Colossians 3:1-4

Dear Friends:
I apologize for not posting until Wednesday this week. I am up in CT painting and rearranging rooms in my sister's home, getting ready for my grand-niece that is on her way in October. My computer time is limited! I write with paint-stained hands, but am delighted at this chance to get online and share this vibrant passage with you. Thanks for coming by!

Day 14

Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

Observations:
Paul continues to address the false teaching that is present in the church at Colossae. Those promoting the heresy taught that keeping the Law, with its dietary restrictions and observances, along with self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, was necessary for salvation. In the previous chapter, Paul addressed the Colossians sternly against this idea. Salvation is through Christ alone. We cannot add to the victory of the cross—it was complete.

But Paul does not leave the Colossians just with what NOT to do—in chapter 3 he now addresses the positive side. Rather than putting our hope in earthly things like what the false teachers were promoting, Paul directs our attention to above the earth, on to the things above. Why? Because we have already died to the earthly means of attempting to win approval from God. We have already found the answer. It is in Jesus alone.

When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he shared the same heavenly vision: “Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13, 14) Do you notice the two directions Paul is directing his gaze? Onward and upward. No looking back at the past and the sins we have committed. It was all covered by the blood of the Lamb. No looking downward at our own two feet and what we can do on our own. Our gaze is to be trained on the Savior who has done it all for us. It is to be forward, ready to go where Jesus sends us.

When Peter walked on the water, he remained on the surface as long as his gaze was trained on the Savior. It was when he began to look at the wind, waves, and his own two feet that he began to falter.

And so it is with us. Our gaze must remain on what has been done for us. We are complete in Christ. No amount of religiosity will make us more acceptable to God. The atoning sacrifice was made for once and for all.

Application:
How am I continuing to try to win God’s approval? How does pride have a part in my efforts? Give over your efforts to God and rest once again in the Savior. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.

Colossians 2:20-23

Day 13

If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

Observations:
How did we die with Christ? Paul answers this question in Romans 6: “All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death. . . We have been buried with Him through baptism into death so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. . . our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.”

Our “old self”, the self that was born under the bondage and condemnation of sin, died when we received Jesus as Savior. With that declaration of faith, we were “born from above” (John 3:6), which was a second birth, this time a spiritual one. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

With that information in mind, Paul is wondering why the Colossians would think of abiding by the rules and regulations of the former life they had. They had put that life in the grave! They had been reborn. Yet they were being tempted to go back to the same “old things” that they had previously left behind.

The false teachers were advocating a return to earthly pursuits. They were urging the Colossians to keep their focus on themselves and on what they could do to achieve “holiness.” This might produce a product that might look religious on the outside, but in reality was pulling the focus back down to earthly matters rather than being heaven-bound, tearing it away from Christ.

Anything that pulls a focus away from Christ is a journey down the wrong path. It becomes all about us and our accomplishments. Soon we get so wrapped up in doing and saying the right things that our love for Christ takes a back seat to the life we are trying to live for Christ.

What God wants from us is complete dependence on Him. He doesn’t want us to strut around in our self-sufficiency. He wants us at His feet, aware of our need for Him, aware of our shortcomings. Because the truth of the matter is, any sense of sufficiency beyond what Christ has given us is not reality at all, but purely delusional.

Application:
What part of your old self do you continue to try to resurrect? Ask God for the wisdom to see those things, as well as the strength to move beyond them.

Colossians 2: 16-19

Day 12

Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

Observations:
Paul is once again teaching against the heresy which was making its mark in the church at Colossae. As was said earlier in our study, this heresy eventually evolved into what is known as Gnosticism. False teachers promoted the requirement that the church continue to be under the Law and observe all of its rites, ceremonies, and holidays. Paul is very clear in many of his letters that the Law and its requirements no longer have us under condemnation. Yesterday’s verses said that Jesus took that Law and nailed it to the cross. He fulfilled every requirement on our behalf. The Law was paid in full.

Notice the things Paul points out as no longer a requirement.
1. food and drink restrictions
2. festival, new moon, or Sabbath day observances
3. self-abasement (or self-mutilation)
4. worship of angels
All of these were a part of the pre-Gnostic teaching that was spreading throughout the fledgling churches of the New Testament.

