Colossians Study Outline

The Cross Abolished all Legalism in ordinances in the Law of Moses and the forefathers standards built on their traditions.

Colossians 3:15a

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,…"

A lot of people don’t have the peace of God. A lot of Christians are in turmoil because they do not except the fact that God has justified them from all things, He has forgiven them, and so consequently they can’t enjoy the peace that God wants them to have. They don't know His peace as a covering and glory of our heart. Where the word "heart" simply means the totallity of our physical make up, our core in which our personality may be found. The word "soul" is another expression for our personality. All they have to do is recognize where they are positionaly, in Christ. God is Grace, God is ready to cleanse, sancitify, justify and there is no need for Christians to go through life without having peace with God. But as is the habit of many they will be moved emotionally week after week to go before the congragation at every alter call in repentance and for what? To do it again next week, thusly nullifing the power of the Words to cleans. What is lacking? A change of attitude, a new mindset. Here is a simple phrase that may help to reveal what I mean, "How we look at things effects what we believe we see." This reaches back to our understanding of how perception works. If our perception is clouded then our vision is also askewed, our thinking and reasoning processes are all mixed up, like a fishing real when it has a backlash, the lines get all tangled up in a rat nest. And often requires its, the line all knotted up and tied as a knot being cut away before we can again use the fishing pole and real.

 

But there are those who prophecy another kind of peace which Isaiah states in 57:21 “There is no peace, said my God, to the wicked.” And then again in 59:8 “The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.” Then we can return to Jeremiah 4 and hear His words again spoken against Israel and those false prophets who in their opinion declare peace when in fact there is NO true peace among them. Because they're ways are all crooked and false.

What does Jeremiah say in verses 14 and 18 of chapter 4 but this: “Wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?.....Your ways and your doings have procured these things to you; this is your wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reaches to your heart.” How many of Israel heard and took the necessary action, none of them is the answer. This is also our own situation for the church and religious world of our own day. And the magnitude of this is what we now see and hear about in both the local, national and international the News these days. In the barberism, chaos and murderous actions that are the outcome of this distortion of perception. When our ideology is askew as reflected above we can visualy see and hear the hand of death in Satan visibly.

Colossians Study Outline

The Cross Abolished all Legalism in ordinances in the Law of Moses and the forefathers standards built on their traditions.

Colossians 3:13

"Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any (and we’re going to, because we’re human. We’re going to have differences of opinion and even motivation. We’re going to have some unhappy situations, but don’t let it destroy your relationship. And if you have a quarrel,):  even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

What does that tell you? We’re forgiven, we’re totally forgiven, and we don’t have to go back everyday and say, "Oh God forgive me." That’s all done, it was done at the cross and our ascension in Him. A lot of people can’t quite agree with me on that, and that’s all right, but forgiveness is a done deal. We have to still recognize our sins, and see them as God does. And we have to ask God for cleansing, and our whole approach to that is, the night that the Lord was washing Peter’s and the disciples feet. He came to Peter and what did Peter say?

 

 

John 13:8-11

"Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean."

Peter had already been washed and saved by the words Jesus was speaking over the past three years. He had his bath already, but by virtue of walking from a bath house to his home in the ancient streets were fixity, and before he could go into his own home he would have to wash his feet again. As was the custom and ritual and tradition among the Hebrews. Well the picture of course is where we are. We’ve been saved, we’re forgiven, we’re cleansed, but we’re still in this old world, and as we go though this world our feet are getting dirty, and so what do we need? Cleaning! Through the washing of the Living Word. Study closely Mark 7 tied to Matthew 11:5, Luke 7:22 which addresses the true washing by this Gospel or the Word of God in His kingdom message.

