Colossians 3:18-4:1 (ESV)

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters,[a] not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

​1 Masters, treat your bondservants[b] justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

​In Colossians 3:1-17, Paul outlined the virtues that the Christian community were to exercise.  We are to put off our old selves and put on the virtues that have been appropriated to us in Christ.  Paul hammers home the idea that we can indeed change and become rich in our relationships as we “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (3:17).  Paul concludes this section by focusing the Christian household, specifically, marriage, parenthood, and work. 

Wives are to submit to their husbands as is “fitting in the Lord.”  Husbands are to love their wives and not be “harsh with them.” We cannot take these two charges out of the context of Colossians 3:1-17. Spouses are first called to live the Christian life depending on the finished work of Jesus.  Each spouse must seek to be compassionate, humble, meek, patient, and forgiving (3:13). 

The wife’s submission to the husband is not a blind submission, but a wise and discerning one.  She is to defer to her husband humbly and lovingly as is appropriate in Christ.  Her goal is for her husband to lead her and her family in accordance with the gospel.  Together, they cooperate to create a marriage of mutual love and respect that demonstrates the peace and power of the gospel.

Husbands are to love their wives and not be harsh with them.  Paul’s command is for the husband not to abuse their authority over their wives and thus stifle her gifts and the safety of the marriage.  The mutual love and roles for husband and wives are meant to build the marriage in Christ and to demonstrate the beautiful love of Christ and His Church.

1. Why is protecting and nurturing the institution of marriage so important for the church?
   
2. How can we nurture our marriages?  How can we prepare ourselves for marriage? How can we train our children for marriage?

Colossians 3:18-4:1 (ESV)

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters,[a] not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

​1 Masters, treat your bondservants[b] justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

​Children are to obey the parents in the Lord in everything.  Paul is not envisioning a scenario where the kids are not under a Christian household.  Just as he spoke of in marriage, Paul is still talking within the confines of the church where Christ’s love and ethics are upheld.  The children are also of age where they can understand this charge and know that their parents are seeking to follow the ways of Christ.  This is the context in which children are to obey their parents, knowing they have his or her best interest in mind. 

Parents are also not to provoke or exasperate their children, lest they become discouraged.  Harsh discipline and words of discouragement should not be a part of our parenting and if so, parents need to be quick to ask for forgiveness.  Children should know they are being loved and led in the ways of God’s grace and mercy.  Parenting is undoubtedly difficult and both parents and children will learn that the only perfect parent is their Father in Heaven who loves us all. 

1. ​When have you felt most discouraged and encouraged by your parents?  How does knowing that only God, our Father in Heaven, is the only perfect Father help us to understand and love our parents?
   
2. Children, how can you obey your parents better?  Parents, how can you better love your children to encourage them in Christ?

Colossians 3:18-4:1 (ESV)

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters,[a] not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

​1 Masters, treat your bondservants[b] justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

​The final household relationship that Paul tackles is between the masters and the bondservants who live under their roof.  Today, we can think of this as the workplace.  For those of us who work for others, God calls us to work as if we were working for God, “fearing the Lord” (3:22).  We are not to be people-pleasers nor work half-heartily.  For those who are employers, we are to treat our employees “justly and fairly, knowing that [we] also have a Master in heaven.” 

More specifically, Paul is talking of an economy under a Christian household and not necessarily with our business dealings in the world, although much still applies.  When we are acting as employers we are to be fair and just.  Think of how you treat people you hire for yardwork, the employees at restaurants, or anyone else who renders service.  We are to treat them well and to pay them fairly.

1. We have all interacted with people at shops or paid for people to help us.  How are some ways we can treat them better?
   
2. How can we be better employees and wise as we seek to serve our employers? 

​Colossians 3:1-17 (ESV)

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.[c] 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,[e] free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

As people who have been united to Jesus, Paul tells us to put to death what is earthly in us (v. 3:5) and to put on the new self (v. 3:9).  Our new identities are hidden in Jesus and therefore are measured by our relationship with him.  Since all of us are sinners and none of us has earned our righteousness, we are all equal in God’s eyes.  Paul says, “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all” (v. 3:11). We cannot love and serve our brothers & sisters, if we think we are better than them.  Let us measure ourselves and others according to the measure of Christ.  We are all sinners, saved by grace, seeking each other’s help to mature in faith.

