And so, don't provoke your children so that they get discouraged. The apostle could not but dread the slide on which the Colossians found themselves; and the more so as they themselves had no fears, but on the contrary thought highly of that which had attracted their minds. The thunder mutters, the rain falls, and the scene is one of storm, confusion, and darkness. Make sure that we're not making unreasonable demands upon them, taking away their humanness, causing discouragement. In the epistle to the Colossians, glory is always that which we are waiting for. If He is, the fulness, you are made full in Him, "which is the head of all principality and power." He uses the same line of thought in Romans 8:13: "If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live." The Christian never stood on any such fleshly ground. Finally, Paul gives the great principle for living that everything we do or say should be done and said in the name of Jesus. All the privileges and rights belonged to the parent and all the duties to the child. In material science it is not so, in schools of doctrine it is not so: there is something altogether circumscribed, in known limits, and definite enough to satisfy the mind of man. Christ on earth was a blessed pattern of forgiveness and forbearance. The story goes that a French merchant purchased an enormous 112-3/16-carat diamond. One of the earliest descriptions of a Church service we possess is that of Pliny, the Roman governor of Bithynia, who sent a report of the activities of the Christians to Trajan, the Roman Emperor, in which he said, "They meet at dawn to sing a hymn to Christ as God." Continue to teach and to admonish each other with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. When Christ, who is our life, [Now, you see this is the key to it right here. He does not even say worthy of Christ, but "of the Lord." That my life be so completely bound up and centered in Christ that He is my life. What is there not there to draw our hearts to it? Certainly they have no relation to me now risen with Him. 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. A father's stroke that chastises the erring is a mercy. The Christian ethic is one of mutual obligation, in which the rights and the obligations rest with every man. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. The Christian must kill self-centredness and regard as dead all private desires and ambitions. The expression "brethren," though of course flowing from Christ, brings forward their relationship by grace to each other. Hence his unflagging expenditure of labour. They were endeavouring to strike an alliance between Christ and the world. This, then, shows Christ, in a certain sense, in the Gentiles here below; as, in the Ephesians, Christ is seen above and we in Him. [Note: Robertson, 4:500.]. How then could He that came and was seen in the midst of men four thousand years after Adam was made, how could He be in any sense first-born of all creation? Three positional things are said in Colossians 3:1 about this eternal Son of God and Christ (Messiah) who entered history, died, and rose: (1) He is above: "Seek the things that are above, where Christ is.". Let the word of Christ" (it was God's word, but still called the word of Christ here) "dwell in you richly in all wisdom." Instead of letting the reins free now to run in the race of improving the world and bettering society, or any of the objects that occupy men as such, the saints of God should abstain altogether. Here we enter not merely what clears one out from the rudiments of the world, but what introduces us into the new thing. 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. Whenever Christ, your life, shall appear, then you too shall appear with him in glory. For inasmuch as the Spirit does act in the church in man, if the eye be not on Christ and only on Him, the action of the Spirit, whether in the individual or the church, gives importance to both. Of God He is the image, not exactly in an exclusive, but assuredly in the only adequate sense. When he was writing to the Philippians, he said, "For me to live is Christ" ( Php_1:21 ). All that is to be got in certain provinces may be acquired after no long study. And when Christ who is our life shall appear, we shall appear with Him in glory. ], "The Christian has to keep his feet upon the earth, but his head in the heavens. The word father in his mind stood for nothing but severity. The veriest victims of Satan, the open enemies of Christ, the fiercest powerless let them be, but the fiercest in their will of opposition against God are precisely those that God has already reconciled to Himself; and this where Satan had but just appeared to conquer in leading them to crucify Christ., In that field of blood where His ancient people joined the idolatrous Gentiles, and indeed incited them to plant the cross for their own Messiah there it is that God's grace has established a righteous deliverance for such as He has reconciled. It doesn't mean that he's saying it doesn't matter how you live. There are no enemies so deadly as those who, having received enough truth to over-balance them and to abuse to their own self-exaltation, turn again, and would rend the church of God, wherein they learnt all that gives them power to be specially mischievous. "If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." The slave was not even classified in ancient law as a human being; he was merely a living tool, with no rights of his own. He has put me in