Colossians 3:5
***What Does Colossians 3:5 TRULY mean?
Here is Colossians 3:5 from the KJV. “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”
Does Colossians 3:5 teach us that we are BORN with a SINFUL NATURE?
The New International Version and the New International Readers Version translate this verse as put to death what belongs to your earthly NATURE.
But is that a correct sound Biblical translation?
To read the CONTEXT, please click the BLUE links.
To read the STUDY and the context, please scroll down.
Are We BORN With a SINFUL NATURE?
Does Colossians 3:5 Teach That We are BORN with a Sinful NATURE?
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Did We INHERIT a Sin NATURE From Adam?
As I said in the introduction, the NIV and the NIRV translated Colossians 3:5 as Christians having an EARTHLY NATURE. And then, some Christians “interpret” these translations to mean that all humans are BORN with a SINFUL NATURE.
So let us begin this Verse Study by reading those two translations first, and then we will read Colossians 3:5 from some other translations.
Colossians 3:5 from the New International Version.
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”
Colossians 3:5 from the New International Reader’s Version.
“So put to death anything that belongs to your earthly nature. Get rid of your sexual sins and unclean acts. Don’t let your feelings get out of control. Remove from your life all evil longings. Stop always wanting more and more. You might as well be worshiping statues of gods.”
The problem with the two translations above is that there is no Greek word in the original text to translate the word “nature”. And thus, it was added by the translators.
Let us now read Colossians 3:5 from a few other translations to get a fuller understanding of the Greek words.
Colossians 3:5 from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.
“Therefore, put to death whatever in you is WORLDLY: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.”
To me, this is the most accurate translation. Jesus said in John 17:14,15 that we are in the world, but we are NOT of the WORLD. And the CONTEXT in Colossians 3:6,7 says that we at one time were children of disobedience.
So, to me, Paul is teaching us in verse 5 that if there is anything of the WORLD that is still in us, then we need to consider ourselves DEAD to those worldly things, lest we become disobedient children.
Colossians 3:5 from the Common English Bible.
“So put to death the parts of your life that belong to the earth, such as sexual immorality, moral corruption, lust, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).”
Here we see that PARTS of your life might still belong to the earth or to the world.
Colossians 3:5 from the Bible in Basic English.
“Then put to death your bodies which are of the earth; wrong use of the flesh, unclean things, passion, evil desires and envy, which is the worship of strange gods;”
Again, of the earth and of the WORLD are saying the same thing. And living our lives as those who are of the world is the wrong use of our BODIES.
Colossians 3:5 from the Revised Standard Version.
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
And yet again, to me, earthly means worldly. And Titus 2:11,12 clearly teaches us that the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and WORLDLY LUSTS.
Titus 2:11,12.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
Titus 2:12. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and WORLDLY LUSTS, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”
And to me, we are NOT BORN knowing the PLEASURES of sin. But rather, we LEARN the pleasures of sin AFTER we EXPERIENCE those pleasures. And thus, we ACQUIRE the taste for SPECIFIC lust of the flesh.
In other words, what entices one person to be drawn away after THEIR OWN particular lust may not tempt another person at all.
For example, some people are addicted to alcohol and thus, that is THEIR OWN lust that they acquired after experiencing getting drunk. But for me, I hate the taste and even the smell of beer and hard liquor. And thus, I am not tempted in the least to drink. I tried it under pier pressure and just two cups made me lightheaded, which I did not like. And later I threw up and had a headache. So, getting drunk is NO LUST to me.
My point is that ALL pleasures of sin are LEARNED by experience and that we are NOT BORN with a sinful NATURE as some Christians seem to LOVE to teach.
The Apostle Paul teaches us that there was a TIME that he was ALIVE before spiritual death came and he died spiritually dead in his sins.
Romans 7:9.
“For I was ALIVE without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, (Or sin REVERSED life) and I DIED.”
The Apostle Paul also teaches is in Romans 2:14,15 that the Gentiles who do NOT have the Law of Moses show the works of keeping the law because they have the law of God written in their CONSCIENCE.
But just like the Jews do not always obey the Law of Moses completely every time, the Gentiles do not always obey their conscience completely every time.
Romans 2:14,15.
