Biddeford Church of Christ

You might think I am skipping a verse, since this article is focusing on the role of the father, rather than talking about the importance of children obeying their parents (Colossians 3:20).  But the reason for me doing so is rooted in the statistic from last week, the one that said almost 1 in 4 homes are without a father.  Before I venture into this the topic of fatherhood, let me say thank you to all those moms, especially the single ones who worked, sacrificed, and labored to raise children without a father present.  It must be so difficult!  Understandably so, because the home was never meant to have only one parent, mom or dad.  That said, today we look for God’s guidance in understanding the important role of the father in the home.

It was Billy Graham who said, “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.”  Some research has shown that children raised with an involved father are nearly 40% more likely to earn mostly A’s in school, 45% less likely to repeat a grade, 60% less likely to be expelled or suspended from class, 80% less likely to spend time in jail and 75% less likely to have a teen birth.  So, at the very least we can see just how important the role of an involved father can be to a child.  Although such information is helpful, as Christians, we want to know God’s thoughts on the matter?  Although the words are few in the letter to the church in Colosse, they are truly powerful.

Fathers, do not provoke your children… (Colossians 3:21a)

Because of our society, the temptation is to modify this verse to include mothers.  There are a few translations (Aramaic Bible, Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation) that use the word parents, instead of fathers.  Still, by a large margin, most use the word fathers.  This is not to say that mothers can’t learn from this, because they can.  The fact is though, the Greek word fathers is masculine plural, meaning, it is directed towards the dad.  It is a warning that was real then, and equally real today, “Fathers, do not provoke your children…”  Paul would say almost the exact same thing to the church in Ephesus, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath…” (Ephesians 6:4).  Once again, the masculine plural Greek word is being used.  The first part of this exhortation to fathers is sobering, “…do not provoke your children…”.   The New American Standard says, “do not exasperate,” The ETRV says, “Fathers, don’t upset your children…”  The word provoke (NKJV) comes from a Greek word (nu 2042) meaning to stir up, arouse with anger, irritate, incite.  This same word is found in 2^nd Corinthians 9:2, only there it is used in a positive way. Paul writes, “…for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority.”  So, what is meant by its use in our text today?  The Expositor’s Greek Testament says that it means to “irritate by exacting commands and perpetual faultfinding and interference for interference, sake.”  Still another speaks of “unwise, unloving, parental despotism, exacting, needless chiding” and so on.  Those words, perpetual faultfinding is especially powerful to me.  This might be why the ETRV continues by saying, “If you are too hard to please…”  Ever had a boss too hard to please?  Family member?  Neighbor?  It can be so frustrating, right?  Imagine what it is like for a child.  Maybe you don’t have to imagine at all, for you were once that child.  It has been said that on average a child hears 432 negative comments or words per day verses 32 positive ones.  If that is true, we have work to do as parents, especially us fathers.  But why is this so important?  The Holy Spirit explains with these words.

…lest they become discouraged. (Colossians 3:21b)

Once again, the ETRV says it so simply, “…they might want to stop trying.”  The Greek word translated discouraged means to lose heart, be disheartened, be despondent (i.e., in low spirits from loss of hope or courage).  Have you ever been discouraged?  Crazy question, right?  But what caused it?  In many, if not most situations, it is probably something said to you, in this case, the father.  One person writes, “[I]n other words, his spirit is broken, and since what he does leads to constant blame, he loses hope of ever being able to please.”  Such a setting will often lead a child to wrath (Ephesians 6:4, NKJV).  What about this idea of wrath?  The NIV reads, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children”, leaving out the word wrath or anger.  The majority of translations use the word anger or wrath in this verse.  The question is, why?  It is the Greek word that is used here (nu 3949), which is different from Colossians 3:21.  It means to provoke to anger.    The Amplified Bible reads in part, “do not exasperate them to the point of resentment.”  This may help us to understand that unrelenting provocation will lead a child to some emotional response, and in many cases, it will be anger.  I know this all too well.  Anger begets anger.  Proverbs 22:24-25 in the ETRV, “Don’t be friends with people who become angry easily.  Don’t stay around quick-tempered people.  If you do, you may learn to be like them.  Then you will have the same problems they do.”  Children don’t have this option.  They are a product of their home environment, and it is imperative for the father to nurture his children in a way that encourages and brings hope to the child.  This is evident in how Paul concludes Ephesians 6:4, “…but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”  Fathers, we have work to do!

As I close this article, I feel compelled to make sure that this does not minimize the role of mothers.  The call to parental duty is clearly seen in Deuteronomy 6:6-9 where it says in part, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (v7).  This is the task of both parents.  That said, the Holy Spirit, knowing the unique role the father plays as head of the household, emphasized their role when it comes to their children.  A role that is as important today as it was some two thousand years ago.  Be blessed.

