Colossians 3:5-11

Friday, November 29, 2013        Colossians 3:5-11

Chapter 3 is full of practical insights for the life of a Christian. I see these insights connecting to Paul’s conclusion in Chapter 2 that my sinful nature cannot be brought under control by discipline, rules and regulations. Paul is saying I can’t domesticate my flesh; legalism provides no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. In the first four verses of Chapter 3, Paul shows me an alternative to a legalistic way of life: the life in Christ. Using baptism as a metaphor, Paul teaches that through faith in Jesus, I have been raised up to a new life: the life in Christ. The idea of being in Christ reminds me that Jesus spoke about how he was in God the Father. Here Paul teaches that I am in Christ, who is in the Father.

This is not “highfalutin’ religious gobbledygook.” This is life. Paul is teaching us that when we put on our new nature, when we choose to live out of the reality of our new identity, our new life in Christ, when we learn about Jesus who gave his life for us, we become like Jesus. And when we become more like Jesus, our sinful nature decreases and our Godly nature increases.

I will never win the battle against my sinful nature by submitting to laws, rules, and regulations. Jesus won the victory over my sinful nature. When I choose to live my life in Christ, my old sinful nature loses its grip on me. It is for freedom that Christ has set me free from the power of sin; therefore, I choose to live my life in Christ.

I realize our passage for today is chock full of things Paul says not to do, and things Paul says I must do. Aren’t those rules and regulations? If you try to obey these “dos and don’ts” in order to be a good person, in order to have a right relationship with God, then yes, Paul’s lists are rules and regulations; but Paul isn’t saying you have to do these things. He is saying this is what you get to do when you are alive in Christ. That’s the difference between grace and law.

Law emphasizes what man does. Grace emphasizes what God does. Law's primary focus is ought to, should've, have to and must. The primary focus of grace is on ‘want to’. Law creates bondage, duty, and obligation. Grace creates freedom. Law declares do in order to be. Grace declares you are, therefore do. Law leads to defeat. Grace leads to victory!

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.