The foundation of our faith is repentance from dead works and faith toward God (Hebrews 6:1). In this series, we’re digging into one sin at a time, where it comes from, and the faith that replaces it.

This post covers four dead works Paul tells us to put off in Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3.

"That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts." — Ephesians 4:22 (KJV)

Stealing

"Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." — Ephesians 4:28 (KJV)

Notice Paul doesn’t just say “stop.” He replaces it with something. Stop stealing, and start working. And not just working to have enough for yourself, but working so you have something to give away.

That’s a complete turnaround. Stealing takes from others because you don’t trust you’ll have enough on your own. Working and giving trusts God to supply enough that you can hand some of it to someone else.

So the dead work isn’t just “taking things.” It’s not believing God will provide, so you take control yourself. And the faith isn’t just “don’t take.” It’s trusting Him enough to labor honestly and still have extra for somebody who needs it.

Paul already told us back in verse 22 to put off the old man, “which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.” That’s not who you are anymore. So living like the old man isn’t just risky. It’s not having faith that God has washed you from this sin.

Corrupt Communication

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." — Ephesians 4:29 (KJV)

Paul’s not just talking about cursing. Verse 31 fills that out:

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice." — Ephesians 4:31 (KJV)

That’s tearing someone down with words, gossiping about them, and venting your anger at their expense.

And it’s the same pattern as stealing. You reach for words that tear down because you don’t trust God to handle the situation, so you handle it yourself, out loud, at someone else’s cost.

Faith toward God looks different. Speaking “that which is good to the use of edifying” means trusting God enough to build someone up instead of controlling the moment by tearing them down.

And this isn’t new information to us. Paul already said it back in verse 24:

"And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." — Ephesians 4:24 (KJV)

The tongue that tore people down belonged to the old man. So corrupt communication isn’t just a bad habit. It’s talking like someone Christ already put to death.

Lying

"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another." — Ephesians 4:25 (KJV)

Notice the reason he gives. Not just “lying is wrong,” but “we are members one of another.”

A lie treats the truth like something you get to control: bend it, hide it, shape it, because telling it feels too risky.

That’s the unbelief underneath it. You don’t trust that the truth, spoken plainly, will actually turn out okay, so you manage the outcome yourself with a lie instead. Faith looks like speaking the truth and trusting God with whatever happens because of it, even if it costs you something in the moment.

Colossians 3:9 reminds us why we even can do that:

"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds." — Colossians 3:9 (KJV)

The old man was the liar, managing every outcome himself. That’s not who you are anymore. So lying isn’t just a bad habit. It’s living like someone Christ already put to death.

Malice

"But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth." — Colossians 3:8 (KJV)

Malice is different from a flash of anger. It’s the settled will to see someone hurt. It isn’t a moment. It’s a decision you keep making.

And there is a reason that malice takes hold. You have to believe the person deserves it, and that you’re right to want it for them. That means malice is really a decision to stop trusting God with someone else’s judgment. You’re not just angry. You’re planning to be the one who makes them pay.

Faith looks like letting God be the judge, even when it means letting go of wanting to see them hurt.

Colossians 3:9–10 already told us why we can put it off:

"...ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." — Colossians 3:9–10 (KJV)

Malice belongs to the old man. Christ already put to death our old man. Put on Jesus.

"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." — Romans 13:14 (KJV)

The Faith Under Each Dead Work

Repentance from dead works. And faith toward God.

That’s the foundation of our faith.

Foundations of the Faith

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Go deeper with the Foundations of the Faith series on YouTube: one sin at a time, where it comes from, and the faith that replaces it.

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