Paul here lays out not so much “rules for holy living,” as your Bible heading may declare,
but more like “various qualities of genuine spirituality.” He offered some examples
of false spirituality at the end of chapter 2, specifically speaking against 5 practices
of false teachers (persuasive speech, false speculation, legalism, angel worship, and
abuse of the body, or asceticism). In chapter 3, Paul picks up where he left off, now
revealing the route to spiritual maturity. Contrary to the false teachers of Colosse,
who advocated a path of secret revelations and self-punishing disciplines, this path
is simply understanding and living on the basis of union with Christ. The threat here
is that a false notion of the kingdom of heaven leads to a fruitless earthly existence.
And the refutation of this threat involves showing how true spirituality leads to
abundant life, a fruit-filled life on earth. This chapter, like so much of Colossians,
is quite similar to Paul’s writings elsewhere, namely Ephesians and Philippians.
Let’s take a look.
Rules for Holy Living
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things
above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with
Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is
your[1]
life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Paul begins to lay out the characteristics of spiritual maturity in Christ. This section
is application of union with Christ, and it really extends through v6 of chapter 4. Paul
commands believers to set their hearts and minds on things above (desires and attitude)
(v1-2), to put off the old self and put on the new (behavior) (v5,9-10), to pray with
thanksgiving (4:2), and to be a humble witness to the world (4:5). It has been said
that Christians in the world have three roles: to evangelize and disciple by word
and by deed, to love your neighbor as your self, and to be a steward of God’s creation.
Paul touches on all of these topics in this letter, and his main point might be that
obedience is the result of union with Christ and not the means of obtaining union with
Christ. He contrasts the new self and the old self and tells the Colossians how to live
as new creatures in, by, with, and for Christ. And Christ, though seated at the right
hand of the throne of God, is not far off. Rather Paul intends for His majesty to excite
us wholly to reverent obedience.
Paul spoke at the close of chapter 2 of a system of false spirituality, involving 5
common practices (persuasive speech, false speculation, legalism, angel worship, and
abuse of the body, or asceticism); and now he’ll show what a system of true spirituality
looks like (increasing knowledge, leading to right desires and a right attitude, leading
to right behavior, prayerful thanksgiving, and humble witness). After explaining how we
were buried with Christ in baptism, Paul, although he mentioned being raised with Christ
to new life in spiritual circumcision, did not elaborate much on that new life, and so he
does that here. Calvin says, “No one can rise again with Christ, if he has not first died
with Him [leaving the earthly life behind]. Paul here exhorts the Colossians to meditation
upon the heavenly life. And what as to his opponents? They were desirous to retain their
childish rudiments. This doctrine, therefore, makes the ceremonies be the more lightly
esteemed. Hence it is manifest that Paul, in this passage, exhorts in such a manner as
to confirm the foregoing doctrine; for, in describing solid piety and holiness of life,
his aim is, that those vain [displays] of human traditions may vanish.”
Again, Paul is being Paul; he’s told the believers in Colosse who they are – in this case,
they have been raised with Christ – and now he moves to tell them to be who they are – in
this case, they are to set their hearts and minds on things above. It’s as if he’s saying,
“You are XYZ, so start displaying XYZ and continue to display XYZ in an increasing manner.”
Believers, having died to this world (the kingdom of Satan, the dominion of darkness) and
now newly alive in the kingdom of light, the kingdom of the heavens (though still in this
world), are to be different. It begins inside, not by behavior, but by attitude and
character and desire (Romans 12:1-2). This (internal focus / Christ accomplished), as you
can already see, is completely the opposite of what the false teachers were prescribing
(external focus / self accomplished). Therefore, a system of true spirituality begins with
the mind and heart. Knowledge and doctrine are one side of the coin of Christianity;
applying those things in life is the other side of the coin.
In v3, Paul speaks of our lives being “hidden with Christ in God.” He is saying that
our new life is secure in Christ as an irrevocable unmerited gift of God, but that it
is not revealed in fullness yet. Thus we wait in hope of Christ’s coming (v4), so that
we will be clothed in glory with Him, and the fullness that is ours will be fully
realized. In Ephesians 2:6, Paul says that we are already “seated with Him in the
heavenly realms.” According to Ligon Duncan, Paul is also saying, “Though who you
are is hidden before the eyes of men right now, you are the body of Christ. Though
that may be hidden from others and even from your own sight as you see your imperfections,
your failings, and the weakness of the church of God, our sinfulness, our foolishness, the
tragic way that we fail to bear witness to who God is in this world with our lips and our
lives, your life is hidden with Christ in God. Who you are is absolutely apparent to the
heavenly Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ.” And since you will one day stand before
the Lord spotless, with no moral impurity, no imperfection, absolutely complete in Christ,
you ought to go ahead and set your mind on that.
