◄ Colossians 3 Devotional Commentary ►
Colossians 3:1
Even though Paul never visited the Colossian Christians, he had a deep love for the believers there, keeping them continually in his prayers. He had heard that the church at Colossae had bought into some heretical teaching that appeared to diminish the deity and preeminence of the Lord Jesus, and so he wrote to them to inform them of the centrality of Christ - in Whom is hidden all the wisdom of God and the mysteries of God.
Paul read more...
Colossians 3:2
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. We have been raised up into a new life in Christ because we are Christ's spiritual seed, because we have become a brand new creation, and because we have exchanged our former earthly residency for a glorious new citizenship which is reserved for us in heaven.
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Colossians 3:3
This beautiful verse is in a section of Scripture where Paul deals with one of the basic aspects of the Christian life; believers are in union with Christ, we are one with Him.
Christ died on the Cross and because we are His children (His seed), we also died with Him. We were with Christ and we were in Him when He was nailed to the Cross, for we are His seed. We died at the same time that Christ died on Calvary. read more...
Colossians 3:4
As the physical seed of Adam, we were in Adam when he walked in the garden of Eden and when he sinned. As part of that old creation in Adam, we died spiritually in him and were imputed with his unrighteousness. However, as the spiritual seed of Christ we died with Him on the Cross at Calvary. We were buried with Him and raised with Him into newness of life at His Resurrection. Now, we are seated with Him in heavenly places, and as part of the new creation in read more...
Colossians 3:4
Christ died for our sins as our substitute (substitution), but He also died unto sin by breaking the power of sin over us (identification). When we trusted Jesus as Saviour we were placed in HIM. The moment we were saved, we were baptised into the Body of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Is this not glorious?
Not only are our sins forgiven through His blood because of read more...
Colossians 3:5
When we were saved, we were given a new life - the new life in Christ. Old things were passed away, behold all things have become new. Our old sin nature was replaced by a new Christ-like nature, and Paul tells us in many places to reckon ourselves dead to the old sin nature and alive to the new life in Christ.
Therefore, we have to consider every member of our earthly body to be dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, read more...
Colossians 3:6
Because we are children of God we are to look to Jesus, Who is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He rose from the dead and broke the power of sin and death in the lives of all who place their trust in Him.
Today, Jesus is seated on the right hand of the Father in heavenly places, and the dear desire our hearts should be set on heavenly things, and not on issues that are intertwined with this broken world system, which lies read more...
Colossians 3:8
All of Paul's epistles are laid out in a structured way. He gives a general reminder of our position and privileges in Christ, and then continues by instructing us on how to live godly lives and what worldly actions and attitudes need to be avoided. Earlier, we are reminded that we have been raised up with Christ Who is seated in heavenly places at the right hand of the Father, and we should set our minds on things above and not on earthly matters.
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Colossians 3:9
God is truth and the Author of truth, and He delights in truthfulness. Scripture tells us that the Lord hates liars and those that deceive others with a lying tongue. Paul instructs us not to lie to one another because as believers, we have laid aside the old Adamic nature and the evil practices that accompany our former - pre-salvation life.
We have died with Christ and have been raised up together with Him into newness of read more...
Colossians 3:10
The moment that we are born again, we are made a new creation in Christ. The second we are saved we are given a new nature, the resurrected life of Christ within. But also the Holy Spirit of God comes to indwell our body to teach and train us, to guard and guide us, and He also disciplines, chastens, and corrects our new life in Christ.
Oh! He will never teach and train the old sin nature that we received as a member of the old read more...
Colossians 3:11
By faith in Christ, we have been renewed. We have been made a new creation. Indeed, the differences between the old creation in Adam and the new creation in Christ is astounding. The former creation is dead in trespasses and sin. The latter creation is born again of the Spirit of God.
The first creation lies in the evil one, is at enmity with God, and is enslaved by the law of sin and death... while the second creation is read more...
Colossians 3:12
What wonderful truths are shared about the believers position in Christ and our special relationship to our Heavenly Father. We discover that at rebirth we not only died with Christ, but we are raised up into newness of life in Him. Our new life in Christ, our born-again nature, is positioned in Him.
