Colossians Chapter 3
Exhortations to Seek the Things Above
3:1 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
This is a first class conditional sentence, meaning that the "if" should be translated as "since". The Greek word for "seeking" is ζητέω (zateo), meaning to demand, or get to the bottom of the matter. This verb is present active imperative, meaning that the Colossians should continually command and demand heavenly things, not earthly things.
3:2 Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth,
The Greek word for "thinking" is φρονέω (prone), a present active imperative verb, meaning to continually command your thoughts to deep insights about the things above, but not to continually command your thoughts to deep insights about the things of this world.
3:3 for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
At the moment of salvation, the Colossian believers died to the old sin life. Hidden means both concealment and safety. They were hidden "in Christ" when they were baptized into the body of Christ.
3:4 When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him.
When Christ appears at the Rapture, the Colossians will be revealed with Him in their glorified bodies.
3:5 So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.
The Greek word for "put to death" is νεκρόω (nekroaw), an aorist active imperative verb, meaning put to death immediately,
The Greek word for "sexual immorality" is πορνεία (porneia), meaning fornication. Hollywood, Rock and Roll, best-selling books, and pornographic magazines glorify fornication. According to the Lord Jesus Christ, when a man lusts after another woman, he has committed the sin of adultery in his heart.
The Greek word for "impurity" is ἀκαθαρσία (akataaia), meaning to become unclean by leprosy, an open infection, childbirth, or touching the dead. A believer becomes an unclean vessel whenever he sins. He steps out of the fellowship of God, meaning that God will not use this dirty vessel. To become restored back into fellowship, one must continually confess their sin, according to 1 John 1:9.
The Greek word for "shameful passion" is πάθος (pathos), meaning a strong lusty feeling that is not guided by God. Filling one's soul with Bible doctrine will keep one from lusty thoughts. When they do occur, they must be confessed.
The Greek word for "evil desire" is ἐπιθυμίαν κακήν (epithumian kakain), meaning a poisoned desire that is flowing out of an immorally corrupt person. If one could see inside the mind of any person on earth, it would scare them to death. These thoughts can be suppressed with the study of Bible doctrine and continuous confession of sin.
The Greek word for "greed" is πλεονεξία (pleonexia); meaning to lust after more temporal things than God determines is eternally best. God has already decided before the foundations of the world what material values we are to possess. We should take what is given to us and use it for the glory of God.
The Greek word for idolatry is εἰδωλολατρεία (eidololatreia), meaning to worship an image. Most Americans worship the almighty dollar.
The Colossians were commanded to put to death all of these things immediately. Believers in Christ are to do the same.
3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
The Greek word for "is coming" is ἔρχομαι (erchomai), a present passive indicative verb meaning that the wrath of God was already present among the sons of disobedience, and the wrath would continue to come. The sons of disobedience are those who refuse to study or follow Bible doctrine. They continually commit the sins that Paul mentioned above. All of the sins above were prevalent among the Greco-Roman culture.
3:7 you also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among them.
The Colossians formerly lived out this Greco-Roman lifestyle, and then, the Holy Spirit opened their hearts so that they could believe in Christ. They wanted to know more about Christ, so the Word of God was made available to them. The Word of God cleansed them of these impurities. The Bible produced a change of attitude in them.
3:8 But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth.
The Greek word for "put off" is ἀποτίθημι (apotithaymi), an aorist middle imperative, meaning that Paul commanded them emphatically and immediately to take off all of these vices, just like one would take off a dirty garment of clothing.
The Greek word for "anger" is ὀργή (orgay), meaning an internal anger that opposes the opposition. There is a place for justified anger. Jesus was angry at the Pharisees because of the hardness of their hearts. This was a righteous anger. The anger here is an internal anger against what is good. The Colossians were commanded to immediately take off this dirty garment.
The Greek word for "rage" is θυμός (thumos), meaning to get heated up, or to breathe violently. Anger becomes wrath when a believer develops unforgiveness. The Colossians were commanded to immediately take off this dirty garment.
The Greek word for "malice" is κακία (kakia), meaning a continuous anger that attempts to take revenge and get even. Believers are not to seek revenge. Revenge is God's business. The Colossians were commanded to immediately take off this dirty garment.
The Greek word for "slander" is βλασφημία (blaspaymia), meaning to call what is good evil and what is evil good. When a person blasphemes God, they are calling what is good as evil. The Colossians were commanded to immediately take off this dirty garment.
The Greek word for "abusive language" is αἰσχρολογία (aischrologia), meaning filthy or abusive language. Many believers use swear words or tell dirty jokes. This type of language dishonors Christ. The Colossians were commanded to immediately take off this dirty garment.
3:9 Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices
Paul was speaking to Colossians who were believers in Christ, yet they were still telling lies. Lies are one of the first sins that a child learns. When this happens, the child should be told to go in his room and confess that sin, according to 1 John 1:9. The Colossians were commanded to immediately take off this dirty garment.
3:10 and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it.
The "old man" was the condition of the Colossian before his conversion. The Colossian believer is to immediately take off that dirty garment. The "new man" is the Colossian believer's position in Christ. He is to put on this new, clean, and better garment.
