Colossians (written)

Monday, 15 May 2017

…bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. Colossians 3:13

This verse, which is a continuation of the thought from the previous verse, begins with, “bearing with one another.” The word indicates a purposeful endeavoring in our attitude. We should have an earnest desire to exert ourselves in love in order to “secure a thing not lightly obtained” (Albert Barnes). People can wear us out with their own pet peeves, insecurities, jealousies, and the like. In our walk, we should be willing to bear such things in love rather than breaking down and shooting forth darts of anger.

He then says, “forgiving one another.” Forgiveness is something we are exhorted to do because without forgiveness there is no harmony. And without harmony, a wall of division is built up which normally will affect more than just the two who are in disagreement. Small divisions which are left to fester can divide entire churches. Therefore, when someone offends another, and when the offender requests forgiveness for their offense, the offended is to grant that forgiveness. This will be built upon with the rest of the words of the verse.

Next Paul says, “…if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” God forgave us in Christ – completely and wholly – having canceled our debt through His sacrifices. There were no strings attached. The forgiveness is complete, it is eternal, and it was based upon a simple request for forgiveness of having offended God. This then is the standard. Our forgiveness is to resemble that which God has provided to us. It is to be complete and completely forgiven. When we are asked to provide it, we are to give it.

Having said that, this needs to explained further. Far too often, this verse, among several others, are taken to unintended extremes because people do not think through what is being said. Eventually, someone will offend someone else, and then those around him will say, “You must forgive that person.” This is true, but only if the offender requests it. Forgiveness is not unconditional in Christ, and it would, therefore, be a greater standard than God expects of Himself to say that we must forgive everyone all the time.

To say that forgiveness in Christ is unconditional would lead to the theology of universalism – everyone goes to heaven, and nobody goes to hell. This is absurd, and the Bible never teaches it. God’s condition for forgiveness is faith in the cross of Christ, receiving that for the lost soul – “Lord God, I am sorry for my sins. I ask that I be forgiven through the shed blood of Christ.” Whether those words are specifically stated or not, they are implied in what the cross of Christ signifies. All people, and all sins, are potentially forgiven in Christ. When we ask for that forgiveness, it is actually granted.

Some other examples of verses which are misused concerning forgiveness are –

1) Jesus on the cross said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). People will say, Jesus forgave them so you must too. First, Jesus didn’t forgive them, He asked the Father to. Secondly, the sin was unintentional (they know not what they do). Third, after Jesus’ ascension, Peter explained what occurred and said to these same people that they must repent or be destroyed and cut off – he even called them a “wicked generation.” Their destruction occurred 40 years later when Israel was destroyed and the Jews were dispersed, just as Jesus predicted. Forgiveness didn’t come for the nation who rejected Christ.

2) “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:15. This is taken entirely out of context as a stand-alone verse. The surrounding verses are about asking for forgiveness first. When we do, He does. And we are to do likewise when someone repents toward us.

3) “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (Luke 17:3,4). In this verse, forgiveness clearly is based on repentance.

4) In a comparable passage, in Matthew 18:35 people tend to only quote the forgiveness part – “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” However, the entire parable is based on one getting on one’s knees and first asking forgiveness.

5) “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (John 20:23). Pretty clear here. Though speaking to the apostles, Jesus’ apostolic followers could retain the sins of others and they were not forgiven.

6) When we say the Lord’s Prayer – “…forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” we are acknowledging God as our forgiver and we are asking for that forgiveness. It, therefore, would logically be the same with those who “trespass against us.”

Life application: Context matters for proper doctrine, and doctrine matters for proper theology. Keep things in context.

Heavenly Father, help us to remember that when others come to us and ask for forgiveness, we are to forgive them for what they have done. Our petty offenses are nothing in comparison to what we have been forgiven by You. When we asked for forgiveness in Christ, You freely and abundantly provided it. In Christ, all are potentially forgiven, and when we ask for it, we are actually forgiven. What a display of love! Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sunday, 14 May 2017

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; Colossians 3:12

Paul has just given a list of categories, in the previous verse, where one in any category is no longer lifted above another in any other category. All are on an equal basis before God because of Christ. For this reason, Paul says, “Therefore.” As all are on this same equal level in Christ, there should be a resulting understanding of this, which is followed through with an equal respect for all.

In confirmation of this, he says, “as the elect of God.” In other words, any who have received Christ – whether Greek, Jew, circumcised, uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free – any such category, each person is one of the “elect of God.” The idea of being elect signifies privilege. All have the same rights and benefits, and each is “holy and beloved.” Charles Ellicott states, “The elect are ‘holy,’ consecrated to God in thought and life; and ‘beloved,’ accepted and sustained in their consecration by His love.” As every person in Christ bears these traits, we are not to look down on any other who is in Christ.