Our old sin nature was severed at the Cross, and our new life in Him is hidden with Christ in God, to His praise and glory. One read more...
Colossians 3:13
Paul presents us with some important doctrinal issues on the superiority and pre-eminence of Christ and the sufficient strength He gives to each one of us, day by day.
He encourages all who are in Christ to stand fast in this evil day. He warns us against the various, destructive philosophies of the world and describes the practical conduct that should be outwardly manifest in each one of our lives - from a heart that is walking read more...
Colossians 3:14
What an amazing privilege it is to be a new creation in Christ; forgiven of our sin, loved by the Lord, accepted in the Beloved, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with the Lord Jesus. Paul lays out in no uncertain terms, our duty and delight towards the preeminent Christ Who is our life.
As believers, we have been placed in union with Christ and imputed with His own righteousness, and Paul sketches out a brief outline of the main read more...
Colossians 3:15
Peace WITH God is our permanent possession when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, but the peace OF God is conditional upon a believer being in a relationship with the Lord Jesus; as we abide in Christ, trust His Word, depend on His guidance, die to self, and live for Him.
Isaiah explained to Israel: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: read more...
Colossians 3:16
The Lord Jesus was meek and lowly, full of compassion and great mercy – and the gracious words that fell from His lips were life and health and healing. We are exhorted to let His Word dwell in us richly, both His spoken and written Word, for they produce in us an abundance of life and the spirit of true wisdom.
The Holy Spirit has made His dwelling place in our hearts, and He teaches us and leads us in all truth: "You have read more...
Colossians 3:17
This little verse sums up in a nutshell what the Christian's life should look like and how the born-again believer should behave moment by moment, in word and in deed, in mind and in motive.
The question should not be, "What would Jesus do?" but, "Can this action be carried out in the name of Jesus and to His glory? Can the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be done in the name of Jesus? Is what I say and do read more...
Colossians 3:20
There is no excuse for the born-again child of God to argue that they do not know the privileges that are ours in Christ. As Christians, we should know the God-given rules for holy living which are written for our learning in the Word of God. We should know the truth and we should be applying these biblical principles for godly living in our everyday lives - because they are very clearly laid out for our learning in all the New Testament epistles.
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Colossians 3:21
Biblically based practical Christianity and our fundamental relationships at home, in Church fellowships, and in the wider community, is an important theme Paul addresses in this section. He starts by identifying certain general standards of godly behaviour for all Christians, before addressing roles and responsibilities that specifically relate to married couples, children and parents, and servants and their masters.
In this read more...
Colossians 3:22
There are many social issues in the world today, that the Church rightly approves or justly condemns. Slavery is certainly a practice that is condemned, especially enforced or unjust slavery.
Sadly however, in this fallen world slavery has always been a part of humanity's unhappy landscape. Because of man's free-will and fallen nature, slavery became a common practice in the human realm, and the Bible gives believers instructions on how to conduct read more...
Colossians 3:23
Having set out all the many advantages of being in Christ in the first two chapters of Colossians, and laying before us the glories of God's grace and the heavenly privileges of which we are all beneficiaries, Paul turns his attention to practical application in the final two chapters of his epistle.
At first, he deals with the responsibilities, duties, and mutual respect of wives and husbands towards each other, parents with read more...
Colossians 3:24
As Christians, we are to be pure in our inner hearts and holy in our outer lives. As children of God, we are to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. And in this Church Age, we are given ample teachings on how to live the Christian life so that we are inwardly pure, outwardly holy, and set apart unto the Lord.
Earlier in the passage, we are given practical instruction on our interpersonal roles, responsibilities, and read more...
Colossians 3:25
This section in Scripture is addressing the attitude and behaviour which should epitomise the godly man or virtuous woman, irrespective of their status in life or their position in society.
God's children will be rewarded for the good work they carry out in spirit and truth, but will suffer loss for those times when they were walking in the flesh or living for their own selfish reasons. Only works which are carried out in the read more...