Colossians 3
COLOSSIANS 3
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
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Colossians 3 videos-
https://youtu.be/PExhHaqbc6U
https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhUq9GulQw8TElbK_
https://www.dropbox.com/s/l5uniom6iw4j1tm/4-12-18%20Colossians%203.mp4?dl=0
ON VIDEO
.Raised now too
.Who were the Scythians?
.Russia- Syria and the West
.No divisions in Christ
.Josephus
.Brief history of the Russian Orthodox church
.The Church is a global community [Heaven and earth]
.The secret place
.Oral tradition in the 1st century
.Full time ministry?
.What was the leaven?
.Forgiveness- on a global scale too
TEACHING- [Past posts below]
I talked some news issues on this video- because it actually fit one of the verses in this chapter-
Colossians 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free but Christ is all, and in all.
Lets start with the first few verses-
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
I talked about the identification we have in Christ- even to the point of being ‘seated with him in heavenly places’.
We as believers identify with Jesus in death- burial- resurrection and ascension.
I quoted a verse on the video-
Jeremiah 17:12
A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.
It speaks of God’s predestined plan for us from the start- a theme Paul focuses on in his letters quite often.
Yet- because of our election in Christ- this never negates the doctrine of being obedient now- in this life-
Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry
Colossians 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience
Colossians 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Colossians 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Colossians 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him
Because we are in Christ- even seated with him spiritually in heaven right now- we are commanded to put off the old ways.
Ok- here’s the portion I felt fit with the news of our day-
Colossians 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free but Christ is all, and in all.
The last few years I have talked about the demonization of various people groups- I have spoken about the real danger to demonize the Russian people as well as their nation.
It just so happens that one of the groups in this passage- were people from a region that today is found in the southern part of Russia- the Scythians-
https://www.cbeinternational.org/resources/article/priscilla-papers/scythians%E2%80%94who-were-they-and-why-did-paul-include-them-colossians
These were tribal people around the Black sea in the first century- at the time of Paul’s letter.
These were looked upon as a ‘little better than wild beasts’-
This is what the famous historian Josephus actually wrote about them.
These were people who were mocked in the Greek plays of their day [a form of media].
Yes- Paul penned this 2 thousand years ago- and I thought it fit.
I covered some of the history of the Russian orthodox church and challenged our present mindset about the Russian people.
For various reasons the ‘Greek play’s’ of our day- the forms of media- have also created a negative attitude towards Russians in general.
Yet- many Russians are indeed brothers and sisters in Christ.
And Paul teaches us that it is wrong to exalt national loyalty- or ethic Loyalty above our union in Christ.
We are to ‘put up’ with the other- even if we have what we think is a legitimate quarrel against them-
Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Colossians 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Because we are not divided in Christ- we should walk in forgiveness with one another.
If we have developed mind sets that cause us to be angry with our brother- even if our brother lives in another part of the world-
Even if we think this anger towards him is justified- then we are challenged to forgive- not on the basis that they deserve it-
But on the basis that none of us deserves to be forgiven- yet we are.
Christ has died for us- all of us- and it is on these grounds that we forgive.
We end the chapter with practical instructions for living-
Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Colossians 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
Colossians 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Colossians 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
Colossians 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
All that we do- we should do as service to the Lord.
I talked a little about the mind set of ‘full time’ ministry- and focused on all of our vocations- as a calling from God.
If you or I do our job as unto the Lord- then in essence we are serving Christ- and it is just as legitimate as ‘being in the pulpit’.
Whatever job you have- do it as unto the Lord- and you will receive a reward-
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Colossians 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ.
And yes- be warned- whatever we sow [plant] we will reap- a common theme all thru out the bible- and Paul ends this chapter with the note-
Colossians 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons.
Yes- there is a penalty for sin- for wrong doing.
There are penalties when nations do wrong- whether it be using chemical weapons- or unjustly starting a war- whether or not chemicals were used [Iraq].
We will all give an account to God- individuals as well as nations.
We are commanded by the apostle in this chapter to forgive- to transcend the carnal natures desire to hold others as ‘less’ than our selves.
We are challenged to view the kingdom with a better lens- a higher view of things.
And yes- if wrong has been done- there will always be a price to be paid- on all sides.
[Some sites see here https://ccoutreach87.blogspot.com/2023/09/colossians-3-text.html ]
