Studies in Colossians September 27, 2023
Session 4


UNITED WITH CHRIST AND FREE FROM MAN’S JUDGEMENT

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. Colossians 2:11-15).


THE GREAT PARADOX

· We have been delivered from the power of sin. However, we still struggle with sin and its effects.
o Have we truly been delivered from sin?
o Are we simply actors who choose good conduct in our own strength?

· Jesus came to save us from our sin and to help us to deal with our sinful nature.
o St. Augustine – inherited sin nature, passed on through the seed of man.

· Sin’s penalty is removed, but our sinful nature is not yet eliminated. This reality is demonstrated in Romans chapters 6 through 8.

· Christ will ultimately vanquish sin and death itself. (I Corinthians 15:54)
o The “here and not yet” reality of the kingdom
o We will finally be completely delivered from the effects and force of our sin nature.
o Paul’s teaching emphasizes that outside of Christ we are virtually helpless against sin. We are otherwise completely enslaved to it.

· We are no longer slaves to sin and its vices.
o This is the clear emphasis of New Testament teaching.
o In Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin and its vices.
o Yet, we still sin, which demonstrates we still have a sinful nature.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (I John 1: 8-10)


WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE WITH A RESURRECTION CONSCIOUSNESS.

· Consider yourself in light of the finished work of Christ!


· Spiritual circumcision – We are no longer slaves to an inherited sin nature. (v.11)
o We are no longer captivated by our fleshly desires. (2:11)

· Baptism illustrates our union with Christ. (2:12-13)
o “Co-buried” with Him in baptism
§We have died to the bondage of sin and its master, Satan.
o “Co-raised” to newness of life
§The Spirit empowers us to live a life that imitates Christ.

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.7 For one who has died has been set freefrom sin. (Romans 6:1-6)

· He has cleared our record of wrongdoings. (2:14)
o “the record of debt” – a written record of indebtedness
o The Roman practice of written charges hung above the condemned.
§He has literally nailed our sins to the cross.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

· He completely vanquished principalities, powers, and the kingdom of darkness. (2:15)
o Colossians would have understood that they no longer had to fear, acknowledge, and make any appeals to them.
o “having stripped” principalities and powers
o Roman parades – the conquered king and surviving warriors were made naked spectacles in a military procession.


PAUL CONDEMS JEWISH LEGALISM, MYSTICISM, AND ACETICISM.

· “Stop allowing anyone to judge you” regarding kosher laws, feast days, Sabbath observances, and holy days. (2:16)
o Don’t allow their opinions and teachings to carry weight.
o We should remember the very first church council in Acts 15.
o We still have modern day Judaizers who trouble and confuse believers.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexualimmorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. (Acts 15:28, 29)

· Metaphor – These observances are mere SHADOWS. Christ in you is the SUBSTANCE.(2:17)

· Let no one “keep cheating you of your prize.” (2:18)
o Delighting in false humility via ascetic practices.
o Angel worship – “pushing into things he has not seen”

· “not holding fast to the head” – spiritual growth and increase comes through Christ’s supply alone (v.19)

· Ascetic observances have neither temporal nor eternal value. (2:20-23)

· Asceticism has no effectual power against the sensual desires of the flesh. (v.23)
o The Holy Spirit alone empowers us to live righteously.


PROPERLY FOCUS AND CHANNEL YOUR AFFECTIONS.

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. (Colossians 3:1-4)

· Set your sight on the true prize! (3:1)
o Paul contrasts being earthly minded with being heavenly minded.
o Being earthly minded equals observing rituals and ascetic practices.
o Don’t focus on external rituals, focus on internal disciplines and affections!

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.8 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. (Colossians 3:5-11)


PUT OFF THE OLD SELF IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT.

· The Christian life was never intended to be lived in “auto-pilot.” (v.5)
o “Put to death”– in the strongest terms. Paul encourages the Colossians to make a resolute, decisive break with the past.
o The indwelling Holy Spirit’s power is implied here.
§The Lord does not leave us to our own devices.

· Putting off the sin nature requires cooperation with the Spirit, discipline, effort, and abiding in Christ.

· He never commands obedience without granting the corresponding grace to comply.

· Paul reminds the Colossians of walking in sexual purity. (3:5)
o God has always made demands on the sexual fidelity of his people.
o Fornication – porneia – general sexual immorality
o Uncleanness- lustful impurity
o Passion – inordinate affection – excessive, like a river overflowing is boundaries
o Evil desire
o Covetousness – This is likely a reference to the 9th commandment – “Do not covet your neighbor’s wife.”

· Paul also includes sins of the attitude and speech. (3:8-9)
o “Put off” is a term referring to a person changing old clothes.
§We must change out of our “grave clothes” into his robe of righteousness.
o Anger – a habitual disposition of anger
o Wrath – sudden outbursts of anger
o Malice – an attitude of ill-will towards someone
o Blasphemy – to malign somebody, impugn their character through gossip.
o Filthy communication – obscene language
o Lying


PUT ON THE NEW MAN.

· Discard the old and put on the new. (3:10)
o “put off” the old self with its practices
o “put on” the new self

· Renewed in knowledge according to the Creator’s image.
o Present participle– “the new man who is [constantly in the process] of being renewed.”
o The Creator’s image includes all of humanity. (v.11)
o Jesus binds all believers together equally.
§How do we value fellow image bearers when no one sees?

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. (3:12-14)

· We are not “put-ons.” We have the fruit of the Spirit. (v.12)
o We don’t simply display the fake fruit of acceptable behavior.
o CLOTH YOURSELF in the Spirit’s provision!
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
o Tender mercies – “bowels of compassion”
o Kindness
§Kindness is a command! (Ephesians 4:32)
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)
o Humility – “humility of mind” – sober minded, a proper estimation of oneself
o Meekness – power under control
o Longsuffering
§“long tempered” able to put up with people who provoke you
§Not retaliating and getting angry quickly
o Bearing with one another – “to hold back”
o Forgiving one another

· Love unites our hearts and all spiritual virtues. (v.14)
o Love is the “bond of perfection.”

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be 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 whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:15-17)

· Let the peace of God “rule” in your hearts. (v.15)
o Peace as the umpire
o Walking in love requires this exercise.
o This truth highlights the importance of unity.

· Let the word of Christ dwell richly. (3:16)

· Practical ways of letting his word dwell richly in us:
o It begins with humility and prayer for the Holy Spirit’s illumination and understanding.
o Ruminate and meditate upon the scriptures. (Joshua 1:8-9)
o Praying the scriptures
o Abiding in Christ through the consistent exposure to his word. (John 15:7-8)
o Diligent study (2 Timothy 2:15)
o Obedience to the word