Put Lust to Death | Colossians 3:5

Have you ever been sitting in church when a wicked, sexual thought suddenly entered your mind? You likely felt defeated, wondering if there is nowhere you can go to escape from sexual immorality. You may think your problem is external, since you live in a sexualized world where provocative images are in plain view everywhere you look. But moving to a cave won’t help. You must win the war against pornography and sexual immorality in your mind.

You discover this truth in the New Testament book of Colossians, the letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to a group of believers in the city of Colosse. The Christian men in that church almost 2,000 years ago faced the same battle you face today. Paul wrote to them:

“Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Colossians 3:5

When Paul talks about “your members which are on the earth,” he is referring to parts of your earthly body. He is speaking figuratively to mean that which is earthly in you, namely, your fallen, earthly nature, as contrasted with your redeemed, heavenly nature. Then Paul lists, not sinful acts that you commit with your body, but sinful thoughts and desires you entertain with your mind:

1. fornication (sexual immorality)
2. uncleanness (impurity)
3. passion (lust)
4. evil desire
5. covetousness (greed)

You are to take these parts of your earthly nature and put them to death. Kill them. Execute them. Don’t let them live. You put evil thoughts and desires to death by changing the subject. Whenever a lustful thought enters your mind, you kill it by thinking of something holy and pure instead. When an image of a porn actress enters your mind, you put that image to death by replacing it with one of someone who is modest and honorable. When an evil desire or unclean thought enters your mind, you kill it by reciting Scripture you have memorized.

When you put something to death, you deprive it of any power it has over you. It can’t hurt you anymore. It can’t tempt you to sin anymore. Just remember that this isn’t a “one-and-done” action. Your baptism didn’t drown the Devil. You must put sexually immoral thoughts and desires to death as long as you are alive on earth.