Colossians Chapter Three (a lesson in living)

I was reading Colossians this weekend and chapter three so blessed my life that I wanted to share
some of it with you.
Colossians 3:1-25 (KJV)
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the
right hand of God.
The word “if” should be translated “since.” Since ye are risen with Christ. You have been risen
with Christ haven’t you? If you have done Romans 10:9,10 you are. You are God’s property and
His child.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
In verse one it says “seek” in verse two it says “set your affection on things above.” We are not
to set our affections on a new car, boat, clothes or anything else here on Earth. We are to think
about the heavenly spiritual things.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
According to the Bible when we confess Jesus as lord and believe in our hearts that God raised
him from the dead we take on the characteristics of Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection and
ascension. That makes us Christ men and women. Why should we look at the things on Earth
when we have so much in heaven now and throughout all eternity.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
This is our hope! More fully expounded in I Corinthians fifteen and I Thessalonians chapter four.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate
affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
We are to let all of those negative things die out of our lives!
6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of
your mouth.
People, good Christians, take these verses as optional, but they aren’t. They are mandatory to be
able to walk the Christ walk here on Earth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;The “old man” is what you were before you were born again of God’s spirit. it is the person that
lusted after the things of this world. It is the person that didn’t know God or Jesus Christ nor
cared to know. It is that nature that we have to put off.
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian,
bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
There are two parts to walking the Christ walk. The first part is Christ in you the hope of glory.
That’s the new birth. The second part is you in Christ which is works. It is studying to show
yourself approved unto God. It is putting on the lord Jesus Christ in your mind and allowing the
Word of God to be your master.
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness,
humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any:
even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity (the love of God), which is the bond of perfectness.
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.
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.
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.
Look at the contrast of what we are to let go of and get rid of in our lives and what we are to put
on. Let go of ; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence (lust),
covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth
compared to Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies,
kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, Forbearing one another, forgiving one
another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye put on
the love of God, which is the bond of perfectness, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
and be ye thankful.
What a contrast and what an opportunity we have to walk in the glory and light of God’s Word.
2 Corinthians 6:1 (KJV)
1 We then, as workers together with him (God), beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of
God in vain.