Another reason is this, that the presence of the Spirit of God, both in the individual and in the church, is a most essential part of christian privileges, while, for the reasons already alleged, it was not for the well-being of their souls that it should be unfolded here. 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. May the word of Christ dwell richly in you with all wisdom. Special wants may spring up and claim attention at particular moments; but since Christ was set on high, this is the truth for the saints, and for a very simple and sufficient reason it is what God the Father designed for the day of salvation. THE CHRISTIAN WORKMAN AND THE CHRISTIAN MASTER ( Colossians 3:18-25 ; Colossians 4:1 continued). He puts off his old self and puts on a new self, just as the candidate for baptism puts off his old clothes and puts on the new white robe. We know well that God is making a good use of them, and that, in point of fact, if we meddle, it can only be to loss and confusion. (i) Christian speech must be kind. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." The most honoured servants of God invariably stir up the keenest opposition from man. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. But there is far more than growth in knowledge, or even by the knowledge of God. Or to come at it another way, the man whose life is dominated by the desire to get things has set up things in the place of God--and that precisely is idolatry. No matter what may be the demand, love is after all most essential and influential too. In no case indeed is it really so. Our affections should not be fixed on houses and lands; on scenes of fashion and gaiety; on low and debasing enjoyments. Things which the world thought important, he will no longer worry about. Make sure that we're not making unreasonable demands upon them, taking away their humanness, causing discouragement. He is dead with Christ; consequently he has passed out of the sphere to which such dealings apply. A man alive in the world is under these ordinances, and owns them. What could be more vast than the reconciliation of all things in heaven and earth? In short, the only reason we can even obey the commands in Colossians 3:1-2 is because we are now positionally dead to the world and its magnetic attractions. It doesn't mean that he's saying it doesn't matter how you live. He is the principle and end of the Christian's life. Slaves, obey in all things those who are your human masters, not only when you are watched, like those whose only desire is to please men, but in sincerity of heart, reverencing the Lord. 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. Clearly, therefore, the whole character of the new system depends, first, on the Deity of the incarnate Saviour, and, secondly, on the glorious truths of His atoning death and of His resurrection. As Rev., set your mind. Nowadays to mortify the flesh means rather to practise ascetic discipline and self-denial. These restrictions dealt with meats and drinks, and such like things, which perish in the using. The love was not natural affection; it was love in the Spirit: but this is very far from the rich place given to His personal presence and action elsewhere. Thus it is that He rises into a new condition, leaving behind that which had fallen under vanity or death through its sinning chief, the first Adam. He begins with exhorting them to set their hearts on heaven, and take them off from this world: If you then have risen with Christ. An *apostle is a person whom God sends to lead Christians. Seek those things that are above. Sometimes we say of a man, "Music is his life--Sport is his life--He lives for his work." . Commentary on Colossians 3:5-11 (Read Colossians 3:5-11) It is our duty to mortify our members which incline to the things of the world. The supreme example was the Roman Patria Potestas, the law of the father's power. Am I to forget His glory in the presence of God? No matter how clever and religious those laws may appear, they will not succeed in controlling the desires of the body (20-23).Because they have died to sin, Christians are not in bondage to things of the world as the Gnostics are. 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. How is it to be done? But the apostle was singular in this; for even those who did know that Christ was the Son of the living God, in the highest and eternal sense, seemed but little to have preached it, at any rate in their earlier testimony. Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. And. But he adds: "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled;" and we must not weaken this. If it is the desire for power, it leads to sadistic tyranny. You're called to serve Him. And above all these things put on charity [love], which is the bond of perfectness [completeness] ( Colossians 3:12-14 ). He does not even say worthy of Christ, but "of the Lord." No master can say, "This is my business and I will do what I like with it." And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans." But here writes the lowly-minded apostle, in the full assurance that, though he had never seen them, or they him, it would be real and mutual gratification to know about one another from him who went between them. He is answerable to God, just as his workmen are answerable to him. Is the heart satisfied with Him? Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord ( Colossians 3:20 ). "As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit." One of the great effects of Christianity is that it destroys the barriers. Its basic idea is the desire for that which a man has no right to have. The New Testament never hesitates to demand with a certain violence the complete elimination of everything which is against God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory ( Colossians 3:4 ). Yet there were men not wanting then that denied him to be an apostle. There is not rich or poor, there is not favored and special class; we are just all one. and none the less because they name the name of the Lord. ", Space was left: a revelation was yet lacking. One of the best tests of any action is: "Can we do it, calling upon the name of Jesus? Christian life and growth come from God through a direct relationship between the believer and Christ. There is no feature of the present day more remarkable than the success with which Satan is massing as it were, his forces, bringing together at the very same point, where they are wanted, these two parties; that is to say, the heavier arms of human tradition, and the lighter ones of man's philosophy. We have here a description of soul-prosperity. Never will it be received, either by the world's religion, or by its philosophy. Besides, Christ is the first-born of all creation. (ii) It destroyed the barriers which came from ceremonial and ritual. But it is not so. There was no such thing as a code of working conditions. "It's a big step," he said, "and I can't persuade myself that the very severe attitude to sex which the Church thinks it necessary to adopt is really justified." Then come general injunctions. In it there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free man, but Christ is all in all. Colossians 3:2 Vincent's Word Studies Set your affection () Lit., be minded, think. 