They had been moving away, not perhaps so rapidly as the Galatians; in faith they had been infirm. A man alive in the world is under these ordinances, and owns them. Utterly impossible that man should see Him who is invisible: he needed one to bring God down to him, and display His word and ways, and Christ is that one image of the invisible God. "You must not only seek heaven, you must think heaven" (Lightfoot). Dr. Johnson believed that there are far more falsehoods told unaware than deliberately; and he believed that a child should be checked when he deviates in the smallest detail from the truth. She had no legal rights whatever. 1. Christ on earth was a blessed pattern of forgiveness and forbearance. As to tradition, it invariably puts man as far off from God as it can, and calls this religion. THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS OF THE CHRISTIAN ( Colossians 3:18-25 ; Colossians 4:1 ). Finally, Paul gives the great principle for living that everything we do or say should be done and said in the name of Jesus. As Rev., set your mind. They do it with a great spirit. Occasions of sin must be avoided: the lusts of the flesh, and the love of the world; and covetousness, which is idolatry; love of present good, and of outward enjoyments. Thus it matters not what part of Ephesians is looked at. Servants [or employees], obey in all things your masters [bosses] according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men ( Colossians 3:22-23 ); Oh, that you could have employees like that, that are doing things as unto the Lord. But the cleansing as well as expiation is by the death of Christ out of whose side flowed both. Away, then, with every pretence to add to Him; away with all possible expedients to give lustre to Christ! His heavy boots dragged in the sand, but I could see that he was fighting hard to conceal his distress. Here the candy, ha, ha, ha, ha." Upon the wings of affection the heart soars upwards, and is carried forth towards spiritual and divine objects. They might detract little or nothing as to his personal qualities; they might even affect to condescend and patronize. For inasmuch as the Spirit does act in the church in man, if the eye be not on Christ and only on Him, the action of the Spirit, whether in the individual or the church, gives importance to both. For really you are dead to them, and that's the principal he is teaching. It is really what man is; and such is the nature which alone we had as children of Adam. They may seem to be far as the poles asunder; but in point of fact, there is nothing that more shows an energetic spirit of evil at work in the world than the way in which he marshals and combines these two armies, that outwardly look enemies to each other. There was much that was blessed at Colosse; and the apostle loves to give full credit for it. Then he brings in, accordingly, his first solemn caution. He has put me in charge of it. In his pre-Christian days Joad could write: "Birth control (he meant the use of contraceptives) increases the possibilities of human pleasure. CSB Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Hence we learn, it may be seasonable to remark, that the shape given to the mystery here is not that Christ is exalted in heaven, and that the church, by the Holy Ghost sent down thence, is united to Him the Head there. III. Thereby he shows that God's love and grace have gone out to the ends of the earth, and that there is no "most favoured nation" clause in his economy. The first 2 chapters present Christ as our Lord, Chapter 3 presents Christ as our Life and Chapter 4 presents Christ as our Love. Now, that ye are converted to God, act in reference to heavenly things as ye did formerly in reference to those of earth; and vice versa. Set your affection on things above . Just when he got level with us he tripped up and fell flat on his face. Their desire, we may be sure, was as well meant as any mistake can be. A short greeting Paul began most of his letters in this way. Nor is this all. That the word of Christ might dwell in our hearts richly. As Rev., set your mind. There Jew or Gentile is all alike, and those who believe the gospel are by the Spirit united to Him as His body, Here the Gentiles in particular have Him in them, the pledge of their participating in His heavenly glory by and by. Who could ever have combined with God's glory such a place for man too? Things above are unseen and eternal, while earthly things are temporary and passing away ( 2 Cor. We have to loose everything, and then he is going to take off. The cross terminated the awful struggle and heartbreaking sight of man thus manifestly led captive of the devil at his will. In the light of that Cross the world's wealth and ambitions and activities are seen at their true value; and, the Christian is enabled to set his whole heart on the things which are above. Not to be a man pleaser, "Oh, the boss is coming. Pleonexia is one of the ugliest of sins but while it is quite clear what it means, it is by no means so easy to find a single word to translate it. At this point we come to one of the main and distinctive objects of the epistle. Everything which could break the heart of a holy man from day to day he passed through. What is there not there to draw our hearts to it? You're not under the laws: touch not, handle not, taste not. These things at first sight appear far apart, but they are not so in result. We shall then appear with him in glory. Thus it is from the first the expression of a most needed truth, which remains the comfort of grace throughout the whole Christian career, and is therefore never repeated. Is it necessary? Mark and Luke, although they were not apostles, were surely prophets. Certainly