Colossians 3:9 - Forerunner Commentary

Colossians 3:9

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Articles, Bible studies, and sermons that contain The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians 3:9:

Colossians 3:8-16
Excerpted from: The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part 23)

This is the practical application of seeking those things which are above. In effect what Paul is saying is that, if we are seeking those things which are above, the resources to overcome these things will be here. They will be part of us, because God responds to such as are truly seeking after Him.

Now, be patient. Our relationship with God is not magic. It takes work, does it not? And if any of you have any of these problems, you understand that you really have to hold a tight rein on yourself to keep yourself from doing these things that Paul says to "put off." They are so deeply ingrained within us that they want to break out, all by themselves. That is why Paul wrote that in Romans 7. "The things that I do not want to do, I do. The things I do want to do, I do not do."

So Paul said there were two conflicting laws working within him. There was the law of his mind—which loved God, understood a great deal about God, wanted to submit to God, wanted to sacrifice for God's sake and in His name, wanted to discipline himself. But the law of his flesh, sin that dwelt within him, put up its ugly head and, every once in a while, it would break out.

We do have to discipline ourselves. "Putting on" and "taking off" is not always easy. Sometimes we find that there are certain things that we can do readily. It almost seems like it comes easily to us. But there are other things that are like a thorn in the flesh, and they gnaw away at us, and embarrass us from time to time, and make us feel guilty. They make us wonder whether we will be acceptable before God. They embarrass us, and we wish they were not there. And we know that it takes a great deal of work. Work requires discipline. We know that we are to "put off" those things that do not fit the image of God, and to "put on" the characteristics that do.

The final thing that he mentions there really is love. Love is the crown. It is what tops off, as it were, all of the other virtues and ties them all together. The "putting on" and the "taking off" will actually be the manifestation of the seeking God and those things which are above.

Even when we understand this, even the ability to do this—to "put on" and to "take off"—is a gift from God. The resources to do this come from Him. God responds to those who make Him the focus of their lives. And this is the way that it is exhibited. The evidence begins to show in the way we live our lives.

Articles
All in All
Choosing the New Man (Part Three)
Choosing the New Man (Part Two)  (2)
Choosing the New Man (Part Two)  (2)
Five Teachings of Grace

Bible Studies
The Seven Churches (Part Five): Pergamos

Booklets
How to Be an Overcomer

Essays
A Heavenly Homeland (Part Two)
Have We Settled on Our Lees?
No Meeting of the Minds
Welfare and Christianity
What Is Real Conversion? (Part Six)
What Is Real Conversion? (Part Two)

Sermons
Learning to Live in the Light
Born Again (Part 1)
The Spirit of Gratitude
The Priesthood of God (Part 10) Conclusion
Facing Times of Stress: Hopeless Regrets
Profanity (Part Two)
God's Law in Our Mouths
Our Trusted Source of Truth (Part Two)
Conforming to This World
Leadership and Covenants (Part Twenty-Two)
Deleavening the Home
Hebrews: Its Background (Part Four)
Magic Doesn't Work (Part 1)
Don't Meddle and Always Be Ready to Answer
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Seven): Repentance
The Colossian Heresy and Laodiceanism
Colossian Law-Keeping
The Scepter, Duty, and the Days of Unleavened Bread
No One Else Matters (Part Two)
Spiritual Renewal
The Doctrine of Israel (Part Fifteen):The Israel of God
Teaching Us to Think (Part Two)
Remember the Christians
Seeing the Invisible
Responding to God's Pruning is Not Passive (Part Two)
Called to Change
God Expects a Return on His Investment (Part Four)
Conviction, Moses and Us
Remembering Your Vows
Real Conversion
From Pride to Humility
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part 5)
All in All
Hide and Seek
Our Affinity to Christ
Abraham (Part Eight)
To Test You
The Glory of God (Part 4): Glorifying God
Re-education (Part 2)
Works of the Flesh
Principled Living (Part 2): Conquering Sin
The Father-Son Relationship (Part One)
Faith and the Christian Fight (Part 3)
The Christian Paradox (Part Two)

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