Colossians 3:7

In the which yee also walked sometime, when ye liued in them. Colossians 3:7 (KJV)

The Apostle Paul writes, “Wherein also ye walked, when ye lived in them,” a phrase that points back to the sins described in the preceding verses. Beginning at Colossians 3:5, Paul urges believers to put off the old nature and its sinful practices. In verse 6 he explains that the wrath of God comes upon the disobedient because of those very sins. The introductory words “wherein also” therefore refer directly to the sinful behaviors just mentioned. The verb “walked” conveys a way of life or conduct, indicating that the Colossian believers had once lived in those sins.

Paul’s address acknowledges that the Colossians, before becoming followers of Christ, were entangled in the very practices that the letter now condemns. The clause “when ye lived in them” underscores that their former manner of living was characterized by sinful actions. Yet, after their conversion and acceptance of Christ, they are called to abandon that old way and to embrace a new life in Him.

This verse serves as a clear reminder that the former way of life should not be continued. It exhorts believers to put off the sinful practices and attitudes that marked their lives before they became followers of Christ. The passage highlights the transformation that occurs in the life of a believer: while it acknowledges past sins and the old way of living, it stresses the importance of leaving those habits behind and walking in the new life granted by Christ.

By studying Colossians 3:7 in its immediate context, we see the call to personal transformation and the imperative to live according to the principles and teachings of Christ, leaving behind the sinful behaviours of our past.