 

But there remains one more point often overlooked and it is found in the last part of verse 10 and all of 11. Jesus being the Son of God knew full well who was about to betray Him and Judas is no different from the men of our own day who though they seem to be upright by all normal appearances inwardly they remain ravenous wolves. This is most often heard in the rhetoric of bombastic language, using words to ensight emotions away from the Truth and the proper way of dealing with everything in Truth and Grace. Often times this kind of language leads to group and gang violance by small groups of people who express their own anger held deed within themsleves against themselve outwardly against others. Just like Judas did and then was overtaken by his own deep remorse. But this remorse is lacking in our day because of the way children are left on their own to do as they please without proper suppervision and guardians. The human morallity and self respect is missing among allot of those in leadership and with guardian status as teachers (false prophets-evangelists) and even pastors (anti-Christs). Our churched, religious people having been led away from a Christ-centered ministry to a world centered global ecosystem such as I see in todays religious systems on a worldwide scale.

 

We don’t need forgiveness, that’s all done, but we need cleansing, and how do we get cleansed? I just told somebody yesterday. How do you wash a strainer? A gravy strainer or a tea strainer, how do you wash it? You certainly can’t run a piece of cloth through every little opening, so how do you wash a strainer? Oh? you just swish it through the water, isn’t that right? You just simply cleanse it with the washing of water. That’s what Paul uses in Ephesians, and this is what we have to do. We get daily cleansing, by the washing of the water by the Word, but what does Paul say the water is? The Word of God! Do you see that? Boy isn’t that beautiful? We don’t have to come crawling to God every time we do something that is wrong, and plead that He forgive us. He must get tired of that, and tells us, "I’ve forgiven you!", where is your dependency on My Grace. This is our cleansing. Jesus as our Advocate and Mediator says Father he is already washed in My blood (in My Death) and is sanctified, justified, righteous and forgiven. We have to see our sin as He sees it and then be cleansed from it by the Word of God, as seen in 1Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 5:26. And if we stumble we are washed in the Blood (signifying death from the influence of the world) and we're again the justified, sanctified, in righteousness, and made holiness because we live in the Godliness of Christ. For we over come by or through His Blood and our own witness of His great Truth. But there is a little looked at warning in Proverbs that states this in 30:12: “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.” These sadly are the ones who do not count themselves as His, by their own words and actions. So we are to forgive as Christ Jesus forgave us in His vircarous death. For Jeremiah states this in 4:14: “O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?” This is the attitude of mind that caused me so much trouble while in the world and mans religious systems. This is part of the beginning tribulation peroid which is covered in verses 4 through the end of verse 18 which states this: “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem:.........Your way and your doings have procured (are of your own doing and making of) these things to you; this is your wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reaches to (from) your heart.”

 

 

Colossians 3:14

"And above all these things put on charity (love), which is the bond of perfectness."

Remember the word perfect in the New Testament means mature, perfect, complete. In this case it also means the highest degree of goodness and holiness man can attain to in this life. And that love is the fulfillment of the Spiritual Law. Love then is also the sign of our Spiritual maturity.

Colossians Study Outline

The Cross Abolished all Legalism in ordinances in the Law of Moses and the forefathers standards built on their traditions.

Colossians 3:10

"And have put on the new man, which is renewed in (full) knowledge after the image of him that created him:"

In other words, Christ becomes our goal, He becomes our pattern, He becomes everything that we hope for as our Head. Our whole exsistance from the moment of our acknowledgeing that we need redemptions saving power, begins our learning of Him. It is in this process that we put on the new man but only after we have successfully passed through from one to many crisises designed to reveal our further need and total dependency on the Holy Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth and Grace. Now talking about the Body of Christ we find the following in verse 11.

 

 

Colossians 3:11

"Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond or free: but Christ is all, and in all."