5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual
immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6
Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[2]
7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice,
slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since
you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new
self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here
there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free,
but Christ is all, and is in all. 12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy
and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and
patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may
have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all
these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Paul issues a challenging command in v5: Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly
nature. The Puritan, Richard Baxter, said, “Kill sin before it kills you.” Don’t be
passive in your Christian life. The idea for Paul in transitioning from v1-4 to v5-11
is that the hope of Christ’s return, and the revealing of fullness of new life in glory,
leads believers to put to death earthliness (the world and the flesh). Paul explains what
that looks like. He lists 5 vices in v5, four dealing with sexual sin and one with
coveting. The four sexual sins listed touch every aspect of our humanity – our behavior
(sexual immorality), our mind (impurity), and our will (lust and evil desires). And
greed, or covetousness, is idolatry, because covetousness is worshiping your own will.
We should “want” or “covet” God Himself and His kingdom. John Piper’s ministry is called
“Desiring God” for this very reason. “Wanting” or “coveting” or “begin greedy for”
anything else proves our idolatry. Paul categorizes these vices as immorality and
idolatry, and it is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming and has
come (v6). Romans 1:18 says, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against
all the godlessness (idolatry) and wickedness (immorality) of men who suppress the
truth by their wickedness.” We looked closely at that passage when we studied Romans.
Consider how you used to live. Compare v7 to Ephesians 2:2, 4:22 and Romans 6:17-19.
Vincent Cheung says, “It is necessary to acknowledge the extreme filth and baseness
of a non-Christian’s condition in order to honor the greatness of God’s grace in saving
us from it. To beautify the non-Christian’s condition is also to insult God’s grace and
devalue Christ’s sacrifice. Because of the evil qualities and actions of non-Christians,
‘the wrath of God is coming’ (v6).” Really, if we consider this chapter as a whole, we’ll
find that Paul gives instructions on the Christian’s relationship with God in v1-8, with
other believers in v9-17, with our family in v18-21, and with those in our work environment
in v22-4:1.
In v8, Paul lists 5 more vices, all easily categorized as anger meted out in abusive
speech. He doesn’t just say, “Rid yourselves of sin,” but he gets specific. Anger refers
to a burning hatred for other people. Rage in this context refers to those outbursts of
passion, that ungodly wrath that we have for others. Malice refers to ill-will towards
one’s neighbor. Slander refers to railing or defaming another’s character, and abusive
speech refers to those destructive words that we use to tear people down. Paul says
people who are captured by sin are people who are internally conflicted. A person
characterized by ungodliness and by the grip of Satan on them is filled with anger,
bitter inside, and it exits their heart through the mouth, in their speech, in general
and in abusive speech toward others. Paul says that we used to be that way, but now, as
new creations, we are to rid ourselves of that behavior, including lying (v9) (deception
in general). So to conclude v5-9, we could say that contentment and right speech are
important signs of a spiritual maturing believer in Christ.
Comparing this message of Paul to the Sermon on the Mount of Jesus, we find that they
teach the same way. In Matthew 5:21-32, Jesus’ primary concerns are sins of anger,
including verbal abuse, and sexual immorality. Thus we see that Paul and Jesus are
united in their understanding of man’s greatest problems. And their solutions are
the same: we do not tackle the disobedience, as it is a mere symptom of the problem,
which, of course, is the condition of the interior of mankind. The heart and mind must
be changed. Once godly character is established, the behavior flows out of that. A good
tree produces good fruit; a bad tree produces bad fruit; out of a man’s heart wicked
things come (Matthew 12:33; Mark 7:20-22; Luke 6:45).
In v10, when Paul speaks of the new self, he is speaking of the character of God,
which arguably, is what it means for us to be made in the image of God. Thus Paul
adds that this “new self” is “being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator”
(v10). In a parallel passage, Paul writes, “You were taught, with regard to your former
way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be
like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). The procedure deals
with spiritual knowledge, attention, and attitude, thus it is decidedly intellectual
and intentional. True spirituality is a product of an application of sound theology
by the Holy Spirit through education and exercising of the intellect, which is then
transferred to the heart from the mind, a progressive internal transformation. When
Jesus said, “I am making all things new,” He is speaking of recreation in the sense
of restoration – and it starts with the hearts and minds, the character, of His people
(Romans 12:1-2). And this process, rightly described as sanctification, happens
“naturally” as the believers grows “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).