charge of it. There are many nice shades in detail; but I have referred now to that which is the principal point whence the two lines of truth diverge. Can we do it, asking for his help?" He judges everything in the light of the Cross and in the light of the love which gave itself for him. The first two chapters present Christ's person and work and the last two His peace and presence. Man, what can I do for her today; she's such a doll. It pertains to a life in this world to say, "Touch not; taste not; handle not." e Grace to you and peace from God our Father.. Thanksgiving and Prayer. And now the apostle would recall them: "Walk in him, rooted and built up in him." There is not a chapter in it where the Holy Ghost has not a most important and essential place. It would be possible for one to set a goal for himself (verse 1) without really putting his heart into it. The apostle addresses the Colossian Christians in terms substantially similar to those which are addressed to the saints at Ephesus. Ah! But, as truly and fully making God known, there is none but Christ. And it doesn't mean that Paul is giving these people a license to live after the flesh. You're called to serve Him. But there is far more than that: "If ye then be risen with Christ." Christ is the image of God, in fulness and perfection; He only showed out the invisible God. There was no provision for the aged. So you feel like you've got to challenge everything. "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Jesus emerged. Through Christ they have life directly in God. "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." Colossians 3:2 Vincent's Word Studies Set your affection () Lit., be minded, think. Oh, to forget all that which produces jealousy, pride, vanity, each and every feeling contrary to God and unedifying to man; to be comforted and to comfort others with such a truth Christ is all, and Christ is in all! The King James Version translates the first part of this section: "Mortify your members which are upon earth." The word we have so translated is kakia ( G2549) ; it is a difficult word to translate, for it really means that viciousness of mind from which all the individual vices spring. They that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 81-82; and John F. Walvoord, Jesus Christ Our Lord, pp. And as he becomes cold, then she feels all the more insecure and she has to challenge all the more. Nowadays to mortify the flesh means rather to practise ascetic discipline and self-denial. No master can say, "This is my business and I will do what I like with it." It is not merely the life of a Christ that lived in this world, but the life of Him that was lifted up on the cross, and bore my sins there. Where sin brought man, grace brought Christ. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. One cannot therefore be quickened together with Christ without having one's trespasses, yea, all (for if not all, none) forgiven. It is false and ruinous, whether it leaves Him out or brings Him in whether it denies the true God, or makes everything a sham god. Mark and Luke, although they were not apostles, were surely prophets. When the youngster realized who it was that had given him friendly help, his expression of dumb adoration was a study." Although there were difficulties and hindrances, how much, he feels, there is for which to praise our God and Father: "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet" (and observe well, it is not merely for the certainty that He will, but in the peaceful assurance that He has made us meet) "to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged ( Colossians 3:21 ). Let us look briefly at each of these three spheres of human relationships. Thus it is from the first the expression of a most needed truth, which remains the comfort of grace throughout the whole Christian career, and is therefore never repeated. The word signifies to mind them, and think on them, to favour and approve of them, to be affectionately desirous of them, and concerned for them; for where the treasure is, the heart should be; and as the saints' best things are above, their minds and affections should be there likewise; their contemplation should be on those things, and their Not on things on the earth - Wealth, honor, pleasure. * [3:1-4] By retaining the message of the gospel that the risen, living Christ is the source of their salvation, the Colossians will be free from false religious evaluations of the things of the world (Col 3:1-2). it is impossible to look for it from human nature. It matters little how well taught the saint may be, nor how he may know the moral beauty and the unfailing wisdom of the word, if positive fruit be not increased: if the spirit and power of worship abound not, there is something altogether short, or wrong. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the, set their affections on the things that are above. It is not Christ Himself, as inEphesians 3:1-21; Ephesians 3:1-21, the wondrous issue even now in us by the power of the Spirit; but, at least, in His word is found (what the Colossians needed) an active and most pure spring of instruction and counsel, and mutuality of help by it. Because the wife feels the love and the security and she knows, "Hey, he's my man." Such is the basis of the liberty wherewith Christ has set us free. So, we're called to thanksgiving; we're called to the peace of God. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 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