Tag: Colossians

TODAY’S DAILY BIBLE VERSE

April 7, 2025

Colossians chapter 3 verse 9:
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds:

Verse Context

The Apostle Paul, writing from a Roman prison around AD 60–62, addresses a small congregation in the city of Colossae, located in the region of Phrygia in Asia Minor—modern-day southwestern Turkey. The church was under a subtle but dangerous threat from a blend of false teachings. These included Jewish ritualism, mystical asceticism, and early philosophical errors that would later develop into full-blown Gnosticism. Paul’s answer to all of these corruptions was not debate, but the preeminence of Jesus Christ. He declares that in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians chapter 2 verse 9), and that believers are complete in Him.

In chapter 3, Paul shifts from doctrinal foundation to practical transformation. He opens the chapter by commanding the Colossians to “seek those things which are above,” and to “set [their] affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians chapter 3 verses 1–2). This heavenly mindset is not wishful thinking—it is rooted in the fact that the believer is spiritually risen with Christ, and is now called to live in a way that reflects that new life.

By the time we reach verse 9, Paul has already instructed them to put off several sins that defined their past lives: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy communication (Colossians chapter 3 verse 8). Then he gives the command, “Lie not one to another.” This is not mere etiquette—it is a theological imperative based on the truth of conversion. Paul grounds this command by stating, “seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” This “old man” refers to the former, sinful identity of the believer prior to salvation.

The 18th-century Baptist theologian John Gill taught that this “old man” is the “old Adam, the old self, the sinful nature,” and he emphasizes that putting off the old man happens in union with Christ’s death. According to Gill, just as Christ died and rose again, so the believer must die to the old nature and rise to newness of life. Therefore, lying is not just a bad habit—it’s an offense to the resurrected identity of the Christian. It drags the believer back into the grave of the old life they have already left behind.

In harmony with this, Matthew Henry, a Puritan commentator, explains that lying not only “corrupts communication,” but it also “destroys love and dissolves society.” In other words, deceit undermines the very relationships the gospel came to redeem. The Colossian church, like all Christian communities, was called to unity. Falsehood fractures the body of Christ. Truth binds it together.

The warning deepens when we consider Albert Barnes, a 19th-century Presbyterian theologian, who writes that truth is “essential to religion,” while falsehood is of “the very essence of depravity.” Barnes notes that to lie is to betray the holy calling of the Christian. It reveals not spiritual growth, but the rotting remnants of the old man still clinging to the heart. Therefore, Paul’s instruction in verse 9 is more than a behavioral correction—it is a spiritual diagnosis. If a person claims Christ but habitually lives in falsehood, it reveals that either they are resisting sanctification, or worse, they have never put off the old man at all.

Broader Context

Colossians chapter 3 verse 9 sits within a deeply practical section of Paul’s epistle, where he calls believers to live out the transformation that has taken place within them through union with Christ. The first two chapters focus on doctrinal correction—defending the full deity and sufficiency of Christ. Paul labors to dismantle false philosophies (Colossians chapter 2 verse 8), legalistic shadows (Colossians chapter 2 verses 16–17), and mysticism that claims hidden spiritual knowledge apart from Christ. The Colossians were at risk of trading the substance of Christ for religious systems that looked holy but lacked saving power.

In contrast, Colossians chapter 3 begins with a powerful call to focus on heavenly priorities: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above…” (Colossians chapter 3 verse 1). This isn’t poetic language—it’s a doctrinal claim: believers have died with Christ and are now spiritually alive with Him. Their identity is hidden in Christ, and they await the day when that reality will be revealed in glory (Colossians chapter 3 verse 3–4).

That identity demands a new way of living. So beginning in verse 5, Paul tells the Colossians to mortify (put to death) sins like fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection (disordered passions), and covetousness. These are not personality flaws—they are called what they truly are: the “members” of the old man that must be slain. Paul is teaching that Christianity is not about merely adding religious practices to your life. It is about putting off the old life altogether and putting on Christ.

That’s what makes the command in verse 9 so significant: “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” This verse sits right in the middle of this “change of clothing” metaphor. Paul is describing a spiritual wardrobe exchange. The old man—filled with deceit, anger, lust, and idolatry—is to be discarded like a rotting garment. The new man—created after the image of Christ—is to be worn with humility, kindness, and love.

