Desirable Deadness

“Dead” isn’t always exactly desirable, but there’s a deadness mentioned in Colossians that is not only desirable but necessary in the Christian walk. In this passage in Chapter 3, Paul is reminding those in Christ to keep seeking heavenly things instead of the earthly things that often consume us, and he is encouraging us to have a mind set on things above instead of the things of the flesh. This can only be accomplished with a prerequisite of death: “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3, NASB). The list of things we should be dead to is comprehensive: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which equals idolatry (vs. 5). Lest we think we think we’re above needing a reminder from the Word about practicing such “evil,” Paul continues the list in verse 8: “Anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth” and anyone who escaped the first list probably got slammed by the second one. Paul goes on to remind us that we’re also not to lie to each other because we’re “dead” to the old self and all the evil practices that accompany it. The cool part about dying to the old self is that it allows for the new self to be put on, and with the new self renewal occurs and true knowledge is gained through the One who created us in His image. Dead isn’t so bad after all!