Colossians 3 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Col 3:1-4

A. Find Out:

1. What HAS happened to us? v.1a
   • Since, then, you have been raised with Christ
2. What are we to set where and (implied) why? v.1b
   • set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
3. What are we to also set where? v.2
   • Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
4. Why? v.3
   • For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
5. How is Christ described? v.4a
   • When Christ, who is your life
6. What will he do & what will happen to us? v.4b
   • appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

B. Think:

1. What two things does Paul exhort us to do?
2. How is Christ’s position today important in this?
3. How is our future destiny tied up in this?

C. Comment:

Having spoken against wrong forms of Christianity, Paul now goes on to bring guidance for right Christian living. It starts with having a RIGHT UNDERSTANDING. We have to first understand who we are and WHERE we are in spiritual terms.

First of all, we are those who have been raised with Christ (v.1a). We first died (v.3a) to our old life and then we were given a new life and raised up to newness of life. The New Testament tells us again and again that we are “in Christ”.

So, because we are in Christ we also need to know where Christ is. He is seated at the Father’s right hand, ruling. So, in spiritual terms, that is where we are (see this also in Eph 2:6).

So, once we have seen this, we need to adjust our lives to realise that we are ‘above’ the worldly affairs of life and, because God calls us to partnership and we have responsibility to play our part (see Phil 2:12c), we are to set our hearts and our minds on Christ, on the reality of him reigning (with us) in the heavenly realms. This is our role today, and we need to see it as preparation for when Christ comes again and takes us to be with him to reign for ever.

D. Application:

1. Christ is in heaven and we are linked to him.
2. Therefore we are to think & feel with him.

Passage: Col 3:5-8

A. Find Out:

1. What are we to do to what? v.5a
   • Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature
2. How many things are listed under that? v.5b
   • sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
3. What is coming because of these? v.6
   • Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
4. What did we used to do? v.7
   • You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
5. But now what are we to do? v.8a
   •  But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these
6. How many things are then listed? v.8b
   • anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

B. Think:

1. How would you describe all the things listed here?
2. What are we to do with them?
3. Why?

C. Comment:

Paul has just spoken about our life in Christ and now, by contrast, he speaks about the things of our old life. These, he says, have no place in your new life. Put them to death, i.e. it is down to you to do something about them. It’s your responsibility to get rid of them, YOU put them to death, i.e. you stop them in your life!

He says these things are part of our old earthly (natural) nature, the sinful nature we were born with. Now we have Christ’s nature with the Holy Spirit living within. These things incur the wrath of God. Most of us (who are Christians) would hope that nothing in the first list could be attributed to us, but how about the things in the second list?

Anger? Is that a part of your life? Is that something you find blowing up within you, or do you even use it as a defence tactic allowing it to turn into rage with almost violent aspects? Malice? That’s having strong ill-feeling towards others. Do you ever allow that? Slander? That’s speaking derogatorily against others. Filthy language? Would we be happy for ANYONE to hear every word we speak? If there is any reservation in our answer, we need to look again at the words that come out of our mouths. No, all these things belong to your past life, they have no place in your new life. Make sure it is so.

D. Application:

1. Being in-Christ should affect my attitudes. Check it out.
2. Being in-Christ should affect my language. Check it out.

Passage: Col 3:9-11

A. Find Out:

1. What are we not to do? v.9a
   • Do not lie to each other
2. Why? v.9b
   • since you have taken off your old self with its practices
3. What have we also done? v.10a
   •  and have put on the new self
4. What is happening to that? v.10b
   • which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
5. What division is there NOT now? v.11a
   • Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free
6. But what IS the situation now? v.11b
   • but Christ is all, and is in all.

B. Think:

1. What HAS happened to us according to these verses?
2. What practical effect should that have on our lives?
3. How have divisions been done away with?

C. Comment:

Paul continues his list of things we ought not to be doing now we are Christians. He finishes with lying, speaking untruth, another way we can use wrong words. Now he gives us another reason why this should be so.

First, it’s because we have PUT OFF our old life with all its self-centred wrong practices. We have died to our old sinful nature is what Paul teaches elsewhere (Rom 6:2,6,11).

Second, we have been given a new life, alive to God, we have PUT ON a new life. Now that just wasn’t a one-off event when we were converted, it is an ongoing process that will continue throughout our lives. We are being changed (v.10) to become like our maker, changed to become like Jesus (2 Cor 3:18).

There are now no divisions when you become a Christian, no Jew or Gentile classification, no grouping according to Jewish customs, no upper class or lower class, we’re now all one in Christ. What HAS happened to us means that there should be very real practical consequences for our lives. No wrong but only good from us, only unity, no division among us.

D. Application:

1. When you came to Christ you died to your old life and were given a new one. Praise him for that.
2. The new life you’ve been given leaves no room for self-centred, godless, unrighteous behaviour. Make sure it is so.

Passage: Col 3:12-14

A. Find Out:

1. How does Paul describe his readers here? v.12a
   • Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved
2. What does he encourage them to do? v.12b
   • clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
3. What two things does he then ask them to do? v.13a,b
   • Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.
4. How are they to do that latter thing? v.13c
   • Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
5. What also are they to ‘put on’? v.14a
   • And over all these virtues put on love,
6. What will that do? v.14b
   • which binds them all together in perfect unity.

B. Think:

1. How will the virtues of v.12 help you in daily living?
2. Why should unforgiveness have no place in a Christian’s life?
3. How do you think love is related to the v.12 virtues?

C. Comment:

From v.5 on Paul had been telling his readers to get rid of a whole range of unChrist-like attitudes and behaviours that only belonged to their old life. But Christianity is not just a list of “you must not” things; it is very positive. So now he comes to the positive. Because (v.10) you’ve put on a new self-made in the image of God, put on the characteristics of His life.