In the verses that follow, Paul expands the picture. In Colossians chapter 3 verse 10, he says the believer has “put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” This is a direct echo of Genesis—God is restoring His image in fallen man through Christ. In verse 11, Paul emphasizes that this new identity transcends race, culture, class, and background. In Christ, “there is neither Greek nor Jew… but Christ is all, and in all.” That unity depends on truth. Without truth, there can be no trust. And without trust, there can be no unity in the body of Christ.

This emphasis on truth in speech and conduct is not isolated to Colossians. Paul echoes the same theme in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 25, where he writes: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” The same pattern appears there—put off the old, put on the new. And in both letters, lying is exposed as a sin that tears at the very fabric of the Christian community.

It is also worth noting that this practical teaching flows directly out of the Christ-centered theology Paul has built. Colossians is not a “rule book”—it’s a Christology. The only reason believers can “put off the old man” is because they have been spiritually raised with Christ. And the only reason we can live differently now is because we have been made new in Him.

Therefore, lying is not a mistake—it is a theological contradiction. It denies what Christ has done. It speaks the language of the old man while claiming to wear the garments of the new. Paul’s message to the Colossians—and to us—is that such hypocrisy has no place in the lives of those who have been truly transformed.

Application

Appreciating God’s Greatness

Colossians chapter 3 verse 9 reminds us of the transforming power of God’s grace. The fact that believers are commanded not to lie is not merely a moral expectation—it’s a celebration of divine change. God does not leave us as we were. He doesn’t clean up the old man; He kills him and creates a new man in Christ. This is a display of God’s greatness not just in creation, but in re-creation.

It reveals that God is truthful by nature. He cannot lie (Titus chapter 1 verse 2), and His Word is truth (John chapter 17 verse 17). When He saves a person, He imparts that very nature into them—not in perfection, but in growing likeness. We serve a God who not only tells the truth but makes people into truth-tellers. That is greatness worth revering.

For the Believer

Paul’s command—“Lie not one to another”—is not optional for Christians. It is a non-negotiable expression of the new life we’ve received. Lying is not just a bad habit that hurts relationships. It is a sin that slanders the name of Christ and misrepresents who we now are. When we lie, we are speaking with the voice of the “old man,” a man who should no longer be walking among the living.

Believers must recognize that lying, in all its forms—half-truths, exaggerations, convenient omissions, false impressions—is a violation of our identity in Jesus. It does not matter whether the lie is told to protect feelings, save face, gain advantage, or avoid trouble. Christ died to make us truth-bearers, not manipulators.

Call to Action

Examine your speech. Are there areas where deceit still lingers? Do you find yourself adjusting the truth to avoid conflict, impress others, or hide weakness? The Holy Spirit calls you today to repent of every lie—spoken or unspoken—and walk in the integrity of the new man. Confess your sin, and ask God to conform your heart more fully to the image of His Son, in whom is no lie. Then go and make restitution if needed—truth heals, but only when it is spoken.

For the Unbeliever

If you do not yet know Christ, Colossians chapter 3 verse 9 speaks to more than just morality—it exposes your need for a new identity. Lying is not only wrong; it is a symptom of spiritual death. According to Jesus, the devil is “a liar, and the father of it” (John chapter 8 verse 44). If your life is marked by deceit—whether small and subtle or bold and blatant—it reveals your true spiritual condition: you are still living under the rule of the “old man,” which is the rule of sin.

But there is hope. God offers more than forgiveness—He offers transformation. You can be made new today. You can put off the old man, with all his lies and lusts, and put on the new man, which is created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians chapter 4 verse 24). That transformation begins with repentance—turning away from sin—and placing your trust in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again to make you new.

If you’ve been living in lies, even pretending to be religious when you know your heart is still unchanged, today is the day of salvation. Come to Christ—not to become a better person, but to become a new person.

Final Encouragement

Lying is not a harmless flaw—it is a spiritual fingerprint of the old man we once were. But the beauty of Colossians chapter 3 verse 9 is in what it assumes to be true of the believer: “Ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” This is not just a command—it is a reminder of who you are now. In Christ, you are not a liar. You are a new creation. The old life of deceit, manipulation, and falsehood no longer defines you. So when the temptation comes to protect yourself with a lie, or bend the truth for personal gain, remember this: That’s not who you are anymore. You’ve put that man in the grave. Speak truth, walk in truth, and reflect the One who is the Truth. Let your mouth agree with your heart—and let your heart be rooted in Christ.

