Colossians 3:1-17

The Renewed man in the renewed church!

Last week we saw that Paul was encouraging the Church at Colossae to live as free people in Christ.

Paul said that free people in Christ have the law of God written in their hearts!

Colossians 2:18 “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,”

Colossians 2:23 “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”

What has value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh?

Romans 10:4 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Since the law of God is written on our hearts, means that we love to keep His Word, His desires are our desires!

Paul says that you believers are no longer condemned by the law, you are freed from its condemnation. The law showed us where we violated it and showed us that we were on deaths row! Doomed to eternal punishment! Now we are freed from condemnation-so live as freed men and woman! Paul gives the Colossian believers two different sets of conditional imperatives that show that you are in Christ!

I. The positive imperatives.

Colossians 3:1 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

A. Diligently desire obtain that which is above!

Who and what is that one that is above?

Philippians 4:9 “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

1 John 1:1–3 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 3:20 “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”

1. Obtaining information about Christ. (vs.1)

2. Obtaining the likeness of Christ.

3. Obtaining a walk with Christ.

B. Diligently  set your thinking (ponder) on that which is above!

               (vs. 2)

Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds (affections) on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

The text is reminding us to think about the differences between the things above verses the things of this earth!

James 3:14–18 “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

James 3:16-18 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

II. The negative imperatives.

Colossians 2:2 “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,”

(vs. 2b) 1. Don’t saturate your mind on fleshly (devilish) information.

Colossians 2:5 “For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.”

(vs. 5) 2. Put to death your fleshly thoughts that come from within.

Conclusion: Paul explains that a person that saturates their mind on earthly things will not appear to have put on the new person (vs. 5, 8).

Colossians 3:5 “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Colossians 3:8 “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”

They will appear to look like they aren’t saved! Paul’s solution is really for the believer to live as you where called (vs. 15). Examples of the new you (12-17). The new you! Christ in you!

Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”