The Epistle to the Colossians

Chapter 3

The Apostle Paul gets down to the nuts and bolts in this chapter of what it means to be a true believer in Christ - meaning those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus for the salvation - here on this earth and for all eternity. Second Corinthians 5:17 tells us that for those who are in Christ, they become a new creation, where the old life has passed and the new life has begun. In other words, once a person comes to believe and trust in Jesus sincerely with their heart, there is a change that happens within that persons to where it will become visible to others that the old person is no longer in charge of their life.  That person has begun a new journey - one of change from the old person to the new person in Christ. 

The apostle now goes deep within the soul of man to speak the truths of the Word of God. 

Seeing life from God's perspective

Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

The Apostle Paul begins this section of his letter with the conjunction word "if," meaning conditional.  In other words, "if" these believers are true authentic believers who trust in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, their focus would now be on the things above and not of the things of this world. For those who were swayed by the heresy that had come upon the church, the apostle's desire is that his words spoke to them to repent and come back to the Lord, refocusing on the things of Christ.

The Miracle of the New Birth

So what does the apostle mean by "if we have been raised with Christ, we are to seek those things that are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God?" Maybe it becomes more clear if we can look at our life and our circumstances in life from God's perspective. God is all knowing, all seeing, totally aware of everything that goes on in the world, as well as everything that goes on in an individual's life. He has all authority and is the Almighty God. He is in the present, as well as sees everything in our future.

• We, as finite human beings, look at life from an extremely limited perspective. When we rely on our perspective, we are vulnerable to fear and doubt, limiting God to operate in our life. In other words, we are not believing and trusting God because we are in fear and doubt. You see, the opposite of faith is fear.
• The reality is that we must believe that we died to the things of this world and are now alive unto God. Our life is now hidden in Christ.

When we came to believe and fully trust in Jesus, a miracle took place into our life. The power of the Holy Spirit became manifested within us as we opened our heart to believe and trust in Jesus. As such, we are allowing the Lord to transform us from the inside out. That is the definition of being born-again. The old life is gone and we have begun a new life in Christ just as 2 Corinthian 5:17 tells us. When we say "yes" to Jesus, believing in Him and what He has done for us, our desires begin to change and our heart wants to reach out for the things of the Lord. The Bible becomes important because we realize God is speaking to us through His Word and we want to hear from God.  Prayer, praise and worship becomes genuine in our hearts. As we keep yielding our lives over to the Lord, we relinquish our fears and doubt, purposing to trust in God because we are beginning to understand that He loves us and will take care of us in whatever situation we may be in. By spending time with Him we are getting to know the heart of God as He gives us the direction we need to handle our daily struggles.

So then, does this verse mean we think of God in the throneroom every minute of the day? No, of course not, because we do live our lives in the physical sinful world. As we live out the busyness of our day, our thought often wander to Him - because to trust Him means to be yielded over to Him. We are continuously drawn to go to God in prayer receiving His direction for our life.  The more complicated our life have been, the more we realize we need God and the more we run to Him. That's trust!   For He alone is infinite, and we are simply finite humans who need to lean on God at all times.

Prov. 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all ways, acknowledge Him and then He will direct your path.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind to the Word of God so you may know what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.

Faith and trust is seeing your life from God's perspective

Living the Christian life means living out of faith and trust in Jesus, Who, as God, watches over us as we humbly love and serve Him. Sadly, there are many who claim to be Christian, thinking they believe (with the head) in Who Jesus is, but their life is their own to live as they choose. Some choose to live just like others in the world, while others choose to follow forms of religion as a means of trying to please God.

We must never forget:

• Jesus came down to earth to reach mankind and all He asks is that we believe with our heart, fully trust in Him for our life - in this life and our life eternally. That means yielding our lives over to Him continuously, trusting that He knows what is best for us. 

