Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #3 Living the Truth

 

Chapter 3 – Living the Truth

Colossians chapter 3 begins by describing the aspirations and affections of the disciple of Christ:

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth …” (Col. 3:1-2).

The principle is amply demonstrated in the words of the Proverb:

“the way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath” (Prov. 15:24).

Interestingly, the same point is made to Israel concerning their lack of obedience to Jehovah’s ways:

“… for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8-9).

This passage from Isaiah is often misapplied to show that God’s ways are different from “our” ways.
However, the context is to do with faithless Israel (see verse 7), not those who are sanctified with the blood of the Lamb. For us, as disciples of Christ, we ought to know better than Israel of old. For them, the ways of the Almighty were so high above their frame of thought that they could not perceive the message of the prophets. But we, however, recognising that Jehovah is High and Mighty, and His Ways high above the natural man, ought to

“seek those things which are above” –

that is, to make God’s ways our ways. To try to conform to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29), who was

“the express image of his [i.e. God’s] person” (Heb. 1:3).

Rather than to manifest the grovelling spirit of the natural man which, as that of the beasts of the field declines to earthly things, the spirit of the renewed man « goeth upward » (Eccl 3:21), focalising upon the place of favour and blessing – the Father’s right hand, where our lord is positioned. And in this, we have the example of our lord before us, who always kept the things pertaining to his Father’s Kingdom and Righteousness to the forefront of his mind, always seeking the will of his Father dwelling in the Heaven above:

« I have set Jehovah always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved … My flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore » (Ps 16:8-11).

In these words, the Spirit of Christ speaks prophetically of the meditations of our lord Jesus, faced with the agony of Crucifixion. Elsewhere it is testified that he,

« for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God » (Heb 12:2).

And this Psalm enlightens us as to what that « joy » was which was set before the Lord.

« I have set Jehovah always before me »,

and positioned at His Right Hand, the future seat of power upon which he would set, the Lord saw joy and pleasures:

« in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore ».

So it was, that by continual meditation and reflection upon such a joyous vision of Glory – even his Father’s Glory, our lord was strengthened to overcome, enduring the shame of crucifixion that he might ultimately obtain that place of joy himself.
And even so it is with us. For the death of Christ was not the death of one individual – but that of all who are aligned with it in Baptism:

« if one died for all, then were all dead » (2Cor 5:14).

In our baptisms, we died with Christ. And for us, as with our lord, crucifying the flesh is not a single event
at the time of our immersion; but a daily struggle as we seek to « die daily » (1Cor 15:31). So the exhortation was given to the Colossians, that in seeking heavenly things – the « pleasures » at the Father’s right hand – they must crucify earthly things:

« mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry » (Col 3:5).

As we died in Christ therefore, we must put to death earthly things, and do as he did, focus instead on the Joyous Vision of the Divine Presence, and all that it speaks of. For if we are dead with him, then are we also risen with him (Rom 6:5), and our life is bound up in him:

« for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God ».

There is no earthly thing which appears in the presence of the Father – only things of the Spirit. And as our lives are

« with Christ in God »,

who is the fountain-head of all life, then we ought to have no earthly thing dwelling in us. Only things of the Spirit. How hard that is to maintain, but how necessary to try!

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Preceding

1. Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #1 Separation from the world
2. Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #2 Completeness of the united Body of Christ

