Colossians 3:1-14

April 6 – Colossians 3:1-14

What has happened to Jesus has now happened to me.  As Paul noted in 2:12, we were buried and raised with Jesus by baptism.  There is a break with the old and there is a new life that has begun with us.

So we take confidence that nothing can strip our life and confidence away.  Our identity and being is kept safe with Jesus Christ.  He will reveal ourselves to us on the Day of his Coming.  So now we keep our eyes on him, seeing Christ as our goal and hope.  And when Jesus appears we will appear with him in glory too.
 
So to prepare for the glory that is ours by faith now and what will be by sight on the last day, we put to death the deeds of what is of this world.  Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, and idolatry.  We put them away because that is not who we are anymore.  Those were the manner of the old life but now we are given enlightenment from God.  We fight back against them until Jesus comes to give us the victory.

As we deal with one another, there is also a change in how we interact with each other too.  We are to put away from ourselves anger, wrath, malice, and slander and obscene talk that is unprofitable.  Paul calls us to tear them off from us.  It is like wearing old beat up clothing that smells rank.
 
Instead in vs. 12 Paul calls on us to put on the new clothes that Jesus Christ has won for us and gives to us.  Anger turns to compassionate hearts, wrath to kindness, malice to humility, slander and obscene talk give way to meekness and patience.  We deal with each other by being upfront.  When we have complaints we turn and forgive one another, reminding ourselves that Jesus has forgiven us and we now extend that mercy to others.

This is all tied together in love.  The love that Christ has won for us and supplies us with and binds together in with perfect harmony.