The Prison Epistles A Study of the Letters Paul Wrote While Imprisoned in Rome Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, & Philemon

Outline of Colossians I.Christ is the Head of all Things in Creation and Redemption. Col. 1:1-29. II.Don’t be Led Away from Christ. Col. 2:1-23. III.Live as those Chosen by God. Col. 3:1- 4:6. IV.Concluding Remarks Col. 4:7-18. Christ, rather than human rituals and philosophies, is all that you need.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:1-4 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth 3:1 “Since” you are risen with Christ. –Col 2:12 “buried with Him in baptism, wherein ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” –Rom 6:1-4 “therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Colossians 3:1-17 3:1-4 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth 3:2 Set your affection on things above. –Heb 11:8-10 “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed... dwelling in tabernacles... for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

Colossians 3:1-17 3:1-4 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth 3:2 Not on things on the earth. –Matt 16:21-23 “then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”

Colossians 3:1-17 3:1-4 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. –Gal 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me...”

Colossians 3:1-17 3:1-4 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth Does work, or do ballgames, TV, and other entertainment come before the Lord? Or are we putting the Lord first? In the next sections (5-11, 12-17), Paul will describe some specific desires we should lay aside, and some specific attributes we should put on.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:5-11 Put off the old man Read 5-11 in KJV, NASV, ESV

Colossians 3:1-17 3:5-11 Put off the old man Col 3:1-12 KJV 5 ¶ Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8 ¶ But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:5-11 Put off the old man Col 3:1-12 ESV Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:5-11 Put off the old man Col 3:1-12 NASV 5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:5-11 Put off the old man 3:5 Mortify, put to death, consider as dead. Say that you tell your son to take the roundup and kill the weeds in the yard. But you go out to inspect the job and find that the weeds are pruned, mulched and fertilized. We would not say that he killed those weeds. Am I “mortifying” my sins, or mulching them? Am I fighting my sins or fertilizing them?

Colossians 3:1-17 3:5-11 Put off the old man –James 1:22 “but be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” –II Cor 13:5 “examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves...” –Sexually related sins noted with the broad spectrum terms in verse 5 “immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire” I Cor 6:18-20, Heb 13:4 –Emotions in verse 8 “anger, wrath, malice” –Language in verse 8-9 “slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another”

Colossians 3:1-17 3:5-11 Put off the old man 3:6 For which things sake the wrath of God comes. –Eph 5:6-7 “let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God...” –I Cor 6:9-10 “know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God...”

Colossians 3:1-17 3:5-11 Put off the old man 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. No longer walking and living that way. –I Cor 6:11 “and such were some of you” –Rom 6:21 “those things whereof ye are now ashamed” –I Cor 5:10-11 “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator...”

Colossians 3:1-17 3:5-11 Put off the old man 3:8 “But now ye also put off all these” –These words show ability and responsibility. Eg. “take off your hat when the national anthem is played.” –God’s commands are possible to fulfill. I Jn 5:3 3:9 Lie not one to another. –You have put off the old man –You have put on the new man Passion, lying and malice (sins of verses 5-8) reflect and affection on things of this earth.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man Read in KJV, NASV, ESV

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man Col 3:12-17 KJV 12 ¶ Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man Col 3:12-17 ESV Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 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. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 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. 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 3:12-17 Put on the new man Col 3:12-17 NASV 12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 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 richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man 3:12 “Put on therefore” –These words show ability and responsibility. –Attitudes of “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Against such there is no law! Gal 5:23 With a change of affection (3:2), I can have free course on the autobahn and not have to insist on racing through town square at 90.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man 3:12 “Put on therefore” –These words show ability and responsibility. –Attitudes of “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Against such there is no law! Gal 5:23 With a change of affection (3:2), I can have free course on the autobahn and not have to insist on racing through town square at 90.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man 3:13 “forgiving one another” –Even as Christ forgave you. Conditionally. –We should always have a spirit of forgiveness and hold no malice (3:8), but understand that actual forgiveness is conditional. –Matt 18:15-17 “go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone...” –Luke 17:3-4 “if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him...”

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man 3:15 “be ye thankful” –After becoming a Christian, we still need training to be what God wants us to be. We have to learn “thankfulness.” –Rom 1:21 gentiles - “neither were thankful” –I Tim 2:1 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority...” –I Thess 5:16-18 “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks:...”

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man 3:16 Singing. Read also Eph 5:19. –Teaching and admonishing one another The teaching of Col 3:16 and Eph 5:19 involves words (word of Christ dwelling in you, speaking to yourselves), not humming or whistling. –Singing is authorized under our law Musical instruments were authorized under the law of Moses. II Chron 29:25

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man 3:16 Singing. Read also Eph 5:19. –Singing to the Lord (worship and adoration is to the Lord). From the use of the word “Lord” in this context and in Eph 5, I lean toward the “Lord” here referring to Jesus, not the Father, though I believe the point of the passage would be the same if it is the Father. I do not believe it would change the affect or application of the passage. I’m open to learning hearing further explanations about “Lord” here. –Col 3:16 describes singing, not praying, even though we may sing about praying or at the end of a chorus, “amen” the words of the song that we sung. Other verses discuss praying.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man 3:16 Singing. Read also Eph 5:19. –I believe Col 3:16 describes how we accomplish both “teaching one another” and “singing to the Lord” simultaneously when we sing. “Can he depend on you” - When we sing this song, our worship is to the Lord, and we are also teaching one another to do God’s will. “How great Thou art” – When we sing this song, our worship is to the Lord, and we are teaching one another that God is great.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man 3:16 Singing. Read also Eph 5:19. –Col 3:16 describes singing, not praying, even though we may sing about praying or at the end of the chorus, “amen” the words of the song that we sung. Other verses discuss praying.

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man 3:16 Singing. Read also Eph 5:19. –Col 3:16 describes Christians singing together. We can do verse 16 at home with a few other Christians or in the assembly with the whole church. So whether we praise God and teach each other at home or in the assembly, we want to abide by the parameters of God’s word and “do all in the name of the Lord.”

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man 3:17 Do all in the name of the Lord. –Whatsoever you do in word or deed. Col 3:17 isn’t saying that we have to literally pronounce Jesus’ name during actions such as: teaching (II Tim 3:16-17) singing (Eph 5:19, Col 3:16) performing commands of baptism (Mark 16:16) raising our children (Eph 6:4) working to provide for our family (I Tim 5:8) recreation (I Tim 4:8)

Colossians 3:1-17 3:12-17 Put on the new man 3:17 Do all in the name of the Lord. –Doing our words and deeds “in the name of the Lord” means that are doing and speaking the things that we know are within the bounds of the Lord’s will. We are acting with God’s approval, by his authority, with his backing. –Under Moses law, they could use a harp “in the name of the Lord” (II Chron 29:25), today we cannot.