Zambia Hunt

A father, wanting to teach his young son about the impact of anger, gave him a bag of nails and instructed him to hammer a nail into the wooden post outside their back door every time he lost his temper. On the first day, the boy hammered 37 nails into the post.

Over the following weeks, as he learned to control his temper, the number of nails gradually decreased until he went a whole day without losing his temper. Pleased with his son’s progress, the father gave him a new task: for each day he maintained control of his temper, he could remove one nail from the post.

After many weeks, the boy removed the final nail and proudly showed his father the nail-free post. Taking his son’s hand, the father looked at the post and said, “You’ve done well, my son, but look at the holes that remain. The post will never be the same. When you act in anger, you leave scars just like these. No matter how many times you say ‘I’m sorry,’ the wound remains.”

Jon Bloom, in his article “Fill Your Mouth With Life Not Death,” writes: “People die because of something said. Tongues can be weapons of mass destruction, launching holocausts and wars. Tongues can also be the death of marriages, families, friendships, churches, careers, hopes, understanding, reputations, missionary efforts, and governments. But people also live because of something said. The tongue can be ‘a tree of life’ (Proverbs 15:4). Tongues reconcile peoples and make peace. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ (Matthew 5:9). Tongues can make marriages sweet, families strong, and churches healthy. Tongues can give hope to the despairing, advance understanding, and spread the gospel.”

In our study of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we examine chapter three, verses eight through eleven:

“But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” – Colossians 3:8-11

This passage reveals that believers, being renewed in the image of their Creator and sharing equal standing before Christ, must completely abandon former destructive behaviors—especially deceptive speech—which undermine unity in God’s family. There are three essential truths that must be integrated into our lives to live out our new identity in Christ.

EXPERIENCING OUR NEW LIFE (8-9a)

Paul transitions to a second list of behaviors that believers must abandon—things we must take off from our Christian walk. His command in verse 8 is unequivocal: “But now you must put them all away.” This is not a suggestion or an option to consider; it carries the full weight of apostolic authority on behalf of Christ.

The immediacy of this command is emphasized by the word “now.” This is not something to contemplate or gradually implement—it demands immediate action, like a mother shouting “stop!” to a child about to run into traffic. The command is also personal, directing each believer to take individual responsibility for their Christian experience and walk with God.

This command follows a logical progression from verse 3: “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” When we place our faith in Jesus for salvation, we become new creations in Christ. In that union with Christ, we died with Him—our old nature put to death. When Christ rose from the dead, we too were resurrected, not to walk in the old way but in newness of life.

Paul reminds the Colossians in verse 7 of their former life: “In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.” He refers to their previous behaviors—sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (which is idolatry). These activities and thought patterns belonged to their former life, when they were idol worshippers in Colossae, participating in pagan temple practices.

Now, because of our position in Christ, Paul exhorts believers to put off both the heart attitudes and corresponding actions of the flesh. He lists six specific things to put away, using the metaphor of removing a garment: three sins of the heart and three sins of the mouth.

EXAMINING THE SINS OF THE HEART

1. Anger

The first sin Paul addresses is anger—not as a momentary emotion, but as an enduring attitude of settled anger, the nursing of wrath over a prolonged period. This represents a disposition of the spirit rather than an eruption of emotion. It manifests as a long, prolonged inner burning of bitterness in our hearts, often leading to planned retaliation rather than impulsive action, poisoning relationships over time.

This kind of anger particularly damages the Christian community because it maintains divisions and prevents reconciliation. One might deny being angry while simultaneously refusing to engage with certain individuals or situations. When someone’s name is mentioned, or a particular circumstance arises, those old feelings of hurt and angst surface immediately. This subtle form of anger often hides behind statements like, “I’m not angry, but I want nothing to do with that person.”

2. Wrath

While anger represents a slow burn, wrath manifests as sudden outbursts—a hot, passionate fury that flares up, explodes, and quickly subsides. This volatile expression of anger leads to impulsive actions and damages relationships. Such wrath stands in direct opposition to self-control, which Paul identifies as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23.

Together, anger and wrath represent the complete spectrum of angry responses incompatible with a renewed life in Christ. Both the subtle state of anger and its explosive manifestation contradict the image of Christ within us.

3. Malice

Malice represents an evil disposition or wickedness that manifests as ill will toward others. It’s characterized not by physical violence but by a heart that delights in others’ misfortune, taking inner satisfaction in their troubles. This vicious attitude produces evil actions and represents a form of moral depravity—the desire to harm others or see them suffer.

Malice often reveals itself in responses to others’ calamities: “They deserved it,” or “I knew that was coming.” It frequently becomes the source from which other vices flow. This disposition is particularly significant because it addresses the root attitude behind harmful actions, standing fundamentally opposed to God’s character of mercy, forgiveness, grace, and love. As Paul writes in Ephesians 4, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”

THE SINS OF SPEECH

1. Slander

Slander constitutes evil or abusive speech against others—the word from which we derive our English term “blasphemy.” This misuse of the tongue destroys trust within community and creates division among believers. The theological implications are profound: since Christ is all and in all (verse 11), speaking evil of a brother or sister constitutes an attack on one created in God’s image. Moreover, it shows disrespect for those in whom Christ dwells and stands in violent contradiction to our new nature in Christ.