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Additional reading

1. a City full of the Pride of life
2. Sharing the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge
3. Those who fear him
4. Favorably heard for his godly fear
5. Death and Resurrection of Christ
6. Son of God and King of kings
7. Memorizing wonderfully 72: Colossians 3:1: Christ seated on the right hand of God
8. Wanting to live in Christ’s city
9. To follow Christ
10. Deuteronomy for the twenty-first century: Choose life!
11. Obeying God rather than man
12. Today’s thought “outstretched arm of Jehovah” (February 01)
13. Today’s thought “Clothing yourselves with the right attitude” (May 16)
14. Today’s thought “Covetousness, which is idolatry” (May 16)
15. Today’s Thought: “Your life is hidden” (May 16)
16. Todays tought (June 2) Repenting whilst eagerly waiting for Christ’s return
17. Today’s Thought “To endure our trials and straighten up” (June 05)
18. Today’s thought “Whoever does the will of God, he (or she) is …” (August 08)
19. Today’s thought “Struggling on your behalf in his prayers” (November 15)
20. Today’s thought “Putting on the robe of compassion, kindness, humility and meekness” (November 15)
21. Today’s thought “He who was also subject to human weakness” (November 30)
22. Today’s thought “I will speak in the bitterness of my soul” (December 8)
23. Today’s thought “He knows the way that I take” (December 19)
24. Extra memorizing verses John 5:24 He who believes Him who sent Jesus
25. Extra verses to memorize John 15:5-6 Abiding in the vine Jesus
26. Memorizing wonderfully 52 Acts 7:56: the Son of man standing on the right hand of God
27. Memorizing wonderfully 72: Colossians 3:1: Christ seated on the right hand of God
28. Memorizing wonderfully 73: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Sleepers with hope
29. A way to prepare for the Kingdom

Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #2 Completeness of the united Body of Christ

Continuation of: Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #1 Separation from the world

Chapter 2 – The Completeness of the united Body of Christ

One of the themes that we noticed in Chapter 1, is that of the Body of Christ, and how individual members might become part of it. So we read:

“He is the head of the Body, the ecclesia: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell” (Col. 1:18-19).

Chapter 2 takes up this theme of “fullness” dwelling in Messiah, emphasising the completeness of his united body:

“in him (that is, Christ) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” (v 9).

The fullness, or completeness of God dwells in Christ, who is

“the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person” (Heb 1:3)

and we, being baptised into him (v 12) ought also to be complete in him. Nothing else needs to be added, for any deficiency
(and there are many) in the constituent members thereof are forgiven, because of the perfection of their Master with whom they are at one, being

“knit together in love” (v 2),

in a mutual acceptance of the Gospel of Truth.

But there were those who sought to impose the ordinances of the Law to the Gospel. These Judaisers comprised the Apostasy in Paul’s day, and sought to add to the Gospel, by imposing a burden that neither they, nor previous generations could not bear (Acts 15:10). So it was, that as the apostle exhorted the Galatians, the believers were to

“stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal 5:1).

In these things, there is a need to recognise that there is a “fullness” in Christ, and his sacrifice for our sins. There is no need for anything to be added to it, for it to become efficacious. In our days, we don’t have Judaisers in just the same way, but their spirit of wanting to add something to make Christ’s sacrifice efficacious is present. For instance, there are those who insist on having unleavened bread, in order for our memorial meeting together to be acceptible – and there are those who insist on using leavened bread. But

“meat commendeth us not to God” (1 Cor. 8:8),

and the real danger of both positions is not to do with literal bread and how it is made – it is rather the notion that the saving
extent and nature of Christ’s sacrifice is limited according to what bread is used.
Again, there are those who believe it is necessary to have a direct bestowal of the Holy Spirit in order to be saved. The same problem remains: not only is it encouraging folk to have a false hope in something the Father does not provide in this dispensation, it limits the Sacrifice of Christ, by saying that something else (i.e. the Holy Spirit) is needed in addition to it. But the true situation is that we are “complete” in Christ, meaning that nothing else is needed to be saved, aside from our faith and obedient trust in him.

The means by which the Ecclesial body is held together, is said to be the unifying power of love:

“… that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love …” (Col. 2:2).

The allusion here, is to the circumstances of David and Jonathan, described in 1 Samuel chapter 18:

“and it came to pass, when he [i.e. David] had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of
Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul (1 Sam. 18:1).

