Lesson #08

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Colossians

September 21, 2015

Lesson #01

January 20, 2010

Lesson #02

January 20, 2010

RETURN TO LIST OF LESSONS

COLOSSIANS 3: 1-7
Lesson #08
DEAD TO SEXUAL SINS

• Memory Verse: Col 3:2

• The mature Christian, walking with the Lord, will gradually see his life changed by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that he can live the abundant life that Christ wants to give him. Paul gives the believer commands that will facilitate change in the believer’s life.
• Read Col 3:1-7 The Abundant Life in Christ
  • What commands does Paul give us in verses 1-4?
    • Paul commands the believer to seek heavenly things.
    • Paul commands us to set our affections on heavenly things.
      • What does Paul mean by seeking and setting our affections on heavenly things?
        • Paul wants us to direct our focus or our attention on the things of God.
          • Read Luk 14:26
            • Where is the balance on taking care of daily affairs, loving other people, and giving God time?
              • The balance is in maintaining proper Biblical priorities.

	Priority	Significance and Explanation
#1	God	Seeking the will of God for your life in personal devotions, prayer, Bible reading, and Church.
#2	Spouse	God established marriage and family. God expects a faithful commitment to one’s spouse.
#3	Children	God expects parents to train their children in the way of God. That requires time and commitment.
#4	Extended Family	God expects us to honor our parents and grandparents to see that their needs are met.
#5	Church Family	The believer has a responsibility to help meet the needs of brothers and sisters in Christ.
#6	Non-believers	The believer has a responsibility to spread the gospel to extend God’s kingdom.
#7	Self	No scriptures give any priority to your own desires or needs. We are to trust God for all of these. We are to die to self and live to God

• To set our affections on these things in their proper priority means that we must spend our time and love on these things.
  • In all these things we are to maintain holiness and love, pleasing God and not man, so that we have a clear conscience.
  • Verse 3 tells us why we can seek heavenly things.

 

• “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

 

(3)
• The believer in Jesus Christ has died to the flesh nature and the things of the world.
  • The phrase, “are dead” is past tense in the Greek for he has died with Christ 2000 years ago.
  • If the believer is already dead to the things of the world, then where is the problem? The problem is in recognizing the truth of this fact and walking in that truth. We should have as little desire for the things of this world as a dead person has.
• The believer’s life is hid with Christ. There are two aspects to being hid with Christ:
  • Read Gal 2:20
  • =1= The aspect of protection.
  • =2= The aspect of help.
• Verses 4 and 5 tell us how we can seek heavenly things:
  • =1= by keeping our focus on the eternal perspective of Jesus’ second coming when we will rule and reign with Him.
  • =2= by mortifying our flesh.
    • This is a metaphor like Mat 5:29-30
• If the believer is dead to the flesh nature, why does Paul say we have to mortify our members? What does Paul mean?
  • The believer lives on 2 levels.
    • =1= The believer’s position is secure with Christ in heaven. This is how God views the believer through Jesus Christ. God sees the believer as mature and complete.
    • =2= The believer’s walk is less than perfect with errors and failures. However, through it all, the believer learns gradually to walk more and more like his true position In heaven.
  • Therefore, the believer must “mortify” his members. He must keep reminding himself that he is dead to the temptations of the world. The word “mortify” means = to put to death; to execute.
    • The believer must consider his bodily appetites as already dead. This is a continual response, not just a one-time action. This mortification releases the new life that is already within the believer.

• What appetites does Paul say the believer should consider dead? (5)

