Colossians Chapter 3

In chapter 3, Paul talked about letting Christ be revealed in us.  He shows us how to avoid being the seed sown among thorns that Jesus described in the parable of the sower and the seed.  Jesus said this person received the gospel. The person is born again but gets caught up in the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires or lusts of the flesh.  The word of the kingdom of God within him is choked out and he is unfruitful.  He does not experience the love, joy and peace we are meant to inherit.

Colossians 3:1-4 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

We are raised with Christ and we are to seek those things which are above.  How do we do that? We set our minds on who we are in the spirit realm.  We set our minds on Christ living within me.  We died and our life is hidden with Christ in God.  Christ, Who is our life, should appear or be revealed in us now.  This verse is not talking about Jesus coming back in the future.  Jesus is to appear or be revealed in us now and we appear with Him in this glory that is revealed in us.  Praise the Lord!

In the next three passages of chapter 3, we will see that some things we must put to death, some things we must put off, and other things we must put on.  

Colossians 3:5-7 “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.”

God has given all of us a sex drive.  We cannot put this off.  It is part of our physical nature.  We are commanded to abstain from these fleshly desires outside of marriage. Inside the covenant of marriage, we are free to partake of the sexual union with our spouse.    

Ephesians 2:2-3 make it clear that the sons of disobedience are unbelievers.  This verse in Colossians is saying that we as Christians should abstain from sexual immorality that some non-Christians participate in. A very similar passage in Ephesians 5:6-7 speaks of the same thing and Ephesians 5:7 says, “Therefore (you Christians) do not be partakers with them (unbelievers).”

Colossians 3:6 says, “Because of these things (sexual sins) the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.”  The wrath of God discussed here is not talking about some future judgment.  Romans 4:15 says, “because the law brings about wrath…”  This wrath of God that is now coming upon unbelievers takes place now in their souls when they sin.  Romans 2:15, “who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.”  The conscience of unbelievers is either accusing them or excusing them as they sin.  Romans 3:20 says that God’s Old Testament Law was given to bring people to the knowledge of sin.  Romans 2:7-8 “but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath , tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil…”

The wrath of God is revealed in the Old Testament Law.  When they sinned under the Old Testament, they suffered punishment.  The Old Testament Law is supposed to lead us to our need of a Savior.  When it does, we come to the Lord Jesus and receive His mercy and grace.  Then we as Christians are no longer under the Old Testament law.  It has done its work in our lives, showing us we need a Savior.  If we as Christians continue in the Old Testament Law mindset, we experience condemnation in our soul that we are not meant to experience under His grace in the New Testament. 

This also ties this verse Colossians 3:6, back to the verse in Colossians 1:21, “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled...” We were alienated and enemies of God in our mind.  That is where we suffered the wrath of God, in our mind or conscience, before we accepted God’s grace through Jesus.   

Colossians 3:8-11 “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, ¹⁰ and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, ¹¹ where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.”

We are to put off the old man with his deeds and begin to act like the new creation that we have been made in the spirit realm.  God created us in His image in our spirit man, which is a new creation after we are born again.  How do we put off anger and wrath and malice?  We can do this when we see that God has forgiven us of the sins of our entire lifetime.  When we see that God has done that for us, we can begin to do that for others.  

Colossians 3:12- “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. ¹⁴ But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. ¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

Mercy, kindness, meekness, long-suffering and peace are fruits of the Spirit.  When we see how much we are forgiven, we feel love for God, joy and peace.  We are to forgive as Christ forgave us?  How did Christ forgive us?  He paid for the sins of our entire lifetime even before we were born.  His love and forgiveness are unconditional.  We receive that forgiveness when we accept Jesus.  We are to extend that same grace and mercy to those around us.  

Colossians 3:16-17 “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 whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

We are to let the word of Christ in us dwell in us richly.  We must meditate on the truth that Christ lives within us when we are born again.  We must praise God for this fact in our daily lives and let that idea guide our thoughts and actions. 

Colossians 3:18-22 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. ²² Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.”

Paul gave practical guidance for the home.  If men love their wives as Christ loved the church, it will be easy for a woman to submit to her husband.  There should be mutual submission in a marriage, as we recognize the strengths in our spouse.   

Colossians 3:23-25 “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵ But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.”

Notice that reward comes from the Lord.  It does not say that when we do wrong, we will be repaid or punished by the Lord for the wrong we have done.  When we do wrong, we will be repaid by men for the evil or wrong we do, not God.

Keith Oliver