Colossians 3:1-10

2:20-23
--Refers to 'religion', not 'flesh' (2:8)
--Why submit to religious rules?
--Religions & philosophies will perish b/c they are of this world
--They are based on externals
--They are all about restraint

In the movie Contact, some aliens had sent some blueprints to build a space-ship of sorts, but they didn't include a seat-belt. So the cautionary humans added to the blueprint, but when they used the 'ship', the additional restraints busted and proved to be unnecessary. They had good motives, but that doesn't mean it was a good decision. They should have just done it the way the authors intended. Religions are like this insofar as they add to a perfect blueprint.

Paul is making the case that such 'religion' doesn't work, but he knows what does work...

"You have been raised with Christ"
--Religion tries to kill man
--The Gospel creates a new man

The Old self was...
1. Alive to the world
2. Focused on the world
3. Citizen of the world
4. Ruled by satan
5. Targeted by death
6. Try to attack the bad

The New self
1. Alive to Christ
2. Focused on heaven
3. Citizen of heaven
4. Christ is ruling
5. Hidden in Christ
6. Motivated to good

The earthly nature
1. Sexual immorality
2. Impurity
3. Lust
4. Evil Desires
5. Greed
6. Anger
7. Rage
8. Malice
9. Slander
10. Filthy language
11. Lies

It's a mix of positional (past)
and practical (ongoing)

Past
You died (2:20)
You're raised (3:1)
Christ is reigning (3:1)
Old self is taken off (3:9)
New self is put on (3:10)

Present/Ongoing
Paul was compelled to warn them
Let Christ gain control
'Put to deat'
'Rid yourself'
'Being renewed'