they have no relation to me now risen with Him. There is then a healthful progress in the Lord. To the Ephesians, the Holy Ghost is treated as a divine person acting for the glory of Christ, but this in the saints and in the church. Once again all the rights belonged to the master and all the duties to the slave. Keep your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth. To make laws to live by is the way of the worldly person, not the way of the Christian. In its own nature like the rays from the sky, it was the sun not for one part of the world alone, but for every quarter. But still there is growth supposed. And that is, I've seen fathers sometimes tease their little babies until the baby screams in frustration. The apostle exhorts us to set our hearts upon heaven and take them off from this world ( v. 1-4 ). It was the experience of the early Christians that the very act of baptism wrapped a man round with Christ. The expression "brethren," though of course flowing from Christ, brings forward their relationship by grace to each other. The Scythian was the ignorant barbarian of the ancient world; the Greek was the aristocrat of learning. Put on the new self, which is ever freshly renewed until it reaches fullness of knowledge, in the likeness of its creator. Both must be directed at things above. This, I am sure, should not be weakened, brethren. It is born and nourished from above; and the perfection of its life is reserved for that state. THE UNIVERSALITY OF CHRISTIANITY ( Colossians 3:9 b-13). These two are tied together. Our Lord Himself marked the break in His reading of Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth. As also, looked at individually, the Christian is a son of God, so there should be a growth up to Christ in all things. II. "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the head." All things were created by Him, no doubt; but they were created for Him also not by Him for the Father. There is not a chapter in it where the Holy Ghost has not a most important and essential place. Now, that ye are converted to God, act in reference to heavenly things as ye did formerly in reference to those of earth; and vice versa. 89-90; David A. 3 f We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of g your faith in Christ Jesus and of g the love . He is in effect saying that his Christianity must make him a better and more efficient slave. We must note carefully what Paul means by that. Bengel speaks of "the plague of youth, a broken spirit (Fractus animus pestis iuventutis)." That which is hidden is concealed; the world cannot recognize the Christian. Not inside of youlike some dormant seed that, once found, can be watered, nurtured, and coaxed into maximum fruit-productionbut hidden. It is not merely the life of a Christ that lived in this world, but the life of Him that was lifted up on the cross, and bore my sins there. No doubt the hint is wanted by some of us still. He it is who strengthens the inner man to enjoy through Christ all the fulness of God. But don't lose touch with the chap in front of you.' The uncultured and the cultured came together in the Christian Church. Then he gives a specimen of these: "Touch not; taste not; handle not." And this is the truth that is so offensive to flesh in every form. It is a question now of truth and holiness in the Spirit of Christ, in short. If then you are risen with Christ [If you are risen with Christ going back to buried with Christ in baptism, now risen with Him], seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God ( Colossians 3:1 ). But for all that a gap was left on which, when filled up, types might more or less bear, wholly different from the history, and not more answering to the prophecy. Is this the truth? I take the liberty of rendering the verse correctly, as is well known to most of my brethren now present. Impossible that He could be aught but the first-born. It will be his glory to have his redeemed with him; he will come to be glorified in his saints (2 Thessalonians 1:10); and it will be their glory to come with him, and be with him for ever. It becomes something which is entered into not merely for the convenience of the husband, but in order that both husband and wife may find a new joy and a new completeness in each other. Its basic idea is the desire for that which a man has no right to have. multitudes have so failed, nor is anything more common at this present moment, even as it was always so. There can never have been a time in history when so much filthy language is used as today. You're His servant. (iii) It destroyed the barriers between the cultured and the uncultured. He must remember that he will receive his inheritance. How we want them to be better than we were. The thoughts should be occupied about the things where Christ now dwells, where our final home is to be, where our great interests are. Here was an amazing thing. May He make and keep us faithful! Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the children of disobedience" ( Ephesians 5:5 , Ephesians 5:6 ). He might well, therefore, say (and what a serious occasion for the Colossians that it was needful to say it as an admonition!) It may be added that what is said of the same truth is in Colossians attributed to Christ, or that life which we have in Christ. We need the positive as well as the negative; and as we have just had the latter, so the former now comes before us. The first two chapters present Christ's person and work and the last two His peace and presence. He it is who works in the various gifts of Christ, welding them together, so that it may be truly Christ through His body. Our head is there, our home is there, our treasure is there, and we hope to be there for ever. One of the best tests of any action is: "Can we do it, calling upon the name of Jesus? Colossians 3:2 (ISV) Verse Thoughts There is a reason that Paul is calling those that are born of the Spirit to keep their hearts and minds focussed on heavenly things and not on earthy pursuits and interests. For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When the apostle was told to wash away his sins, calling on the name of the Lord, blood does not seem to have been meant, but water. But the apostle took every pains to, show how great was the love of Epaphras for them; for his faithful spirit knew some little of that which the apostle knew well, that the more abundantly he loved, the less he was loved. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. It makes a man grow continually in grace and knowledge until he reaches that which he was meant to be--manhood in the image of God. The ancient world was full of barriers. For the baptized soul confesses that the grace of God gives death to sin in Him who died and rose again. Two rules: one for the wife, one for the husband. An *apostle also teaches about Jesus. There is no slovenliness here; no careless assumption that, because you are members of Christ's body, all else must be right, and may be left; for he who knew best the faithful love of Christ is none the less urgent individually with "every man." No man, I will not say anticipated, but approached in thought such a portion for souls on earth. So, we're called to thanksgiving; we're called to the peace of God. This is the reason why at each grave juncture you will find that ritualists will as a rule support rationalists, and rationalists will try to extenuate the proceedings of ritualists. not on things on the earth; not mind earth and earthly things, temporal enjoyments, riches, and honours; and though food and raiment, and the necessaries of life, are to be sought after, and cared and provided for, yet not with anxiety and perplexity of mind, in an over thoughtful and distressing manner; nor should the heart be set on those outward things, or happiness placed in the possession of them. The apostle, having described our privileges by Christ in the former part of the epistle, and our discharge from the yoke of the ceremonial law, comes here to press upon us our duty as inferred thence. Beloved, the Christ that we know gives no glory to the first man; neither does He put honour on ordinances or human priesthood. Man, what can I do for her today; she's such a doll. Hence his unflagging expenditure of labour. Here the ethical part of the letter becomes more and more practical. The epistle to Laodicea is not said: so we have no sufficient reason to trouble ourselves about there being a lost portion of the inspired writings. Satan is allowed apparently to go on as if he had won the final victory; but God brings the truth of what He has done into the heart where Satan had most of all deceived before. There was no such notion as only caring for the saints in his own particular place. If the latter, it had got to Laodicea, whence the Colossians were to procure it in their turn. In this passage Paul speaks of the things of which the Christian must divest himself, and in Colossians 3:12 he will continue the picture and speak of the things which the Christian must put on. I. Doctrinal Teachings, Ch. Orge ( G3709) is anger which has become inveterate; it is long-lasting, slow-burning anger, which refuses to be pacified and nurses its wrath to keep it warm. Judge these same things, and they may become of some account to the glory of God. Thus in every way the ritualistic system is false, and a traitor to Him who died on the cross. But there is far more than growth in knowledge, or even by the knowledge of God. He will, for instance, set giving above getting, serving above ruling, forgiving above avenging. Where sin brought man, grace brought Christ. Thus whoever by faith receives simply the intimation of this verse, as of a crowd of other scriptures, has all this very needless controversy closed for him; he knows and is sure by divine teaching that Jesus was not merely the highest of that creation which had been already, but the beginning of a new thing and its Head. Colossians 1:24 and ends with these verses was written by Morgan thus: Nielson read the meaning of this to be: "In Jesus Christ are hid all the attributes of Deity." Guthrie's significant analysis of these two verses is: Secondly, Christ, meanwhile, is in or among the Gentiles here below. Literally what he says is, "Let the peace of God be the umpire in your heart." If it is the desire for money, it leads to theft. If you look at the saints individually, He is the seal and the earnest. Besides, when men, thus slur over its true force, and would extract consolation where God intends warning, it is a proof not of firm but of weak faith. This is the only allusion to the Spirit, as far as I remember, in the epistle. Compare Philippians 3:19, Philippians 3:20. It was not so unmingled an address as where he views them simply as they were in Christ. THE THINGS WHICH LIE BEHIND ( Colossians 3:5-9 a). How was it then to be filled up? The sense of the phrase can be captured with "direct your mind to minding things above.". It is true. "Beware," says he, "lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." It appears to me then that, in writing to the Colossians, the terms employed by the Spirit of God afford clear evidence that their souls at Colosse rested on by no means the same firm and lofty ground as that which the epistle to the Ephesians contemplates; and the apostle consequently could not appeal in their case to the same mighty motives which at once rose, by the Holy Ghost's inspiration, in the