Who are you? What is your identity?
How would you answer those questions? How would I answer those questions?
I might say, I’m Katie, stay-at-home mom, aspiring Bible teacher, wife to one awesome high school physics teacher, and mom to two sweet little boys.
But no one really ever asks those questions, do they? So how do people get to know who we are?
They get to know who we are by observing us. They listen to the things we say and the way we say them. They watch our actions and the attitudes behind those actions. These things paint a picture of the kind of person we are.
Assuming that you are a professing believer, like myself, then you know that our true identity, who we truly are, is hidden in Christ. Therefore our words and actions not only paint a picture of who we are but they tell the watching world something about who Christ is. If this is true, then we need to carefully watch the things we say and do.
Paul knew that words and actions stem from a person’s identity. And he reminds the Colossians in his letter, that their identity is now united to the person of Christ. Their old selves have passed away, they are new creations. And new creations are characterized by a certain way of living. In today’s section of the letter, Paul instructs the Colossians on the kind of attributes that ought to characterize their identity as new creations. Their thoughts, actions, words, and attitudes need to stem from who they are in Christ.
His instructions are still applicable to us today.
United with Christ
Paul begins chapter 3 by reminding the Colossians of three things that are true about them since they have been united with Christ. First they have been raised with Christ (vs. 1), they have died (vs. 3) with Christ, and they will one day appear with him in glory (vs.4) This is all true because their lives are hidden with Christ in God (vs. 3). They were united to Christ through the Spirit upon becoming new creations.
If these things are true, and the Colossians are indeed united with Christ, then everything about the Colossians has changed. Their thoughts, actions, words, and attitudes ought to be different than they were to reflect their new identity as people united with Christ.
Paul first addresses the Colossians thoughts. He says, “seek the things that are above (vs. 1)” and “set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth (vs. 2).” What kinds of “things that are above” is Paul referring to here? At the end of verse 1, Paul points the Colossians to the fact that Christ is above seated at the right hand of God (vs.1). So to set their minds on things above, they need to set their minds on the things of Christ. Paul addresses the Philippians’ thoughts in his letter to them when he says:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ( Philippians 4:8)
Paul addresses the Colossians’ minds first because actions always follow thoughts. In order to align words and actions with their new identity in Christ, the Colossians need to fix their minds on all the good things that are above, where Christ is.
Die to Your Old Self
I have mentioned before that the theme of old creation versus new creation is very prevalent throughout the book of Colossians, and nowhere more so than here at the beginning of chapter 3.
Paul addresses some of the actions and words that characterized the Colossians old way of life. He does this to remind him that these things are no longer in line with their new identity as believers and need to be put to death (vs. 5). If the Colossians’ minds are truly fixed on the things that are above, then they will quickly be able to kill any thoughts that might contribute to the “earthly” living that Paul outlines here.
Paul first tells them to put to death sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry (vs. 5). All of these sins relate to living a sexually immoral life. All of these sins have a victim. When the world fell, our relationship with God was broken but also our relationships with other people. Sexually immorality that produces impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness is the epitome of self-centeredness. It is the complete opposite of the relational living that we were created for. Therefore Paul tells the Colossians that they must put this kind of earthly living to death.
Paul says that on account of these the wrath of God is coming (vs.6). He is not saying this to the Colossians to scare them into obedience. But rather to remind them that God is perfectly holy and perfectly just and he will avenge this offense to his holiness and all the victims of sexual immorality.
In verse 8, Paul warns the Colossians to put away all unjust anger that leads to wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk (vs. 8). Again Paul is addressing the kinds of sins that further break their relationships with other people. He tells them that they have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self (vs. 9.10). They are not who they were. They are new creations. Therefore they need to actively put to death all the thoughts, actions, and words that are associated with their old earthly selves. Until they do, they will be unable to live the lives they were created for.
Paul then goes on to say that their new selves are being renewed in knowledge after the image of their creator (vs.10). Paul is really good at reminding anyone who reads his letters that they never attempt holy living on their own. They are empowered to live holy lives by the Holy Spirit who lives inside them. Here he is reminding them that Spirit in them renews their new selves in knowledge which helps them to better image their creator. Again, Paul is pointing out the importance of growing in the knowledge of God which then leads to holy living.
Put on Love
The Colossians are reminded that they are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved (vs. 12). Knowing this should give them such a sense of security in their standing with God that it compels them to live holy lives out of gratitude. They are chosen, set apart, and deeply loved. Their deepest needs have been met and they have been empowered to live holy lives as new creations.
Paul then lists some of the characteristics the Colossians’ need to display as the holy, beloved, chosen ones of God. Note that these characteristics have much more to do with who the Colossians should be rather than a list of things they ought to do. This is the opposite of legalism (like the legalism that Paul addresses at the end of chapter 2). The Colossians need to be concerned with the character that drives their actions rather than religiously following a list of rules.
Put on then…compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (vs. 12). In stark contrast to the 5 self-centered characteristics of verse 5, verse 12 lists the 5 characteristics that should mark the relational lives of Christians. To begin to enjoy the relationships with others that they were created for, the Colossians need to kindly and thoughtfully put the needs of others before their own. This is selfless love.
Paul then lists some of the things the Colossians ought to be doing as a way of living out these selfless loving relationships. They need to 1) bear with one another (vs. 13), 2) forgive each other (vs. 13), 3) put on love (vs. 14), 4) let the peace of Christ rule in [their] hearts (vs. 15). This is especially true of they way they ought to be treating the other members of Christ’s body, the church. Becoming new creations and having their identities hidden in Christ means that they are now free to treat others with the selfless love that all relationships were created for.
Embracing New Identity
At the end of this passage, Paul describes for the Colossians what Christian worship ought to look like. Three times Paul exhorts the Colossians to be thankful in the last three verses. Thankfulness for what Christ has done is what fuels worship. Paul instructs that in their worship of God they need to:
let the word of Christ dwell in them richly (vs. 16) – right worship involves spending intentional time dwelling in the Word of God so that the Word of God might dwell in them.
[teach] and [admonish] one another in all wisdom [vs. 16] – right worship involves instruction. The Colossians need to learn from those who are wise what it looks like to live out their identity as new creations in Christ. They also need to warn each other against the kind of living that is not in line with their new identity.
[sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (vs. 16) – right worship involves singing. Gratitude for what Christ has done should make them want to proclaim his name in song!
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus (vs. 17) right worship doesn’t just happen during an intentionally planned worship time but rather is a way of life. They are to do everything to the glory of Jesus.
Right thinking leads to right heart attitudes which leads to right actions which leads to right worship.
Your Identity in Christ
How should we apply Paul’s teaching? We can almost take all of his words as though they were written directly to us. We too ought to set our minds on things above so that we might rightly live out our identity as new creations in the way we relate to others and to God. Here are several questions for you to reflect on as you seek to live out your identity as a new creation in Christ:
- What kinds of things are you allowing to speak into your life and shape your thoughts? Which voices in your life need to be amplified to help you set your mind on things above and live out your identity in Christ, and which voices need to be silenced?
- Which relationships in your life seem to be characterized more by the attributes of your old way of life rather than your new life in Christ? What might you do to change that? How might you pray for those people?
- How might you enjoy your relationship with God more? How might you better incorporate yourself into the life of the church to help you enjoy worshiping your Lord Jesus more?
To go back to Part 5 of this Study: Colossians 2:6-23 click here!