cg recap/summary (2)

Pursuit of Holiness - Instructions for Holy Living

Passage: Col 3:1-17

Putting the verses into context:
- Paul is writing to the Christians at Colosse- whom he personally has never met; it is most likely Epaphras who founded the church there. (1:7)

- Paul addresses the Colossian's problem in this letter: they were mixing and matching truths of Christ with ideas and practices from the surrounding non-Christian culture.

- Paul establishes that Christ alone is Lord and that He is supreme over all: argues against the idea of pluralism.

- Paul shows that Christ makes and should make a profound difference in the lives of his followers.

Chapter 1 Overview:
- Paul begins his letter with greetings and with thanksgiving for their faith, and for their love and joy and other evidence that these people have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and have been radically transformed. (1:3-6)

- To the first-century Christians, becoming a Christian meant a radical transformation, resulting from an understanding of their change from death to life. This was evident in these Colossian Christians.

- Paul then goes onto explain the power and supremacy of Christ (1:15-23) in reconciling us to God (ie the Gospel)

Chapter 2 Overview:
- Paul warns against other teachings and ideas which may take the Colossians away from knowing Christ (2:8)

- Paul argues that Christians have freedom from human laws in Christ; (2:16-23) having been buried and then raised with Him (2:12)

- Does having freedom in Christ mean we can now do whatever we please?

1. Set your minds on things above:
- What does "raised with Christ" mean? We were once dead in our sins; but by his death and resurrection we are now alive through faith and children of God; citizens of heaven. (v3)

- Therefore as citizens of heaven (our heavenly life is safe and secure in Christ v3) we are to "set our hearts and minds on things above".

- Our hearts = our desires. We are not to desire earthly possessions (materialistic) but to long for godly things eg love, truth, faith, and patience.

- Our minds = our thoughts and attitudes. It means to have holy and godly thoughts and to fill our minds with God’s Word instead of thinking lustful thoughts, reading trashy magazines (Cleo) and watching worldly TV shows (The OC).

- Our reward = "when Christ appears, you will also appear with him in glory" (v4)

2. Put off your old self:
- "Put to death" - literally 'kill' your sinful nature

- Sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed (which is idolatry), anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language from your lips, lying.

3. Put on the new self:
- It's not just a matter of getting rid of evil; but putting on new and godly habits to replace the old ones. Otherwise all too soon we'll fall back into our evil ways.

- The identity of this new self is not bound up with our sinful human identities; but it is bound up in Christ "who is in all" He is the image of our new self; the example for which we strive. (v11)

- Therefore in order to be like Christ, we must know Christ. (v10)

- Compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, forgiving (why? Because God forgave us) and full of love, peacemakers, filled with thankfulness.

- Which of these commands do you find particularly challenging?

- Give a specific way that you will begin to obey that command

- Why should we put on this new self? "Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved." Because we have been chosen by God, because we are loved by God.