活出基督徒的生命
歌罗西书三章5至11节
5所以，要治死你们在地上的肢体，就如淫乱、污秽、邪情、恶欲，和贪婪。贪婪就与拜偶像一样。
6因这些事，神的忿怒必临到那悖逆之子。
7当你们在这些事中活着的时候，也曾这样行过。
8但现在你们要弃绝这一切的事，以及恼恨、忿怒、恶毒（或作：阴毒）、毁谤，并口中污秽的言语。
9不要彼此说谎；因你们已经脱去旧人和旧人的行为，
10穿上了新人。这新人在知识上渐渐更新，正如造他主的形像。
11在此并不分希腊人、犹太人，受割礼的、未受割礼的，化外人，西古提人，为奴的、自主的，惟有基督是包括一切，又住在各人之内。
信息分享
保罗在这几节经文用了一些很强烈的措辞来回答这个问题。首先，是第5节的「所以」。他的意思是说：「如今，按着你们在基督里的身份，并鉴于基督已进入你们生命的事实，你们必须将过往在你们心中作王的旧人置之死地」。他采用「治死」这个词，意思是「不要轻易向你的旧性情和它的欲望让步。不要接受它提出的任何借口──拒绝它的提议和愿望。当它要胜过你的时候，要坚决抗拒它，不要与它为友。」
然而，保罗不是说过，我们已经在基督里死了的吗？在神的眼中，信徒岂不是与基督同钉十字架了吗？这确实是事实；我们如今只是要将这个事实活出来。
例如，当你购置一所房子时，它就属于你。可是，直至你搬进去居住，你才可以享受它的好处。在信仰上也是同出一辙：你如今要迁入这新的国度，才能享受那些已属于你的好处。
基督确实为我们成就了一切，但同时，我们却要自愿进到祂为我们预备的恩典里面。当我们迁新居的时候，我们的朋友要知道我们何时搬迁，才能提供协助；同样地，圣灵也要我们决定进到基督里面，祂才会帮助我们得享基督已为我们预备的福乐。
保罗列出一些属于旧性情的事物，它们在神眼中都是已死的。我们未必有这些表现，可是，第8节所列出的恶行，在基督徒的生命中却是相当常见。我们未必会犯第5 节所列的罪，但第8节中列的那些又如何呢？在神的眼中，它们同样是罪，罪是没有大小之分的；它们都是属于我们信主之前的旧人，所以，它们如今应该死了。
愿我们都祷告主说：「主啊，我渴望今天能活出你所赐的新性情，求圣灵帮助我活出新人。」
OUR LIFE AS CHRISTIANS
Colossians 3:5-11
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Message
Paul has some strong words to say to us about that question in these verses. The first word is 'therefore', in verse 5. He is saying 'now in the light of your position in Christ, in view of the fact that Christ is in your life, put to death the old nature that used to reign in your heart'. The word he uses for putting to death means 'don't be easy on your old nature and the things it wants to do. Don't excuse it-refuse its suggestions and desires. Stand strong and firm when it wants to take over. Don't play with it.'
But hasn't Paul said that we are already dead in Christ? Doesn't God see the believer as crucified with Christ? Absolutely, but this needs to be worked out now in daily living.
For example: Have you ever bought a house? It became yours the moment you bought it, but you did not enter into the benefits of it until you actually moved in. You had to do just that-to move in, in order to enjoy what was yours.
While it is true that Christ has done everything for us, yet there remains the decision of our will to enter into what he has made possible for us. The Holy Spirit will help us in much the same way as someone might help us decide when to move into our new house or help us with the actual moving. Our daily prayer should be 'Lord I am yours, and I am willing that the Holy Spirit will help me to move into all that you have made possible. I want this for myself today.'
Paul lists some of the things that belong to the old nature which God sees as being in the place of death. Some of them may not apply to us but the attitudes of verse 8 are all too often seen in the lives of Christians. We may not be guilty of the things Paul mentions in verse 5, but what about the ones he names in verse 8? One is just as bad as the other in God's sight. All of them belong to the old nature-what we were before we came to Christ. .
Can we say today 'Lord Jesus, I want my new nature which you have given me to be seen in my life for your sake today?