Rather, we are to “put on tender mercies.” Vincent’s Word Studies call this “a heart of compassion.” We are to be compassionate towards our fellow believers, not ignoring their needs because of some supposed difference which would otherwise lesson them in our eyes.

Likewise we are to put on “kindness.” This is “the Spirit-produced goodness which meets the need and avoids human harshness” (HELPS Word-Studies).

Paul follows next with “humility.” The believer is to be humble in spirit, not raising himself above others, but instead giving preference to others, submitting to them and their needs and desires.

After that he notes “meekness.” It is the gentle and mild attitude where a person receives another with an open heart and an easy-going disposition.

He finishes the verse with “longsuffering.” This is a trait which displays the willingness to put up with another despite their faults. It is patience without exasperation, and it is even allowing one to overlook the wrongs committed towards oneself by another.

Life application: Bearing the traits Paul notes in this verse takes time and effort, but it is right that we work on them because those who are in Christ are also the elect. We are not raised above them, and they are not raised above us. Rather we are equal as we stand in relation to one another. And so let us do our best to act in the manner we have been exhorted to act in these words.

Lord God, help us to live out the truth that all who are in Christ are on the same level. There are none greater or lesser, but all are elect. Because of this, help us to display qualities of gentleness, longsuffering, kindness, and humility toward our fellow brothers and sisters. May we never exalt ourselves over one another, but display a gracious attitude towards each other at all times. Amen.

Saturday, 13 May 2017

…where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Colossians 3:11

Paul, still showing remarkable consistency with his other letters, now gives a verse reminiscent of Galatians 3:28 –

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Like in Galatia, he here explains the universality of the Gospel message. He begins with, “there is neither Greek nor Jew.” The words are in opposite order to those written to Galatia. In Galatia, there was an insipid infection of believing that the Judaizers were more spiritual than those in Galatia. The Judaizers forced their adherence to the Old Testament on the Gentile believers, and those Gentiles swallowed it up. This was less problematic in Colossae, and so he says “Greek nor Jew.” The Gentiles were on the same level as the Jews.

As distinctions go, this is where the greatest of all lay in the mind of the Jews. They were on one side; the Gentiles were on the other. The term “Greek” here is being applied to any non-Jew. Because of the conquests of Alexander, the Greek culture, influence, and language had permeated the known world. Within that sphere, the Jews remained Jews though. In order to then show that this distinction was now void, he begins his list with this. To the Colossians, it was an admonishment that they were not to look to the Jews for their doctrine, but to God. They were not to insert the false teachings of the Judaizers, but to submerse themselves in the truth of the gospel.

He then further defines this category by saying, “circumcised nor uncircumcised.” The addition is not unnecessary. One could say, “Being a Jew may not be a big distinction anymore, but being circumcised is.” Paul spent a great deal of time on the issue of circumcision in Galatians, but he has not done so in this letter. Therefore, he is noting simply and directly that the rite of physical circumcision means nothing.

His next words say “barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free.” The barbarian is an uncultured person. In comparison to others, he is uncivilized, unpolished, and looked at as contemptible. In the world at large, such a person would be considered less notable, but in Christ, all are on the same level. This also included the Scythian. This is the only time the Scythian is noted in the New Testament.

They were those people who lived on the north and northeast coast of the Black and Caspian seas. This region extended well into Asia. It included the lands of the Mongols and Turks of our more modern age. They were considered a savage people, and were uncivilized and ferocious. However, even such seeming enemies of the cultured areas of Paul’s evangelism were to be considered on the same level if they were in Christ.

Paul finishes the list with, “slave nor free.” The free people of the Roman Empire were considered on a completely different level than the slaves. This distinction was so great that Paul’s words here could hardly be imagined by either class when considering the other. But once in Christ, the distinctions were removed. The letter of Philemon gives important insights into this.

After the list, Paul then finishes with, “…but Christ is all in all.” The presence of Christ in a believer is all that matters. In Him, all distinctions are swept away, and all are on an equal playing field. We cannot hold grudges against race, creed, culture, ethnicity, etc. by saying that they are not deserving of Christ. All are, and all are welcome.

It is of note that Paul does not include “male nor female” here in his letter to the Colossians. This may have been considered a problem in Galatia, and so Paul addressed it to ensure that that it was understood that women were on an equal footing concerning salvation. However, in the Greek culture, this was not a problem. In fact, including them could cause the possibility of the growth of licentiousness. The attitude of men towards women might jump to an unintended extreme. Therefore, Paul simply left the matter unstated.

Understanding these things, his words of this verse actually imply that these distinctions still exist in the world in which we live. When naming categories, it shows that the categories are there to name. No one reading his words would say, “That person isn’t circumcised” if he was actually circumcised. The same is true with those who are slaves and those who are free. The differences exist, but Paul’s point is that they have no bearing on being in Christ. And yet, those who believe the church has replaced Israel ignore the categories that Paul mentions first – Greek and Jew. In doing so, replacement theologians have even made the claim that those in the church are the true Jews, even if they are Gentiles! This is both unbiblical and irrational.