Our eternal reward for being faithful 

 ⁴ When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Our rewards for believing and trusting in Jesus is that when Christ, who is our life, appears, meaning when Jesus comes to rescue us out of this earth through the Rapture of the Church, we will appear with Him in glory. Whether we have died in Christ or are the remnant left on the earth when Christ appears at the rapture, we will then meet Him in the air and when our eyes look upon Him, we will become like Him - taking on immortality, having a glorious and eternal body. 

• Here we can go into a long study on the Rapture of the Christ. In a nutshell, however, when Jesus appears, we will become glorious, just as He is glorious and our eternity will be with Him forever.

1 Thess 4:16-18 ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 John 3:32 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

So then, can we, as believers who trust in Jesus set our sights on the realities of heaven and see things from God's perspective where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand? Remember, we have died to this life and our life is now hidden with Christ in God. And throughout eternity, we, as the body of Christ will share in His glory, as we are His Body. He is our head.

Put to death the character of the old man

⁵ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

Because your life is now in Christ, you have a new nature. When you settled within your heart that you believe in Who Jesus is and what He has done for you, placing your trust in Him, the Holy Spirit became manifested within your heart to give you the power to get rid of those old desires and characteristic flaws that were causing so many problems in your life. All you have to do is yield all those things over to the Lord and trust that God is taking taken away sinful desires that you once had.  

The Apostle Paul used the wording of "putting to death" those character flaws, meaning some flaws may be more difficult than others. You do, however, having the power of the Holy Spirit operating within you to help you overcome whatever is not of God in your life.

• Sexual immorality, including all unclean immorality, such as homosexuality or other sexual sins.
• Idolatry

Though these sins are no longer part of your life, if you purpose to hang on to them, it will be  detrimental to your spiritual growth in Christ. For those who purposely choose to "practice" these sins, it will be the sin that will eventually bring on the wrath of God. It isn't that God is coming against you, it is the choosing to "practice" these sins over and over that will bring on your own demise. Always keep in mind that the end of all sin is death.

⁸ But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 

The old nature is filled with evil thoughts and behavior. Arn't you glad that you are no longer a part of that lifestyle? Because you have Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit living within you, you now have the power to get rid of anything those goes contrary to the will of God. 

• Anger
• Rage
• Malicious behavior
• Slanderer
• Profanity
• Lying

Again, these are all a part of the old man which you left behind when you came to believe and trust in Jesus for your life. Your new life in Christ is your new way of life, totally designed by God. You are becoming the person that God originally created you to be as Christ transforms you from the inside out. He is your Creator and the One Who now controls your life as you yield daily to His direction in your life. 

 Ignorance or rebellion of God's Truth

Sometimes ignorance of the Truth has blocked believers from walking in the righteousness of God either through neglecting to study God's Word and getting to know God through prayer or even indoctrination of religious beliefs that do not align itself with God's Word. In the case of many within the Colossian, they were given false doctrine that violated the Word of God. Sadly, the same indoctrinations continue today in one form or another. That is why we must purpose to keep in God's Word to know His truths so we are not deceived by other doctrines that do not align itself with God's Word. 

Here the apostle is telling these immature believers how to get rid of those bad habits and things that have dragged them down the path of worldly thinking and worldly living. 

• Live a repentant lifestyle - yielding oneself over to Christ daily.
• Purpose to walk in the truths as God has ordained them.
• Keep trusting that God is taking care of you as you keep yielding yourself over to Him.

Whether these believers are Jew or Gentile, slave or free man, the message is still the same. Believe and trust in Jesus for your life here on earth and for all eternity. 

¹⁰ and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, ¹¹ where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

Christ looks at every one the same. As believers, trusting in Jesus for our life, we can all be renewed in our mind and hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. It doesn't matter whether we are avJew or Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian or ethnicity differences, slave or free, Christ looks at everyone the same. He is our all in all to all men. 

The Character of the New Man

Because the old man is no longer part of your outer life , know that God chose you - even before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), and He created you to be clothed in holiness and without blame before Him. That what the Apostle Paul is saying here to the Colossian church - to clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 

Our behavior, or as the apostle puts it, our outer garment needs to be one of love toward others, making allowance for each other faults, forgiving others who offend us. We can never forget that Jesus took on death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, so the least we can do is forgive others.