When we consider the intimate relationship between these two men of faith, we behold a love that was “wonderful, passing the love of women” (2 Sam. 1:13). There are those who would degrade that wonderful love into a carnal relationship – but quite plainly such do not know the sweet love and fellowship that exists amongst Christ’s brethren, who are of like precious faith.
The Unity of the Truth Holders is the greatest defence for the household of faith. Our Lord taught that

“every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Mat 12:25),

and similarly, his Apostle exhorted:

“if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another” (Gal 5:15).

We truly live in “perilous times” (2Tim 3:1), and there is no time for there to be “wars and fightings” (Jas 4:1) amongst the members of Christ’s Ecclesia. Rather than to contend against one another, the body ought to be one

“in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph 4:13).

The various members thereof ought to

“exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any … be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb 3:13),

rather than to devour one another through petty squabbles emanating from those who seek to exalt themselves above measure. To be united in a “full assurance” of the revealed things of Truth is just as needful in our day, as ever before that the faith may be earnestly contended for (Jude 3) in the face of false brethren who would seek to beguile us by the enticing words of the world’s philosophy.

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Preceding

1. We must be faithful to God
2. What is expected of a Christadelphian?
3. Participants bonded together into one body
4. Baptised believers left in the world to use

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Additional reading

1. This Sunday Looking at Colossians ch 2
2. When you believe Jesus is God: who do you think is the mediator? #2 Firstborn from the dead our advocate
3. Congregate, to gather, to meet
4. Missional hermeneutics 4/5
5. Atonement And Fellowship 1/8
6. Atonement And Fellowship 2/8
7. Atonement And Fellowship 3/8
8. Atonement And Fellowship 4/8
9. Atonement And Fellowship 5/8
10. Atonement And Fellowship 6/8
11. Atonement And Fellowship 7/8
12. Atonement And Fellowship 8/8
13. Matthew 7:13-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #1 The Narrow Gate and the way to destruction
14. Matthew 24:42-51 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Stay Awake!
15. Bread and Wine
16. Compassion and Discipline
17. Fellowship
18. Integrity of the fellowship
19. Character transformed by the influence of our fellowships
20. Belonging to or being judged by
21. Possibility to live
22. Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church
23. Making sure to be ready and to belong to the escaped ones
24. Forming a Christian bond
25. Church indeed critical in faith development
26. Intentions of an Ecclesia
27. A participation in the body of Christ
28. Reasons why you may not miss the opportunity to go to a Small Church
29. As a small church needing encouragement
30. 3 Reasons Why You Should Go To A Small Church
31. Challenge to our existing fellowship outside Christ
32. Today’s thought July 11 Reading 3 – Matthew 12:50
33. Today’s Thought: Rights and privileges
34. Today’s Thought: Rich men and the kingdom
35. Building the Body
36. Fellowship Matters – Thoughts on Fellowship and Ecclesial Membership
37. Sunday Observance
38. A particular night to share unleavened bread and red wine
39. Today’s thought “They flattered … they lied” (February 14)
40. Today’s thought “Clothing yourselves with the right attitude” (May 16)
41. Today’s Thought “Refresh my heart in Christ” (May 29)
42. Today’s Thought: Go, tell my brethren (July 27)
43. Today’s thought (September 05): “Bringing holiness to completion”
44. Today’s thought “Rooted and built up in him” (November 14)

Bible texts by: A possession on earth in all bliss

Quotes from God’s Word – Bible fragments additional to: A possession on earth in all bliss

