Come, walk through the Word.
Raised people set their minds on Christ and put the old humanity to death. Come without hurry. Paul joins hidden life with Christ to decisive repentance from impurity, greed, anger, falsehood, and every identity that divides the new humanity. Listen for the unrivaled place Christ holds in this passage.
Colossians 3:1–11
1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Stay with the movement.
Paul joins hidden life with Christ to decisive repentance from impurity, greed, anger, falsehood, and every identity that divides the new humanity. Christ is all and in all within the renewed people of God. Paul joins a high vision of Christ to an ordinary life made new in Him.
Put away one named old practice and replace it with truthful obedience. Receive this as the fruit of union with Christ, not a way to earn His favor.
See the passage in its world.
Raised people set their minds on Christ and put the old humanity to death. This movement belongs inside Paul's vision of the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ.
Paul joins hidden life with Christ to decisive repentance from impurity, greed, anger, falsehood, and every identity that divides the new humanity.
Christ is all and in all within the renewed people of God. The passage draws the church away from substitutes and toward Christ Himself.
Read the passage again.
Return to Scripture before answering. Let the movement itself guide your reflection.
Stay with the text
Which repeated word, contrast, command, or promise carries Paul's main concern in Colossians 3:1–11?
Examine the heart
Where does your life resist this truth: raised people set their minds on christ and put the old humanity to death.
Walk worthy
Put away one named old practice and replace it with truthful obedience.
Remain here for a moment.
Let every competing voice become still. Christ is all and in all within the renewed people of God. Receive that truth before trying to perform it.
Carry the Word into today.
Put away one named old practice and replace it with truthful obedience.
Continue in His presence.
Lord Jesus, raised people set their minds on christ and put the old humanity to death. Root me in Your fullness, rule my heart with Your peace, and make my whole life thankful and faithful. Amen.