Your life is hidden with Christ in God.

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

Put On the New Self

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set 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. ⁹Do 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.

In today’s text it 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.  Because of God’s love, compassion and grace, there are many people who have a hard time believing and accepting that God would also have wrath toward disobedience. Whether we want to accept that there will be a future judgment or not, we should still lay aside immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed; anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech. We should lay them aside, knowing that Christ suffered the wrath of God toward disobedience for us. Knowing what Christ endured, we should not diminish His sacrifice by continuing in sin. Those who believe that because of the love and grace of God, He now accepts and embraces sin make a mockery of the cross. The power of the cross and the sacrifice of Christ is more than just that sin is forgiven. We are not only redeemed from sin, but also recreated and restored to the image of God and 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.  We are to become like Christ, putting on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;  bearing with one another, and forgiving each other. We are also to be in the likeness of God in whom there is no darkness. He calls us to be holy because He is holy. In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus says: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”   Before we can love others, we must love God with all of our heart, soul and mind.  Romans 5:8 says:  God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.   We are not loving God if we are embracing the very things that Christ died for, to demonstrate His love. We are to forgive others, but only the cross can forgive sin.

The text says:  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.  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.   Many people try to live as Jesus lived, showing love and compassion, but they fail to also do what He said. They pick and choose the parts of God’s word that are in agreement with their own belief rather than believing all of His word and letting it dwell in them. 2 Timothy 3:16 says:  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.  We should not pick and choose which parts of scripture we will abide by. We should look instead at all of scripture, from Genesis to Revelation so that we can fully understand God’s will, His plan and His desire for us. Never from Genesis to Revelation does God embrace sin. He calls and made provision for us to be like Him so that whatever we do in word or deed,  we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.   .

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit thank You for Your word. Thank You for the power of the cross which not only forgave our sin but restored us to the image and likeness of God so that we can live free from sin. In response to Your love and grace demonstrated in the sacrifice of Christ, because I am redeemed and restored, may I walk in Your love.  Amen.