Quotes from God’s Word. “And I have made Your Name known to them, and I shall make it known further, so the love which You loved me may be in them, and I in them.”” (Joh 17:26 MHM) “But, if The God clothes the fields of grass, here today and tomorrow tossed in the oven, how much more you, ones of little faith?” (Mt 6:30 MHM) “So if these are in the field of a meadow today and tomorrow thrown into an oven, how much more The God clothes you of little faith.” (Lu 12:28 MHM) “Now, to the King of all future periods of time–incorruptible, invisible, absolute God –honor and glory throughout all future periods of time! Amen!” (1Ti 1:17 MHM) “He swore to the One living throughout all future periods of time who created Heaven and the things in Heaven, the earth and the things in the earth, the sea and the things in the sea: “There will be no delay!” (Re 10:6 MHM) ““For The God loved the world of humankind so much that He gave His only-begotten Son, so that everyone believing in him might not be destroyed but may have endless life.” (Joh 3:16 MHM) “though He did not leave Himself without evidence. For He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and good cheer.”” (Ac 14:17 MHM) “[The Son] is the very reflection of His glory and the very imprint of His substance. [The Son] upholds the Universe by his powerful declaration. After [the Son] made a cleansing of the sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in exalted places.” (Heb 1:3 MHM) “At that same moment, Jesus was filled with the joy of the holy Pneuma, and said: “I praise you, Father, Absolute Sovereign of the Heaven and the Earth, because You concealed these things from the sophist and intellectual, and You revealed them to babes. Yes, Father, for such was well-pleasing in Your sight.” (Lu 10:21 MHM) “Instead, The God chose the foolish things of the world of humankind so that he might embarrass those wise persons. And The God chose the weakest things of the world of humankind that He might embarrass stronger things.” (1Co 1:27 MHM) “For The God is made manifest to them. For His invisible things are understood by the things made from the world’s creation–even His eternal power and divinity–so they are without a defense.” (Ro 1:20 MHM) “And so prove to be Sons of your Heavenly Father. For His sun rises upon the wicked and the good. And He rains upon the righteous and unrighteous.” (Mt 5:45 MHM) “The original human was from the earthy ground, the Second Man originated from heaven.” (1Co 15:47 MHM) “For this I tell you: Do not be overly concerned about your soul as to what you might eat or what you might drink, nor about your body as to clothing.” (Mt 6:25 MHM) “Blessed the peaceable people for they will be called ‘Sons of The God.’” (Mt 5:9 MHM) ““The Supreme Being and our God, you are worthy to receive the glory and the honor and the power because You created everything. Because of Your will they exist and were created.”” (Re 4:11 MHM) “So, let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Heavenly Father.” (Mt 5:16 MHM) “saying in a great voice: “Fear The God and give to Him glory because the hour of the judgment has arrived and so worship The One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and fountains of waters.”” (Re 14:7 MHM) “Then I heard every creature in Heaven and on earth, and under the ground and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To the One enthroned and to the Lamb: the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might throughout all future periods of time.”” (Re 5:13 MHM) ““Amen! The blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength [be] to our God throughout all future periods of time. Amen!”” (Re 7:12 MHM) ““We give thanks to you, YHWH, The God, The Almighty, The-One-Who-Is, and, The-One-Who-Was, because you have taken your great power and reigned.” (Re 11:17 MHM) “And I heard a great voice in the Celestialum, saying: “Salvation has occurred! The Power, the Kingdom of our God, the authority of His Messiah! Because the Accuser of our brothers was thrown down, the one accusing our brothers day and night in the sight of The God.” (Re 12:10 MHM) “And to enlighten everyone regarding the household administration of that mystery hidden in The God throughout the past periods of time–the One who created everything.” (Eph 3:9 MHM) “Draw near to The God and He will draw near to you. You sinners, cleanse your hands, and sanctify your hearts, you double-minded persons.” (Jas 4:8 MHM) “For they are ignorant of God’s righteousness and are seeking to establish their own self-righteousness. They are not in submission to God’s righteousness.” (Ro 10:3 MHM) “Indeed, we had our fathers who disciplined us and we submitted to them with respect. How much more should we be in subjection to the Spiritual Father and live?” (Heb 12:9 MHM) “Honor all persons. Continue to show compassionate affection for the brotherhood. Continue to fear The God. Show honor to the king.” (1Pe 2:17 MHM)