One night when Sasha the Dog was new to our family, I took her out for a brief walk before bedtime. She was still extremely skittish around anyone unfamiliar to her, but other dogs really set her off. As we walked by the neighborhood pool building, headlights from an approaching car shone on us. Our shadows were displayed against the brick of the pool house. Sasha went wild. I tried waving my arms and showing her it was just us, but she didn’t get it. The shadows were just as real to her as the flesh and bones that we were. It was really rather silly.

Paul is demonstrating to the Colossians that all of the requirements of the Law, with its dietary restrictions and observances, were only ever a mere shadow of the real thing. The Law was meant to make a point, sent in our preparation to demonstrate to us our need for a Savior. But the Savior had already come! Why would you dedicate your focus onto the precursor when you have already seen the main attraction?

Paul also speaks to the motivation of the group doing the false teaching. They were defrauding the people by distorting the truth. Why? They were judging people by their own standard. They had become “inflated without cause.” In other words, their finger pointed outward, judging everyone around them and finding them lacking (except, apparently, themselves). They were missing the point of Christianity.

We cannot judge each other because we are all equally guilty. We all stood condemned, we all needed a Savior. We were all saved by grace. Christianity should be the great equalizer. The playing field is level. No one can claim one act as more worthy than another. We all exist because of the grace of God. Legalism cheapens the grace of God and places the responsibility of our salvation back on our shoulders.

What is the remedy for this destructive attitude of legalism? Paul points it out at the end of this passage. Hold fast to the head, Jesus Christ. When Christ is in His proper place, as the head, controlling the whole rest of the body, our perspective is right once again. Legalism takes the focus off of Christ and zooms it in on us.

Application:
Becoming legalistic is too easy for us. We delight in judging others because it makes us feel better about our own inadequacies. What false standards do you hold others accountable to in your mind? How does that attitude take the focus off of Christ?

Colossians 2:13-15

Day 11

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He disarmed the rulers and authorities, he made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Observations:
This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. In a quick thumbnail sketch, Paul gives us a wonderful picture of what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. It was a victory unparalleled in the history of the world. Let’s take a look at what He did.

1. He made us alive.
We were dead. Maybe not physically, but spiritually, we were without hope or light. Because of the sin of Adam, the entire human race was condemned. Nothing we could have done could have wiped the slate clean. But Jesus could and did. His perfect atoning sacrifice paid for the sin of Adam and the subsequent sin of his offspring. “So then, as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men” (Romans 5:18).

2. He forgave us all our transgressions.
I wish I could blame it all on Adam. But unfortunately, my sin put Jesus on the cross as well. My voice was among the mockers as He carried his cross down the road to Calvary. When He died for the sin of the world, He was dying for all of the times I rebelled and put myself above the mighty, perfect God.

3. He cancelled the Law, nailing it to the cross.
The Law was given to demonstrate to the Israelites how to live when following a perfect God. Its careful instruction reflected the holiness that was His alone. Our need to be saved from our own evil nature became perfectly clear when we matched our standards against that of a holy God. Paul told the Galatians: “The Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”

As instructive as the Law was, it was “hostile” to us as well. We couldn’t meet its standards. No matter how hard we tried, failure waited around the corner. It stood in silent condemnation of not only what we had done but of who we were.

When Jesus paid for our sin, He took that Law and metaphorically nailed it to the cross along with our sin. The Law’s terrible, impossible requirements had finally been fulfilled. Our debt was paid in full. The heavenly Judge banged his gavel and set us free.

4. He disarmed and made a public display of the rulers and authorities.
Paul uses this same phrase, “rulers and authorities” to describe Satan and his army of fallen angels in Ephesians 6. Satan’s goal is to bring as much destruction to God’s creation as possible. He pulls out the heavy armory when it comes to people who seek after God. In Ephesians 6:16, Paul tells us to take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all of the flaming arrows of the evil one. What arrows does he aim in our direction? He reminds us that we are unworthy to be in the presence of God Almighty. He tempts us to move away from God in our own selfish pursuits. His intent is to make us feel we are without hope. Revelation tells us that Satan stands at the throne of God and accuses those who have committed their way to God. I can hear him now: What? You are letting her into heaven? Have you seen the way her heart turns so easily away from you? Watched how she makes a mess of her life? Looked into the dark, ugly parts of her heart?

If I run into Satan at the Throne of God, I will agree with him. Yes, Satan, you are correct. I don’t deserve to be here. I failed God even when I started with the best of intentions. But then I will point to Christ, and with all of the gratitude that is in my heart, look Satan right in the eye. I am here, not because of me. It is because of Him.

