Colossians 3

Posted On January 25, 2021

By Dr. J. Michael Strawn

 #1. “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking 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”, 3:1, 2. #2. There are two vastly different & distinct ways of reasoning: ONE: is to exercise the powers of reasoning founded upon the general experience of men in time & materiality. “The things that are on the earth. TWO: is to reason on the foundation of the SPIRITUAL REALITIES, “…the things above…”. #3. The first is what we may refer to as LOCALIZED REASONING, but the second is clearly NON-LOCALIZED. #4. THE LANGUAGE THAT IS USED CONTROLS HOW & WHAT ONE THINKS. #5. There is an inference here: Human thought is always controlled by one of two sources; that of time & materiality or by the invisible SUPER REALITIES. True independent reasoning is beyond us & or is a matter of comparison. #6. This is to say that these are the two bases for the very human action of representation! In this regard the NON-LOCALIZED is the correct one. The practice of NON-LOCALIZED REASONING is a function of the human mind. #7. This willful conscious shift in REASONING FROM LOCAL—>TO NON-LOCAL, is quite a departure from the HUMAN NORM. Many if not most will think of it as greatly IMPRACTICAL, in other words “It won’t work in the world in which we live”! #8. Resultant here, of course, is the development of an expanded & higher form of consciousness or the forfeiture of it, depending upon which way of reasoning we choose to use. #9. PROBLEMATIC is the reading of Scripture on the foundation of what we are calling LOCALIZED REASONING. Many false ideas (those opposed to the REVEALED LANGUAGE MANIFOLD) are foisted upon the Bible. Inevitably reading the Bible within the frame of reference of LOCALIZED REASONING IS TO MISREAD OR LIMIT THE REACH OF THE WORD OF GOD. #10. To the contrary, setting our minds on things above becomes the means by which we comprehend the true nature of the world in which we live! This is a foreign & strange way of living. And it is indeed counterintuitive! But it is to that that we have been called. The LOCALIZED READING OF SCRIPTURE IS A DISASTROUS MISINTERPRETATION OF THE UNIVERSE.

THE INEVITABLE SPIRITUAL VICTORY

2: THE SPIRITUAL LOGIC.

 #1. “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry”, 3:5. #2. So, if we have died with & are hidden in God, then, when the Lord comes again, we will appear with Him In glory. That is an inevitability! Faith makes this an eventuality! #3. This spiritual/historical inevitability projects a KIND OF LOGIC. That particular terminus suggests a CORRESPONDING FORM OF TEMPORAL BEHAVIOR. #4. This LOGIC CALLS FOR A COMPLETE OVERTHROW OF THE FLESH. The “earthly members of one’s body”… are to be brought subject to SPIRITUAL REALITY. #5. That has implications for human fleshly inclinations. Human desire is to be put to death! A somewhat drastic response! And that includes the physical mechanisms of that desire! #.6. Of course, those biological members are the means by which “immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire (those not allowed by God), greed, which amounts to idolatry” are exercised. #7. Such idolatrous behavior is, at the least, inconsistent with a life devoted to commanding SPIRITUAL REALITY. #.8. It does not logically fit! #9. “For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience”, 3:6. By this we are warned about behavior outside of & beyond the spiritual concerns of the word of God. Sin is the way of the past & that past is dead from the point of view of the Lord. #10. “and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them”, 3:7. In the same sense, then, there is a LOCAL WAY OF LIFE & A NON-LOCAL WAY OF PERSONAL BEHAVIOR. NON-LOCALITY IS THE KEY TO OUR MATERIAL EXISTENCE ON EARTH. #11. The way we intend to live is preceded by a world we cannot see but believe is there & that WORLD ABOVE IS THE MODEL FOR THE REMAINING PORTION OF TIME. This means that the believer’s life on earth is required to be a SUPERNATURAL PHENOMENON.

SUPERNATURAL RENEWAL

PART 3: THE SHELVING OF THE OLD SELF.

 #1. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth”, 3:8. #2. The poisonous potential is still present but shelved away & out of circulation! This POTENTIAL MUST ALWAYS BE SURPASSED & suppressed. #3. These prohibitions have to do with  one’s relation to others. Anger, wrath, malice, abusive speech are means of elevating the self above others. #4. Such behaviors are quite LOCAL! But these words require an amendment of personal behavior! Behavior is no longer a manifestation of the darker & fallen side of personality. #5. Rather, behavior is to represent the character of the Almighty. Believers are chosen to PERSONIFY THE NATURE OF GOD, a non-trivial responsibility! #6. “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices”, 3:9. #7. Truth rises above self-interest in just such a fellowship! This is so because the old self is a burden that no collective of people can bear. Indeed, the old self constitutes a curse, a perversion to any organized & purposeful institution among men. PERSONAL CHARACTER is the issue. One cannot build a church on the crude material of the old self! #8. “and have put on the new self who is being renewed in a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him”, 3:10. This renewed self is not merely a psychological phenomenon; he/she becomes a symbol of another world, another mentality, indeed, another future! #9. “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”, 3:11. #10. CULTURAL RELATIVISM (the philosophy of National Geographic) has no part in this. Background, education, pedigree are all made liable to “…the things above…”. Old habits & ways are to be DISPLACED by the SUPERNATURAL POWERS OF RENEWAL. Nothing has to stay the way things are! We are constantly defeating the old self & it’s evil practices; no one is exempt. Consider the sterling effects upon marriage, family, spiritual relations & society, as renewal takes command of the status quo!