Dennis

If there is any area of work that Satan immerses himself in to cause havoc in this world, it is the home. According to a 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, 15.3 million children, almost 1 in 4 (21%), live without a father in the house. Although not as drastic, some 3.3 million (4.5%) households in the United States are without mothers. Then, I came across another sobering number; that is, there are some 750,000 divorces each year in the United States. I most likely would have been part of these statistics if it were not for Christ. The brokenness that so many have experienced reveals to us that there is a better way.

Last week we ended our lesson with these words, “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 3:17). As we look into our Bibles, most will find a break after this verse, like with mine which has a heading that reads, The Christian Home. It is essential to realize that the break & title do not start a new section; instead, they build on this idea of “Whatever You Do.”  And what the Holy Spirit seeks to do through the apostle Paul emphasizes relationships.

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Colossians 3:18

We struggle with the word submit. It goes well beyond the subject of husband and wife. For example, James 4:7 says, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  Hebrews 13:17, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account.” “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…” (Romans 13:1). The church is to be “subject to Christ” (Ephesians 5:2). As Christians, there is no area of life where this idea of being submissive should not be seen in some way. This relational characteristic, of course, clashes with our “egalitarian” society in many ways. Egalitarianism means relating to or believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities. However, the definition seems reasonable; its broad application tears at the very order of things designed by God from the beginning. This idea of submitting should not make us cringe but instead see the opportunity before us to glorify our Creator. In this case, when a wife submits to her husband, she does so because she is “in the Lord,” Thus, it is the proper (fitting) thing to do. She does so even to a husband who is not in the Lord (1^st Peter 3:1). The world wants people to think that submission, in any form or fashion, is somehow diminishing who they are and depriving them of their rights. To the Christian wife, it is a way to bring honor to her God and help support her husband, and in some cases, guide him to Christ.

Husbands, love your wives, and do not be bitter toward them.

Colossians 3:19

As a Christian husband, I am guilty. Of what you might ask? In the past, my attention has often been highlighting my wife’s need to submit while neglecting to invest time into learning what it means to love my wife. Ephesians 5:25 reveals the depth of love I am to give to my wife: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”  One commentator writes, “The love of Christ for His Church is such that He counts Himself incomplete without her, and raises her to be one with Himself; that He bears with her weakness and frailty; that He draws her on by the cords of love; and that He gives up Himself for her.”  The picture is beautiful and humbling. Then, there is the appeal to “not be bitter towards them.”  The ETRV says, “Husbands…be gentle to them.”  The NIV says, “Husbands…do not be harsh with them.”  One commentator writes, “Many who are polite abroad are rude and bitter at home because they are not afraid to be so there.”  My heart ached when I read those words, for they described who I was at one time in our marriage. God has worked on this broken man over the years, and by His unfailing love, I know this no longer describes me. That said, transformation is not complete, for I still have things to learn about what it means to love my wife. So, this request is as real today, even after 42 years of marriage.

As I close this article, it reminds me of the need for us to build our marriages on God’s design and be willing to learn what it means to be a husband and wife. The husband seeks to understand the depths of God’s love for the church as seen through the offering of His Son. Sacrifice! It is at the core of our care for our wives. We constantly seek to be gentle with them, knowing that part of our care is to concern ourselves with their emotional well-being. Wives, likewise, endeavor to understand their God-given role as the submissive partner, knowing that it is pleasing to their Lord. Make this your desire for a couple reasons; either to help win their husband over to Christ or to help their Christian husband as he seeks to guide his family. This relationship is God’s will for the marriage.

One final thought that I believe is critical in this journey called marriage. In the Christian home, seldom will either husband or wife claim that they have arrived regarding these exhortations. We are imperfect people and must offer the same grace to our spouse Christ gives to us as we seek to grow in His likeness. That said, may we earnestly commit ourselves to become the best husband and wife we can be. Why? Because the world is watching. Our kids are learning. And our spouses deserve it.  Our Lord beckons us, saying, “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 3:17). Be blessed.

Dennis

As our journey moves forward in our study of Colossians, it is necessary to be reminded of the word “therefore” found in chapter 3:12. I cannot overemphasize enough how important these words are to those in Christ, as the Holy Spirit guided Paul to write, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved….”  What we understand ourselves to be, through Christ, is at the very core of transformation!  Thus, trusting in what God has made us be, we earnestly endeavor to become like Him in every area of our lives.  We should be able to look in the mirror with an honest heart and admit where change is needed. Then seek the Lord for strength to enable change to take place.  At the same time, with humility, we should be able to look in that same mirror and see where God’s transformation has already been working in us to the glory of His name.

