I.      COL 3:3-4

A.  At the moment a person is born-again, they died to the flesh, the sin nature.

1.       Look at what Paul said in Rom 6:3-8.

2.    Our life is now hidden with Christ in God.

a)    “Hid” or “Hidden” implies both concealment and safety[1]

3.    We are now found IN Christ.

B.      Again verse 4.

1.    There is coming a day when He will appear and we shall appear with Him in all of His glory.

a)    We may not know the exact time or the hour, but we do know that we have not been appointed to the time of wrath.

2.       Look at 1Thess 4:16-18.

a)    Believers will appear with Him and will be glorified[2] or receive our glorified bodies. 

b)       Turn to 1 John 3:2

(1)       “We shall be like Him.”

(2)       Amazing

c)     AMP of 1 John 3:2, “Beloved, we are [even here and] now God’s children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall [ as God’s children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is.” [3]

(1)  I don’t know if you got that, “We shall see Him just as He really is.”

(2)  What is he really like? I know we picture Him on earth, but what is He really like? …….(Anybody?)……

(3)     We will resemble and be like that!

C.  In these 2 verses (Col 3:3-4) Paul is giving a short teaching that we should live each day focused on thing above. Today, live a godly life, knowing that Jesus Christ is our Lord and King. AND looking forward to the day of His appearing.

II.   Col. 3:5-6.

A.  Paul is saying, “Mortify or Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly sinful nature.”

1.    This “earthly nature” is the “old self” (or “sinful nature” or “old man”)

a)       Look at EPH 4:22.

b)    We should not go back to our old nature, we should not live as we did before.

c)     (2 COR 5:17) Says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

B.       In this list here Paul give a list of what not to do, but he gives a similar list in EPH 5:3-5. (Turn there).

1.    People that are following this lower nature are not going to inherit the kingdom of God.

a)    This is the work of the children of disobedience and Paul says in Col 3:6 that the WRATH of GOD cometh upon the children of disobedience.   

WOLCC Thurs. 7/9/2003

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[1]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (Col 3:3). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[2]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (Col 3:3). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[3]The amplified Bible, containing the amplified Old Testament and the amplified New Testament. 1987 (1 Jn 3:2). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.