DEFINITIONS OF BIBLICAL AND COMMON TERMS

NEW WEBSTER DEFINITIONS 1991	ORIGINAL WEBSTER DEFINITIONS 1828	BIBLE MEANINGS AND SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES From Vine’s New Testament Words.
=1=LasciviousInclined to lustfulness; to be wanton, lewd, or to arouse sexual desire.	=1= lasciviousMoral looseness, a tendency to excite lust and promote irregular indulgence.	=1= lasciviousExcess, licentiousness, the absence of restraint; indecent; wantonness, shameless behavior. A work of the flesh. Mar 7:21-23 2Cor 12:21 Gal 5:19 Eph 4:19 1Pet 4:3 Jud 4
=2= ConcupiscenceSexual desire, lust, ardent longing.	=2= ConcupiscenceUnlawful or irregular desire of sexual pleasure.	=2= ConcupiscenceTo covet, desire, lust; to fix one’s desire on; to lust after; to crave with evil passion and unnatural affection. Rom 7:8 Col 3:5 1The 4:5
=3= FornicationVoluntary intercourse between persons or two persons not married to each other.	=3= FornicationTo commit lewdness between unmarried persons, including adultery and incest.	-3- FornicationIllicit sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons including adultery and incest. The Greek word, “porneia” from which we get the word “pornography”. Rom 1:29 1Cor 6:13-20 1Cor 7:2 2Cor 12:21 Gal 5:19 Eph 5:3 Col 3:5-6 1The 4:2-7 Jud 7,8 Mar 7:21-23
=4= HomosexualSexual attraction to members of one’s own gender.	=4= HomosexualThe term does not appear in this dictionary	=4= HomosexualThe term does not appear in the Bible. The Bible calls it sodomy.
=5= Sodomy Anal or oral copulation with a member of the same sex. Enforced anal or oral copulation with a member of the opposite sex. Vile Affection	=5= SodomyA crime against nature. Vile Affection	=5= Sodomy[a] No definition is given in Vine’s Dictionary. The meaning as sin comes from scripture. Gen 19:1:13 Rom 1:24-32 To dishonor the body. Rom 1:24 To violate nature in lesbian or homosexual practice. Vile Affection A shameful burning lust coming from a reprobate mind. Rom 1:26-27 Reprobate Mind Rom 1:27-28 A brazen sin Isa 3:9 An abomination to God 1Kin 14:24 1Kin 15:11-12 Lev 18:22 Lust for strange flesh Jud 1:7,10 Abusers of themselves with men. 1Cor 6:9 1Tim 1:9-10 Inordinate affection Col 3:5-6 The practice is punished by death Lev 20:13
=6= Trans-sexualA person who strongly desires to assume the physical characteristics and gender of the opposite sex. A person that has had surgery and hormone treatments to change gender.	=6= Trans-sexualNo definition given	=6= Trans-sexualNo definition in Vine’s Dictionary is given, as the word does not appear in the Bible. Using the present-day definition, the practice is an abomination to God in Deu 22;5.
=7= Bi-sexual sexualitySexual response to both genders.	=7= Bi-sexual sexualityNo definition given.	=7= Bi-sexual sexualityNo definition in Vine’s Dictionary is given, as the word does not appear in the Bible. Using present-day definitions, the practice is not pleasing to God . It is considered sin and bears pervasive consequences . Jdg 19:22-30
=8= MasturbationThe stimulation or manipulation of one’s own genitals.	=8= MasturbationNo definition given.	=8= MasturbationNo Vine definition is given as the word does not appear in the Bible. Using the present-day definition, the practice would fall under lascivious and concupiscence definitions above, also considered “uncleanness” which is defined as impure; that which defiles; sensuality. Rom 6:16-23 Gal 5:19 Eph 5:3 Col 3:5 1The 2:3 1The 4:7 2Tim 2;22
=9= BestialitySexual relations between people and animals.	=9= BestialityUnnatural connection with animals.	=9= BestialityNo Vine Definition is given. Using the present-day definition, the practice is an abomination to God. Lev 18:23 Lev 20:15-16

• From the above definitions and scriptures, any sexual practice that raises sexual desire outside of marriage (Heb 13:4) including pre-marital sex, adultery, pornography, sodomy (homosexuality), lesbianism, bi-sexuality, trans-sexuality, masturbation, bestiality, rape, petting, etc. is an abomination to God and is therefore forbidden to the believer in Jesus Christ. All of which are forgiven by God when truly repented of. (See 1Joh 1:9.)
• Why are all these sexual sins linked to idolatry?
  • Idolatry is placing anything in priority before God. Sexual sins become addictive and become more important than God.
• Why is covetousness the most dangerous of all sins?
  • It is the most respectable of human sins.
  • It is the root of all other sins.
    • If you covet things, it leads to robbery and murder.
    • If you covet people, it leads to immorality.
      • Sexual immorality.
      • Revenge can lead to murder.
      • Jealousy can lead to hatred.

• The children of disobedience (6-7)
  • This is the non-believer that practices these types of sexual sins.
    • Read Rom 1:18-32
  • This is the immoral condition of the believer before he came to know the Lord. (7)
    • It is not that every non-believer necessarily commits all of these sexual sins, but that these sins are characteristic of the lifestyle and heart attitude of every non-believer.

• Summary and Application: A key to an abundant life
  • Paul tells the believer to consider himself dead to the temptations of the flesh. When the believer does that, he is able to remove these sins from his life because a dead person has no feeling and cannot respond.
  • The removal of these sexual sins is the only way the believer can live the abundant life that Christ has for him.

HOMEWORK
COLOSSIANS 3:8-25
This is self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher for correction.

• Application of Col 3:1-7
  • Are there any of these sexual sins that need repentance and forgiveness?
    • If there are, pray and ask God to forgive you according to 1Joh 1:9.
    • Thank God for the forgiveness He has given you by faith.

• Preparation for Col 3:8-25
  • Read Col 3:8-11
    • What should the Christian “put off”?

 

• Read Col 3:12-17
• Make a list of the things Paul tells the Christian to put on.

 

• Read Col 3:18-25
• Write some principles from this section that should guide the Christian in his or her relationship with others.

 

• Memory Verse: Col 3:14