Last week, our focus was on the final piece of garment that can help us weather the storms of life. It is called LOVE.  God reminded us that without it, anything we do for the Lord is unprofitable to all in the long run (1st Cor. 13:1-4).  Love drives the very redemptive plan we hold so dearly, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” (John 3:16).  And it is by that very redemptive act that we can begin to grasp love’s depths, “By this, we know love because He laid down His life for us” (1st Jn 3:16).  The fact that love was the final piece of clothing we are to put on should not surprise us; but instead, inspire us to be like our Savior.

In the last lesson, we ended with an appeal.  An appeal that is achieved, at least partly, by our willingness to clothe ourselves. We dress with what God deems most important (3:12), which in turn empowers us to bear “with one another” and forgive another (3:13). What Christ has done for us, we, in turn, extend to those around us, especially those who are in Christ.  The result is a peace that can rule our hearts, and it is all because of God. With this in mind, God encourages His holy children even further.

“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 the grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Colossians 3:16

Once again, I wish to share the simplicity of the ETRV, “Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly.”  Let’s define a couple of words before we go too far.  First, “word” (logos)  means something said; by implication, a topic, reasoning, or motive,  Next is the word “dwell” which means settled in.  Finally, the word “richly” which amplifies the other two words we just defined.  It can also be translated abundantly.  Barnes writes, “The meaning is that they were to lay up the doctrines of the gospel in their hearts, to meditate upon them; to allow them to be their guide, and to endeavor wisely to improve them to the best purpose.”   Can you see this idea of transformation? Okay, why?  Is it simply so I can change?  The answer is simple, no.  God wants to use me to help in the process of transforming others.  One of the ways that we facilitate this is through song.  Do you like to sing?  I remember years ago when Mildred and Annie used to be part of our church family.  Neither could carry a tune, let alone keep up with the song leader.  But nothing warmed my heart as much as their genuine praise of their God and Savior.  I could tell you that research has shown multiple benefits of music, which I believe is acappella singing in this instance, but God has already given us a reason.  First, a song can help teach us; that is, direct us.  Second, singing provides an opportunity for the church to admonish one another; that is, to warn, counsel, and encourage. Our songs should be “imbued with truth, and to be such as to elevate the mind, and withdraw it from error and sin” (Barnes).  Finally, Paul exhorts, let your singing be “with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  As much as our singing has a horizontal impact, let us never lose sight of its vertical intent.   It is the Lord whom we praise!  He is the reason for singing in the first place. Okay, one final thought for today.

“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 3:17

Please take a moment to reflect on all we have covered over the last few weeks. Knowing we have been raised with Christ and made His elect, holy and beloved, we endeavor in the task of putting to death various things while simultaneously putting off other things. At the same time, we seek to be clothed in His likeness, with the last piece of apparel being love “which is the bond of perfection” (3:14).  Then, as we come to worship our Lord, we lift praises to Him who deserves all glory and honor in song while knowing that those songs can help us all in our transformation process.  Such transformation is not to be confined to just our time of worship together. As one commentator writes, “The principle of correspondence between the outward act and the inner life-giving word should be evident in the total life of the Christian.”  Jesus said it simply, “In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16, ETRV).  The life we live now, should be pointing to the One that is the giver of life.

I end with this simple fact.  There is so much for us to be thankful for in Christ.  The redemption we have through Him, the Word that guides us to become more like Him in all we do!  The church of which we all are a part of if we are in Christ.  And regardless of how imperfect the church may be, it is here to help us in our transformation process. Thank You, Lord, for these things and so much more! You are worthy of our praise.       

Dennis

Of all the things we have considered from the letter to the Colossian church, these last couple lessons resonate the most to me.  With Christ as my Savior and with my hope resting in Him, my attention now shifts to those things above (3:1, 2).  With the strength that only He can provide (Philippians 4:13), the often-arduous task of putting “to death” my “members which are on the earth” (3:5) along with earnestly seeking to “put off” (3:8) “the old man with his deeds” (3:9) is what the Lord beacons me to pursue.   As challenging as that may be, He invites me to go even further.  He calls me to replace those tainted garments by putting “on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (3:10)  This caused me to think about these words from Ephesians 4:24 concerning the new man Christ has made me to be, “…put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”  I have been made “in true righteousness and holiness”!  Once again, I am reminded about who I have become in Christ; that is, “the elect of God, holy and beloved” (3:12).  Considering what Christ has done and made possible, how could I not seek after the garments that best represent who He is and who He so desperately wants me to become to the glory of His name and the furthering of His church?

