Colossians 3

Written on 05/10/2024

Serving God in your personal holiness:

 

Verses 1-11

  • Verses 1-4. Knowing that your citizenship is in the kingdom of heaven (Philippians 3:20), and that you belong to Christ, focus your thinking on heavenly things.

    • In the Word, study what life is like in in heaven. How does a person live in God's kingdom? Follow those ways.

  • Verses 5-10. But rid yourself of anything that is earthly—which means sinful things in this case. 

    • Sin in your mind, sin in your speech, sin with your body...stop it all. 

    • Sexual immorality, lust, and covetousness are especially dangerous. Remember that coveting is idolatry. If you desire belongings or pleasures that are outside of God's boundaries, you are coveting and making another god for yourself. If you worship the one true God, be content with Him and His gifts!

  • Remember that, as a new creation in Christ, you have already put off your old life (Galatians 5:24). You are not identified as a sinner anymore, so don't live in sin. Keep your mind renewed by growing daily in knowledge of the Word, and you will live well.

    • See teaching on Romans 6, Romans 8, Ephesians 4 for more details on this topic.

 

Serving God in the church:

 

Verses 12-17

  • You are holy, so live holy. In the church...

    • Love and forgive.

    • Be at peace and in unity with your fellow believers.

    • Fill yourself with the Word and let it overflow with joyful and edifying speech. Be thankful in your heart, and your thoughts and words will be sweet to God and to others.

  • Verse 17. To sum it all up, do everything to represent Jesus! Do what Jesus did, and do only what Jesus would do!

 

Serving God in your home-life:

 

Verses 18-21

  • Marriage and family.

    • If you're a wife, focus most on respectfully obeying your husband (1 Peter 3:1-6).

    • If you're a husband, focus most on being selflessly loving and gentle to your wife (1 Peter 3:7).

    • If you're a child, focus most on obeying your parents.

    • If you're a parent, don't willingly anger or frustrate your children. Control your own behavior around them.

  • See Ephesians 5-6 for details on marriage and parenting.

 

Serving God in the world, in your work:

 

Verses 22-24

  • Serve your boss at work, and the company you work for, like you would serve Christ. 

  • Whatever you do, do it to your fullest ability. This is what it means to be diligent and hard-working. 

    • See teaching on Ephesians 6 for more details.

  • Colossians 4:1—If you're an employer, pay your workers fairly.

 

Verse 25

  • Even as believers, the wrong that we do (especially if you know it's wrong) will have a fair recompense from God on judgment day.

    • You can't hide from God, so fear Him in your works!