speaking behaviour (v. 8), we are to understand that it is the whole way of life that is to be put to death, not just one or two areas of moral struggle. Second, just as sex was an entirely appropriate subject to raise when the subject is redeemed human life, because God has made us sexual beings, so God has also made us speaking beings. Furthermore, just as the Christian life is far from having a negative view of sex, so it is not negative about speech. Yet as alienated and hostile people (1:21),