Put to Death, Therefore, the Components of Your Earthly Nature

Colossians 3:5

Sep 09, 2026

(Photo by Sean on Unsplash. Berean Standard Bible)

Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.

As Christians, we still experience sinful desires. So don’t be surprised when temptation comes. What matters is how we respond to it. Paul tells us to “put to death” the sinful desires of our earthly nature.

One way we do this is by taking practical steps to turn away from temptation. Maybe that means not watching certain shows, scrolling certain social media accounts, or reading content that repeatedly tempts you. You may need to unsubscribe, remove certain apps, block certain content, or turn your attention to something else. Don’t knowingly put yourself in situations that continually feed sinful desires.

Temptation can lead us toward sinful actions, so we should take seriously what we allow into our lives. Rather than feeding sinful desires, turn away from them and turn toward Christ. Fill your mind with God’s Word, walk by the Spirit, and ask God for the strength to do what pleases Him.

Putting sin to death is part of our ongoing sanctification. We are not saved by successfully avoiding temptation, but because we belong to Christ, we are called to reject sin and pursue holiness. Paul follows this command by telling believers to put off the old self and put on the new self (Colossians 3:9-10).

Ask God to show you what you need to remove from your life and where you need to establish better boundaries. Don’t feed what you are trying to kill. Turn away from temptation, turn toward Christ, and allow the Holy Spirit to transform you. ~ Jeff M Newman

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