2. Obscene Talk

This encompasses speech that degrades, dishonors, or brings shame when spoken. Such words intentionally demean others and dishonor God. As Paul instructs in Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Our speech should serve as a channel of purity and grace poured out on others, rather than a tool for tearing down.

3. Lying

The emphasis Paul places on lying proves particularly significant. The term encompasses any deliberate falsehood or distortion of truth, reflecting a conscious intent to deceive. This includes all forms of intentional misrepresentation—not only through spoken words but also through actions or even strategic silence. Sometimes we lie by implication or by presenting ourselves in ways that aren’t true.

TRUTH AND IDENTITY

God identifies Himself as the Spirit of truth, the Father of truth, the God of truth. As Titus 1:2 affirms, God “cannot lie,” and this immutable truthfulness guarantees the reality of our eternal salvation. In stark contrast, Satan is identified as “the father of lies.”

In John 8, Jesus confronts the religious leaders of His day with this reality. When they claim God as their father, Jesus responds, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here… You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires… When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

This presents us with a fundamental truth: there exist only two spiritual families—children of God and children of the devil. Jesus teaches that God’s children do the will of their Father, desiring and delighting in His ways. Therefore, when we engage in deception, we reflect and obey the father of lies rather than the God of truth. A life characterized by deception indicates spiritual parentage.

ENGAGING OUR NEW IDENTITY

When we receive salvation, our identity undergoes a fundamental transformation. We gain:

– A new master: no longer serving the god of this world but the God of the universe

– A new life: passing from death to life

– A new way: transitioning from the world’s path to God’s path

– New desires: moving from fleshly desires to spiritual ones

– A new family: transferring from Satan’s family to God’s family

– A new destination: shifting from a Christless eternity to eternal life with Christ

As Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Old things pass away; behold, all things become new.” This transformation requires both active embracement of change and participation in the sanctification process.

Titus 2:11-12 explains this process: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present age.” We must actively embrace this change, putting off old patterns—hearts filled with anger, wrath, and malice; tongues prone to slander, obscene talk, and lies—and putting on behaviors consistent with Christ’s nature.

Our growth in godliness comes through knowledge of His Word, as we align our values, priorities, and choices with God’s image. As 2 Corinthians 3:18 teaches, “We with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from one degree of glory to another.”

ENJOYING OUR NEW UNITY

In Christ’s family, all human-made barriers dissolve. As Jesus promised in John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” This unity transcends:

– Ethnic distinctions: No Jew or Greek, no racial divisions

– Religious distinctions: No circumcised or uncircumcised

– Cultural distinctions: No barbarian or Scythian

– Social distinctions: No slave or free

This unity centers on Christ, who “is all and in all.” We recognize His presence in all believers—the same Christ dwelling in each. Our identity comes not from our mother tongue, family history, birthplace, marital status, or parental status, but from Christ alone.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

This understanding of our new identity in Christ demands specific responses:

1. Reject Heart Attitudes and Actions

If you harbor anger, wrath, or malice toward anyone in the church, humble yourself before God who promises forgiveness. If you’ve acted on these emotions through slander—perhaps gossiping over lunch or avoiding someone intentionally—recognize this as sin. Put off the old nature and seek both divine forgiveness and personal reconciliation.

2. Pursue Unity

Examine your relationships within the church and at home. Are you living in genuine unity with your spouse? With your church family? If you maintain categories or divisions in your heart, take steps to make it right.

3. Commit to Truthfulness

Your speech reveals your heart’s condition. Examine your words, recognizing them as a window into your spiritual state.

The journey of transformation often leaves scars, like nails removed from a post. Yet these scars find covering under the nail-scarred hands of Christ, who bore our sins on the cross. His sacrifice empowers us to put off the old nature and put on the new.

As Arthur McPhee’s poem “The Gospel According to You” reminds us:
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Are read by more than a few.
But the one that is most read and commented on
Is the gospel according to you.

You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day,
By the things that you do and the words that you say.
Men read what you write, whether faithless or true.
Say, what is the gospel according to you?

CONCLUSION

Putting off destructive behaviors demonstrates our transformation into God’s image. Continuing in anger, malice, slander, and deceit undermines Christ’s unity in the church. This process of putting off and putting on represents an essential expression of our new identity in Christ—where all divisions dissolve and Christ becomes all in all.

Through the Holy Spirit’s work, we experience ongoing transformation:

Thinking like Christ
Speaking like Christ
Acting like Christ
Loving like Christ
Suffering like Christ
If necessary, dying like Christ

We pursue this transformation with the glorious assurance of eternal life with Christ. Therefore, we treat all believers with equal respect as brothers and sisters in Christ, recognizing that in Him alone we find our true identity, hope, and future.

The power to live this transformed life comes not from our own strength but from Christ who dwells within us. As we submit to His lordship and allow His Spirit to work, we gradually reflect more of His character, bringing glory to His name and unity to His church.