Colossians Chapter 3
Vs 1-4 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life,appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
If you have been raised with Christ...
The Greek text actually begins with a question but it is really written as an assumption for those who have been saved by faith in Christ. We have been raised with Christ and made into a new creation. Romans 6:4 We therefore were buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! How are we to live? As those made alive in Christ. We have bee raised to life with Christ who has become our life. Since we have been made new, we should live differently. We should live with an eternal perspective. Rather than looking to the earth around us, the minds of Christians should be focused "above." The things "above" are the things of God. Although we are not to ignore earthly concerns....on the contrary...we should change our perspctive and see our earthly concerns from a lens that is based on God's promises and on what is pleasing to Him rather than pleasing to the world. We should set our hearts and mind on something different from what we used to in our old way of living and thinking.
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Hidden in Christ
To enter into the presence of a holy God, we must be hidden in the righteousness of Christ. To be "in Christ" means that God no longer sees our imperfections; He sees the righteousness of His own Son. Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. The extraordinary in the ordinary At first glance it is hard to tell who are the Christians in this world. They are ordinary looking men and women, boys and girls. But according to the Scriptures, and in actual experience, confirmed again and again in many of our lives, being a Christian means we have an extra dimension to life. There is a hidden resource, an invisible reality, which the world does not have and cannot see. This is not referring to Christ being "up in heaven," lost in space somewhere! Rather, this refers to what Paul has talked about earlier in this letter, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." This extra dimension is not far removed in the reaches of space; it is right within the heart, an untouchable, invisible dimension within us. This is the glory of the Christian life and the secret of its power, joy and courage. If you have not discovered this yet as a Christian you have not yet begun to live as you can and should. This is what puts a smile on a Christian's face, even though he or she is in trouble. https://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/colossians/true-human-potential Thy Kingdom Come The hope set before us is that Christ will one day appear in glory and all His promises will be visible and will come to ultimate manifestation. His kingdome is now in us taking root and transforming us to be more like Christ. God is already at work producing it---it has begun within us---but it is invisible to the world around. We see all the darkness and despair, the trials and hurt all around, but God sees a purpose that is developing more and more, moving toward a certain accomplishment that shall be fulfilled when Christ returns. For additional thoughts on setting your hearts and mind on things above:
"God gave us free will to choose mind over matter or let the matters of life control our minds. The choice is ours, and that important choice will determine the direction of our faith and our ability to enjoy God’s joy and peace, even when our hearts are heavy. Unsinkable optimism, hope and faith hinge on where we choose to focus our thoughts, not on life’s circumstances." (Reference) |
Vs 5-11 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander,and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised,barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Take off the old self and put on the new self
We find repeated instructions in the New Testament with the admonition to "put off" and "put on." The first exhortation is always put off. If you are going to put on something, of course, you must first put off what you have got on. We have formed habits that are indicative of our old nature and have allowed ourselves to take on attitudes and actions that are not pleasing to God. But once we come to a new life we must "put off the old," so that we can "put on the new." Ray Stedman: Believers are given a new basis to live on when they come to Christ. The glory of the gospel is that we have been given a new life, therefore we do not have to live the way the world lives any more. If we "walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh" (Galatians 5: 16). A walk in the Spirit is a two step process repeated over and over, consisting of these two actions, "putting off the old and putting on the new." Put to Death Although salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8–9), yet believers are to also seek to live holy lives before Christ....we are to live by Christ's desires for our lives. To do this, as believers, we cannot live a life dictated by the flesh - wordly desires. Romans 8:13 (NLT) "For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live." Living according to the flesh as a life outside of Christ. This is a worldly life of serving self, first and always. Those who are in Christ will, by the power of God's Spirit with us, find victory over our sinful desires. We will have greater and greater success in putting them to death. "Dieing to self" therefore means that we are to be intentional about recognizing what is not pleasing to God or consistent with the character of Christ and willingly submit to the Holy Spirit in prayer - being conscious of our heart action - and lay down the sing as an offering to God. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 (MSG) So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Chist is all and is in all All belivers are considered equal in Christ's sight. Christ does not regard anyone better than another regardless of whether they are a Jew or Gentile, slave or free, barbarian or affluent. Christ does not favor based on worldly position or status. In addition all men can relate to Christ because "Christ is all". This reminded me of the term "everyman". According to Wikkipedia: In literature and drama, the everyman is an ordinary individual with whom the audience or reader is supposed to be able to identify easily and who is often placed in extraordinary circumstances. Christ is like the "everyman" in that He can related to everyone.....He doesn't just identify with the religious or with the high positioned or the wealthy even though He is God and He is King and all authority has been given to Him. The Greek word used for Christ is "all" is pas and it means "all, every" or the whole of every kind. Pás ("each, every") means "all" in the sense of "each (every) part that applies." The emphasis of the total picture then is on "one piece at a time." Christ is sufficient for all things, including the ability to create unity among the diverse people who have been made new in Him. We aren't to just make room for Christ in our life but we are to build our lives around Him. J. C. Ryle (19th century evangelical bishop): He that follows after holiness will make no progress unless he gives to Christ His rightful place. Let us deal with Christ as if we believe He is all. Let us live on Christ. Let us live in Christ. Let us live with Christ. Let us live to Christ. So doing, we shall prove that we fully realize that Christ is all. So doing, we shall feel great peace, and attain more of that holiness—“without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb 12:14). [Bible.ref commentary on this verse] For more on Ryle's unique perspective, see Christ is All. |
Live According to our New Idenitity
Noe that after iniitially addressing those offenses that are related to the earthly nature, Paul says, "You used to walk in these ways....". The Colossae believers could idenitfy with these behaviors in "the life they once lived.". But in Christ, they were given a new identity....a new self! Paul wanted them to recognize and live in thiis new identity by "taking off the old self and putting on the new self"' through the Holy Spirit. This is also true of believers today...we have a new identity created in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! Those who put a trusting faith in Christ are new people who have died to sin and have become alive in Christ. The goal is then to live a Christ-like life. But how does this happen? As believers we still cotinue to sin even though we desire to live differently. Paul tells us that we are "beging renewed in knowledge in the image [our new nature] of its Creator."
God doesn't expect or command us to do anything that He doesn't first instruct us in and then empower us through the Spirit to be able to do what we need to do. We just have to lean in to Him and ask Him. Philippians 2:12-13 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. We do not have to be slaves to our old nature but we are given freedom through the Holy Spirit. Galatians 3:23-25; 5:1,16-18 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[a] you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? |
VS 12-17 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
THEREFORE
In light of what you just learned....... AND BECAUSE We are God's chosen people who are dearly loved and called to live a holy life, we are to 1.) clothe ourselves with:
The Message puts it this way: So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Thse character traits should be visible to others! |
Epheisians 1:4 For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
God gets all the glory for our salvation. He chose us first, before the creation of thw world. He called us out of grace....we did not merit our salvation. 2 Timothy 1:9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life-- He called us to a life that is "set apart". This doesn't mean to be religious or pious,which focuses on our efforts, but to a life that understands what it means to be saved by grace and "set aprt", different from those living for themselves and for what the world has to offer. Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; The Greek word used for "dearly loved" is agapétos and it can also be translated as "beloved" meaning divinely loved, personally experiencing God's "agapē-love." What we "put on" or clothe ourselves in is a choice. But that choice is to allow Christ to rule in our lives and submit to the Holy Spirit. All the virtues and behaviors listed in these passages are not to be done in our own strength but in the empowerment of the Holy Spirit by activity submitting to Him and allowing Him to rule over our own will. Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. |
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2) Bear with each other and forgive one another by putting on love
Believers are family and should treat one another with kindness and grace. This includes forgiveness, as well as tolerance. Instead of demanding perfection in others, we need to be willing to endure other believers' quirks and oddities. And, when they fail, we need to be ready to forgive and help them heal. Those who accept Christ for salvation have been forgiven of their sins; as a result, we ought to be inclined to forgive other people (Matthew 6:14–15; Ephesians 4:32). Believers are to forgive one another without holding a grudge or bringing the matter up again in order to hurt the other person. We are given many spiritual gifts when we accept Christ as our Savior. According to Scripture, "the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). Love binds all these virtues together which means that God's dviine love (agape) which is at work within us through the Holy Spirit enables and powers us to live the life we are called to live. |