INDIVIDUALISM & IT’S PROPERTIES

PART 5: SPIRITUAL INDIVIDUALISM

#1. This business of RENEWAL is personal & individualistic. Everything depends upon the behavior of the individual believer. #2. Because the aggregate derives its character from the foundational transformation of the individual believer! #3. This is what is called “a bottom-up movement”. There is nothing “top down” about any of this. #4. The believer is charged with the mission to develop & maintain a spiritual mind while in the social environment of the godless secular universe! #5. So, what are the properties of SPIRITUAL INDIVIDUALISM? (1) BLENDING: the efforts of the individual blends with efforts of others who pursue the outcome. (2) RESISTANCE: the individual is resistant to any pressure from any type of pre-existing aggregate structure. (3) Transcendence: the individual can transcend his/her social historical conditions. (4) EXEMPLIFICATION: the individual alone serves as an identifiable example of expanded consciousness. Groups cannot do this so starkly as can individual believers. (5) Spokesman for the aggregate. Every collective wants to be understood & as well, influential. And that falls to individuals. (6) The individual is the root of the aggregate! What holds any social institution together are its roots (the individuals). What else can protect the superstructure but the roots of it! #6. In this way a mutually supporting structure between individual & aggregate takes form. God —>generates the REVELATION—> which directly shapes the individual—>and that generates the nature of the collective! All the parts are interlocked!

THE IMMEDIATE EXCLUSION.

PART 6:INSTRUMENTAL RATIONALISM IS IMMEDIATELY EXCLUDED.

#1. The idea of INSTRUMENTAL RATIONALISM is to do whatever is necessary to achieve one’s purposes. #2. “So, as those who have been chosen of God, Holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience”, v.12. “bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you”, v.13. #3. Such behavior as INSTRUMENTAL RATIONALISM is highly ill-matched with the SPIRITUAL RIGOR Indicated in the verses under scrutiny. #4. The inarguable truth is this: BIBLICALLY DEFINED FAITH IS THOROUGHLY DEFIANT OF HUMAN REASON. #.5. The ordering of our relationships to each other in the kingdom has already been defined & articulated by the Lord. These relations are not subject to personal subjectivity. Nor are our relations to the outside sociological world. #6. Narcissism is immediately excluded. Others are elevated above the self. #7. But INSTRUMENTAL RATIONALISM  INHERENTLY forces others downstream from the self & its interests. However, in the SPIRITUAL KINGDOM THE MIND MUST BE EXPANDED IN ORDER TO CAPACITATE THE REVEALED WILL OF GOD. #8. Conscious behavior of this caliber is the function of a mind absolutely consecrated to the will of God! #9. The workings of the inner man are to be made compatible with the INVISIBLE REALITY that governs all things temporal, material & personal! #10. The condition of mind precedes the measurable behavior of the physical body. #11. Those”…chosen of God…” are to be symbolized by selflessness!

THE NEW AUTHORITY & ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE.

PART 7: THE REVEALED COORDINATES FOR THOUGHT, SPEECH & BEHAVIOR.

#1. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father”, V.17. #2. Implied here is that all behaviors are to be done with the approval of “…the Lord Jesus…”. #3. Necessarily, therefore, the balance of power over thought, speech & behavior, is shifted from all things temporal, including all forms of media, government & social consciousness—>to REVEALED TRUTH. #4. Devotion to the sacred language manifold becomes the categorical imperative: “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”, V.16. #5. The word of God is to hold the balance of power over one’s life! The author is appealing to FAITH AS THE SUPERLATIVE MOTIVATION FOR SELF-EXPRESSION. #6. Of course, this demands a complete disposition of the self! #7. There is the key to unity of believers. Unity is a function of consecrated minds not church activity. “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”, V.14,15. #8. Believers must not impede the development of unity. And at the eye of this matter is how the word of God is to be used to transform hearts, souls & minds. #9. The Scripture always directs us away from dependence upon human conventions & to the perceptions of the Almighty. There is no agreement between Christ & human temporal wisdom & ways of reasoning! #10. The “new self” created in the image of Christ becomes the vanguard of a different & revealed nature of man; quite unworldly & devoted to “things above”. And to that degree the world is changed!