Before we look at the list, note what he says: ‘clothe yourselves’. In other words, YOU clothe yourself with these things, YOU put these things into your life. This is your responsibility to do, this is the part YOU play in the forming your new life. It may seem artificial to start off with TRYING to be like this, but as you try, God enables the real thing to form in you. It’s like when you make Formwork for creating concrete beams or columns. You put the shape there and someone else fills it. So you put the form of these things in your life and God will make them real in you.

The v.12 virtues, the forgiveness of v.13 and the love of v.14 are all expressions of Jesus, and they are all things to do with relating one to another. When these things are worked into your life you find you have a completely different life. People become a blessing to you!

D. Application:

1. Harshness, intolerance, unforgiveness have no place in our lives.
2. The goodness of Jesus is to be seen in us. Work for it.

Passage: Col 3:15-17

A. Find Out:

1. What does Paul say we should let happen? v.15a
   •  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts
2. Why? v.15b
   • since as members of one body you were called to peace
3. What does he also say we are to be? v.15c
   • And be thankful.
4. What are we also to let happen? v.16a
   •  Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly
5. What are we to do, and how? v.16b
   • as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
6. How are we to do everything? v.17
   • And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

B. Think:

1. How is our “position” to affect our state?
2. What things are we to do according to this passage?
3. How are we to do those things.

C. Comment:

Paul is in the process of giving us a list of positive things we’re to see ourselves as and therefore subsequently to do. Now, he says, because you have been brought into unity with others in this body we call the church, let the peace that should be there, pervade your life and rule over your life. Not only that, be thankful for it.

As you interact with one anther, let the word that has come from God through Christ be there in you richly so that you can teach, admonish, stir up and encourage one another, knowing that you are doing it conveying God’s will.

Do you notice there is much about thankfulness in these verses? It’s like it’s to be a stream running through the orchard of your life. Be thankful that you’re in this body seems to be what should be inferred from v.15, and then sing as an expression of your gratitude for what God has done for you in v.16, and then, finally, just do everything you do as from Jesus but constantly giving thanks in it all to God the Father. A grateful thankful heart is one that appreciates the wonder of all that God has done. When you do understand it, you can’t do anything else except give thanks. This isn’t a formal solemn religion, this is a thankful relationship – and thanks are often noisy!

D. Application:

1. What a joy it is to know the wonder of God’s love. Rejoice in it.
2. Let that joy flow from you to others. Bless others with it.

Passage: Col 3:18-21

A. Find Out:

1. How are wives to relate to their husbands? v.18
   • Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
2. How are husbands to live with their wives? v.19
   • Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
3. What are children to do? v.20
   • Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
4. What are fathers not to do? v.21a
   • Fathers, do not embitter your children,
5. Why? v.21b
   • or they will become discouraged.

B. Think:

1. What tendency may men have according to these verses?
2. What are the grounds for wives and children to play their part?
3. How do you think these things go against ‘natural’ tendencies

C. Comment:

Paul now moves on to very practical family matters. There is no area of life that is not affected when you are a Christian. When we look at these verses, we need to remember that when Paul gives instructions, he always has in mind needs that need addressing.

When we look at modern life, we see that modern people have, by and large, thrown off the restraints of godly instruction and are living how they think they should – selfishly! When we observe the state of our society, we see all of the problems that Paul is addressing here, wives who compete with their husbands, husbands being brutal with their wives, children rebelling against their parents, and fathers abusing their children. These are the expressions of unrestrained self, people who put themselves first.

Paul speaks directly to these natural tendencies. Wives, God has put men in the place of authority in the way He has established the world (see the whole of the Bible) so acknowledge that role and enjoy it. Husbands, because you are usually the physically stronger, love your wives, be gentle and caring, cherish them, don’t be harsh in any way. Children parents are God’s authority over you, so obey them and you will please God. Fathers, be careful how you deal with your children who don’t always comply perfectly with your wishes. Peace everyone!

D. Application:

1. God has ordered human relationships. Do we follow His order?
2. I’m to consider my role, not my partner’s.

Passage: Col 3:22-4:1

A. Find Out:

1. How are slaves (servants) to work? v.22
   • Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favour, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.
2. What is to be their aim? v.23
   • Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
3. Why? v.24
   • since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
4. What warning is given? v.25
   • Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favouritism.
5. How are masters to respond? v.1a
   • Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair,
6. Why? v.1b
   • because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

B. Think:

1. If Christian workers follow this, what sort of workers would they be?
2. What is the ultimate guideline for Christian workers?
3. What is the ultimate guideline for Christian employers?

C. Comment:

Paul now moves on to the subject of slaves and masters. Although we do not have slaves, as such, today, we can apply this as to employees and employers who are Christians.

When Paul says obey in everything, he means as our Law says, obey every reasonable, lawful demand. We are not to obey and break the Law. Yet the aim of what Paul is saying is be a dutiful employee, not just when you’re being watched but at all times. Consider that you are working for the Lord, because in fact in your witness to being the best employee around, means that you will be testifying to the Lord. We’re not to see our jobs as “ours”, but we’re to see them as part of our entire lives, serving God. There’s not to be a part of our lives that is excluded from this. We all of us have to answer to God and therefore if we do wrong at work, understand it is a sin and we’ll have to answer to the Lord.

Similarly those who are employers are to understand that they too are answerable to the Lord, and that includes their whole lives, which includes the way they treat their employees. So employers are to ensure that they treat their employees rightly and fairly. Work is not an area excluded from the Lord’s sight!

D. Application:

1. Employees, be the best around!
2. Employers, be the best around!