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Not Carnally But in Christ
When we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and confess Him as our Savior, we must also then confess our sins to God through Jesus. Now we are saved. We have died to our sins and former life, and we are raised with Christ. This lesson in Colossians chapter 3 concentrates on this new life in Christ.
Dead to Sin / Raised with Christ
3 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 NKJV
Being raised with Christ makes all things in our lives new.
New Creations
We ourselves are new creations in Him. You begin to look for and deeply desire those things that are pleasing to God. Things that are holy and righteous and of God are the things you purposely seek. You put your mind on things of heaven and not things of earth. Your old life and former way of behaving are gone and your new life is truly hidden with Christ in God.
Christ Who Is Our Life
I especially love the first few words of verse four, “When Christ Who is our life.”
When Christ becomes your life, nothing remains the same. You truly come to realize that Christ Jesus is your everything.
In addition, you find yourself living on a new plane.
You desire things of God and crave to bring God joy with your life.
Your thoughts are on God and your hope is to please Him in all that you do from now onward.
You want to be with your Lord in your daily walk and for your heavenly eternity in glory.
Eternity Begins Now
One can look upon it with the realization that Eternity begins here and now and stretches to our being with Him in Heaven someday through forever.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5 NKJV
You, believer in Christ, are to put to death your old behavior. It is gone and forgiven. Do not bring it back into your thoughts and lifestyle. Do not feed it. Let your old behavior die.
Let fornication, uncleanness, evil passion, evil desire and covetousness die.
Desiring what is wrong and putting it before God is a form of idolatry. In other words, we put our desires up before God and worship our desires with our time and attention and sin.
Whatever is Wrong is Not of God
Whatever is wrong is not of God and must be let go.
That bears repeating. Wrong must be let go.
If old habits seem hard to break, ask God for help.
Ask God for Help
Sincerely beg Him for help to change desires and behaviors and cling to Him. Turn to no other. God is the answer and the help you need. No one else will bring you what you need. No other program, self-help treatment, way of thinking, or good intentions will do it. Only God will bring change when you ask Him for help and for the infilling of His Holy Spirit to be your Guide and Comforter. Trust God.
You are raised with Christ. Things are new. Live accordingly.
A New Way/ A New Walk
You no longer are to live and walk as you lived and walked before. You are to no longer dwell in sin. Read on:
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, Colossians 3:8-10 NKJV
That was our old, unforgiven life. It was how we once lived, but no longer live.
So, you put off anger, and the evil actions that followed your anger.
In addition, you put off filthy language and never take the name of the Lord in vain again.
Note that if you find it difficult to break this old habit, sincerely ask God to help you.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in you, when you ask God for Him, will help you to think and speak differently.
Ask Him.
It works.
Put Off the Old/ Put On the New
Put away lying to one another. That old person you were is to be put off. Your old deeds are to be put off.
You are putting on the new person you now are.
In addition, you are renewed with the knowledge God gives.
Furthermore, you are growing more and more into the likeness of Christ.
The Character of the New Man
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. 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 3:12-17 NKJV
More Like Jesus
In other words, we are now given to God. We are His. As such, we should be more like Jesus.
Just as members of a family share certain characteristics, so we should now resemble Christ Jesus more and more.
So, put on mercy and kindness. Show such to others.
Likewise, be humble and meek, not boasting and loudly proclaiming your abilities.
Put up with each other and help one another.
Forgive each other. Look at all Christ forgave as your perfect example.
Put On Love
Put on love. It is the perfect thing with which to be united.
Let God’s peace rule our hearts in all we do.
We are called to the body of Christ. We are raised with Christ.
Be thankful.
Let Christ’s teachings and words live in our thoughts and lives.
Then use the wisdom God gives us to deal with others.
Teach and Encourage Others
Teach and encourage others.
Sing praises to God with others with grace in our hearts to Him.
In all we say and in all we do, make sure that everything is done in the name of Jesus.
In other words, is it all pleasing to Christ and as our Lord would have us do or say each thing?
Praise God
Furthermore, give thanks to our dear Father God through Jesus.
What a glorious way to live. God has saved us through Christ and we are now living in ways that are pleasing to God and bring meaning and purpose to our existence. It readies us for Heaven and makes life on earth glorious.
God Is With Us
Lastly, in the midst of trials, persecutions, pain, and difficulties, we have GOD WITH US!! Truly, we are raised with Christ!
Simply love and follow Him, and His JOY will be with us through it all.
Praise God!! Thank You, Lord!!
Lesson Links:
Following are the links to all four Lessons, “Chapter 1 Believers in Christ, Chapter 2 Encouragement, Chapter 3 Raised with Christ, and Chapter 4 Spiritual Prayer.”