In v11, Paul points out the unity of all kinds of people in Christ. The false teachers
were causing cultural division, which is anti-Christ, who “is all and is in all.” A
Barbarian was simply a person who did not speak Greek, and thus was deemed uncivilized.
A Scythian was the Barbarian’s barbarian. They were outcasts, a group of uncultured slaves
from the Black Sea area. The distinction of slave and free is important, especially in this
letter, which was likely delivered by Tychicus and Onesimus, the former slave of Philemon,
along with Paul’s letter to Philemon, who was from Colosse. But Paul includes the union of
various social positions, as those social classes enabled Christian love to cross all
boundaries per Christ’s example. But this congregational unity only works when the people
embrace the call to individual growth in righteousness by the word of God. That was Jesus’
prayer, and so it’s something that God must do in us, in His Church.
V12-14 are a summary of Christian obligations to one another. Paul says that the
Colossians, a small group of Christians from mixed people groups, are “God’s chosen
people, holy and dearly loved.” They have no need to fear cosmic powers, since God
has a firm grasp on them. He chose them before creation, loved them beyond measure,
and even predestined them to be holy, conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).
What a difference from what they were! Consider the “But God” of Ephesians 2:4. Paul
explains what they ought to do since that is the case. He lists 5 inseparable “virtues”
(v14) – compassion, which is an emotional caring relationship with those who are hurting,
kindness, which readiness to do relational good, even when undeserved, humility, which is
simply lowliness and servanthood, gentleness or meekness, which includes non-coercive
efforts to better the lives of others, especially spiritually, and patience, which is
a willingness to bear with human frailty in hope (forbearance) – that are all interwoven
fruits of the Holy Spirit united by love. When the Holy Spirit works in people, these are
some of the qualities we see in them.
V13-14 are tied closely to Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 4:32-5:2. The new man can forgive
others as the Lord forgives (v13), and can exercise a love that binds the people of God
“in perfect unity” (v14). Vincent Cheung says, “Therefore, on the basis of our new
‘vertical’ relationship with God, now we may live out this true spirituality in our
‘horizontal’ relationship with men.” Impressively, our forbearance, forgiveness, and
love are grounded in the redemptive pattern of Christ’s love. And this continues into
the relational aspects of life as well. We’ll talk more about that in a minute. But
again it is love (charity) that binds all the virtues Paul mentions together in perfect
unity. Individually taken, the virtues are not virtues; love unites with them to make
them virtues. Virtues are built up under love, which is the bond of perfection.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body
you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever
you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God the Father through him.
In v15, Paul points out the peace of Christ, which is bridging the gap between heaven
and fractured humanity on earth. The kingdom of heaven comes with Christ and is now here.
That’s the peace of Christ. Vincent Cheung writes, “The verse is talking about the
relationships between believers, and this peace is referring to an objective and
relational peace. It is the opposite of hostility and animosity between people,
and not the opposite of unrest and turmoil within a person’s mind.” This kind of
peace is impossible between bunches of “old selves” pretending to be “new selves.”
This kind of peace, to which we are called, comes only when groups of people as a whole
diligently work to grow in Christ by the Spirit through ridding themselves of their “old
selves” and putting on their “new selves” by the grace of God (Galatians 5:16-17). Some
people are concerned that the “new self” eliminates their personality, but that’s wrong.
Rather, putting on the “new self” is enhancing the qualities and personality traits with
which God designed you. So the “new self” is who you are meant to be. Paul says that’s who
you are in Christ, so be who you are in Christ. We weren’t free to be who God made us to
be apart from Christ, but now we are!
V16 mentions the word of Christ dwelling in you richly. Keep the gospel close at hand,
in your heart, and in your mind. Think of Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden Your word in my
heart that I might not sin against You.” Having God’s word in us keeps us from sin;
reading and studying God’s word sanctifies us in Christ. Do you love the word of God?
How much? Can you quantify it? Do you crave it? We all should. “Let the word of Christ
dwell is you richly.” Believers are sustained and grow by God’s word – the gospel.
How do we let that happen? Paul says it happens as we “teach and admonish one another
with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your
hearts.” Paul tells us that we ought to sing because we are thankful; we have “gratitude
in our hearts.” He indicates here that the spiritual relationship among believers is to
be an intellectual one: “Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.” Vincent Cheung
says, “The content of our conversation is to be the word of Christ, the mode is to be
teaching, and the quality is to be wisdom. The relationship is thoroughly intellectual.
