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Colossians Chapter 3

Memory verses for this week:   Mat 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  

Introduction:    In chapter two, we covered how we should beware of men with enticing words.  All fulness can be found in Christ, and we need to look to Christ for our spiritual blessings. 

I.  Risen with Christ 

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

Only those who have trusted Christ as their Savior have risen with Christ.

Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Christ is the one who raised us up.

Romans 6: 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  

If we are raised with Christ, we should be dead to sin.  We are to seek those things above.  To seek things above cause us to lose in the things of the world. 

John 2:15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. 17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

We are not to love the world, but to seek those things of the Lord.

In verse 1, we find that Christ is sitting on the right hand of God.  When Christ offered his perfect sacrifice, He sat down signifying the job was completed forever. 

Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Our affections need to be on the things above, not on things of the earth.  Things that are not sinful in this world can become sin us if we let them take preference over the things of God. 

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

If we are risen with Christ, we effectively are dead to the world.  In Galatians,  Paul said “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I love.”   If any man be in Christ, he is a new Creature. 

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

Christ is our life.  We have the promise of appearing in glory with Him. 

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way,  the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The promise in verse 4 is that Christ will appear.. coming in his glorified body.   At this time, we will receive our resurrected body patterned after that of Jesus. 

II.  Mortify the Old Man 

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 

The old man has reference to the flesh.  The word ‘members’ refers to the physical members.  These are subject to coming the sins mentioned… fornication, uncleanness, etc.  These sins bring the wrath of God down upon the children of disobedience.  Paul speaks of how these Colossians had walked in these sins in the past, when they lived according to the flesh. 

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;  

We certainly need to put these sins behind us… and we should never be people who lie. 

James 3:13  Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

James 3:14  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

James 3:15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

James 3:16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

James 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 

J Vernon McGee had this story that I enjoyed about our need to not lie. 

To whom is Paul speaking? He is writing this to believers, because he says, “seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” Is it possible for a Christian to lie? It certainly is. That doesn’t mean that you have lost your salvation when you do—otherwise many of us would have lost ours a long time ago. It does reveal that you don’t reach a place of perfection, my friend, nor do you get rid of the old nature, when you become a child of God.  I believe one of the first sins a little child commits is to lie. I heard the story about the little boy who came running into the house and said, “Mama, Mama, a lion just ran across our front lawn.” The mother said, “Willie, you know that was not a lion. That was a big dog that ran across the lawn. You go upstairs and confess to the Lord that you lied about that.” Little Willie went upstairs and after a while he came down again. His mother asked, “Did you confess your lie to the Lord?” He answered, “Yes, I did. But the Lord said when He first saw him, He thought he was a lion, too!” Lying is something that is deep-rooted in the human heart, and many Christians still indulge in it.   [1]

III.  Putting on  the New Man 

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.                    

The new man is the man who has been saved… the spiritual man.  Putting on the new man causes us to be renewed in the knowledge of Christ.   When it comes to the new man, it says there is no respect of persons with God.  Every person can be saved and become the children of God.  People who are saved should exhibit kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering. 

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.   

The new man should have a forgiving spirit.  We are to forgive one another if we expect God to forgive us. 

Matthew 6:14  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 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 whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 

Charity is of great value and should be in the life of every saved believer. 

1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.   

The peace of God should rule in us, and the Word of Christ is to dwell inside us.   We should do all things in the name of Christ.  Peter healed a man in the name of Jesus in the third chapter of Acts. 

Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

IV.  The Home Life 

18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.  

Every home should be a Christian home.  A Christian home is one that functions using God’s plan.  The husband takes his role of responsibility as the head of the family, and loves his wife.   The wife takes a place of looking up to her husband as head of the family, and puts her family as highest priority after her relationship to God. 

1 Peter 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.  7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Titus 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;   4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,  5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. 6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.  7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,  

20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.  

As fathers and mothers must know their place in the family, it is also true of the children.  Sons and daughters should obey their parents.  This command was the first given that has a promise attached to it when obeyed. 

Exo 20:12  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

          Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour  thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

V.  The Christians Employee’s Life

22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.  

An employee should do a fair days work for a fair days pay.  The life of a Christian servant is to be an obedient life.  It is a life that shall receive rewards. 

Titus 2:9  Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;  10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. s

If it is wrong for a man to not obey his employer, how much worse is it for a man to fail to obey God.  We are servants of God and should live as such.

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Prov 4:18  But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

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