To state the names implies there is a difference. Though there is now no distinction between them “in Christ,” there is a difference between them “in the world.” The church is not comprised of only Jews.

Life application: If you are a Jew in Christ, you remain a Jew. If you are a Gentile in Christ, you remain a Gentile. There is no distinction between the two, but the differences remain. Don’t call yourself what you are not!

Lord God, You have swept away all supposed divisions of people in Your church. In Christ, there is now no distinction between Jew or Greek, barbarian or one who is cultured, and the visible differences of black, white, yellow, brown, and red make no difference to You. What matters is not an external identification, but an internal change of the heart. When one calls on Jesus, they become a part of this great body which You have established. Thank You that You would even call someone like me. Praises to You, O God. Amen.

Friday, 12 May 2017

…and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, Colossians 3:10

Paul just stated that the believer has “put off the old man with his deeds.” Now in contrast to that, he says that we “have put on the new man.” Jesus uses the same Greek words when speaking of the new wine being put into old wineskins, and the new piece of cloth being sewn onto an old garment. The word for old is a chronological word indicating something ancient. The word for new likewise suggests “new in time.” It is something that is now revealed which didn’t appear before. In other words, we have had a complete break from what we were.

Such a person then “is renewed.” The word is actually in the present tense and is more accurately translated as “is being renewed.” This word, rather than being “new in time,” gives the sense of “new in quality.” We have been made new, and therefore we are to be renewed, improving from moment to moment. The state of this renewal is to be “in knowledge.” There is an object which we are to focus on, and we are to grow in quality towards the knowledge of that object.

Paul then tells us what that object is by saying this should take place “according to the image of Him who created” us. We are to strive to be improved, from one stage to the next, until we bear the image of Christ. As our knowledge of Christ is, at this time, to be found solely in the Scriptures, then it means that we are to study that marvelous body of writings in order to become more like Him.

It would make no sense to put off the old man, as he said we have done in the last verse, and then to remain ignorant of what our transformation into the new man means. If that were the case, we would actually remain in the state of whatever knowledge we possess. Without gaining knowledge of Christ Jesus we would, by default, be new men possessing only an old knowledge. Unfortunately, this is the state of a large portion of saved believers. They receive Christ and they stagnate. They remain carnal in their thinking despite having been regenerated in their spiritual selves.

Peter gives instructions in how to avoid this pitfall in 2 Peter 1:2-9. Try reading those verses today and reflect on how you too can avoid falling into the pit of forgetfulness, even to the point that you forget you have been saved in the first place.

Life application: Each of us is individually responsible for his own walk in the Lord. Are we going to move forward, seeking to know Him more and more each day? Or, are we going to stagnate and face life’s trials with all of the uncertainties that the unregenerate world faces? Let us endeavor to live for the Lord now, grow in Him daily, and be pleasing to Him when we stand before Him at the judgment seat of Christ.

Lord God, for those who have called on Christ, we have been given a new nature, youthful in regards to what we once were. Now help us to use that new vigor to renew ourselves into a higher quality of life, from stage to stage growing in a greater knowledge of You. And as this is the purpose of giving us Your wonderful word, help us to study it and apply its precepts to our lives. And thank You for being with us in the process. Amen.

Thursday, 11 May 2017

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, Colossians 3:9

These words here are also close to Paul’s thoughts from Ephesians 4:22-25 –

“…that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³ and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.”

Paul is consistent in his words to his readers. Though the law is annulled in Christ, there are precepts which are repeated from the law which we are asked to comply with. This is because committing such offenses is contrary to our new life in Christ. One of God’s attributes is that of truthfulness. As we are to emulate Him, we are to be truthful in all we say; the old man has been put off. In the Greek it is an aorist verb. There is a set time when this occurred. As the old man is gone, and we are in Christ, it logically follows that we are saved one-time-for-all-time. This will continue to be seen in the next verses.

Therefore, going back and doing things which are past cannot result in a lack of salvation, but they can affect us negatively nonetheless. We can lose friendships, we can lose fellowship, and we can be imprisoned or even killed for doing wrong. And further, we will certainly lose eternal rewards for such things. Therefore, let us strive to emulate the Lord in all ways, and to be pleasing to God as we live out this life in Christ.

Life application: If we think lying will somehow get us ahead in life, or get us out of some type of fix we are in, we are making a wrong judgment about the action. Instead, we should consider what we say from the heavenly, not the earthly, perspective. In doing so, we will benefit from that which is truly of value.

Lord God, help us to realize that no matter what we gain in this life, if it was obtained apart from compliance with Your word, it is actually a point of loss. What good is gain now if we will lose rewards in what is true and eternal life? Help us to emulate the Lord Jesus, be desirous of pleasing You, and to live in Christ as pleasing instruments of Your grace and mercy. Help us in this, O God. Amen.