89-90; David A. And ye are complete in him." And in us, poor feeble souls, why should not this peace rule in our hearts, to the which also we are called in one body? God had given the law; He had embodied His past ways in an inspired history of His people; He had given prophets to proclaim what was future. How can man brook that lie, and the world that he has built up since he lost Eden, should be made nothing of? And that is not enough. "He is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the flesh [for so it runs] by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen.". So, we're called to thanksgiving; we're called to the peace of God. Actually, I have seen something that I think is a terrible evil. Paul sometimes spoke of the "hidden wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 2:7; see also Colossians 1:26; 3:3). The average clergyman is shocked and outraged by the prospect of shameless, harmless and unlimited pleasure which birth control offers to the young, and, if he can stop it, he will." There is the forbearing and the forgiving spirit. If He is, the fulness, you are made full in Him, "which is the head of all principality and power." As for the apostle he lays before them another point. "For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom [or rather which] are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Besides, we are one bread, one body. But so it is. Keep your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth. And we do recognize that the highest authority in our life is God. Next we enter on the apostle's thanksgiving. Such is not the Christian life, which is really the life of Him that died and rose again. But woe to such iniquitous and ungrateful adversaries! Dean, "A Study of the Enthronement of Christ in Acts 2, 3" (Th.M. He it is who strengthens the inner man to enjoy through Christ all the fulness of God. It was not wonderful that he said in Colossians 1:1-29, "If ye continue in the faith rooted and grounded, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel." Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things," or, as the NET puts it, "Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth." To set one's mind on something is to choose to think about it, influencing one's goals and guiding one's course of action. When we not only believe with the heart, but are ready, when called, to make confession with the mouth. The fulness of the Godhead dwelt in Jesus; but man would have none of it, and proved it above all in the cross. We might well suppose that there was some hindrance to the full flow of affection an their part. The master must treat the slave not like a thing, but like a person, with justice and with the equity which goes beyond justice. Is it all we want to draw from Him? Here we have the mingling, I apprehend, of natural man's philosophy, and religions man's tradition. All question, therefore, of what existed before His death and resurrection is at once excluded. Everything which could break the heart of a holy man from day to day he passed through. Have you not proved it? 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. Like a mine of unknown and inexhaustible wealth, the treasures of wisdom are all in Him hidden, but not in order to remain so; they only need to be explored for you to attain "unto the riches" in them ( Colossians 2:2 ); but until you, Colossians, press after attaining the full knowledge "hidden." It was amongst these things that you once spent your lives; when you lived among them; but now you must divest yourselves of all these things--anger, temper, malice, slander, foul talk which issues from your mouth. The significant thing is that every one of these three words originally belonged, as it were, to the Jews. From her there was demanded complete servitude and chastity; but her husband could go out as much as he chose and could enter into as many relationships outside marriage as he liked without incurring any stigma. Masters, on your part provide for your slaves treatment which is just and equitable, and remember that you too have a master in heaven. The hope laid up for us in heaven supposes a position on the earth. It pleased the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. When a person is baptized, this is the meaning of the act; nor has it any true force, but is an illusion, otherwise. Jesus emerged. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." But to play up to that is to open the door for all kinds of demonstrations of love. The most cursory reader discerns at once that the epistle to the Colossians is the counterpart of that to the Ephesians. "Let no man judge you" is the exhortation. He is the Head of the body one of the chief topics of this epistle. Am I to court the honour of those who refused Christ, and gave Him a cross? I can do what I want." It's easy to discourage the child through unreasonable demands. The life of the Christian is hidden with Christ in God. They have died to these; but one day when Christappears, they will live with Christ in the presence of God (Col 3:3-4). Whatever you do, work at it heartily, as if you were doing it for the Lord and not for men; and never forget that you will receive from the Lord your just recompense, even your share in the inheritance. It is the law in a new and impossible shape. Christ, and Christ alone, has truly represented God to man, as He alone was perfect man before God. It has been described as ruthless self-seeking. Accordingly the path of Christian duty is grounded on these wondrous truths. Philosophy is an idol of man or nature, a blind substitute for the knowledge of God. The workman must do everything as if he was doing it for Christ. To me to live is Christ,Philippians 1:21. They were the chosen people; they were the dedicated nation, they were the beloved of God. He assigns three reasons for this, Colossians 3:3; Colossians 3:4. You seem to have such a good attitude. 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