Proverbs 19:11 A man's insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and tender-hearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you. 1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Ephesians 4:1-2 I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you hve received; with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.... |
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3) Let the peace of Christ and thanksgiving rule in your hearts
The peace of Christ is to "rule" in our hearts, meaning it should be in charge of how we live. The Greek word used for "rule" is brabeuó and it means to "act as an umpire". We've all experienced internal conflict. Often times we let fear rule our hearts, bitterness rule our hearts....offense rule our hearts. Instead of fear, bitterness and offense, we should be intentional about allowing Christ's peace to rule our hearts. Christ's peace should umpire and direct us . Paul is not referring to peace in the sense of "happy feelings." In prior verses, he was discussing the need for Christians to tolerate, love, and support each other. In this verse, after mentioning peace, Paul again speaks of the unity Christians have. With Christ as the head, we are all part of a spiritual "body," which is the church. Peace within the body requires peace between its parts. Every group of believers will experience internal conflict at times, but seeking peace will help us resolve issues in the context of Christian love. We are also told to be thankful. The Greek word used here is eucharistos and it means to be thankful for God's grace working out what is (eternally) good. When we cultivate an attitude of gratitude, recognizing God's grace working in our lives and reflecting on all that we have to be thankful, we won't be set on having things go our way and we will be able to look out for the interest of others and think of others as better than ourselves. |
Philippians 2:3-5 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:…
Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Living Eucharisteó
Luke 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." The Greek word used to describe Christ's actions for "gave thanks" is eucharisteó. Inbedded in this verb are the words eú, which means "good" or "well done" and xaris, which means "grace". Eucharisteo is a verb which means to acknowledge that "God's grace works well," i.e. for our eternal gain and His glory. It means to give thanks or to be "thankful for God's good grace." Jesus demonstrated living eucharisteo in the ultimate act of grace symbollically represented by the breaking of the bread. Jesus wasn't just giving thanks for the provisions of bread and wine but was giving thanks "for the joy set before Him, knowing that by God's grace He would endure the cross" on our behalf (Hebrews 12:2). We too, in remembrance to Christ's broken body and poured out blood, should live eucharisteo....we should adopt a lifestyle of giving thanks. We should also remember that this is more than an attitude it is an action. |
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4) Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly
The teachings of Jesus "live" within believers in a powerful way when we spend time meditating on His Word and allowing His Word equips us.
We are wonderfully changed by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit when we allow Him to guide us according to God’s Word and to have control of our life. |
Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 1 Corinthians 14:15 What then shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. Ephesians 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord |
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5) Do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
This is an all emcompasssing statement "whatever you do". Paul has named some very specific behaviors and attitudes that we should avoid and those that we should desire. Anything unmentioned in his list is to be understood from his words in this verse. This includes what we say and how we act. This fits cleanly with Paul's rejection of legalism and pious self-denial. Our relationship with Christ is not about a set of rules—human minds could never make enough individual rules to cover every possible situation. Instead, we are to submit everything, and every moment to Christ. Instead of living by a checklist, we are to submit to Him in "whatever" we think or do. The final phrase "giving thanks (eucharisteo) to God the Father through him" is one reason for the tradition of ending prayers using the name of Jesus. Though we are not required to say these words in prayer, the idea is true. We thank God the Father, in the name of Jesus. [See commennts on verse 15] |
1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Ephesians 5:20 ...always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Living and praying in the name of Jesus is recognition that the only approach to God...the only way to God is Jesus Himself. It is only through Jesus that we have been given access to the Father and that should create a grateful heart. See more: Praying in Jesus Name |
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have given me an entirely new wardrobe in Christ! His righteousness in me lets me take off what was old and replace it with the new. I pray that You would help me to see how worn-out and ugly my old ways are. I desperately want to bring You glory by putting on the heart and mind of Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen. (First5)
Vs 18-25 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers,[c] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.
