In The Word
Read: Colossians 3:1-17
Put On the New Self
3 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
5 Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, rid yourselves of all of them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evilpractices, 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created it— 11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, and free, but Christ is all, and in all.
12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also. 14 In addition to all these things put onlove, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
In the first verse it says, “If you have been raised up with Christ.” This means that if we have truly believed and been born again by the power of God, the same power that raised Christ from the dead, then we are not like the world. We do not live like we use to live before we came to know Christ. We now live our lives to please God and to grow in our knowledge of Christ so that we can be conformed to His very image. In other words, we begin to act, talk, and live like Christ Himself. We do this by laying aside our old habits that were displeasing to God. Things like immorality, impurity, evil desires, greed, anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech, and anything else contrary to the will and nature of God should be laid aside. We choose instead to set our minds on things above. We choose to put on Christ’s heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. We put on Christ by bearing with one another, forgiving one another, and loving one another. We fill our lives with God’s Word through reading, hearing, and singing it. As we begin to live for Christ, we should be giving thanks to our Father for this new life through Him.
Are you in Christ? If so, then your life should be being transformed to the image of Christ Himself. What are you putting in your life? If it’s with the Word of God, then you should be experiencing this new life. Are you living for Christ, or are you living for yourself? If it’s for Christ, then good fruit should be showing. If the life you are living is for yourself, then repent, put off the old self, and put on Christ.