Clothe yourself in love

^{12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.} 

^{Our behavior, or as the apostle puts it, our outer garment needs to be one of love toward others, making allowance for each other faults, forgiving others who offend us. We can never forget that Jesus took on death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, so the least we can do is forgive others.}

^{Because you are God's special person, He wants you to become all He has created you to be and love is the glue that holds everything together. When love rules, there is harmony and unity. Therefore, let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. Remember, the Body of Christ is one body together under Christ. In all this, cultivate thanksgiving.} 

^{16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.}

^{Let all that Christ has taught you through the words of His apostles grow in you as you mature in the things of the Lord. Nothing happens overight, but as you are faithful, your life becomes more and more like Christ's. Therefore, grow in Godly wisdom and common sense, and while you do, let your words and actions be done in the name of Jesus. Keep praising God with spiritual songs, having gratitude in your heart for all He gives you.}

The Christian home

Col 3:18 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 

This one verse has caused a lot of controversy, especially within the last several decades. The word "submit" seems to carry an understanding of being controlled and surrendering to someone else's rulership. That, however, is not the true understanding of this verse. 

Marriage is a partnership between a man and a woman. God called the woman to be a helpmate; however, that means both the husband and wife work together for the common good of the home.

Within a corporation or a marriage, only one person can be the head. That is how God designed it. Otherwise, there would be conflict and confusion. While both parties play specific roles, and each one compliments the others, sometimes when roles conflict, often roles changes occur when it fits the harmony of the home. And there is nothing wrong with that. When there is conflict where resolution between a husband and wife does not happen, someone has to take the lead. God has designed that the husband take the lead in the decision unless the husband is not capable of making Godly decisions. Then, and only then, does the wife take a temporary role as head, but only until the husband can take over the lead.

19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. 

Husbands are required to love their wife, just as Christ love His bride - the Church. That means giving yourself fully over to his wife, loving her and never treating her harshly. Never take advantage of her, knowing she is your partner in life. This brings love and harmony to the home.

20. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. 

Children, always obey your parents - do what your parents tell you to do. This adds to the harmony of the home and that pleases the Lord.

A study in the Book of Proverbs teaches children how to respond to their parents

21. Fathers, do not provoked your children, lest they become discouraged. 

Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged and risks crushing their spirit. If you do, that will lead to rebellion and disharmony in the home. Love you children, for you brought them into the world to nurture and guide them to become loving and caring adults and parents when they marry. The fathers set the tone on the discipline of the children, so train them up in the way they should go - in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 

Studying the Book of Proverbs teaches a father how to discipline his children
Book of Proverbs / Bible Study - Old & New Testament / Believers Bible School

Being a Christian in the marketplace

²² Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. ²³ And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵ But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.

Having slaves were very common during the time when the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Colossian Church. If you recall from our Introduction to this book of the Bible, this letter was being delivered by Tychicus who was also delivering a former slave (Onimisus) back to its own named Philemon, who was the pastor of the church that this letter was being written to. While here in America we don't see much of any slavery happening, we can look at this scripture passage as instruction to employees on how they are to work with their employers. If the Apostle Paul wrote this section of scripture today he may say:

• Employees do your jobs as your employer asks of you. Try to please them everyday for the good of the company and peace between you and your boss. Don't try to look busy only when they are watching you, but serve them sincerely because you love the Lord, considering your employer as your earthly mast. Doing a good job in your employment shows respect for your employer. Consider your work done for you employer as if you are working for the Lord, not your boss. Don't forget that the Lord will bless you and give you your inheritance as your reward when you are faithful even in your workday outside of church. If you, however, slack in this area by neglect, your wrong doing will eventually come back and bite you one day. Being a follower of Jesus does not cover up bad work. 

That's it for chapter 3. See you in chapter 4

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