The Greek word for "renewed" is a present passive participle, meaning to be continually moved from one stage to a higher stage of development. This stage of development is a continual growing condition where one studies the Word of God to learn the mind of Christ.
3:11 Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.
In Paul's day, there was a division of Greeks and Jews. Christ removed this barrier.
The living church was now a combination of Jews and Gentiles. The circumcised and uncircumcised was also a division in that day. Christ removed that barrier as well.
Barbarians were those who were not trained in the Greco-Roman language and culture. The Scythians were the worst of the barbarians. They lived north of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. They would scalp a man and drink his blood out of his skull. Caucasians once lived in this area. Many of these barbarians converted to Christ and were brought into the Colossian church.
Half of the Roman world consisted of slaves. The slaves were those who Rome had conquered. The other half of the Roman world consisted of Roman citizens, such as Paul. The Colossian church contained both slaves and Roman citizens.
Exhortation to Unity and Love
3:12 Therefore as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
The Colossians who had trusted Christ were the elect. They were now to take off the filthy garment and put on the garment of Christ. The garment of Christ consisted of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
The Greek word for "mercy" is οἰκτιρμός (oiktirmos), meaning a deep feeling for someone's difficulty or misfortune. The satanic world system is "dog eat dog" capitalism. Divine viewpoint is to have a deep feeling for the difficulties of others.
The Greek word for "kindness" is χρηστότης (xrastatais), meaning to meet real needs in God's ways and using God's methods. The satanic world system wants to meet the needs of the people through godless governmental social programs. The problem is that godless politicians who have no divine viewpoint use their political power to take advantage of the tax payers and line their own pockets, or the pockets of the voters who are keeping them in power.
The Greek word for "humility" is ταπεινοφροσύνη, meaning to have a humble position of one self, or a deep sense of one's smallness. The satanic world system teaches one to have pride in their accomplishments. "We’re number one" is the chant of the godless that is operating on human viewpoint.
The Greek word for "gentleness" is πρᾳΰτης (prautais), meaning a gentle strength which exercises power with restraint and gentleness. The one who arms himself with the Word of God is a deadly person. He is very dangerous to Satan and his demons. The Biblical warrior is to use the power of his sword with restraint and gentleness to those who desire to learn. He is to slay those who oppose Christ by exposing evil by name, such as Paul did with Alexander the Coppersmith.
The Greek word for "patience" is μακροθυμία, (makrothumia) meaning to wait a sufficient amount of time before expressing anger. The satanic world system uses anger as a weapon to destroy goodness and kindness. The believer is to listen, be patient, and only strike with a patient, righteous anger, like Christ did with the Pharisees. Jesus never defended Himself from personal attacks. He always defended Bible doctrine. We should have a long fuse with our Christian brothers.
3:13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.
This does not mean that believers are to be a doormat. The Colossians were taught forgive the one who had a complaint against them by going to them not in anger, but in love, in order to try to work things out. When Jesus denounced the Pharisees for their human viewpoint doctrine, there is no mention that He ever forgave them. He simply denounced them for their teaching of false doctrine. There is no mention of the Pharisees asking Jesus to forgive them.
3:14 And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.
The Greek word for "love" is ἀγάπη (agape), meaning divine love. Divine love comes from studying and applying the Scriptures. Knowledge and agreement of Bible doctrine is the key to building bonding relationships with other believers. Knowledge and application of Bible doctrine will cause enmity with those who love the world.
3:15 Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful.
The Greek word for "control" is βραβεύω (brapeuow), a present active imperative verb, meaning that Paul is commanding the Colossians to continually umpire their heart (or their personality) like an athletic event. The Colossians were reminded that they were to be thankful, because they were called into one body to have peace with God.
The Greek word for "called" is καλέω (kaleow), an aorist active indicative verb, meaning that they were called by God as a one-time completed action of the past. This one little Greek verb dispels arminianism and proves election.
3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God.
The Greek word for "dwell" is ἐνοικέω (enoikeow), a present active imperative verb, meaning a command to continually allow the Word of God to permanently makes its presence in the Colossian believers. The Colossians were to teach and encourage. The Colossians were to use wisdom and music to teach and encourage each other.
3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Paul did not make little church rules, such as no lipstick, no playing dice games, or no dancing. He laid down a spiritual principle. The spiritual principle was that the Colossians possessed Christian liberty to do whatever they wanted to do, as long as it was done in the name of the Lord Jesus. The second principle was that whatever the Colossians did in the name of Christ, they were to thank God the Father through Christ. After all, God the Father had given the Colossian believers to Christ as a gift.
Exhortation to Households
3:18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
The next spiritual principle that Paul gave the Colossians was that the wives were to be submissive to their husbands. The Greek word for "submit" is ὑποτάσσω (hupotassow), a present active imperative verb, meaning that Paul commanded the wives to place themselves under the authority of their husbands. This does not mean that wives are unequal to their husbands. Jesus is the second person of the Trinity, equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit, but He subjects Himself to the Father's authority. Women are commanded to this submission, because it is fitting to the Lord. It is God's will. Any wife who refuses to place herself under her husband's authority is not fitting to the Lord. The wife is out of the will of God and out of fellowship with God. Any wife who is out of the fellowship of God will not experience the joy of serving Christ. If any single woman does not want to submit to her future husband, then she should stay single and live under the protection of her father.
