Growing in Christ: Colossians 3 (2)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 1.1, 2
Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

Sing Psalm 1.1, 2
(St. Thomas: I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord)
How blessed are they that shun sin’s vain and wicked ways.
For them has Christ salvation won; He loves them all their days.

God’s Word is their delight; they prosper in its truth.
In it they dwell both day and night to flourish and bear fruit.Read Colossians 3.5-11

Preparation
1. What are Christians supposed to “put off”? Why?

2. What should we “put on” instead?

Meditation
If we have indeed been raised to life in Jesus, and our lives are hidden with Him in God, then everything about us should change.

But that doesn’t just happen. We must exert ourselves against our old, sinful ways and for the new life we have in Christ. Paul’s catalogue of sinful practices (vv. 5, 8, 9) is not meant to be exhaustive. However, you can see how it touches on many of the Ten Commandments, by which we know what sin is (Rom. 7.7). God’s wrath is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of those who deny Him, walk in the counsel of ungodliness, take their stand with sinners, and are comfortably seated in a sinful lifestyle (Ps. 1.1, 2; Rom. 1.18-32).

We don’t want to be there.

So we workout our salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2.12), learning Jesus (Eph. 4.17-24), and putting Him on in every facet and aspect of our lives (Rom. 13.14). We’ll need to set our minds on the things that are above, and on Jesus supremely (Col. 3.1-4). As we do, we will see more of His greatness, beauty, holiness, power, and love, and we will be drawn to be like Him, renewed in His image and becoming more like Christ (vv. 10, 11).

You will be faced with this choice every day: Back to the life of sin, or forward into the image of Jesus? Choose wisely.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Here is a quick checklist to help us in our choices of what to Put off and Put on:

1. Put off anything that becomes more important than God. (no other gods)
2. Put off anything that we might worship other than God. (no idolatry)
3. Put off saying you are a Christian but not acting like it. (no vain talking)
4. Put on the day of rest, remembering to keep it holy. (yes to the Sabbath)
5. Put on honoring of our mothers and fathers. (yes to honoring parents)
6. Put off hatred of others that brings us to murder either with actions or words. (no killing)
7. Put off unfaithfulness to our spouse. (no adultery)
8. Put off the taking of other people’s belongings. (no stealing)
9. Put off untruths (no lying)
10. Put off intense desires for other people’s people, place and/or things. (no coveting)

This pretty much sums up everything God wants us to do and not to do.|
And it encompasses all the behaviors that we would like for others to treat us with.
Nothing too outlandish here. It is love lived out in actions and thoughts.
It is what God gave us by His own hand in Exodus 20.1-17; and Jesus reiterated them all in Matthew 22.37-40.

And our attitude of obedience should be the same as the psalmist when he said: “I made haste, and did not delay to keep Your commandments” (Ps.119.60).

Let us with the psalmist go forward, carefully putting off sin and putting on Jesus, choosing wisely because as He said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14.15).

Reflection
1. Why is the Law of God important for our lives as faithful saints?

2. What does it mean to “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ?

3. How can Christians help one another in “putting off” and “putting on”?

… when the lusts of the flesh are brought into subjection the heart may have no concern for riches or ambition or pleasures. The intention is that God may be all to us, if we live after his image and likeness, as far as we can attain to it, through all. Ambrose of Milan (333-397), Of the Christian Faith 5.14.175-76

Clothe me with Your righteousness today, Jesus, so that I…

Closing Prayer: Psalm 1.3-6
As you pray, allow the Lord to search you and to reveal any areas where your old sinful self is still active. Confess, repent, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sing Psalm 1.3-6
(St. Thomas: I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord)
Firm planted on the banks of God’s great stream of grace,
they raise unending praise and thanks to His great glorious face.

The wicked are not so, but, driven by the winds,
they fall and perish, weighed with woe, when once God’s wrath begins.

In Jesus’ righteousness, though sinners fail and fall,
His flock He will preserve and bless, who on His favor call.

T. M. and Susie Moore

Listen to our summary of last week’s study by clicking here.

Looking to Jesus
We can’t put on the Lord Jesus if we don’t see Him with increasing clarity. Our book, To Know Him, can help you in your daily struggle to become more like Jesus. Order your free copy by clicking here.

Personal Mission Field
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Except as indicated, all Scripture are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.