Satan lost the war that day that Jesus died for the sin of mankind. Not that there was ever any doubt of the outcome, of course. He still tries to engage us in skirmishes even though the war is already won. He has even had success, on a limited scale. But the outcome has already been determined.

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The cross was an ironic victory on so many levels. It was a victory over the impossible standards of the Law. It was a victory over sin. It was a victory over Satan and his army; his weapons are now powerless against us. We who believe are truly alive, and that life is eternal.

Application:
The victory over so much has been handed to us as a free gift. By the grace and mercy of God, we can claim Christ’s victory as our own. Are you living as one who has already claimed victory? Think about the areas in your life that do not reflect the victory that is already yours. Commit them to the Lord and ask for help to live out those things in a way that demonstrates you have already won.

Colossians 2:8-12

Day 10

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Observations:
Paul makes a stark contrast in how we must walk by comparing captivity to freedom in Christ. The mind is the battleground where the world and its tainted influence face off against the new creation we are in Christ. What does the world have to offer? According to Paul, it offers philosophy and empty deception, according to its elementary principles and the tradition of men.

Unfortunately, the elementary principles of the world, the assumptions the world has and works from, are faulty at best. A living God is explained away and denied. Or even if God is somehow recognized, He is portrayed as either an inept fool or indifferent to people. Any idea that starts with one of these premises will not end well.

So Paul urges his readers to live according to the freedom Christ has given us instead. Look at the first three words of today’s passage. See to it. This is a command and acknowledges that it will take effort on our part to keep from becoming captive. We are not helpless-- Paul is asking that we be proactive!

What freedoms can we walk by-- in contrast to the captivity the world offers?

1. We have freedom from inadequacy. You have been made complete in Him. The world tells you that you are not smart enough, good looking enough, or talented enough. God says we are complete in Him. He has put resurrection power at our disposal. We have everything we need to walk worthy of the Lord: “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

2. We have freedom from the flesh. Romans 6 delves into this idea. We were once slaves to sin. We walked around in the darkness and had no power over the sin which ruled us. “Our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6). Circumcision was an outward sign in the Old Testament to identify oneself with the God of Israel. Yet God wanted more from His people. He wanted them to circumcise their hearts (Deuteronomy 10:16). It wasn’t about outward standards. It was about a heart change.

Jesus provided this with His crucifixion. Paul told the Galatians: “I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God.” (Galatians 2:20) Jesus “circumcised” or marked us as His.

3. We have freedom from condemnation. You were also raised up with Him. Once damned to the consequences of our human condition and our own deadly choices, we now live in the light, the land of the living. Rather than face punishment, we have been made heirs with Christ and look forward to a share of His inheritance.

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So how do we avoid the captivity the world is pushing on us with its empty philosophies and faulty assumptions? We identify with Christ, who has already saved us. We may have to live in the world, as lights reflecting the presence of God within us, but we should never identify with what it has to offer. Our identity is in Christ alone.

Application:
The world is insidious in its philosophies and assumptions. Where has it influenced you most? What steps can you take to change its influence?

Colossians 2: 6-7

Day 9

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

Observations:
When you see the word therefore, always look to the Scripture preceding it to find out the why of what the writer tells you next. Paul has just finished telling the Colossians how he struggles on their behalf, in order that their hearts might be encouraged. He may be absent in body, but he is with them in spirit. Therefore. . .

As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. How did the Colossians, or any believer, for that matter, receive the Lord? Through the grace of God. “For by grace you have been saved. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any many should boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9) So we need to walk in grace. When we received the Lord, we were transferred from the darkness to the Kingdom of Light (Colossians 1:13). So we need to walk in the light. We were given total and unconditional forgiveness for our sin (v. 14). The blood of Christ paid for it all. So we need to walk in forgiveness. We were reconciled to God-- we started as enemies of God, but when we received Christ, God now calls us sons and daughters in His kingdom (v. 21). So we need to walk as reconcilers. Since receiving Christ, we have been presented as holy, blameless, and beyond reproach(v. 21-2). So our walk should reflect our holiness. Our actions should be beyond reproach. As we received Him, so should we walk.