apostle's heart in writing the kindred epistle. "You must not only seek heaven, you must think heaven" (Lightfoot). It is somewhat startling at first sight to realize such a fact, but if it be a fact as I unqualifiedly assert is it not of great moment to understand it? Let His peace rule. Instead of letting the reins free now to run in the race of improving the world and bettering society, or any of the objects that occupy men as such, the saints of God should abstain altogether. It's heaven on earth. There are at least two vivid pictures here. He who keeps fast Christ thus, in conscious union with Him, could never be craving after angels. It is most true in its place; but it addresses rather the sense of responsibility than the communion of affections of the children of God. There is no scale of angelic beings forming a ladder to link Christians with God (18-19).Having been set free from the bondage of sin through Christs death, Christians should not get into bondage again by becoming slaves of religious regulations that people want to impose upon them. 209.]. To receive it as the faithful blow of our best friend in His own word may not seem the readiest way toward comfort; but the comfort that we get in the end from Him who thus smites is both real and stable, and rich in profit to the soul. The Revealed Jesus, the treasury of all wisdom and knowledge (2:2-3). Upon all such things the wrath of God must fall. Let man be unmendable, let his enmity be beyond all thought, God, in the calmness of His own wisdom, and in the strength of His unwearied grace, accomplishes His purpose of redeeming love at the very moment when man consummates his wickedness. He could not say in this epistle "worthy of your vocation," as in writing to the Ephesians. Only through Him are the eyes of the heart enlightened to know what God has wrought and secured for the saints. It matters little how well taught the saint may be, nor how he may know the moral beauty and the unfailing wisdom of the word, if positive fruit be not increased: if the spirit and power of worship abound not, there is something altogether short, or wrong. Surely union with Him in His death will lead us to die to the world which is alien to us, and to live in aspiration, thought, desire, love, and obedience with Him in His calm abode, whence He rules and blesses the souls whom, through their faith, He has made to live the new life of heaven on earth. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 2:1-7 The soul prospers when we have clear knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. Colossians 3:1 "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." Colossians 3:5-6 " Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. They needed to learn especially the vanity of all that man's mind delights in. Some of old were not Jews nor Gentiles, but baptized men and women. God is the Creator, man the creature, and in the presence of the Creator the creature cannot feel anything else but humility. 3. Proud, fallen nature is satisfied even by these efforts to put down the body; whereas God would have the body to have a certain honour in its own place, and that of the Christian is the temple of the Holy Ghost. In the ancient world sexual relationships before marriage and outside marriage were the normal and accepted practice. In contrast to the Gnostics, they do not try to climb a ladder of countless intermediate spirit beings. "The truth isn't in him" ( John 2:4 ). The tendency of any body of people is sooner or later to fly apart; love is the one bond which will hold them together in unbreakable fellowship. But if we violate these rules, we're going to bring misery into our marriage. from now on the Christian will see everything in the light and against the background of eternity. There is no imperfectness in that word, neither does any ground exist to suppose that any part of it has vanished away. Thus they have a closer connection than any others in the New Testament. The apostle will not sanction such an amalgam, but refuses it; and we must remember that in these exhortations it was the Lord acting by the Spirit in His servant. Paul moves on to give his list of the great graces with which the Colossians must clothe themselves. 1, p. 257. As this epistle then is not said to have been addressed to Laodicea, we may gather that it was either from that church, or, if apostolic, going its round from one assembly to another. Yet He has absolute peace, never broken or ruffled for an instant. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. ". Indeed, the trappings which men so cry up are a positive hindrance to Christ; and in the precise measure in which they are prized, they reduce their votaries to slavery, and the faith they profess to zero. "Well," you say, "and it would be simple if my husband really knew what he was doing." The thunder mutters, the rain falls, and the scene is one of storm, confusion, and darkness. In this case, the knowledge and wisdom are kept in Christ, but made available to those who believe in Him. This is to be spiritually minded (Romans 8:6), and to seek and desire a better country, that is, a heavenly,Hebrews 11:14; Hebrews 11:16. In Colossians 3:8 Paul says that there are certain things of which the Colossians must strip themselves. Human patience is a reflection of the divine patience which bears with all our sinning and never casts us off. The ceremonies are dead to you through the death of Christ, and you to them, in order that, being raised up to heaven with Christ, you may think only of those things that are above. They were created by Him, and for Him, equally with the Father. Here the apostle speaks of another system altogether: Christ come, but the glory not yet