Things Above
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
God is spirit, his place in the heavens is a spiritual place of truth, love, and holiness. Yes, Jesus lives in us, but he also is in heaven because God is omni-present, everywhere at once. Awesome God. We are not any longer of this world, heaven is our home, better yet God is our home.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
There is the TV show, "I will call it the "lifestyle of the wealthy." I do not envy them, most are not happy and if they die without receiving the real life of wealth in the Spirit through Jesus; they die miserable and poor. In the book of Revelaton Jesus speaks to a church filled with wealth but lacking in love and commitment to Jesus;
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Our place is " In Christ." Amen, thank you Lord. He will come for us, or we will go to him.
1 Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1 Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
2 Cor 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
It will be quick either way, we do not lie in a grave, but we are immediately with Jesus.
Put these to death
Here we go again with the warning about sins of the flesh. No one wants to hear these warnings. People are involved in these things and don't want to hear from anyone about them.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
God cares about you, he wants you to know what he has created you for; these are things that he knows will harm your soul and spirit.
A quick definition of the soul and spirit is; The soul is that which sees, hears, touches and tastes. It senses the world around it, takes in information and forms it's response to it. The soul can beome very tired of all these negative things in its life.
Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
The spirit is that part of you that looks into the spirit world, the spiritual things of God and man and the dark world. These are discerned not by the physical senses, but by the spirit. There is the Spirit of man. which can be wounded.
Prov 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit.
Exo 31:3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
It is an excellent spirit that seeks to please God. We were created to glorify God.
1 Cor 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam (Jesus) was made a quickening spirit.
Col 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (NIV)
We, are commanded to put these things to death, we have the authority and choice through Jesus Christ.
Col 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
The disobedient who are not under the blood of Jesus will receive wrath because of these things. A child of God may be corrected, but not with wrath.
Heb 12:7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? (NIV)
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
These things defile the soul and grieve the Spirit.
1 Cor 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1 Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1 Cor 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
God will forgive you, you only need to ask. He loves you and in Jesus you are his beloved child.
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Yes, we are translated from the darkness into the kingdom of light and truth. We leave behind the old ways of lying, and doing things after the way of the natural man, with it's evil sinful nature. Now we are children of light and truth.
The soul and spirit are so close together that it takes God's word to separate them.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Therefore, what defiles the soul may affect the spirit. We shall keep both clean by dying to the old ways, for we are in Jesus now., remembering this: in Christ Jesus we are the righteousness of God, and the truth of God in a lost world in which we shine as lights. Thank you Jesus.
Put on the new man
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
We are to put to death the evil things of the fallen nature. We are new creations after the fashion of our Lord Jesus Christ, now we are to put on the things of the spiritual person. Here something is to be done by us; PUT ON the new man. We are to be renewed in knowledge, a new knowledge, not the former knowledge of corrupt things. Now we are renewed by the word of God and the character of God through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We are made into the image of Christ. We are Christians, which means "little Christs," growing up to be as he is.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
No divisions in Christ Jesus, there is one body united together. This is beautiful. Where do divisions and conflicts come from, is this not of the corrupt nature, and the spirits of darkness?
Col 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Col 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (NIV)
Put on, as clothing these fruit of the Spirit. Bear with, put up with one anothers failings. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. First we get our heart right, then we forgive others. We are the Lord's family, not to be forgotten and worthless, but he sees us as being of great worth. We are pleasing HIM now, not the world. For he watches over us with great love.
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.
Yes, all is to be done through love. We are to love others as ourselves.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Put off the old man and put on the new person.
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Cor 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
1 Pet 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1 Pet 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1 Pet 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
You let it happen
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Let; (brabeuo) decide, determine to have the peace of God rule; (brabeuo) - (same greek word as "let"), direct, control your heart. You determine to allow God's peace in your heart. How often do people choose gloom and despair, yes, that is a choice too. In Christ Jesus, we are to put off the negative things and put on our spiritual garments. We control our attitudes.
Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Paul speaks again what we are responsible to do ourselves. Let the word of Christ dwell in you, it must be put inside. In all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another. Notice that we are also responsible to inform and correct others, this is not judging. Want to be encouraged and uplifted? This comes from reading and singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, even if we do not feel like it, for it is by God's grace that we make joy and praise in our hearts to the Lord. We have much to be thankful for, praise should come as natural as breathing. The devil cannot dwell in praise for our Lord.
Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
You do not please God by being a grump and feeling sorry for yourself. Remember all that we do is in the name of the Lord and for his glory.
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Be thankful to our Lord. Many are not, many are angry with God because of sin. Has God chosen you out of the world? Praise him and be thankful.
1 Chr 16:34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
Family Order
These verses are covered in Ephesians 5 and 6
Col 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
Notice that it says to submit to your own husband, not to every man. The home is to be like Christ and the Church. Christ is the head, the church is as his bride who he died for. The wife reverences her husband who would give his life for her. It is a mutual love and binding together.
Col 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Oh no, love is not bitter and angry. Love is kind and gentle and longsuffering. I see sometimes men who become angry and bitter, the natural response for the wife is to withdraw and seek protection. A wife is to be along side as a helper and friend, not a punching bag for hitting or verbal abuse.
Col 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Children want to know the parents love them. Love must come from the parents and Christian guidance. Boundaries should be set for good behaviour. A child who is loved and corrected in love will respect authority when older and the world will be a better place.
Col 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
Fathers are important, a good father is a great reward for a child. Satan has afflicted our families with divorce and every evil thing. It is the Christian home that should model the Bibles guidance for families. Children who are grown, and were discouraged may look to their heavenly father who will never fail them.
Col 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Col 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Slaves were common in this age, they did most of the work for masters. The Christian servant is to work as unto the Lord. We all are to be servants at whatever we are given to do. When I was young and working, I often thought "is there no end to this drudgery,?"now I see work as a gift from God. It is he that we look too, even for better work.
Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Luke 16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Faithfulness is important, for we serve God, not man. Though sometimes man tries to act as though he were a god.
Col 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
If we do right we receive reward, if wrong we suffer momentary loss, for we receive from what we do.
Gary