In this section, Paul moves to the actual experiences we face day by day. Our daily relationships experienced in family and in our work life will create the greatest challenges to not walk in the flesh.
Lving in Submission
The presence of Christ is easily seen by the orderliness in our lives and Christ requires this especially in the everyday affairs of life as we deal with family and work. - His presence must be recognizable in our everyday family and work life - not just in church. An orderly life is a greater witness for Christianity than being at church on Sunday morning because unbelievers don't come to church --- but they see you in your marriage, the way you treat your family and how you are at work. For more on submission, read the NOTES captured for Ephesians 5: 22-33 In summary, As believers in Christ, the Christ-like virtues discussed in this chapter should radiate from our lives. We don’t put on these attributes to please others or to win favor. We put them on with a sincere heart and out of reverence for God, remembering it is Christ we are serving and not ourselves. The more we read and contemplate God’s Word and intentionally focus our minds on the things of God, we will progressively look more and more like Christ and less and less like who we were. Our perspective will change. Our priorities will change. Our relationships will change. The way we treat others will change. Submission: An Equal Opportunity It is important to understand that biblical submission does not cancel out equality. Everyone must submit to other people. Paul discussed "submission" in his letter to the Ephesians as well. But before he went into instructions for families and slaves, he said this: Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ To submit to someone does not mean you are not equal. It means "put yourself under, arrange yourself under someone, for a good and proper purpose." It is a totally voluntary action....meaning, a believer should not expect or force someone into submission. We do; however, need to recognize that there is an order of authority in all God's world. There is a time to "Give Way"; to give in and support another. The great quality of this word is that it stresses the need to support. Wives are to support, encourage and respect their husbands in the role that God has given them. But notice it is not the husband's role to make their wives submit. The instuction is given to the wife and it is the wiife's role to be responsible to the Word. The husband's response is "to love and not be harsh" following Christ's example. [Ray Stedman does a beautiful job explaining the dynamics of the family in his commentary Living Christianity.] Although the world looks down on the idea of "submission" and views this negatively, in a loving and respectful relationship, submission is transparent because the husband and wife respect and elevate each other and considers the needs of each other above their own. |
Whatever you do
This emcompasses e v e r y t h i n g we do. Work at it with all your heart We are to do our work heartily. The Greek phrase used is ek psyches and it means "from the soul." This implies the ideas of enthusiasm and passion. Demonstrating a good work attitude makes a tremendous difference in our personal life and in our influence on others. Work for the Lord and not for Man For all those we work for: serve as if serving God Himself.because our ultimate rewards are with God, not the human beings we serve for only a short time. Regardless of our station in life, God is the one ultimately judging all we do, so all of our service is really for Him. Rick Warren once said, "It doesn't matter so much what you do as much as it matters how you do it." We do not work "for men" or simply earthly goals, but to glorify our heavenly Father and Master. Ephesians 6:7 Serve with good will, as to the Lord and not to men, An Inheritence from the Lord We are encouraged with a reminder that this life is temporary. Any rewards given in this life are limited and temporary also. Our real rewards, as believers, are eternal and will exceed anything this life has to offer. This is also a reminder that circles back to the earlier verses which encourage us to keep our hearts and minds on things above rather than the daily concerns and temporary rewards of this life. It is Jesus You are Serving We often esteem those in high ranking positions. But all of us need to remember that it is Crhist whom we are serving. There is no higher honor or privilege. A person may prosper in this life and win the favor of men but God shows no favortism and is not impressed with our earthly achievments if we are serving ourselves. Deutoronomy 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe. Ephesians 6:8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man will come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done. |