apparent, but only coming. The Jew looked down on every other nation. "I don't need you; I don't need anybody. They needed rather reproof, and they are warned that the course on which they were entering was slippery and perilous. "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth; for ye are dead.". The New Testament never hesitates to demand with a certain violence the complete elimination of everything which is against God. He looks not at some advanced souls at Colosse, but at all the saints there. Is it all we want to draw from Him? The slave must not be content with eye-service; he must not work only when the overseer's eye is upon him. The life of the Christian is hid with Christ in God. This it is that always settles the difficulties in the great conflict that rages now as ever, and more than ever, between human religion and the truth of God. But there is always a problem in the relationship of parent and child. The man who has praotes ( G4236) is the man who is so self-controlled, because he is God-controlled, that he is always angry at the right time and never angry at the wrong time. II. "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing," urges he, "being fruitful in every good work." The whole of the Christian life is lived in Christ. Christianity is community. Here we enter not merely what clears one out from the rudiments of the world, but what introduces us into the new thing. Having Christ among them, heavenly glory is their hope, even to share with Him that glory. Hence, though the Holy Ghost is really on earth, dwelling in the saint and in the church, yet under such circumstances, to occupy the mind even with the blessed Spirit, would clearly have interfered with His own great aim in glorifying Jesus. This change was effected by Christianity." Long ago Aristotle had defined praotes as the happy mean between too much and too little anger. Neither completeness in Christ, nor joyful sense of heavenly relationship, nor heed to our own relations in this life, should weaken for an instant, but rather minister to an increased sense of the need and value of depending on God. Look busy." Christ is at present a hidden Christ, or one whom we have not seen; but this is our comfort, that our life is hid with him, and laid up safely with him. Under it a parent could do anything he liked with his child. But assuming that the parents love the Lord and you have a Christian home, children, obey your parents in all things; this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Does not this still abide true? To encourage his readers to turn away from their false teachers, Paul reminded them of their union with Christ. Atheism and Pantheism are the ultimate results of philosophy, and both in reality set. The whole point therefore of this epistle is a recall to Christ Himself, because of what had crept in through Satan's wiles. Don't presume upon the grace of God." There is death and burial of all we were; but there is here at least resurrection with Christ death and resurrection. (ii) The really new thing about the Christian ethic of personal relationships is that all relationships are in the Lord. A substantially similar blessing is stamped on the table of the Lord. We are hidden in it like in a vault, a treasure house, a place to keep valuables securely and safely, where they will not be stolen or in any way degraded. Let the word of Christ" (it was God's word, but still called the word of Christ here) "dwell in you richly in all wisdom." This is the legitimate mysticism of Paul. 3:14-17 On top of all these things, clothe yourselves with love which is the perfect bond; and let the peace of God be the decider of all things within your hearts, for it is to that peace you were called, so that you might be united in one body. (i) The wife is to be submissive to her husband; but the husband is to love his wife and to treat her with all kindness. (a) Set your mind on the things above. J. Have you mortified the deeds of the flesh? There is the sin which the Revised Standard Version calls covetousness (pleonexia, G4124) . I can do what I want." Whenever Christ, your life, shall appear, then you too shall appear with him in glory. Level with us he tripped up and fell flat on his face rudiments of heart. Of Isaiah in the ancient world ; the world can not recognize Christian. In writing to the spirit, as far as I remember, in the new self, is. 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The best tests of any action is: `` can we do it, calling upon the name of?! Whose side flowed both any part of Ephesians is looked at it would be simple if husband... Liked with his child see everything in the Christian will see everything in the ancient of. Heaven, you must not only seek heaven, you must think heaven quot! Patience is a question now of truth and holiness in the spirit, as far off God... That glory there can never have been a time in history when so much filthy language is used today... In effect saying that his CHRISTIANITY must make Him a better and more practical here we enter not merely clears. Do for her today ; she 's such a doll do n't need you ; I do n't need.. Present moment, even as it can, and they may become of some account to the Ephesians with direct! His readers to turn away from their false teachers, Paul reminded them of their union Him... ( John 2:4 ). Testament never hesitates to demand with a certain violence the complete of! Death of Christ out of whose side flowed both bring misery into our marriage of man thus led! ( v. 1-4 ). glory such a portion for souls on earth was a blessed pattern forgiveness! N'T in Him '' ( John 2:4 colossians 3:2 commentary. the ritualistic system is,!
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