Colossians 3:1-17
Scripture:
Colossians 3:1-17
3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are
above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things
that are on earth. 3 For
you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you
also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death therefore
what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and
covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On
account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were
living in them. 8 But
now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk
from your mouth. 9 Do
not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its
practices 10 and
have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image
of its creator. 11 Here
there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian,
slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on then, as God’s
chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility,
meekness, and patience, 13bearing
with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each
other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these
put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of
Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be
thankful. 16 Let the
word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all
wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your
hearts to God. 17 And
whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him. [1]
Devotion
Verses 1-4 of chapter 3 serve as a transition
between what came before and the practical section in chapter 3 and 4. Paul
encourages us to seek the things of Christ which are above. Setting our hearts
on things of heaven where Christ is instead of setting them on earthly things.
Using the example of baptism where our old self dies, and our new self takes
over. We are hidden with Christ until he appears in glory until he appears at
the 2nd coming. Then we shall appear in glory with him.
We are to put to death the evil that lies within
our mortal bodies so that the wrath of God will not touch us. Things such as sexual
immorality, impurity evil desire, and covetousness which is idolatry. In these
we once participated and were enemies of God. And these are things that the wrath
of God is kindled against.
We must also put away all anger, wrath, malice, slander
and obscene talk from us. And we shall not lie to one another. We must put off
the old nature and put on the new. As Paul writes in Corinthians “we have
become a new creation” so the Christian is to be transformed into a new
creature with new life. There is now to be no difference between Greek and Jew
(racial differences), circumcised and uncircumcised (religious differences),
slave or free (social differences) barbarian or Scythian (cultural differences)
but we are all one in Christ. Christ indwells us all and makes us all equal at
the foot of the cross. “The reason human categories no longer matter is that Christ is all, which means Christ is
central and supreme. Our relationship with him is really all that matters.
Unity within the community is based on the fact that Christ is in all. He indwells all believers and permeates all our
relationships.” [2][emphasis in original]
Now that we have put off the old nature, Paul
then describes the new nature we are to put on. “12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and
beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one
another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as
the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds
everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And
let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in
one body.[3] We are to live in imitation
of Christ. “Verses 12–17 contain the virtues that stand in contrast to the
vices mentioned in the preceding verses. With the old discarded, the character
of Christ is to be displayed in its place. The transformation process includes
more than don’ts. There are some dos as well.”[4]
Paul says above all we should put on love for one another. As this is the key
to living a Christ like life. Loving each other to the point of sacrificing ourselves
our very lives for one each other. Just as in Ephesians 6 Paul urges us to get
dressed in a compassionate heart. Then we are to put on kindness, humility, meekness,
and patience. Above all says Paul we are to put on love that we may live in
harmony with each other. Forgiving one another and bearing with one another.
Thankfulness is to be our signature emotion.
Always thanking God in word and deed that he has loved us enough to save us
from this dark world of sin. God’s will direct us to find ultimate fulfilment in
him and in his people. We are to worship. Raising our voices in songs of praise
and thanksgiving to the one who saves us. That whatever we do it may be done in
thankfulness to the Lord.
Finally, “The life transformation process is to
include any and all areas and activities of life. In all places, in all ways,
the believer is to honor the name of the
Lord Jesus. Genuine spirituality is not found by following false teaching
which leads away from Christ. Genuine spirituality is found in having our lives
transformed into the character of Christ.[5]
[2] Max
Anders, Galatians-Colossians,
vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman
Publishers, 1999), 330.
[4] Max
Anders, Galatians-Colossians,
vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman
Publishers, 1999), 330.
[5] Max
Anders, Galatians-Colossians,
vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman
Publishers, 1999), 332.
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