New Year - New Humanity

Introduction

Colossians 3:1-17

We Find in Chapter 2 that Colossae Has a False Teacher Problem

They Seem to Be Teaching that Genuine Spirituality is Found in:

Obtaining More Knowledge

Keeping More Rules (Man-Made Traditions and Jewish Practices)

Living an Ascetic Lifestyle (Abstaining From Any and All Pleasures)

And Having More Spiritual Experiences (Seeing Visions)

Paul Combats Every False Teaching With Jesus and His Gospel

Jesus is the Answer to Genuine Spirituality and Obtaining Righteousness

And Then Paul Tells Them That None of These False Teachings are Any Help Against the Desires of the Flesh

They May Look Holy and Righteous…

But They Don’t Produce Righteousness…

And They Don’t Deter From Sin

What Christians Need to Live Pleasing Lives to God is Not a New List of Rules to Follow

What We Need is a Change of Heart/Mind

Only Then Can We Live the Way Jesus Expects Us to Live

But How Do We Do That and What Does it Look Like?

That’s What Paul is Going to Talk About in Chapter 3

How to Become a New Human

Colossians 3:1 (NAS)

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

What Does it Mean to Be “Raised Up with Christ”?

We Can Know What Paul Means By Keeping This Verse in Context

In Chapter 2, Paul Talks About How Christians Experience a Spiritual Circumcision

Their Body of Flesh is Cut Off

In Other Words, We Die

Our Life as We Have Known it is Cut Off

Then Our Old Body That Has Been Cut Off is Buried

And Then We are Raised From the Dead

This Picture of Death, Burial, and Resurrection is Symbolized in Baptism

When a Sinner Decides to Convert to Christianity, He First Must Die

The Wages of Sin is Death

Once the Sinner Has Died, Jesus Resurrects Them as a New Forgiven Human

And What is This New Risen Human Supposed to Do?

Live the Way the Old Human Used to Live?

Absolutely Not!

We are a New Human, and We are to Live in a New Way

We Do That By Seeking the Things Above (Heavenly Things Instead of Earthly)

This is Very Similar to Jesus’ Command the Sermon On the Mount:

Seek First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness

This is Desiring for God’s Kingdom to Spread Throughout the World

Desiring for God’s Kingdom to Come and His Will to Be Done On Earth as it is in Heaven

Colossians 3:2 (NASB95)

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

Not Only Should it Be Our Desire…

It Should Be Something We Constantly Think About

NET - “Keep Thinking About Things Above, Not Things On the Earth.”

The Spread of God’s Kingdom Should Be Our Desire and Our Mental Obsession

I Don’t Know About You, But That Sounds a Little Extreme to Me!

You Mean My New Life is to Revolve Around Christ and the Things of His Kingdom?

It Ought to Be My Desire and What I Regularly Think About All the Time?

Paul Didn’t Think That Sounded Too Unreasonable

Colossians 3:3 (NASB95)

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Why Would Your New Life Be All About You?

That’s What Your Old Life was About

The Old You Desired What Pleased You

The Old You Constantly Thought About Ways to Please You

But When You Decided to Give Your Life to Jesus…

That “You” Died!

And the Life that You Have Been Given By Jesus is to Be Consumed With Jesus

You are to Desire What He Desires and Think About What He Thinks About

Your New Life is Hidden (Safe) With Christ Under God’s Protection

Eternal Life is Ensured to Those of Us Who Have Died and Resurrected With Christ

Colossians 3:4 (NASB95)

When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

As Christians, Our Desires and Thoughts are to Be So Wrapped Up in Jesus and His Kingdom…

That Christ is Not Just a Part of Our Lives, But IS Our Lives

If That is the Case, Then When He Returns, Glory Will Be Ours

Christ, Who is Our Life, Will Give Us Eternal Life

So Paul Has Just Told Us that Our Old Selves Have Died Upon Conversion to Jesus

And That the Desires and Thoughts of Our New Selves Ought to Be Centered On Jesus and His Kingdom

But What Exactly Does that Look Like?

How Do I Know if I’m Getting it Right Or Wrong?

