Inductive Bible Study for Colossians 3:1-11

Introduction

You all have really gotten a lot already from several talented and wise men on how to study the scriptures and what their approaches are. I am still learning the trade when it comes to this study method and how to slice a text up in a wise and informed manner. I have some good practical wisdom that I learned from Steve Lawson at one point before news of his fall became public. I won’t do this tonight, but one of the main things that has helped me personally in this bible study method, and in seeing where ideas start and end and how things connect has been writing out the entire text no matter how long or short. There is something about putting it down on paper, looking back and forth from the text to you writing it that has helped me greatly. Every word is accounted for and you can start to see how words connect and ideas form. I would highly recommend writing the passages out if you don’t already do that and if you haven’t already been encouraged to do so. Then of course we want to read the text as much as possible and even the previous points of the book so that we can piece everything together. So, lets get into the text. We can read through first and then we will discuss the study. I’ve segmented and given you plenty of space for notes and commentary as we go through.

V. 1-2

Paul starts out with a conditional statement of if then you have been raised, the condition of this next section is on the condition that “you” have been raised.

But then the question is… raised to what or with what? Raised with Christ. Ok so what does that mean? look back at Colossians 2:11–12 “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”

So, if you have been raised with Christ, there is an imperative to “seek the things that are above where Christ is…” the he adds “seated at the right hand of God” to demonstrate Christ’s authority, “set your minds on things that are above, not on things, that are on earth.

Go ahead and double underline “things” and “above”, as we have some repetition here.

What are the things that we are seeking and the things that we should not seek?

Look with me at Colossians 2:1–5

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 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, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 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.”

So, Paul is giving those indicated as having been risen with Christ as those who are to seek the depths of the riches of Christ that are readily available as Paul says again in Colossians 1:25 “of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,”

So, we are studying the word of God and this is the things that are above where Christ is, and He is authoritatively seated at the right hand of the Father.

Now what are those things that we are not to set our minds on and I think we can see part of the answer back in chapter 2 in the verse we just read. The plausible arguments that are meant to lead astray and to confuse or delude, but then there are also some more things that we are not to dwell in because we have been raised with Christ. So lets continue.

V. 3-4

Continuing the indicative movement Paul is now assuming his audience is the redeemed. For you have died with Christ, and been raised, and now Paul kind of interjects on himself just to encourage and really hammer home some of this hope that he has been explaining thus far. Now your life is hidden with Him. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him. Paul is taking a moment to show the hope of the gospel not just in this life but the next as well. This corresponds with an earlier text Colossians 1:21–23 “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”

I would like to propose that we, just for the sake of instruction drop the encouraging interjection that Paul makes and actually put, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. So, Put to death therefore what is earthy in you. I have v. 4 bracketed off in my notes.

V. 5

Indicative you have died, imperative put to death. In Putting to death we are not seeking the earthly things, we are not setting our minds on earthly things, and even the earthly things that are “in” us. The earthly things aren’t just ambiguously out there swirling around waiting for us to think about them or walk into their path, they are actively in us. Specific things like:

V. 6-8

Paul then gives the warning that the wrath of God is coming on account of these sins in V. 5, and the list is continued in V. 8. Then Paul reminds the believer that they too once walked in all of these things that the wrath of God is coming on account of. He says exactly that “In these you too once walked, when you were living in them” The connection comes again that these things are not just outside of us, but they were actually in us, and we were living in them. It reminds me again of Colossians 1:21 “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,” But now you must put them all away.

Here is yet another indicative of what our former life was and an imperative of what we must kill.

V. 9-10

We are told not to lie to one another but seeing that we have put off the old self with its practices, so you’ve not only put off the old self in your feasts and angel worship and your asceticism, Paul tells us earlier that all these things are unhelpful for putting the old self to death. Look at Colossians 2:20–23 “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 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.” You also put off the old self and its desires, and you put on the new self, the new self that has been raised with Christ, which is being renewed how? In knowledge after the image of the creator.

Now, Paul is again building off some things that he has already said. We already mentioned Col. 2:1-5 and that the mystery is Christ, and in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. And the new self is being renewed in the image of the creator who we also know is Christ because of Colossians 1:13–17 “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

V.11

Here? Where is here? I think that Paul is going full circle and taking us back to the things where Christ is, the things that are above, meaning that “Here” is above where Christ is seated in power. Where the new self is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. There before God, and Christ that sits at His right hand, there is no race, nor earthly status, but Christ is all. He holds all things in His hands, He is where your soul finds rest and renewed and He is where we are to set our minds. He is in all of those who have been raised with him as Paul says in Colossians 1:27 “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” . Now with that knowledge comes some more imperatives however that will be for next weeks lesson. At this point let’s try and see how we could frame this text in a way that is a little more concise.

a. Being raised with Christ seek the things above

b. You have died, so put to death your earthly way of life

c. Gods wrath is coming on account of these sins

b. Put on the new self that is alive in Christ by the knowledge of God

a. Above where Christ is there is no status, only Christ