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Ironically, the ethics listed here in Colossians 3 are not foreign to the Jewish law. No one who grew up learning the law of Moses would scoff at the morality prescribed here by Paul. However, the difference for new believers is moral competency. Through Christ and His grace, we are now empowered to do the will of God. By faith, we can please God. The practical advice here is a reminder that a moral life of holiness is possible through Jesus.
Paul is simply describing what has taken place in his own life. When your heart is pricked by what Jesus has done for you, the reaction is to put on the new self and put off the old. As many of you know, this is a heavy responsibility. Yes, we have the power to resist sin but we also battle daily and the struggle is intense. We must make war on our old self. We must fight to cling to Jesus throughout our transformation.
Where are you in this process? Do you feel defeated? Are you seeing progress? Are you growing in your reliance on faith? Sometimes we expect instant overnight change and many times our growth process is a slow, painful journey. For those who persevere, God is faithful!