Colossians 3
Colossians 3 New International Version (NIV)
Living as Those Made Alive in Christ
3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
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.
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.
Instructions for Christian Households
18 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 inheritancefrom 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.
Footnotes:
- Colossians 3:4 Some manuscripts our
- Colossians 3:6 Some early manuscripts coming on those who are disobedient
- Colossians 3:21 Or Parents
Observation Questions
Living as Those Made Alive in Christ
What are we to set our hearts & minds on? (verse 1-2)
Where is Christ seated? (verse 1)
What are we not to set our minds on? (verse 2)
Who and where is our life? (verse 3-4)
When will we appear with Christ in glory? (verse 4)
What are we to put to death? (verse 5)
Why is the wrath of God coming? (verse 6)
When did we used to walk in these ways? (verse 7)
What are we to rid ourselves of? (Verse 8)
Why are we not to lie to each other? (verse 9)
What is being renewed in the image of its Creator? (Verse 10)
Where is there no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free? (verse 10-11)
Who is all and is in all? (verse 11)
How should we clothe ourselves? (verse 12)
How should we forgive? (verse 13)
What should we put on? (verse 14)
What binds all of what we wear together in perfect unity? (verse 14)
What are we to allow to rule in our hearts? (verse 15)
Are we to be thankful? (verse 15)
How are we to have the message of Christ dwell among us richly? (verse 16-17)
Instructions for Christian Households
How are wives to submit themselves to their husbands? (verse 18)
What are husbands to do? (verse 19)
What are husbands not to do? (verse 19)
What pleases the Lord? (verse 20)
What are fathers not to do to their children? (verse 21)
Are slaves to obey their earthly masters in everything? (verse 22)
How are we to work? (verse 23)
What will we receive from the Lord as a reward? (verse 24)
What are we serving? (verse 24)
Will anyone who does wrong be repaid for their wrongs? (verse 25)
Interpretation
What are we to do if we do not feel as if we are "spiritually filled" with Christ Jesus according to this letter?
How are we to interact with one another?
Thoughts
Practically, how is sexual immorality put to death?
Practically, how is impurity put to death?
Practically, how is lust put to death?
Practically, how are evil desires put to death?
Practically, how is greed put to death?
You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
This means that when we fully give ourselves to Christ and die to the world in order that we may live with Him, all that is sexually immoral, impure, lustful, evil, and greedy dies since we have been crucified with Him.
We must rid ourselves of anger.
We must rid ourselves of rage.
We must rid ourselves of malice.
We must rid ourselves of slander.
We must rid ourselves of filthy language from our lips.
We must not lie to each other.
What is being renewed in the image of its Creator?
Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. - verse 11
This verse made me feel joyful because we- who aren't even Jews have been now accepted into God's chosen people and family through being born again through Christ Jesus! What a blessing it is to share this great gift with anyone who is willing to receive it!
Zechariah 3
Clean Garments for the High Priest
3 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan[a] standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”
3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”
Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”
5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.
6 The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: 7 “This is what the LordAlmighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements,then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.
8 “‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes[b] on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.
10 “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Footnotes:
- Zechariah 3:1 Hebrew satan means adversary.
- Zechariah 3:9 Or facets
Isaiah 9:13-15 (NIV)
But the people have not returned to him who struck them,
nor have they sought the Lord Almighty.
So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
both palm branch and reed in a single day;
the elders and dignitaries are the head,
the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
nor have they sought the Lord Almighty.
So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
both palm branch and reed in a single day;
the elders and dignitaries are the head,
the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
Isaiah 47:8-10 (NIV)
“Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure,
lounging in your security
and saying to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.
I will never be a widow
or suffer the loss of children.’
Both of these will overtake you
in a moment, on a single day:
loss of children and widowhood.
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and all your potent spells.
You have trusted in your wickedness
and have said, ‘No one sees me.’
Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you
when you say to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
lounging in your security
and saying to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.
I will never be a widow
or suffer the loss of children.’
Both of these will overtake you
in a moment, on a single day:
loss of children and widowhood.
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and all your potent spells.
You have trusted in your wickedness
and have said, ‘No one sees me.’
Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you
when you say to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
Application
Meditate on this:
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:
sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these:
anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Do not lie to each other,
since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self,
which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people,
holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.
Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love,
which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
since as members of one body you were called to peace.
And be thankful.
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.
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.
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