Once again, our thoughts go back to the preparations needed for the storms of life which we will face as we journey homeward.  Committed now to cloth ourselves with “tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness and longsuffering” (3:12), knowing this is what our Savior desires.  These attributes, pieces of garment if you will, help us to help each other, for we do not weather these storms alone.  They enable us to bear “with one another” as well as “forgive one another” (3:13).  To this point, using the analogy of winter clothes from last week, we see the various layers that are now on: long johns, snow pants, winter hat and shirt with gloves at the ready.  But there is one final piece of clothing that matters most, for it completes the apparel needed to protect us from the elements.  Listen as the Holy Spirit invites us to endeavor to put on this final piece of clothing.

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

Colossians 3:14

Once again, the simplicity of the ETRV grabs my attention, “Together with these things, the most important part of your new life is to love each other.  Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity.”  As one person writes, love is the “source from whence they flow.”   You see, all these attributes we have considered already, are ineffective without love.  In 1^st Corinthians 13, Paul writes of those who could “speak with the tongues of men and angels”, others having “the gift of prophecy”, a faith that could move mountains, and a willingness to “bestow all my goods to feed the poor”, even sacrificing my body.  Much like the attributes we have considered, these are well and good, but if they are not driven by love, they are nothing but noise that amounts to nothing (1^st Corinthians 13:1-3).  Paul uses similar language when talking about the “armor of God” in Ephesians 6:10-17, saying, “above all, taking the shield of faith with which, you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:11, 16).  The shield of faith completed the armor, just like love completes the apparel needed to weather the storms of life.  Without love, all the other things will fail to provide the needed protection, for they are themselves the product of love.  The importance of love is realized in the words “bond of perfection.”  The NIV reads, “…which binds them all together in perfect unity.”  The word bond means a joint tie, i.e. ligament, uniting principle, control.  Barnes writes, “The bond of all perfection; the thing which will unite all other things, and make them complete…”.   It should be noted that there is some question to what is meant by “the bond of perfection.”  Is love the thing that bonds these Christian traits together, or is it what binds all Christians together?  I believe it could be both, as one commentator writes, “When love binds Christians together, the ideal of Christian perfection is attained.”

As I close this article, I think of the very next verse, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful” (Colossians 3:15).  Is it possible for peace to rule our hearts without tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness and longsuffering?  Is it possible for peace to reside in the hearts of the unforgiving?  Is it possible to have peace without the love of Christ guiding my steps?  Those are all rhetorical question, I know.  When I am reminded of what Christ has done for me, who He has made me to be and what He is willing to do to transform this man that I am into something so fulfilling, how can I not be thankful.  Thank You Lord for Your love and constant patience.  Help me to be like You.

Dennis

Do you find it easy to find flaws in yourself? Once again, looking in the mirror is not always easy. But, when we see genuine change and spiritual growth, we can be inspired to keep going. It is crucial in this transformation process to “put on” some of those things mentioned by Paul, so when we look in that mirror, we see God working in our lives. Your translation may read, “clothe yourselves.”  Think of it as though you are ready to go out on a stormy, wintery day. Your first layer of clothing is tender mercies or compassion. One person writes, “All altruism springs from putting yourself in the other person’s place.”  Altruism is the unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others. (cf. Philippians 2:3). Mercy is critical to the Christian’s walk. Rick Warren writes, “God’s mercy to us is the motivation for showing mercy to others.”   The prophet Micah taught long ago about the need for God’s people to “love mercy” (Micah 6:8). One layer is not enough, for the storm is raging; kindness is also necessary. This “kindness” is a “useful kindness,” meeting genuine needs in God’s way and timing. Paul taught the church in Galatia that “as we have opportunity, let us do good to all” (Galatians 6:10). When you reach for humility or lowliness of mind: that character trait helps promote those things just mentioned. We must be willing to serve whoever and wherever they may find themselves. You put on meekness or gentleness as though they are but one piece of the same garment. One person writes, “Under whatever injuries or provocations you may receive, always restraining you from returning evil for evil, railing for railing, and from resenting any injury that may be done to you.”  Although not the end of all the clothing needed to weather the storm, the next one may seem most challenging; it is longsuffering or patience. Someone has said, “Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.”  If I am going to weather the storm, bring glory to Him in my life, and be a light to those around me, I need to ask God to help me get ready and replace all those pieces of garments I have decided to put off with those He invites me to wear. With these on, I am prepared to weather the storm.

“…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.”

