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Colossian Chapter Three (2) What Christians should do Rules for Holy Living ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) Since you have been raised with Christ, on what does Paul say to set your hearts, for what reason does Paul say to set your mind on things above, not on earthly things, and when Christ, who is your life, appears, how will we appear with him?
________________________________________________________________________________ In chapter 2, Paul exposed the wrong reasons
for self-denial. In chapter 3, he explains true Christian behavior-putting on
the new self by accepting Christ and regarding the earthly nature as dead. We
change our moral and ethical behavior by letting Christ live within us, so that
he can shape us into what we should be. 2) What did Paul say to put to death, and because of these, what did Paul say is coming?
________________________________________________________________________________ We should consider ourselves dead and
unresponsive to sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed.
Jesus like diseased limbs of a tree, these practices must be cut off before they
destroy us. We must make a conscious, daily decision to remove anything that
supports or feeds these desires and to rely on the Holy Spirit's power. 3) How did you used to walk, and of what does Paul say we must rid ourselves?
________________________________________________________________________________ We must rid ourselves of all evil practices and immorality. Then we can commit ourselves to what Christ teaches. Paul was appealing to the commitment the believers had made and urging them to remain true to their confession of faith. They were to rid themselves of the old life and "put on" the new way of living given by Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit. If you have made such a commitment to Christ, are you remaining true to it? 4) For what reason does Paul say not to lie to each other, and in what is our new self being renewed?
________________________________________________________________________________ Lying to one another disrupts unity by
destroying trust. It tears down relationships and may lead to serious conflict
in a church. So don't exaggerate statistics, pass on rumors or gossip, or say
things to build up your own image. Be committed to telling the truth. 5) Of what did Paul say there was none, and whom did Paul say is all and is in all?
________________________________________________________________________________ The Christian Church should have no barriers of nationality, race, education level, social standing, wealth, gender, religion, or power. Christ breaks down all barriers and accepts all people who come to him. Nothing should keep us from telling others about Christ or accepting into our fellowship any and all believers (Ephesians 2:14, 15). Christians should be building bridges, not walls. 6) As God's chosen people, in what does he tell them to clothe themselves, what does Paul tell them to forgive, in what way are we to forgive, over all these virtues, what does Paul tell us to put on, and how does love bind them?
________________________________________________________________________________ Paul offers a strategy to help us live for
God day by day: (1) imitate Christ's compassionate, forgiving attitude (3:12,
13); (2) let love guide your life (3:14); (3) let the peace of Christ rule over
your heart (3:15); (4) always be thankful (3:15); (5) keep God's Word in you all
the time (3:16); (6) live as Jesus Christ's representative (3:17). 7) For what reason does Paul tell us to let the peace of Christ rule your heart, what does Paul say to be, what does Paul say to let dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and what are we to do with gratitude in our hearts to God?
________________________________________________________________________________ Christians should live in peace. To live in
peace does not mean that suddenly all differences in opinion are eliminated, but
it does require that loving Christians work together despite their difference.
Such love is not a feeling, but a decision to met others' needs (see
1Corinthians 13). To live in love leads to peace between individuals and among
the members of the body of believers. Do problems in your relationships with
other Christians cause open conflicts or mutual silence? Consider what you can
do to heal those relationships with love. 8) In whose name, whether in word or deed, should you give thanks, and how do we give thanks to God?
________________________________________________________________________________ Doing "all in the name of the Lord Jesus" means bringing honor to Christ in every aspect and activity of daily living. As a Christian, you represent Christ at all times-wherever you go and whatever you say. What impression do people have of Christ when they see or talk with you? What changes would you make in your life in order to honor Christ? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rules for Christian Households ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9) In what way does Paul tell the wives to submit to their husbands, in what way does Paul tell the husbands to treat their wives, for what reason did Paul tell the children to obey their parents in everything, and for what reason did Paul tell the Fathers not to embitter their children?
________________________________________________________________________________ Paul gives rules for three sets of household
relationships: (1) husbands and wives, (2) parents and children, and (3) masters
and slaves. In each case there is mutual responsibility to submit and love, to
obey and encourage, to work hard and be fair. Examine your family and work
relationships. Do you relate to others as God intended? 10) How are slaves to obey their earthly masters, for what reason does Paul tell them to work with all their heart, what will we receive as an reward from the Lord, who are you serving, whom will be repaid for his wrong, and what did Paul say there was not?
________________________________________________________________________________ Paul does not condemn or condone slavery, but
explains that Christ transcends all divisions between people. Slaves are told to
work hard as though their master were Christ himself (3:22-25); but masters
should be just and fair (4:1) Perhaps Paul was thinking specifically of Onesimus
and Philemon-the slave and master whose conflict lay behind the letter to
Philemon (see the book of Philemon). Philemon was a slave owner in the Colossian
church, and Onesimus had been his slave (4:9). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sins Versus Signs Of Love ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In Colossians 3:5 Paul tells us to put to death the things found in list 1. In 3:8 he tells us to rid ourselves of the things found in list 2. In 3:12 we're told to practice the things found in list 3. List 1 deals with sins of sexual attitudes and behavior-they are particularly destructive because of what they do to destroy any group or church. List 2 deals with sins of speech-these are the relationship-breakers. List 3 contains the relationship-builders, which we are to express as members of Christ's body. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sins of Sexual Attitude and Behavior: Sins of Speech: Signs of Love: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Answers Colossians Chapter Three ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) things above, where Christ is seated at the
right hand of God...for you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in
God...in glory ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Taken from The NIV Life Application Study Bible, Zondervan Publishers |