Encouraging Prayer

Father, thank You for making us new in Christ. Thank You that we no longer have to live in the shadow of the old man, chained to lies and sin. Help us today to speak truth in love, to walk in integrity, and to reflect Your holy character in every word we say. Where we have fallen short, convict us. Where we are weak, strengthen us. And may our lives speak louder than our lips—testifying that Jesus is Lord, and we are His. In His name we pray, Amen.

Closing

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You are loved—so much in fact, that we want you to know and be Believers of Biblical Truth.

Shalom Shalom.

Kick back and relax

About the photo– I have been in a lot of church houses in my life, both protestant and catholic. I have been in churches with roles that exceed 600 members. This small little church house has more love, and from what I seen and felt, more people striving to live a Godly life than any other church house I have ever been in. There is no show, no theatrics, just the Spirit and His children!

So this past week I spent a lot of time thinking about what “deny yourself” really means. I found out that the meaning is hard core. So hard core that most Christians just like me say we do it, but really we don’t. The meaning is so hard core that understanding what it really means makes some not even want to follow Christ. The meaning is very simple; it is very black and white, it is very clear. There is no watering it down, and there is no manipulation, no wiggle room. Either you deny yourself and follow Christ or you choose to follow yourself and not Christ.

Luke 9- 23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Mark 8- 34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Matthew 16- 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Jesus himself said that in order to be a true follower of Him, we must deny ourselves. The bible offers a definition of what this means.

Galatians 2- 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

“I have been crucified” means I have died. Before Christ, I was an unrepentant sinner. Either you were too, or you still are, only you and God know which. We were doomed. We lived for ourselves and through ourselves. When Christ went to the cross, His perfect sacrifice gave us a way to repent and be redeemed for all eternity. In the act of salvation, we- the old unrepentant sinners that we were or are- is crucified, we die to our self.

“It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” After Christ enters in, we are now alive IN CHRIST. This is the meaning of rebirth. The old man dies and a new man is reborn in an instant. We are now alive because of Christ and for Christ. This means that you and I are to take on the characteristics of Christ. If we were a drunkard before, we are to be no more. If we had hate in our heart, we are to love instead. If we were sexually immoral, in ANY way, we are to stop and cherish our body as the priceless gift that it is. If we were proud and boastful, we are to be meek and humble until our second death. If we think about the NT, Christ spoke about the Father all the time. He wanted to lead people to God the Father. Jesus was obedient to His Father. Christ not only spoke these words, but He lived them as well. He was the model of the life He requires of His followers. No, it is not an option. He has said so over and over.

John 14- 15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Jesus expects those who chose to follow Him to obey Him. “If you love me, you will keep My commandments.” Notice this is written in the plural. And notice that ‘My” is capitalized. That means the commandments that are spoke of here are the LORD’s commands, not yours, not mine, and not satan’s. Many think this means love everyone and you will be okay because love is the greatest gift, or because it is the command above all commands. But that theology negates that there are more than just that one command. There are hundreds of commands in the NT that we are to live out. They are not hard, they are not complicated. They are all wrapped around Christ and His agape love for us. We are to live according to His will, not our own. When we do that, Jesus says that He will advocate on our behalf to the Father. The Father will send the spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, to us. The world does not know the truth, because they do not have the spirit. But because we live according to Christ, we have the spirit and we know the truth.

The truth is we are a fallen man, and sometimes we hold on to the parts of us which are dead, or at least are supposed to be dead. Hate, fornication, murder, lying, idolatry and such are not behaviors of Jesus, but of the devil. If you are the center of your universe, Christ is not in you. You simply have not denied yourself. That is simple and it is the truth. I don’t need to be Christ to make that call. Christ has left the word here for all of us to know what the fruit of the spirit looks like, and that rotten fruit of idolatry, man centered anything, tells all who know the truth, and have the spirit so that we can recognize it that the  spirit is not in that man centered person. It is not hard really. In fact, it is more simple and plain than most people think. People only think these words are complicated or have more complicated meanings because they want to feel comfortable in their sin.

We must become a people who are in submission, that is, submitted completely to the mission of the Church, ‘in statu missionis.’ Thus, living fully within the mainstream of grace, under the mantle of God’s divine authority, and by uniting ourselves to the obedience of Christ on the cross, we participate in the reversal of Adam’s sin.

Michael O’Brien

For many years I refused to go to church. I had a number of bad experiences and ended up saying that Church is not for me. I used to say, all the time, “I can have a relationship with God without having to go to church.” Even after I went back to church, I used to say; “nowhere in the bible does it say you ‘HAVE’ to go to church.” Let me tell you, I was wrong and so is everyone who is saying what I used to say.