And if we are not saying it, then we are to be singing it.” Paul continues, speaking of
singing psalms (Psalms), hymns (Biblical songs like Hannah’s, Mary’s, Miriam’s, etc.),
and spiritual songs (Tunes inspired by the Holy Spirit, such as Philippians 2:5-11).
There are all kinds of songs throughout Scripture. The Greek words Paul uses are synonyms,
but they convey a wide rage of music expressions. Whatever the sound, song lyrics ought
to be edifying. V17 may or may not be alluding specifically to the worship of God or the
relationship we have with one another, but the point would be aligned with 1 Corinthians
10:31. As you keep your mind and heart on heavenly things, the things done on earth ought
to be “heavenly,” for God’s glory, as Romans 14:23 says, “Everything that does not come
from faith is sin.”
Rules for Christian Households
18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their
eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the
Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the
Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from
the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25Anyone who does
wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. ... 1Masters,
provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a
Master in heaven.
Paul issues brief teachings on relational aspects of the Christian life. He reflects on
these relationships more completely in Ephesians 5:22-32, 6:1-4. As mentioned earlier,
these relationships are grounded in the redemptive pattern of Christ’s love. For example,
in Ephesians 5:25, Paul says that husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loved
the Church and gave Himself up for her. So the reason, the basis, the motive, the grounds
for Christian living is the work of Jesus Christ. In the doctrine of the atonement of
Jesus Christ, husbands find reason to love their wives in the same way that Christ loved
the Church. Biblical knowledge is practical; experiential knowledge of Christ breeds love
for one another.
In v18, Paul’s instruction starts with an attitude but includes actual behavior as well.
The idea is about obedience and a genuine desire to obey, which is exactly what God wants
from us as the bride of Christ. Paul calls wives to a practical recognition of the
divinely given order of the household. Wives are to know that God made things to be this
way for their good. Do wives trust God in that? His is the divinely given order of the
household, and when His order is reversed, when these roles are reversed, just like with
Adam and Eve in the fall, it always results not only in the destruction of the man, but
in the self-destruction of the wife. Paul also wants wives to recognize the husband’s
authority under God; the man bears certain responsibilities before God, and he will give
an account before God for his household management. Paul’s call for submission entails
the wife’s sacrificial self-giving loyalty to her husband. He calls her to show the type
of sacrificial loyalty that Christ Himself shows to His people. But why does Paul, if
husbands are the head of household, begin by speaking to wives first? First, Paul’s word
to the wife first is designed to protect the order and structure of the home. He speaks
to the place where, perhaps, the first reversal may occur. Paul also speaks first to the
wife, because one might be tempted to draw from biblical logic the conclusion that since
we are free in Christ, since there is neither male nor female in Christ, wives no longer
have the responsibilities for submission to the head of the household because they are
free and equal in Christ. Biblical logic, however, doesn’t work that way. Freedom in
Christ means we are now free, with the right motives, to follow God’s principles for
the life of the family, including a loyal recognition of the headship of the husband
in the home.
In v19, a husband is to love his wife, and this refers, as Vincent Cheung says, “to
something much greater than a feeling of affection, since biblical love is defined
as obedience to God’s law in our relationships.” You can’t command someone to love
another, but Paul does. He’s not speaking of romantic love, though that is nice. He
is speaking of agape love, self-giving sacrificial love. Martin Luther once said,
“The Christian is supposed to love his neighbor, and since his wife is his nearest
neighbor, she should be his deepest love.” “The woman takes her being from man,” Thomas
Adams said, “but man takes his well being from woman.” The test of a husband’s love for
his wife is his attitude toward her. The text speaks of being harsh toward her. It might
better be translated, “embittered.” If a husband is truly engaging in agape love toward
his wife, then he can’t possible be bitter toward her, holding a grudge in his heart
and externally hiding it.
Likewise, in v21, fathers have the responsibility to raise their children properly, as
Ephesians 6:4 states, bringing “them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
Paul is calling fathers to rear their children in such a way that they will not feel
only the rebuke of God, but they will also feel His approval. Notice that both here and
in Ephesians, the father is given the parenting responsibility. Too often in our culture,
the mother handles that alone. Paul’s command here is for fathers, specifically that they
would not dishearten and discourage their children in the context of discipline.
