Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 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. (Colossians 3:5-10)

Paul’s words here are both sobering and freeing—put to death what is earthly in you, put away the old ways, and put on the new self. The “earthly” in us is not neutral; it is idolatry, because it serves self rather than God. Jesus Himself said that to follow Him, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23). Crucifixion wasn’t quick—it was long, grueling, and deeply painful. In the same way, putting to death the earthly desires in us is often a slow and costly process.

The flesh will fight to survive, because it’s part of us. But if we are in Christ, we must choose to nail it to the cross—those selfish desires, those lustful thoughts, that prideful outlook, that lingering bitterness—and refuse to let them climb back down. Putting them to death means also putting away the behaviors and attitudes that flow from them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk. These don’t erupt out of nowhere; they start as desires, turn into thoughts, grow into emotions, and then become actions. Cut them off at the root.

But God never tells us to simply empty ourselves and leave the space vacant. Right after putting off the old self, we are told to put on the new self. In Christ, this new self is already ours positionally—we have been clothed in His righteousness. Now, in practice, we walk, speak, and act in a way that reflects it. And this new self is not stagnant; it’s being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. Day by day, as we submit to God’s work in us, the old fades, the new grows, and our lives look more like Jesus. So today, heed the command – put to death therefore what is earthly in you – and put on the new self.

When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)

The world clings desperately to life and fears death, but for those hidden in Christ, death is no longer a terrifying end—it’s a doorway to gain Whom we’ve lived for. Jesus has already defeated death, and because we are in Him, the grave no longer has the final word - He does. It’s simply the moment we step from walking with God by faith to seeing Him face to face in the fullness of glory.

This promise is certain: when Christ appears, we will appear with Him—transformed, radiant, and fully alive in His presence. But that’s the then. Until that moment comes, this truth should still shape our now. Philippians 1:21 says, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Can we honestly say that’s true of us?

People are often known for what they live for—which often turns out to be sports, career, hobbies, etc. But for the follower of Jesus, our identity and devotion should be summed up in this: “Christ is my life.” Our calendars, conversations, and choices inevitably reveal what we truly live for.

The question now that remains: Is Christ YOUR life?

This is something we should dig into with God. Because this is one of the major areas the devil tries to deceive us in. The enemy actively works to deceive us into thinking God doesn’t love us as much as He does – and also works to deceive us into thinking that we love God more than we do.

We know the “right Christian answer” is “Christ is my life” but is He really?

I encourage you to take time with the Lord and ask Him to reveal if there is anything currently in the way of saying that honestly – Christ is my life.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3)

Paul calls us to seek the things above and set our minds there—but this isn’t just a nice suggestion. This command is given in the present tense, meaning it’s meant to be our continual way of life. Yet, interestingly, the verb is in the passive voice. That means we’re not the originators of this action—God is—but we are active cooperators. God works; we respond.

Being raised with Christ and hidden in Him means our identity is secure. It should stir us to willingly join in His work, turning our gaze from the fleeting shadows of earth to the eternal realities above. Philippians 4:8 reminds us to fix our thoughts on what is true, pure, and praiseworthy—things that align with heaven’s perspective.

God is the Author and Finisher of our faith, but He doesn’t force our cooperation. Every day, we choose whether to align our thoughts with His or drift with the currents of this world. To set your mind on things that are above is to make a conscious, ongoing choice to forsake the pull of the temporary and anchor yourself in the eternal. In doing so, we live not just for Christ, but with Christ—securely hidden in Him, awaiting the day our lives are fully revealed in glory. So if you have been raised in Christ – seek the things that are above.