Hebrews 10- 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

These verses indicate that not only are we to go to church, but we are to urge and encourage others to go to church. It also indicates that not going to church is not a new idea. There were people thinking what I thought long before I thought it. These verses tell me it wasn’t right then and it isn’t right now. Finally, as it states, we should be gathering even more as the end times approach. No, this is not a quatrain declaring the end date! But my eyes work, do yours?

John Gills comments, “Now to “forsake” such assembling, signifies a great infrequency in attending with the saints, a rambling from place to place, and takes in an entire apostasy. It is the duty of saints to assemble together for public worship, on the account of God, who has appointed it, who approves of it, and whose glory is concerned in it; and on the account of the saints themselves, that they may be delighted, refreshed, comforted, instructed, edified, and perfected; and on account of others, that they may be convinced, converted, and brought to the knowledge and faith of Christ; and in imitation of the primitive saints. And an assembling together ought not to be forsaken; for it is a forsaking God, and their own mercies, and such are like to be forsaken of God; nor is it known what is lost hereby; and it is the first outward visible step to apostasy, and often issues in it.”

The great King David proclaimed that we need to Praise God in His house.

Psalm 150- 1Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

Apostle Paul said we need to get together for the purpose of learning and growing.

Colossians 3- 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

How do you teach and admonish one another if you are at home alone? This is a command that we do this. Today, people want to accuse others of judging because they don’t like what’s being said. Funny connection, the devil doesn’t like the truth too! Sometimes people are wrong, that’s why the mirror is an important piece of equipment. That’s why brothers and sisters need to be more honest with each other. On brother says another brother said I should stopped swearing. He is at home, who does he ask. If he is at church he can ask other brothers, is it true, should I stop. Everyone who loves this brother should tell him the truth. Yes, you swear too much and you need to stop. If you have numerous brothers and sisters agreeing that this something amiss in your worship, then a wise person should be convicted to check himself. People don’t go to church anymore, at least the churches that still preach the truth, because they want to remain comfortably in sin. People want to kick back and relax. They do not want to be corrected because they do not want to deny themselves. There is just too much fun in sin. Isn’t that some sad short term thinking?

Christlike communications are expressions of affection and not anger, truth and not fabrication, compassion and not contention, respect and not ridicule, counsel and not criticism, correction and not condemnation. They are spoken with clarity and not with confusion. They may be tender or they may be tough, but they must always be tempered.

Lionel Kendrick

 

I will conclude with the parable of the rich young ruler

Key Verses

Luke 18- 18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

And this is the truth more often than not. The idea of hell scares people, so they seek Christ. The idea of heaven is so comforting. A lot of people want Christ right up until Christ starts to infringe on one’s health, wealth, loves of entertainment and happiness, idea of fairness, and so on. God is good as long as the sinner comes first and God comes last. People, there shouldn’t even be balance. It is ALL for God, nothing for you. This ruler had power and possessions and wealth. To him, Jesus told him to deny himself because Jesus knew the ruler had a love for that stronger than his love of Christ. Christ new He was not first in this ruler’s life. But that ruler wanted it all. He wanted all he had on earth, and he wanted heaven, and he wanted it for him, not for Christ. When Jesus infringed on that, when Jesus told him to put Christ first and deny himself, that was too much to bear. He walked away sad. But he could not stay sad forever, right? So what did he do? Probably the same thing we do. We start saying there is no God, and there is no heaven and hell because I have to do something with this fear of hell. So if I negate the truth, and everything that reminds me that this is the truth, I can remain comfortably in my sin. That is why there are fake Christians in the world, and people who walk away. Everything is great until God asks us to sacrifice that which we love. Here is a plain and easy example. God tells me to love my wife like Jesus loves the church. Now, I don’t know about all husbands out there, but there are times when I do not want to love my wife. Sometimes I want to walk out that door. That would be a bad choice. Why? Because that is a choice made under extreme emotion, where I am lacking a God grip on my life. That would be Mike’s will, not God’s. God wants me to stay there and love her enough to let Christ take care of the devil who is trying to destroy my marriage. I have to love God enough to love my wife even when my flesh is screaming not to. I have to deny myself. What God may be asking you to do, or not to do, can be different than this. And knowing it is easy. Are you doing it, or do you have it for God, or for yourself. Deny yourself, die to your flesh. Life is not about you!

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!