The True center of Christian life (Colossians 3 :1-17)
1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are ABOVE, NOT on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Verse two says, "Set your minds on things ABOVE, NOT things that are on earth." This is something we all need to spend time doing, I myself don't do this enough, at least I don't think I do. We all have personal ideas of what we want to do with our life. Sometimes they fit with God's great plan for our lifes, but I charge you that for the most part they do not. Therefore we must stand up and fight the enemy with the full armor of God, (Ephesians 6 verse 10 - 20). When we do so we will appear with Christ and his glory as it says in Verse 4.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetouness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. (Note: Other texts (versions of the bible) add, "upon the sons of disobedience.") 7 In these you once walked, when you lived in them. 8 But now put them all away; anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth.
We are all convicked of these things, and we must do our best to make them part of our past, or former life. When we are baptized we are reborn Children of God. For before the we were baptized with the Holy Spirit of our Father, we were only gentiles. Paul says to Put to death the earthly things in our life, it may not be easy, and I will never say it is. We may not be able to do it, but it is better to try and rid ourself's of it then to never have tried at all. Through out the letters that Paul writes he repeatedly tells us to be rid of our old ways and self. He got the words he has told us from the Holy Spirit, so in effect it is a command from God.
9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices 10 and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of it creator. 11 Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is ALL, and in ALL.
This passage tells us that when we lie to each other, we are doing far more then that, we are ling to God, which isn't possible for he knows what we do at all times. We are all a part of Jesus our Lord and Savor so, again if we lie to each other we lie to him as well. This is a bit off topic, but it is something we should try to remember at all times...
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are those who are pure in heart, for they shall SEE God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteosness' sake for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5 : 3 - 12)
12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, 13 forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also much forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
This part of the passage tells us that we need to doing things with the Lord our God in mind. Thank the Father for everything you have, and are able to do! "if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also much forgive." This is something we all must do. Christ has forgiven us of our sins, so how hard could it be for us to forgive one another over something which may have little or no effect on our life for God? If it does effect us serving God then that is an even more important reason to forgive someone, for as Jesus says in Matthew (can't remember the verse right now). Do onto others and you would have done for yourself. We have all heard this many times, I know. This does not change its importance though.
Paul so says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in your hearts richly." For is it not, the teaching of God, that we base our lifes? Once we have answered this question ourself's, we will know were we stand. In verse twelve Paul tells us that we need to have compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness and patience. These are all things we need to strive to have, for we are to be slow to speak and quick to Listen.
Remember "And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is an unrighteous world among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the cycle of nature, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by human kind, but not human being can tame the tongue-a restless evil full of deadly poison."
(James Chapter 3 : 6 - 9)
Verse 17, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, give thanks to God the Father through him." This once again tells us to thank the Lord our Father for everything we have, and can do. "and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Again he tells us to give thanks to God.
