Bible Study - Colossians 3:1-17

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 

There must be a fundamental shift in our focus on life

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

What are our affections?

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Dead= died to all that we were outside of Christ.

4 When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Mortify=put to death
Fornication =sexual immorality
Uncleanness= inward corruption
Inordinate affection = unrestrained illegitimate passon
Evil Concupiscence = lust or wrongful desire
Covetousness = desire for worldly desires. Considered idolatry because what is coveted becomes gods to people.

6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

It is because of these things that the wrath of God will come

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Note the tense (ed)

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Anger= disposition, not incidental anger
Wrath= rage
Malice= hostile attitude
Blasphemy= irreverence
Filthy communication= unwholesome speaking

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Old man = former self (see Romans 6:6 and Ephesians 4:22)

10 And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

New man = New identity

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond [nor] free: but Christ [is] all, and in all.

No more distinctions
Race
Wealth

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Put on = new clothes
Bowels of mercies= tender compassion which comes from the inside
Kindness= goodness, being gracious
Humbleness of mind= not arrogant
Meekness= consideration for others
Longsuffering= patience in the face of suffering

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also [do] ye.

Forbearing= putting up with other’s faults and unpleasant traits
Forgiving= the new standard…even as Christ

14 And above all these things [put on] charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Love above all
Genuine love bonds

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Peace of God = in order to enjoy the peace of God one needs to first be at peace with God.
What is the process of obtaining peace with God?
Discuss one body
Colossians 1:24
I Corinthians 12:12ff
Ephesians 5:30

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Dwell in you richly = Giving Word due place in your life
Wisdom = response to the word in our lives (living it)
Admonishing = Warn
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs = rich variety of expression

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.