Women's liberation movements have attacked this divine doctrine of Scripture by suggesting that women stay single, start careers, abort their babies, and replace the Mrs. and Miss with Ms. When a woman stays single, she loses the joy of a husband and children. When a woman starts a career, she misses the opportunity of teaching her own children. When a woman aborts her baby, she has committed murder by snuffing out the life of her own child. When a woman replaces the Miss or Mrs. with a Ms., she is bucking God's divine plan for her life.
The divine plan of God is for men to work and for women to teach their own children. The satanic world system has doubled the work force by forcing women to work. This allows the wealthy land owners to get two workers for the price of one. This allows godless public secular schools to brainwash the children ino the practices of the satanic world system. Feminism is a dangerous anti-Biblical system that Satan has developed to degrade and degenerate the Christian family. It enslaves women into jobs where they have more opportunity to interact with other males, increasing the chance of adultery. It places the children in a godless secular public school system. Satan has this system so entrenched into society that it is difficult to escape. It is even difficult to recognize, unless one has sound and complete Bible doctrine.
3:19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.
The Greco-Roman world did not love their wives. Their wives were to keep the house and bear children. The men gained their sexual joys from the pagan prostitution temples. Paul taught a revolutionary concept that elevated women above the rest of society. Husbands were to love their wives. They were not to be embittered against them. They were not to treat them like household slaves. This was a new teaching that brought down the Roman Empire and elevated women to a status that had never been reached in any culture of the world.
If a husband loves his wife, then she will have no problem being submissive to her husband.
3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing in the Lord.
The Greek word for "children" is τέκνον (teknon), meaning a child who is living under full dependence of their father. This would include a college student who is living under the dependence of their father, either at home or away from home.
The Greek word for "obey" is ὑπακούω (hupokouow), a present active imperative verb, meaning a command to continually obey the authority of the one who is speaking. This is a different Greek word than ὑποτάσσω (hupotassow), which was the submission of a wife to her husband. If a college student is under the care of his father either at home or away from home, then the son at college is still under the protection of the father. The son is to obey the father as his authority.
In the Mosaic Law, children were stoned for being disobedient to their parents. Liberals enjoy attacking this verse, so that they can call God mean and calloused. However, there was never one case of a Jewish parent executing their own child for disobedience, except for one. God the Father executed his own Son from heaven for the disobedience of His fleshy children on earth.
When children are rebellious to their parents, then they are out of the will and fellowship of God. When a child begins to rebel against his parents, then this is because of a lack of Bible doctrine in the parents, the child, or both. Another reason for rebellion is that when a child matures, he rebels, meaning that it is almost time for him to move out from the dependence of his father. God may put this rebellion in teenagers so that parents can feel the effects of mature children rebellion, just as God feels the effect of His children rebelling against Him. Another reason for the rebellion is that God is preparing the teenager to move out of his nest and become an adult servant of Christ.
3:21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become disheartened.
In the Mosaic Law, children were not to provoke their parents. Now, the Law has ended, and Paul commanded the opposite. He commanded that the fathers not provoke their children.
Parents are to encourage their children, not to continually harass them with bitter and discoursing comments. If parents refuse to follow this divine principle, then children will lose their heart to love their parents and serve God.
3:22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in every respect, not only when they are watching – like those who are strictly people-pleasers – but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.
Half of the Roman Empire consisted of slaves. This was the economic system of the Roman Empire. God made men. Men made slaves. The Bible neither condemns nor encourages slavery. The Mosaic Law did protect slaves, which was not true of other secular laws throughout history. Paul did not attempt to change the social structure of the Roman Empire. Instead, he taught owners and slaves how to live at peace with each other. They were both to serve God. However, Paul did ask Philemon to free his slave Onesimus, so that he could serve Christ. If every slave owner would have followed Paul's advice, then slavery would disappear from all cultures.
Paul used his apostolic authority to command all slaves to obey their masters in every respect, even if their master was not watching them. The slaves were not to be people pleasers, or brown nosers. They were to obey their masters with a sincere heart, because they fear the Lord. Fearing the Lord means that we obey Bible doctrine, because we respect and love Christ. The idea here is not to fear the boss, but to fear God.
American slaves owners used this verse on slaves prior to the Civil War. America at this time had the Bible, but the North and South refused to deal with slavery by divine viewpoint. Therefore, both sides suffered many deaths, injuries, and diseases because of their lack of divine viewpoint.
3:23 Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people,
Paul is telling the slaves not to watch the clock. They are to serve God by working enthusiastically for their master. One of the biggest sins of a Christian is his laziness. Many Christians are too lazy to work for the Lord.
3:24 because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.
They may be a slave in this life, but they will reap a rich inheritance in the next life.
3:25 For the one who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there are no exceptions.
If a slave rebels against his master, he will be repaid by the Lord. If an owner mishandles his slave, then he will be repaid by the Lord. Even though men made slaves, the slaves were protected by the Lord.