“But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” (Colossians 3:8)
Examining Our Hearts
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul instructs believers to meticulously examine their hearts and cast off any sins that have taken root. Although we have been made new in Christ, vestiges of our old nature still rear their ugly heads.
As redeemed saints, we must be brutal in ripping out these sins from our lives. Paul lists several specific ones – unchecked anger, raging fury, spiteful malice, abusive speech.
Like persistent weeds, they can quickly overrun our souls if not eliminated.
Malice in Our Midst
Malice is an especially dangerous weed – its roots dig down deep into the soil of our inner being. It springs up slowly, often unnoticed, but silently chokes out the fruit God desires.
This bitter root produces resentment, jealousy, distrust, and hatred towards others.
Even fellow believers can become targets of our malice. We begin viewing them through suspicious eyes, questioning their motives.
We withdraw, murmur, divide. Unchecked, malice metastasizes, poisoning our fellowship. As God’s chosen ones, we must purge this evil from our midst.
Cultivating Clean Hearts
Eradicating malice requires brutal honesty and courage. We must allow the light of Christ to shine into the hidden crevices of our hearts, exposing malicious motives.
Repentance and forgiveness will wash away past offenses.
Moving forward, we must nurture hearts soft to the leading of the Spirit, quick to extend grace. As malice withers in fertile soil of love, joy and peace will blossom, enriching all our relationships.
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