1. Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano 1 Colossians 3:1-4 “Increasing in the incomparable Christ!” knowledge of the St. Paul’s Letter to the olossians C

2. Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano 2 24 Nov. Day 15. Chapter 3:1-4. Here we move into some of the practical implications of what we’ve looked at. Preachers have often divided their work into explanations, exhortations and applications. We’ve already looked at some of the personal greetings and such in the prologue. Then we looked at truths like the Deity of Jesus, talked about the church itself and also looked at some of the things they were to watch out for in their lives. Now we’re going to move into truths we should remember because of all we’re learning here. Our text: 1 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” “Therefore” is there for us to conclude something. Seeking the kind of things we should is not like seeking the things he’s telling them to avoid like false philosophy, asceticism or legalism. The Bible was not written with chapter divisions. This one, however, works ok here. Christ is seated. This is His current position. He is exalted. It is symbolic of His finished work. Where the head of the body is, in at least one sense, so is the body. The process of sanctification is summarized here in vv. 1-4. Are our thoughts becoming, “More Christian” with time? Here’s Paul’s way of describing how to be changed. 2 “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Ever heard the expression, “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good.”? Huh?

3. Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano 3 Jamieson, Fausset and Brown (J, F & B): “Of ourselves we can no more ascend than a bar of iron lift itself up' from the earth. But the love of Christ is a powerful magnet to draw us up (Eph 2:5,6). The design of the Gospel is not merely to give rules, but mainly to supply motives to holiness.” There is a similar exhortation given in Philippians 4:8 where Paul writes, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” 3 “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Notice the tense here. “Have died.” Tenses can be very important. J, F & B again: “The Greek aorist tense implies, "For ye have died once for all" (Col 2:12; Rom 6:4-7). It is not said, Ye must die practically to the world in order to become dead with Christ; but the latter is assumed as once for all having taken place in the regeneration; what believers are told is, Develop this spiritual life in practice. "No one longs for eternal, incorruptible, and immortal life, unless he be wearied of this temporal, corruptible, and mortal life" [AUGUSTINE]. Sidebar: Talk about out of body experiences. I don’t put much stock in them. Why? Paul couldn’t even utter what he saw, but they do! Scripture is sufficient!!! Are we alive or dead in Christ? There is talk of both in Scripture. There is our deadness to the world: “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14. Scripture says we’ve been, “Made alive” Colossians 2:13; Ephesians 2:5, etc). And also we see our death in statements we claim such as that we’ve been, “Crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). Figuratively we see the Apostles, “Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4:10.

4. Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano 4 Paradoxically there’s Romans 6:11: “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We are alive in Christ spiritually. 4 “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Some say, “My job is my life.” We should say that Christ or the Christ-centered life is ours. Righteousness never leaves Christ. It is not an it at all; righteousness is through union with Him. Eternal life is “Knowing Him.” Jesus said, “…this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3. He IS our life. He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life…” John 14:6. I am the resurrection and the life. John 11:25.

5. Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano 5 Colossians 3:1-4 “Increasing in the incomparable Christ!” knowledge of the St. Paul’s Letter to the olossians C