Colossians 3:13

The raging storm in life often connects to relationships with co-workers, neighbors, friends, family, and our brothers and sisters in Christ. All the virtues listed previously are critical aspects of our Christian garment we are to put on with God’s help that can empower us to nurture and grow in our relationships. These set the stage for us to weather the storms of life. First, with these articles of clothing on, we bear with one another; that is, to endure, have patience with, suffer, and persist. Paul says the same to the church in Ephesus (cf. Ephesians 4:2).  Taking it one step further, he calls on them to forgive one another. An interesting thought as I considered this: There is no freedom for me outside God’s forgiveness. Likewise, I have no freedom if I do not forgive others. The absence of forgiveness shackles us to something, either our sins or the sins of others. I agree that forgiveness is, at times, easier said than done. Still, it is possible (cf. Philippians 4:13).  Taking one step further, I believe it is critical to live in Christ (cf. Matthew 6:15). And one of the most vital steps to take to find this freedom is the cross of Christ. Remembering what Christ has done for me, who He has made me be (His elect, holy and beloved), will empower me to weather the storm of hurts and disappointments so often experienced in all life relationships.

Although the next verse is vital to this train of thought, I will save it for the next lesson. We can see how Paul seeks to equip these early Christians, preparing them for the battles they will encounter. This readiness involves the idea of putting off and the idea of putting on. We, like them, also need to put off some old articles of clothing and endeavor to put on new ones. The call is straightforward, be who you are! Know you are the elect of God, a people He has set apart from the world, and a people He loves so very much. With this in mind, we, too, ready ourselves for the inevitable storms of life.

Help us, Lord, to humbly place ourselves before You so we can see those garments that need removing. And in those moments of vulnerability, may we be reminded of who You have made us to be, and in so doing, enthusiastically pursue those virtues that resemble our Savior and Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Dennis

As we saw last week, spirituality is not void of effort. Those who have come to know Christ and have embraced the “circumcision of Christ” and were “made alive together with Him.” (Colossians 2:11-13) have a God given task before them.  Something we are responsible to endeavor in as followers of Christ.  Part of that responsibility is a conscious choice of what to seek after and set our minds on. The word “resolved” is appropriate to describe what God was teaching those early Christians in Colosse when Paul penned Colossians 3:1-4. To be resolved is to be determined, committed, or to make up one’s mind about something. Abraham Lincoln wrote, “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”  For those who are in Christ, what defines success?  We already have salvation!  It seems that Paul is about to say that success in life on earth involves transformation. And transformation is measured by how much I reflect Christ in my life.  So, in order to succeed in this endeavor, I need to make up my mind about things in my life.

“Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth.”

Colossians 3:5

Remember that “you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Being convinced about the hope you have in Christ, and with your focus on “things above,” there is work that we need to do.  The idea of “put to death” is translated as “So put everything evil out of your life” in the ETRV. We might get confused; Paul seems to emphasize some kind of asceticism, which he argued against in Colossians 2:20-23.  His point is relatively simple and expressed well by one commentator who wrote, “Be what you are!”  As they made up their minds to be a follower of Christ, putting their faith and hope in Him, continue to do so by being resolute in being like Him here on earth.  Though saved, they still lived in a broken world and in these fleshly bodies.  So that means they could quickly become distracted, even entangled in sinful things if not careful.  What things?  Paul lists some of those things: “fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5) which they were to put to death. Why? Consider what Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus. He said, “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints” (Ephesians 5:3).  The ETRV says in part, “…because such things are not right for God’s holy people.”  That conduct did not fit what they claimed to be true through faith!  Christ made them saints, so their objective is to act like one. Those things “which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them” (Colossians 3:7) will no longer define who they were in Christ.

“But now you yourselves are to put off…”

Colossians 3:8

This idea to “put off” means to lay off or aside, renounce, stow away, put. The word renounce stands out in a powerful way to me personally.  About a year and a half ago, I decided to stop drinking soda: I renounced it so to speak.  Since then, I have primarily done that very thing.  But I would be lying if I said my resolution was easy.  Being tempted as people around me would drink it.  Then, there is my desire for soda that has made the endeavor challenging. So, I wonder, is this sort of what he is teaching them?  As one commentator puts it, Paul is exhorting them to “put off all those old habits, just as you would discard an outworn suit of clothes which no longer fitted you.”  What exactly were they to put off?  Consider once again the ETRV, “But now put these things out of your life: anger, losing your temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and saying shameful things.”  Remember, “you have put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:9).  They had made the decision to no longer live this way, having “put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Colossians 3:10).  So, they were to continue to be resolved to be like Him as they journeyed homeward.

I like how one commentator put it, “The Christians, incorporated into the new humanity-into Christ-at baptism, is not urged by Paul to become a new creation by virtue of moral conduct.  Rather, as Paul has previously argued, the Christian is encouraged to conform or change his life to embody his condition as a new creation.”  Like what was earlier said, be what you are! To succeed in this endeavor called transformation and to become more like the Savior, we have come to love because He first loved us, we need to dialy choose to seek and set our minds on the things above and resolve ourselves to put to death and put off those things from our former way of life. They no longer define us; Christ does! And remember, “Christ is all and in all” (Colossians 3:11).  Without Christ, none of this really matters.       