“For when the Gentiles, which have NOT the law, do by NATURE the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: (Now, if it was true that we are BORN with a sinful NATURE as some Christians CLAIM, then it would not be POSSIBLE to OBEY the law in our conscience by NATURE)
Romans 2:15. Which SHOW the WORK of the law (By NATURE) WRITTEN in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, (In other words, they had no condemnation in their conscience while they were obeying their conscience) and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)”
So then, the TRUTH of the matter is that we are BORN innocent and pure. And then, Satan tempts, seduces, entices, and deceives us to sin. And thus, ALL flesh CORRUPTS themselves, according to Genesis 6:12.
Genesis 6:12.
“And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; FOR (Or BECAUSE) ALL flesh had CORRUPTED his way upon the earth.”
And that is the TRUE sound Biblical God intended meaning of Romans 3:8, when it is correctly translated and correctly interpreted in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.
No human is BORN with a sinful NATURE, but rather, we LEARN to corrupt our own minds and harden our own hearts to SIN against of conscience to FALL short of the glory of God BECAUSE we all have SINNED at one time or another in our life.
Be sure to read the next Verse Study on Romans 6:6 to learn how our OLD man of the flesh became corrupted to WALK in the NATURE of SINFUL flesh.
And how it was Satan, the DEVIL who entices us to SIN and walk after his WAYS.
And that is the TRUE sound Biblical God intended meaning of Romans 3:8, when it is correctly translated and correctly interpreted in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.
No human is BORN with a sinful NATURE, but rather, we LEARN to corrupt our own minds and harden our own hearts to SIN against of conscience to FALL short of the glory of God BECAUSE we all have SINNED at one time or another in our life.
And it was Satan, the DEVIL who entices us to SIN.
Now sadly, Christadelphian Christians do NOT believe that Satan, the Devil, is a REAL literal BEING. And the Christadelphian Christians ALSO wrongly believe, as well as, some other church denominations, that God created EVIL and that Yahweh is the CAUSE of all of the EVIL in the world.
Plus, Christadelphian Christians, as well as other church denominations such as the Roman Catholic Church, sincerely, but wrongly believe in the FALSE doctrine or original sin. And thus, they build their other man-made doctrines upon the false doctrine of every person being born with a so-called sinful NATURE.
Again, once Christians understand the REASON that Yahweh CREATED the Son of MAN, Jesus, was to have DOMINION over the work of Yahweh’s hands.
And that you understand that the REASON that Yahweh did that is to STILL His ENEMIES, Satan and the fallen angels.
Then you can understand that God made His human Son to become a Lord, a King, and a God, to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels.
For a deeper understanding of this WAR that Lucifer and one third of the angel waged against the throne of Almighty God, please read the studies under the subject category called >>> Q-0 Why Are We Here? Is God at WAR? <<<
More studies coming in this SHORTER Biblical Unitarian view of who Jesus is according to the WHOLE word of God. If you have a PARTICULAR verse of Scripture that you would like to know the sound Biblical Unitarian meaning, then please email me at MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail.com and let me know.
For further and more in-depth studies on this subject of Jesus being created to STILL the enemies of Yahweh, please read the studies called D-25. A NEW LOOK at JOHN 1:1-In the BEGINNING, and D-28. The PRE-ADAMIC LUCIFERIAN FLOOD!
Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. So, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading >>> D-0. THE BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of JESUS! <<<
And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading >>> C-0. THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH! <<< This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Brother Mark.
My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament.
To learn more TRUTH, then please return to
VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PREEXISTED!
To me, the best way to know the ONE true God in ONE person is to know who Jesus TRULY is according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God. So please read ALL of the studies under the heading >>> N-0. WHO is JESUS ACCORDING to the BIBLE? <<< and you will see that the Bible itself teaches us that Jesus was CREATED by his God and Father. And if you have any questions related to the correct meaning of certain verses of Scripture on this subject of who Jesus is please read all the studies under the two headings >>> U-0. VERSES used for THE TRINITY! <<< and >>> V-0. VERSES used to TEACH that Jesus PRE-EXISTED! <<< These two headings have ALL of the studies that I have on who Jesus truly is according to what the Bible itself teaches us in simplicity. I compiled these three headings to make it easy for my readers to send just one, two, or three links to those you desire to help understand what the Bible itself teaches concerning who Jesus is in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me.
My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail.com.
Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.
Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Brother Mark.
RETURN to HOMEPAGE at
The end.
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Always be faithful to share, to preach, and to teach the whole gospel of Jesus Christ!