — God is consistently — at least some parents are very loving, gracious, sometimes when their children sin, go astray. God is not like that. He is very loving, very holy, very righteous. Every sin is punished.

Every sin is punished. That's why we talk about hell. Jesus spoke about hell. Jesus spoke about hell a lot of times. He says there will be gnashing of teeth. There will be crying. There will be shouting. The fire will be burning. And the worm will not die there. That is the punishment. Eternal destination for the judgment of God. That is hell. If these words don't scare us, then nothing will. We have to remember. This is the judgment of God. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. Oh brother, we are believers, no longer under wrath, we are under grace and love. Absolutely right. Yes, you are under the grace of God, you are not under judgment anymore. But remember, you have a loving father. You have a loving father. So what? So what? So what? Anybody says the right answer, I'll give you a chocolate.

Very good. He will — you should be scared of your loving father also. He will chastise, he will discipline you. Hebrews chapter 12. He will discipline you because he loves you so much. He will discipline you. Don't think, I haven't faced any discipline till now, no punishment till now, I am safe, I am okay, nobody knows, nobody saw me, nothing. No. This will be announced from the rooftop. Be careful. And you will face consequences. I'm not trying to scare you. I'm just saying what the word of God says. Let's go forward. On account of this the wrath of God is coming. And verse 7 he says,

in these you too once walked when you were living in them. You lived like this. When you were not in Jesus, you enjoyed all the sins, you enjoyed all the pleasures, you did all kinds of things before you came to Christ. And you know what the pain is, you know there is no satisfaction, it's all lies, you know that. When you came to Christ, you lived in sin, but now you cannot do that. Charles Spurgeon, as I said, he uses the word, you burnt child. He said, he uses us the word, you burnt child. Will you go and play with fire again if you know

the consequences of sin, the power of sin, the lies of sin? We abstain, we stay away from that. Let's go to verse 8. You once walked in them. Don't go back, because the judgment of God is coming. Don't go there, don't go, because it's not worth it. You know it's not worth it. Verse 8, but now you must put them all away. This is the second list of sins. He says, put them all away. Put them away. Throw them away. Plug them and throw them. That's the meaning there. Plug them and throw them away. Do not — what are those things?

First one is anger. Anger is not something that comes out when somebody is triggered. Okay, not that. It's already there. It's already there. It will just reveal who you are. That's all. If you are brave enough, you should go to your wife and ask, am I a man of anger?

angry again. Okay, wives, also go to your husbands and say, “Am I an angry person?” I know what he will say. Okay, I'm not saying anything. They know you better. So, anger. Believers, don't give room for anger. When you give room for anger, you are giving room for Satan. Don't do that. And as believers, us, we cannot live in anger, entertain anger. We cannot live in anger. No. If you're angry person, come to Christ, deal with it. Deal with your anger first. Deal with your anger, and ask forgiveness. If you have hurt somebody in your anger, please go to them and ask for your forgiveness

and be slow to anger. That's what the Word of God says. And in James we see, in James he says, “Your anger does not bring righteousness of God.” Your anger does not bring the righteousness of God. No point in your anger. My anger is always righteous as long as I am angry. When somebody else is angry, it's sinful anger. That's not right. Let's check our anger. Then he says wrath is like the dry grass — when you burn it, it just burns in a second. You know, that's the wrath he's talking about, deep-rooted resentment that comes out. That is — you as believers we

cannot have these. Does it so happen that just somebody has to trigger you and all your real colors come out? Ah, it doesn't happen. Praise God. Very good. It doesn't happen here. It should not happen also. So that's what Paul is saying — anger, wrath of God. Sometimes some people are quiet with some people. They just keep their boundaries because they know what happens. Say the wrong word, do the wrong thing, or even anything, you know what you'll — what's coming. So some people avoid those. That means you're going to face anger and wrath. We have to deal with that. It's destructive to you, your relationships

and even to the church family. This is all in the context of church. And then malice is with an intent to hurt somebody. You do something, speak something with the intent of hurting somebody, that is malice. You don't like them, you are hurt by them, you are — you are insecure because of them, you are upset because of them, so you say something. Sometimes it so happens without any motives we say some things, but then the person who is hearing adds all kinds of ribbons and balloons and attaches motives and intentions and then passes it on, which again spoils the relationships. Be careful. Love

covers multitudes of sins. I was reading that, and it means actually you don't broadcast everything the person has shared with you. Don't broadcast that one. Confidentiality with you, shared with you, they respect you, love you — need not be broadcasted. Okay. Obscene talk, slander. Oh, slander, we should not be. Slander comes from the word blasphemy. When we talk bad about God it's blasphemy, and the same word, when we talk bad about people, is slander. That's the meaning that is used. Again, when there is anger, wrath and malice, slander happens. It happens. You talk bad about people. And then there is obscene talk from your mouth

bad things, dirty things, insults, hurting people, not necessary, unnecessarily hurting words, bad words. This is not for believers. Why? Because we are raised with Christ. We are dead to sin. Now our life is hidden with Christ in God, and when He appears we will appear with Him. We belong to Him. So we don't live in sin. We are no longer slaves to sin. We are no longer addicted to sin. We don't have to live like slaves, addicted, living in darkness. No. Christ has redeemed us. He has made us free. He has given us strength to overcome these sins. Any sin — lustful thoughts, anger, jealousy, hatred, you know, slander, malice — come to Christ, and He will

help you get out of this. Last verse: do not lie to one another. Do not lie to one another, because we are members of the body of Christ. Speak the truth in love. Do not lie. That does not mean you don't tell the truth. When somebody does something, speak the truth in love. In love, speak the truth in love, on the face, with love. Correct, help. But don't lie, don't lie. There are different kinds of lies: white lies, hypocrisy, half truths and exaggeration, and I want you to believe something that I am not. Sometimes it's like, one example, one pastor says, I had my devotions

last, I had my devotions, and in my devotions I learnt blah blah blah. So what do I think about that person? Like, he's having devotions every day. But that devotion happened last month, and I remember that, and now I say that to you without any attachments, so that you think I am.

Oh, you all are, okay. I'm so sorry, wrong example. I'm just saying we want people to see something we are not. We want to paint a picture and say, “I am this, so treat me like this, uphold me like this, put me on that like that.” Don't, don't, don't look me down there. That is wrong, that's a lie. Because we all belong to the same body in Christ. That's what in Ephesians we see: do not lie to one another. So in all this, finally, what we are saying is we have our identity in Christ, is the Lord of our lives, and because He made us holy, we are to kill sin

and that is by the power of the Holy Spirit and with His Word. You kill sin all the time. Let's not stop there, just kill sin and say — let's think about it practically also. If Netflix is causing me to sin again and again and again, I have to remove Netflix. What action will you take to kill Netflix? If your phone is your stumbling block to fall into sin, what action will you take practically to kill that sin? If being in the presence of a person will make you sin, or will — will cause you to fall, what steps will you — will you take? Run

run from there, you kill the sin that is there, you cannot play with fire. That's what Paul is saying. Because we are believers, because we are in Christ, this Lord is living in us and our life is hidden with him, we cannot live like this, we cannot go on living like this, defeated or the slaves of Satan. Shall we close our eyes?