Paul is Going to Tell Us

Colossians 3:5–9 (NAS)

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

We Laid Aside the Old Self in Our Death, Burial, and Resurrection into Christ

“Self” = Human

Christians are to Put to Death the Old Human and His Ways

What are the Ways of Old Humanity?

Sexual Sins

Impure Thoughts and Behavior

Sexual Lusts

Morally Evil Lusts

Greed, Which Paul Says is Nothing More Than Idolatry

Anger

Wrath

Wickedness

Blasphemy/Slander

Abusive and Dirty Language

Lying

All of These are the Things We Have Died To

That is the Old Humanity that We Put to Death for Jesus

A Person Who Desires What Jesus Desires…

And Thinks About What Jesus Thinks About…

Does Not Practice/Habitually Do These Types of Things

Colossians 3:9–11 (NAS)

Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Beginning With Baptism Into Christ…

We Put to Death the Old Humanity…

And Jesus Brought to Life the New Humanity

A New Humanity that is in a State of Constant Renewal

Renewing Our Hearts and Minds to Be Like Christ is a Continual Effort - An Ongoing Process

Jesus Gave Us New Life, and Now It’s Up to Us to Continually Try to Practice a New Lifestyle

In Christ, There is Equality

All People Regardless of Race, Ethnicity, Background, Education, Past Religion, Socio-Economic Status…

Belong to Christ and are Given Life By Christ

Colossians 3:12–13 (NAS)

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; bjust as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

This is What New Humanity in Christ Looks Like

This is How You Know if You Desire What Jesus Desires and Think About What Jesus Thinks About

You are Compassionate/Merciful Toward Others

You are Kind and Good to Others

You are Humble

You are Gentle and Patient When Dealing With Your Siblings in Christ

You Forgive Your Siblings in Christ

Colossians 3:14–15 (NAS)

Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

New Humanity is All About Love

Love for Our Siblings in Christ is the Perfect Bond of Unity

One of Jesus’ Greatest Desires for His People is for Us to Be United in All Things

If that is What Jesus Desires…

That Should Be What We Desire

New Humanity is About Allowing the Peace of Christ to Guide Our Decisions Amongst the Body

Whatever Makes for Peace Amongst the Church, That’s What We Do

Our Own Desires are Not the Deciding Factors On What We Do or How We Act

Whatever Brings About Peace in the Church is the Deciding Factor On What We Do or How We Act

New Humanity Looks Like Being Thankful and Showing Gratitude

Colossians 3:16 (NASB95)

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

New Humanity Looks Like Allowing the Message of Jesus to Live Within Us

The Gospel Should Have a Welcome Home Inside the Life of a Christian

New Humanity Looks Like Teaching the Message of Jesus to One Another

It Looks Like Warning One Another With the Message of Jesus

New Humanity Looks Like Singing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs Toward God With Gratitude in Our Hearts

Colossians 3:17 (NASB95)

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

This Verse Summarizes Paul’s Entire Point

New Humanity Looks Like Allowing Jesus to Permeate Our Every Thought, Word, and Action

Jesus is Our Life

And That Means Whatever We Say or Do…

Ought to Be Said and Done With His Will in Mind

Paul’s Point He is Teaching to the Colossians…

And the Message We Need to Take From This Text is:

Being Spiritual and Righteous Doesn’t Come From:

Obtaining Great Amounts of Knowledge

Keeping a Long List of Rules and Traditions

Abstaining From Any or All Pleasure

Or Having Spiritual Experiences

Being Spiritual and Righteous Comes From a Conversion that Takes Place Within the Heart and Mind

What Pleases God is Putting to Death the Old Humanity With it’s Sinful and Selfish Ways

And Resurrecting With Christ as a New Humanity

A New Humanity that Desires What Jesus Desires

A New Humanity That Thinks About What Jesus Thinks About

Christianity First Takes Place in the Heart/Mind

And Then it Spreads to Our Words and Actions

As Christians, Our Life is Christ

We No Longer Live for Ourselves

But We Live for Him

That Isn’t Easy, But it’s Worth it

Because When Our King Returns…

We Will Be With Him in Glory

And He Will Give Us a Life that Never Ends