Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus

Colossians 3:1-17 from the daily reading in the One year Bible

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your mind on the things 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 consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. ⁶ For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸ But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, ¹⁰ and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— ¹¹ a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, 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 also should you. ¹⁴ Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Today’s text begins saying:  If you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.     It ends saying:   Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. In Matthew 4:17, at the beginning of His ministry, Jesus said:   “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”   There is a change that is necessary for us to see and be part of the kingdom of heaven.   In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says:  Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”   It is the kingdom of heaven that we should seek and set our minds on. We have been raised up with Christ, not only to eternal life in heaven, but also to walk here in the kingdom. Jesus taught us to pray, Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.    We should be those who bring the realities of heaven to earth. We need to seek the kingdom and to know how things are in heaven, where Christ is, so that we can bring heaven to earth. With that in mind we should: in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.    If we are called by the name of Christ, then we need to recognize that all that we do and all that we say is done in His name. We need to recognize that we cannot choose sin, we cannot speak or do what is evil in the name of Christ. He was without sin. In Leviticus 20:26 God says:   You shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.    We are called to live in the world, but not as the world. We are to live holy and righteously, as it is in heaven, even as we walk in the midst of the things of the world.

The text says:    Consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.    We were created in the image and likeness of God and it is that image and likeness we are restored and renewed to in Christ. The text says:  So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.    We are not to love the world by being like them and participating with them in sin. We are to be representatives of the holy and righteous name of Christ. We are to let His word dwell in us, and so we are to teach and admonish one another. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus says:  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

The text says:  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.    After His crucifixion and His resurrection, before He ascended and was seated with God in heaven, Jesus gave us instruction regarding what we should do and say in His name. In Mark 16:15-18 He says:  “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”     In Matthew 28:18-20 He says:  “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”   Those are the things we are to say and to do in the name of Christ, so that His kingdom would come and His will would be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Thank You Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit; having been raised up with Christ, I choose keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. I will set my mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I will walk in the image and likeness of God, holy and righteous in Christ. I will do all that I do in the name of the one who has redeemed, renewed and restored me, shining His light and demonstrating His love sharing the gospel, the good news of the word of Christ.  Amen.