1. What kind of divisions was there in the church of Colossae?
   
2. What kind of divisions have you seen in churches before?  How can we help our church to remain united in Jesus?

​Colossians 3:1-17 (ESV)

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.[c] 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,[e] free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

From verses 12-15, Paul is not shy about heaping words upon words on how we should express our love to one another.  Two postures are a must for a Christians.  (1) Humility.  We are not to presume to know all that is happening in the hearts of our brothers and sisters.  We must seek to know and understand each other in our shared journey in the Lord.  So, ask lots of questions and listen well! (2) Forgiveness.  When we are quick to judge, lack compassion, and are overbearing, we must ask forgiveness—“forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (v.13).

1. Which of the qualities in v.12, 13 do you wish to grow in?
   
2. How does being called “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved” help us to love one another?
   

*Challenge: Colossians 3:1-17 is one of those great passages to memorize and meditate upon.  If you can do it, CCPC will give you a prize :)

​Colossians 3:1-17 (ESV)

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.[c] 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,[e] free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

If our posture towards one another is humility and forgiveness, what should be the content of our interactions?  Verses 16-17 answers this question for us. (1) We are to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly so we can teach and admonish one another in all wisdom.  One of the primary goals of the church is to mature in faith.  The primary instrument that the Holy Spirit uses is Scripture.  We ask God for wisdom to lovingly apply its truth to our lives and the lives of our brothers and sisters.  (2) Sing! Don’t be shy to sing hymns or praise songs to one another!  What better way to express our love for God than with our voices lifted high!

​Our posture towards one another should be (1) humility and (2) forgiveness and the content of our love should be (3) Wise application of Scripture and (4) Song.  Which one of these four do you wish God to help you with this season of your life?

*Mini-Challenge: Memorize Colossians 3:17.

Colossians 3:1-17 (ESV)

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.[c] 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,[e] free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

​After Paul’s warnings against the elemental spirits (principles) of the world, he continues to urge the church in Corinth to set their hope in the power of Christ.  In Chapter 3:1-4, the language of death and resurrection echoes the idea of our baptism in Christ.  We are united with our Savior in both our death and resurrection! 

What is new in this picture is the reality that Christ now sits at the right hand of God.  If our Savior’s death and resurrection focuses upon our redemption from sins, then His ascension and seating at God’s right hand focuses upon His power and eventual final victory when He returns. 

We are reminded to “set our minds on things above,” (Colossians 3:2), knowing that our life is hidden with Christ and in His return we will appear with Him in glory.

1. What do most people set their minds on to give “life?”
   
2. How can we constantly remind ourselves and others to “seek the things that are above” and “set [our] minds on the things that are above?

Colossians 3:1-17 (ESV)

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.[c] 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,[e] free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

​You may think that “seeking the things that are above” or “setting [our] minds on things above,” means that we forget about the things of this world.  Perhaps a heavenly mindset means that we look at the world as an illusion or that we think that the world is so terrible that we stop caring for people. 

But the opposite is true!  Because our lives are hidden in heaven, we do not look to the world to ultimately give us purpose or meaning.  Instead, we can live a life on earth loving well.

When Paul says, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you,” (Colossians 3:5) he is saying two things. (1) A reminder that we have died to the things of this world and that our lives are hidden with Christ.  So the charge is simple. Live like you are alive in Jesus because you are! (2) Paul wants us to put to death all the things that relate to immoral living, and to put on all things that relate to Kingdom living.

Why is thinking about Jesus in heaven the only way to love others well?

Colossians 3:1-17 (ESV)

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.[c] 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,[e] free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

​Colossians 3:1-17 amazes the reader when they realize that Paul’s primary argument is simple: Set your minds on things in heaven so you can love each other well!  Most would expect that the reason we think about heaven is for “self-actualization,” or to find “inner peace.”  Instead Paul not only surprises us by speaking of moral living, but he addresses the most volatile expression of earthly living—our speech.  “But now you must put them away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth” (Colossians 3:9).

Christians are known by their speech—their choice of words and how they are expressed.  Our speech can only change when we let our minds rest on Christ’s power.  Let us learn to rest on Christ and let us continue to grow in speaking words of love.

​How are our words related to what’s in our hearts?

*Be encouraged to know that we were not made perfect once we were saved.  By God’s grace and through the Holy Spirit we grow in our ability to love as Jesus loves.  Pray that you may rest in Jesus alone.