Having been rooted and now being established in your faith . . . Have you ever watched the development of a plant from a seed? The first thing to spring from the seed is a root. Why is it so important to have a root first? The seed does have a supply of food for its fledgling plant as a part of its composition, but that supply won’t last for long. As the plant develops, the root must grow first. It will then become the source of life for the plant. Its tiny root hairs will soak in the water and nutrients from the soil. As the new plant peeks its tender head above ground, the root will serve to anchor the plant when winds buffet or rains pound down from overhead. The root is vital to the life of the plant. So it must grow first.

Paul writes that our root is in Jesus Christ. Our salvation is through Him alone. Our life exists because of Him. This is our foundation. Back in 1:23, Paul warned the Colossians not to move away from the hope of the gospel. Without that root, that provider of life, the plant will wither and die. We cannot hope to function as a Christian without full understanding and assurance that we could do nothing to save ourselves. Christ did it all.

Once the root has grown, the plant can be established. The verb tense here is present: being established. It is happening right now. Our “establishment” is an ongoing process. It comes from good teaching, as Paul writes: Just as you were instructed. A plant is never stagnant. Its life mission is to grow and produce fruit. While it is alive, a plant will continue to grow. New leaves will sprout. Fruit will grow, mature, and fall to the ground.

Our quest must be the same. Never stagnant. Always growing.

One of my favorite Connecticut memories is of an afternoon when I joined a group of young adults to go inner tubing down the Farmington River. We had a wonderful time, riding the occasional rapids with hands linked, screaming our delight as we splashed over the rocks. In other places the river was quieter, and only gently moved us along. The beauty of the sport was even if one did absolutely nothing, their tube continued to move downstream. The current was enough to carry us. We live in a world which is moving downstream, away from God toward self-destruction. If we do nothing, expend no energy toward keeping ourselves from drifting away from the Lord, we will naturally and unconsciously move in the wrong direction. Instead, we must fight the current, pursuing actively the things which He desires for us. Only then can we avoid the slow drift that will eventually lead us away from Him.

Application:
What does your walk reflect about your salvation and the God who saved you? How purposeful are you about your growth?

Colossians 2:1-5

Day 8

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.

Observations:
Paul had never met the Colossians, nor had he visited Laodicea. Yet he tells them he is struggling on their behalf, in order to encourage them. Have you ever put yourself out for a stranger, someone you have never laid eyes on? It is hard to conjure up sympathy for someone you have no investment in, whether in time or emotion. Yet Paul seems fairly passionate about the Colossians. How was this possible?

I think the answer lies in the verses that we viewed yesterday. Paul had a purpose and a singular passion: to present every man complete in Christ. Paul’s purpose and calling was much broader than any individual or even a specific church. Paul’s purpose was to build The Church. The encouragement of the Colossians was an important part of the overall picture.

How did he intend to encourage their hearts? He is targeting three things for the Colossians.

1. Having been knit together in love:
Unity is a big theme for Paul. He stresses it in most of his letters in the New Testament. For instance, when Paul first wrote the Corinthians, they were up to their ears in serious problems. There was incest in the church. People were abusing the Lord’s Supper. Spiritual gifts were being exercised inappropriately. People within the body were suing each other. But after his introduction in his letter to them, what problem does Paul tackle first? The division within the body takes center stage.

Unity is an outward expression of a healthy body. Unity means its members have decided that to love each other is more important than to struggle over differences in doctrine or opinion. They have decided to esteem the other as more important than themselves. And they have placed Jesus Christ where He belongs: at the head of the body. They are acting in submission to Him.

2. Attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding:
The Colossians needed understanding. They were being influenced by false teachers who were mixing truth with false teaching. Paul was praying that they would have a great understanding of the truth, so they could meet the false teachers head-on with full assurance.

3. Resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge:
Again, Paul is working against the false teachers in this phrase. The heresy going around the church in Colossae taught that only a select few could ever gain the mysterious knowledge needed for salvation. Paul is stressing that ALL of them can know Christ.

One last observation: Paul expresses two marks of a mature Christian. He rejoiced to hear of the Colossians’ 1. good discipline, and 2. the stability of their faith. The discipline was an indicator that the Colossians had their actions under control. The stability was a comment on their character. They knew who they were and Whom they served.

Application:
How do you fare in the marks of a mature Christian? Does discipline mark your life? Would those around you consider you a stable person, especially in the area of your spiritual life? Make a list of those areas in which you wish to see improvement. Commit them to prayer.