Going back to v20, children are instructed to obey their parents in everything. Paul is
saying, “A Christian child expresses his or her desire to serve the Lord by obeying his
or her parents.” God takes this command very seriously. Notice the cause of it, the sins
lumped with it, and the just penalty for it in Romans 1:28-32. We cannot say Christ is
Lord, and live perverse lives of continual disobedience. But as Ephesians elaborates,
this is especially for parents “in the Lord.” Honoring one’s father and mother is a
lasting command, but never at the expense of honoring the Lord. Non-Christian parents
must not be obeyed if their commands are specifically against sound Biblical doctrine
and principles of Christian living. Now, why should we obey? Because it pleases the Lord;
that’s our motivation to obey. In Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddel explained to his sister
that he ran because God made him to run; when he ran he felt God’s pleasure, because God
had made him to run. He took pleasure in the pleasure of God in doing what God had made
him to do. And Paul says, “God takes pleasure when you obey your parents.” And finally,
Ligon Duncan points out, “Education is rooted in deference to authority. If we do not defer
to the authority of our parents in the home, and those other people in the world that God
has put over us, we ultimately rob ourselves of the ability to grow, because God has made
the world such that we grow through obedience.”
As mentioned earlier, the distinction of slave and free was important to Paul, especially
in this letter, which was likely delivered by Tychicus and Onesimus, the former slave of
Philemon, along with Paul’s letter to Philemon, who was from Colosse. Paul elaborates
more on the treatment of slaves here in this letter than he does in other letters,
primarily, it is thought, because Onesimus and Philemon were involved. Perhaps Paul,
who wrote a brilliant letter specifically to Philemon, includes some extra teaching here,
just to show that the whole church has a responsibility in this matter, not he alone.
Slaves receive extra attention here (v22-25), not just because they might have to endure
much suffering, but since they could be prone to be lazy, dishonest, and resentful. God
does not grade on the curve pending your social class. You will never convince God that
you are a victim. Thus, even as a slave, you are held accountable for your behavior.
And let’s acknowledge that Paul is not condoning slavery as we think of it from colonial
American times. This type of slavery was not like that kind. For all intents and purposes,
Paul is speaking of the right kind of relationship to have between employers and employees.
The slave was simply an employee; the master, an employer. He is saying to both groups,
“Christ is Lord over your work and over your management of those who work for you.” The
Christian should do all his work as if he were doing it for the Lord. And freedom in
Christ is Paul’s motivator. Christian liberty strengthens our motive to work; it
doesn’t weaken it. Like wives, slaves might have been thinking, “We are free in Christ,
so we no longer have to obey our ruthless masters!” Paul says, “No. Christian liberty
has freed you to work more effectively. You can give yourself to your work, because your
master is the loving Lord Jesus.”
Employees aren’t to brown-nose, working hard only when the boss is looking. The tendency
of underpaid and under appreciated people is to give a minimalist effort at work. As long
as the employer is watching, they may try and look like they are working hard, but when
the employer is gone, they do only what is necessary to get by. As far as Paul is concerned,
the Boss (the Lord) is always looking; and we ought to fear the Lord on this account
(“with reverence”). Sinclair Ferguson said, “Man was made to work, because the God
who made him was a working God.” We ought to work sincerely, whole-heartedly, and
joyfully for the Lord, since He cares for us. All work done well has dignity and it
is valued in the sight of God. Because of that reality, you can be sure of a reward.
In fact that reward will be “an inheritance,” which comes through sonship – in this
case by adoption. You may not receive the reward you want in terms of wages on earth,
but your reward will be far greater than you can imagine – an imperishable, eternal
inheritance from your Father in heaven.
Finally, looking at the first verse of chapter 4, masters of slaves (employers) are
given instruction as well. They are to treat their employees with what is right
(justice) and fair. It is impossible to overemphasize how much God detests unfair
wages, or the withholding of earned and promised wages (James 5:4-5; 1 Timothy 5:17-18).
Both groups are instructed to keep the focus of heart and mind on heavenly things; both
groups will give an account before the Lord. Paul is dealing with life on earth but in
the kingdom of heaven. Work relationships are part of the “already / not yet” Christian
life. Thus a focus on spiritual things leads to right application here on earth. When we
pick up with v2 or chapter 4, we’ll continue with two more characteristics of spiritual
maturity: prayer with thanksgiving and living a life of witness, or being a light in the
darkness.
Footnotes
- 3:4 Some manuscripts our
- 3:6 Some early manuscripts coming on those who are disobedient
Bible text from
Gospelcom.net. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by
International Bible Society.