Dennis

In our study through Colossians, we pick up in chapter 2, verse 20, where Paul writes, “Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations…?”  When we make these kinds of regulations the end all regarding spirituality, these external obligations leave us void of hope because such rules only reveal our inability to “be spiritual” on our own.  Paul makes this clear in Colossians 2:23, “But they [those regulations of the old law] don’t help people to stop doing the evil that the sinful self wants to do.”  This concept is what Paul was trying to explain in Romans 7:8 when he wrote, “But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire.” He would go on to say, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find” (Romans 7:18).  If you are seeking to gain a real, genuine relationship with God, to become the authentic spiritual person God wants you to be, you must look elsewhere than self.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above,

where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.”

Colossians 3:1

“If you died with Christ?” (2:20).  “If then you were raised with Christ?” (3:1).  Paul does not intend to cause doubt with these questions, but instead, reminds them of what happened when they placed their faith in Christ’s redemptive work.  Remember, he just spoke of how they “were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12).  Thus, don’t seek anew those things that once held you captive; rather, pursue those things which are above.  The word “seek” (nu 2212) means to search for, desire, require, demand.  It is the same word used in Matthew 6:33, where Jesus encourages His disciples to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”  This endeavor to seek is rooted in their belief in where Christ now reigns. What a profound question for the Christian! Where does Christ reign? F.F. Bruce writes, “Their life is the life of Christ, maintained in being by him at God’s right hand and shared by him with all his people.”  He also says, “Their interests must therefore be his interests.”  Desire what interests Him! Search for those things that are of Him!

“Set your mind on things above, not on things on earth.”

Colossians 3:2

Remember, Paul is urging these young Christians not to get entangled in the “commandments and doctrine of men” (Colossians 2:22).  Those things rob them of their liberty in Christ.  Instead, he says, “set your minds on things above.”  The ETRV says, “Think only about what is up there…”.  The word set (nu 5426) means I direct the mind to.  It is so easy to get distracted in life.  Where the things of this world preoccupy our minds to the point where all other things get push to the side, even Christ.  Setting our minds on Christ, on those things above, is a purposed act.  Paul writes to those in Corinth, “So we think about what we cannot see, not what we see.  What we see lasts only a short time, and what we cannot see will last forever” (ETRV, 2nd Corinthians 4:18).  Do you see the intent?  What direction were they being encouraged to go by the Jewish philosophers?  It was own their own efforts!  It certainly wasn’t toward Christ!  F.F. Bruce writes, “Aim then at what is above…set your minds on that and let it give character to your outlook on everything.”  He goes on to say, “Don’t let your ambitions be earthbound, set on transitory and inferior objects.”  When we filter our ambitions through our risen Savior, we glorify Him, and transform into His likeness.

Why is this to be the goal of those who are in Christ?  Why seek and set our minds after those things which are above?  Simple, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Those external and earthly things of the old law and the human philosophy appear to be spiritual (Colossians 2:22-23) but are void of any transformative change; instead, they only imprison you once again.  The life you now have is because of Christ.  And because of this, you have this promise, “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4).  The ETRV says, “Yes, Christ is now your life, and when he comes again, you will share in his glory.”  There is no better reason to seek those things above and set our minds on them.  Because of Him, it will all be worth it.

Dennis

Throughout history, many people have written books about the heroes of war. They wrote stories about individuals who gave their all, even to the point of death, to save someone else or alter the battlefield conditions. Desmond Doss was a “consciousness objector” who saved between 50 and 100 soldiers in World War II at the Battle of Okinawa as a medic. A woman named Deborah Sampson disguised herself to look like a man so she could fight in the Revolutionary war. History paints with favor those who have done extraordinary things to fend off the enemy and protect freedom. Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Walter Hitchcock is the one who some believe coined the phrase, “Freedom is not free.”  Our freedom has always come at a price.

Our journey through Colossians has drawn our attention back to Christ, to His completed work on the cross. Paul wrote of those rules that were empty in their ability to free us: “He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). Do you think of the cross much when it comes to your freedom? In our midweek study of Mark, we have come to the section where Jesus reveals the cost of freedom with all its uncomfortable details. It is often called the Passion of Christ. The word passion comes from a Latin word, passio, which means suffering. So today, I want to deviate from our journey through Colossians, returning to it next week. Today, I want us to consider Christ’s Passion.

