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Colossians 3:1-11
Sunday Between July 31 and August 6 (Proper 13) C (Second Reading) August 2, 1998
Col. 3:1-11
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where
Christ is seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things above, not on
earthly things. [3] For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. [4] When
Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
[5] Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality,
impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. [6] Because of these, the wrath
of God is coming. [7] You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. [8] But
now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and
filthy language from your lips. [9] Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off
your old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed
in knowledge in the image of its Creator. [11] Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised
or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
(NIV)
Col. 3:1-4 (The Colossians exhorted to be heavenly-minded)
As Christians are freed from the ceremonial law, they must walk the more closely with God in gospel obedience. As heaven and earth are contrary one to the other, both cannot be followed together; and affection to the one will weaken and abate affection to the other. Those that are born again are dead to sin, because its dominion is broken, its power gradually subdued by the operation of grace, and it shall at length be extinguished by the perfection of glory. To be dead, then, means this, that those who have the Holy Spirit, mortifying within them the lusts of the flesh, are able to despise earthly things, and to desire those that are heavenly. Christ is, at present, one whom we have not seen; but our comfort is, that our life is safe with him. The streams of this living water flow into the soul by the influences of the Holy Spirit, through faith. Christ lives in the believer by his Spirit, and the believer lives to him in all he does. At the second coming of Christ, there will be a general assembling of all the redeemed; and those whose life is now hid with Christ, shall then appear with him in his glory. Do we look for such happiness, and should we not set our affections upon that world, and live above this?
Col. 3:5-11 (to mortify all corrupt affections)
It is our duty to mortify our members which incline to the things of the world. Mortify them, kill them, suppress them, as weeds or vermin which spread and destroy all about them. Continual opposition must be made to all corrupt workings, and no provision made for carnal indulgences. Occasions of sin must be avoided: the lusts of the flesh, and the love of the world; and covetousness, which is idolatry; love of present good, and of outward enjoyments. It is necessary to mortify sins, because if we do not kill them, they will kill us. The gospel changes the higher as well as the lower powers of the soul, and supports the rule of right reason and conscience, over appetite and passion. There is now no difference from country, or conditions and circumstances of life. It is the duty of every one to be holy, because Christ is a Christian’s All, his only Lord and Saviour, and all his hope and happiness.
(Matthew Henry Concise Commentary)