COLOSSIANS 3

Heart Issues

Wow! There is so much in this chapter. My notes are forever long and my heart is challenged like crazy. I want to run after these attributes that Christ would have be true of my life and character. I want to continue to put to death that which still lives in me that keeps me from reflecting Christ. I am challenged as a dad and a husband with my God given roles. I am comforted big time as well as I recognize again that I am holy in God’s sight and that I am dearly loved. I have found what I have searched for and I want to continue to bask in the treasure of the favor and presence of God. I find myself so thankful today as I look at the life that I once lived and could still be living and I realize the truly awesome grace of God that met me and changed me to be more like Christ.

Notes

-We are far too earthly minded and need our attention focused upward. We died to the principles of this world and our life is now hidden with Christ in God. Barnes says it very well ” Our eternal life, therefore, is as secure as it could possibly be made. The true condition of the Christian is, that he is "dead" to this world, but that he has immortal life in prospect, and that is secure, being in the holy keeping of his Redeemer, now in the presence of God. From this it follows that he should regard himself as living for heaven.” Our salvation is not in our keeping, but it lays in the hands of the one who never fails.

-How we should long for the day of Christ’s return for we shall appear with Him in glory.

-It is not a rule that we have to put to death these things, but a privilege since our life has been rescued from death and brought to life. We need to continually put to death that which is already dead in us. We all used to walk in these ways and still struggle with some, but we are to rid ourselves of all of these attributes of sin. This is where freedom is found, when all the shackles have been removed.

-We need to be real with one another and approach our struggles with brotherhood as we resist lying to one another. I believe this may have been placed here in reference to our struggles and our need for community in combating Satan’s pull on our lives. We are one in Christ.

-We have been made holy and we are dearly loved. Let us not skip too quickly past this statement as we find our identity in Christ and the sole search of every man and woman on this earth. We all long to be dearly loved and it is found only in the person of Christ. Because of this love we are to reflect what we have experienced to a world in great need of this same love. We are to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, and patient in our workings with others. Lord, would you help me in these areas as I lead high school students toward your throne.

-Help me to bear with those that frustrate me and forgive well when I have been wronged and to seek forgiveness when I have been the offender. I long to love in the same way that you love, Father.

-We are called to peace and not division as we follow Christ. The only way to continually achieve this is to allow the word of Christ to dwell in us richly and change us to become more and more like Christ. All that we do should be bringing us closer each day to becoming more like Christ and giving God the praise as He works in us and through us.

-God has placed specific roles for us as we live our lives. Our world would try to call these roles chauvinistic but they are evident when we look at the natural, God intended relationships between men, women, and children.

-Barnes has an in-depth discussion on the roles of men and women in his notes on Ephesians 5. My favorite part of this discussion is his final description of what this looks like and how it should go, “When there are proper feelings in both parties in this relation, there will be no occasion either to command or to obey. There should be such mutual love and confidence, that the known wish of the husband should be a law to the wife; and that the known desires of the wife should be the rule which he would approve.

-The man is given two commands – do not be harsh and do not embitter. These commands are specific as it is something that he must guard against in being the man of the household. Love prohibits these actions and binds all of the proper ones together in perfect unity.

-I really like Paul’s charge to the slave. The slave was somewhat different in that time period and was most often an indentured servant. They were working off what they owed to their master. This does not encourage slavery or call people to be slaves, but tells them of the way in which they should act even in this position. The Israelites were not strangers to slavery, but all should still be done for Christ. In all things, even the slave, should work as if he is serving Christ and not men. For Christ will reward in the end of days according to our service for Him.