“All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night.…”

Matthew 26:31

Just moments earlier, Jesus spoke of His betrayer, Judas (vs. 23-25). Yet He knows that all his disciples will betray Him in some form that very night. Although Peter spoke up at first, saying, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will NEVER [my emphasis] be made to stumble” (v33). But he was not the only one to make such a claim; as we see in v35, “Peter said to Him, ‘Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!’  And so said all the disciples.”  As the story goes, the betrayer comes along with a great multitude, seemingly ready to take Jesus by force. After that, we know what happens, “Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled” (Matthew 26:56). Peter, though, is following Him at a distance when the unthinkable happens; he denies Jesus three times. I can only imagine what went through his mind when he heard that rooster crow. Psalm 118:22, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.”  The Passion begins with the rejection of His disciples.

“Then he released Barabbas to them, and when he had

scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.”

Matthew 27:26

The rejection amplified when His people were willing to crucify Him, an innocent man, and release a murderer. As Jesus drew closer to the cross, sinful man’s redemption drew closer to being paid. But before the cross, the brutality of wicked men and the unimaginable cost of redemption unfolds further. The Romans scrouged Him, or as your translation might say, flogged and violently whipped Him to the brink of death. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes, we are healed” (Note also 1^st Peter 2:24). If that were not enough, He would face even more abuse. There is a possibility that Jesus met this kind of abuse twice because Luke’s account places this before He goes before Pilate, while the other gospels have it after. Whatever it was, it was horrific! They beat Him, spat upon Him, placed a crown of thorns on His head, and mocked Him.  Then, if that weren’t enough, they struck Him on the head with a reed, a staff (Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; Luke 22:63-65).   I know how uncomfortable this story is, and knowing that He did this for me makes it even harder to imagine. But close your eyes. See the Passion of our Savior as He brings redemption ever closer to us all.

“So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’

And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”

John 19:30

The climactic moment of His Passion was His death on the cross. The prophet Isaiah wrote long before this would happen, “Because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). “Then they crucified Him…” writes Matthew (Matthew 27:35). His battered and mangled body was now nailed to a cross to hang in humiliation. Yet in this moment of excruciating pain, His musters the strength to say, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). The innocent seeking the redemption of the fallen. The words “It is finished” that Jesus spoke, meant that his death paid the price to redeem sinful man! “‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’  Having said this, He breathed His last” (Luke 23:46).

I know there is more to the story, and we have reason to rejoice because of the empty tomb. But today, I wanted to reflect on the cost of freedom and the true heroism of Jesus Christ. What we could never do within ourselves, no matter how hard we try, is earn back freedom from the wages of sin. “He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). There was, is, and always will be only one way to true everlasting freedom through our faith in His Passion.

Dennis

As I prepared for this article, the often quoted saying echoed in many a conversation today comes to mind, “Don’t judge me.”  So it is with the first few words of our text today, “So let no one judge you…” (Colossians 2:16).  Before I can develop the thought of what the Holy Spirit is trying to say here, it is important to understand what it is not saying; that is, you can’t judge someone.  In 1^st Corinthians 5:12 the church was asked, “Do you not judge those who are inside?”  That is a rhetorical question.  “If your brother sins against you,” Jesus said, “go and tell him his fault.”  The often-misused text where Jesus says, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1) sought not to band judging altogether; but rather, to stop hypocritical judgment.  The very fact that Paul is exhorting these early Christians in Colosse to fight against Jewish philosophy that sought to shackle them to the old law demanded judgment (i.e., discernment).  And the reason for this wise, God centered judgment, is that their liberty was at stake.  Simply put, don’t let these Jewish influences rob you of the freedom you have in Christ.

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or

sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Colossians 2:16-17

If we are to understand what is being cautioned here by Paul, we need to keep it in its setting; that is, this ascetic Jewish heresy being promoted.  By ascetic (asceticism) I mean suggesting the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.  As one commentator writes, these restrictions which Paul mentions have a “distinctive Jewish flavor” to them.  Not only were they being influenced to be physically circumcised, but they were also being lured into thinking that certain days (i.e., festivals) and foods matter.  The ETRV translates the first part of this verse, “So don’t let anyone make rules for you about…”.  Don’t let these so-called religious elites impose on you, requirements that have nothing to do with your liberty in Christ and the redemption that is now yours.  We know that Jesus, as He taught during His ministry, declared all foods to be pure (Mark 7:19).  In Romans 14 the church in Rome was exhorted not to judge one another concerning the eating of meat.  The emphasis was that they “not look down” on one another (Romans 14:3).  Similarly, in 1^st Corinthians 8, Paul cautions them with these words, “But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak” (1^st Corinthians 8:9).  Don’t go there!  F.F. Bruce writes, “…all such matters belonged to a transitory order.”  The writer of Hebrews say, “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things” (10:1).  At best, these things are a shadow; that is, they are not reality, what they have in Christ is their reality.

Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels,

intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind…

Colossians 2:18

You may remember I ask the following question some time back, “Have you ever been cheated?”  One translation uses the word disqualify.  It means to defraud.  One commentator writes, Paul is not “implying that the Colossians will be disqualified by following the false teaching, the more probable meaning is that Paul’s readers should not accord anyone the status of judge or umpire in the first place.”  Those food and drink issues, along with those special “days” mentioned earlier, were most likely being used in an attempt to make these young Christians feel less spiritual, as though they lacked something.  Don’t let them dissuade you of your confidence in Christ!  Instead, recognize them for who they are.  Paul then exposes who these ascetic Jewish philosophers really are, and he does not mix words.  They are project false humility and engage in angel worship.  They are puffed up; that is, they inflate themselves.  Humility is not a badge of honor; but rather, a characteristic of a Christ centered life, something we are to dress ourselves with (1^st Peter 5:5, NLT).  God actually opposes the proud (James 4:6).  Angel worship…well. There is only One who is to be worshipped.  Jesus taught, “You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4:10).  See them for who they really are!

…and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and

knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

Colossians 2:19

What was the problem with these ascetic Jewish philosophers?  Simple!  They were not focused on Christ, who is the Head.  “Christ is the source of the life and energy of the body, the church,” writes Michael Weed.  He is the One who furnishes the church and holds it together, uniting us under one Head.  It is because of Him and through Him that they have their being as Christians.  Holding fast to Him, God will bring about the increase.  Let us likewise have our focus be on Him and the hope that comes through Him alone.  Why?  Because He is the head of the church! (Colossians 1:18). In Him redemption is found, His church is nourished and grow takes place.

Dennis

All of us have experienced some form of debt in this physical world: debt on a car, house, school loan, and the list could go on. Some debts can seem never-ending for those stuck on a high-interest credit card. As I was preparing to write this article, I found a story about a young boy who lost the key to his father’s house. His father had to change all the locks on the house and told his son he would need to pay his dad back. The boy was only 10 or 11 years old, so there was no job to provide income to pay it back: he would have to settle the debt through chores. With a ledger on the house door, the young boy worked, and his father would access its value, marking it off on the ledger. To the young boy, it seemed he would never get it paid off. Then one day, the boy checked the ledger, only to find it marked “Paid in Full.”  When he asked his father about it, his father said, “I forgive you of your debt.”  At its very core, the word of God is a message about a profound debt owed by sinful man. A debt that was impossible to be paid by the debtor, yet still given a chance to become debt-free.   Here, we pick up as Paul seeks to remind the young Christians in Colosse about their debt that Christ paid IN FULL.

“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….”

Colossians 2:13

Do you think the following is true, “You can’t truly cherish what you have without remembering where you once were”? This idea is Paul’s point as he continues encouraging these believers about what they have in Christ. They were once DEAD! Not physically, of course, but spiritually. It was all caused by a false step, which is what the word translated trespasses means. The idea of “the uncircumcision of your flesh” indicates that these are likely Gentiles. The Jews around them made them think they needed to be physically circumcised. The fact was, before Christ, they “were spiritually and morally dead in your earlier pagan days” (F.F. Bruce). This spiritual truth crosses all boundaries. To the church in Ephesus, Paul spoke of how they were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). All are guilty of it (Romans 3:23). All deserve punishment (Romans 6:23). Physical circumcision will not change any of this. What will? Christ! For it is He who has made you alive again. Galatians 6:15, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.”  The ETRV reads in part, “The only thing that matters is this new life we have from God.”  Those trespasses that shackled them, “God has overcome this barrier” through Christ by ushering in the chance of forgiveness. You are pardoned!

“.…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.”

Colossians 2:14

What is the “handwriting of requirements,” or as the NIV says, “…the written code, with its regulations”? Think of it as an I.O.U. Most believe this is referring to the Mosaic Law. Yet Paul clarifies to the Gentiles that this “was against us”; that is, Jew and Gentile alike. The law’s intention was not to solve the sin problem but to “bring us to Christ” (Galatians 3:24). Christ had taken it out of the way when He went to the cross. Christ “bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed” (1st Peter 2:24).

I end this article with v15, and for a good reason. Paul writes, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15). The debt that held them prisoner and the law that proved impossible to pay resolved itself with Christ’s death on the cross. He has made you alive! He has forgiven you of ALL your trespasses! The cross that seemed weak and defeated enables us to confidently walk with the only One to triumph over it all, Christ.

Dennis