We’re living in a time where there are some groups that are trying to put back the Jews in a separate place from the Gentiles. But this Scripture states the contrary of that, as revealed to Paul says, "there is no difference!" A Jew/Hebrew has to be saved just like a Gentile, and his keeping the feast days or the Sabbath won’t do him any good, any more than it will anybody else. And if he or she attempts to keep their parents traditions then they have mocked both the blood and the cross to their own distruction. For now they've been rolled up and sealed up and placed on a shelf until after the day of the Lord, look at Psalm 2 verse 8. So we have to understand that the Jewish people today have to consider themselves as lost sinners (the other 99 who stayed in the coral, when the good shepherd went after the one that cries out after wondering off) because their heritage will do none of them any good at all. This bears repeating, We have to understand that the Jewish people today have to consider themselves as lost sinners. The sheep that remained in the stall when the shepherd went to find the one cring because it was lost. They’re in the same boat and on the same playingfield with lost Gentiles. When they do become believers they come into the same Body of Christ as the Gentile does. They have to server their former ties, all relationships which include ties to Judaism. They have renounce their religious beliefs as being dead works because they're not to be profaned by them in any way. Just as Israel was to be set aside unto Yehovah they are to be set aside with us to Christ-Yehovah, the LORD of spirits. Then we become one in Christ, the “one” who died for “all” who would place their trust in Him to become the “all in all,” when we become then a member of the One Body of Christ. Keeping in mind that this does not mean as many suppose “all of mankind” but is in fact a limited few from among the masses of the earth.

 

 

Colossians 3:11

"Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all."

Christ Jesus is the great field leveler. He is the only “one” who ever did so, no other prophet among man made such a claim nor did another others rise again on the third day as Jesus did. I like to talk about a level playing field, and that’s what Christ does, He levels the playing field and there is no difference in any segment of society, we loss our ethnicity. Once we’re in the Body of Christ we are all one with Him.

 

 

Colossians 3:12-13b

"Put on therefore (as a result of all that Christ has done), as the elect of God, (the ones that God has saved by His Grace, that we've chosen Him to be) holy (set apart) and beloved (this is our new status which enables us to reflect His character of), bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (now verse 13. This is all part of the new Christ-likeness heritage in Grace.) Forbearing one another, …"

Remember where the word says were predestinationed/predeterminated or the elect is used simply means that we've chosen to adhere to God's Will in His Way and are now under His law. By making a mindful choice to renounce our ways and to accept His way through our free will. We become the few chosen through this action and begin to hear His voice, as in Genesis 2. As revealed in Jesus Christ and through Paul's Gospel. Remember what Jesus ask's in Matthew chapter 11 and verses 28 through 30, “are you ready to learn of Me?” You know what I’ve said?

You don’t have to like everybody, but you’ve got to love them. I mean there are some people that you like to be with a lot more than others, and that’s perfectly normal. But whether we like them or not, we’re to forbear them, and not be all angered and upset and have nothing to do with them, because everyone of us have things that irritate others. I know I probably irritate people, but I thank God that they forbear with me, and that’s what I have to do with others. But the one thing I can never compromise is my love. I love them regardless. Now reading on in verse 13. These are all just plain logical, common sense admonitions from the pen of the Apostle as to how to walk and live as a child of God.

Colossians Study Outline

The Cross Abolished all Legalism in ordinances in the Law of Moses and the forefathers standards built on their traditions.

Romans 3:23

"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;"

Other than Christ who was not a sinner, not one person, for all natural men come short of the glory of God. Why? Because they place more importance on the things of the world and their stuff, and the pleasures of this life. Just like the rich young ruler. So here he repeats it 2Corinthians. "That if one died for all, then we’re all dead." Remember in Hebrews, how many did He taste death for? "Every man!" Well if that’s the case, then they were all dead, that is Spiritually. But as stated by Gill “one” died and therefore “all died”, as stated this does not mean that all of humanity died with Him, as many suppose it and publish it. It is only those who become His sheep that are counted as having died in Him, as those who are become His inheritance as stated in Psalm 2:6-8. This is NOT of the general plain of mans own creation ideology, philosophy and theology. And only applies for those who have chosen Him above all others, the ones who by choice become His sheep, they are the “every man” and the "all" that He tasted death for. Oh, I wish that I could say that this applied to all men but sadly it does NOT! Even when we attend church religiously we may not be His because we've placed our trust in church doctrine instead of in Him. This is what bothered me all the years that I attended church with my parents, grandparents and aunt during my childhood and young adulthood years. I just did not know how to express it. It is this that bothers me still to day as I witness so many caught by their traditions and by their practicing them remain on the outside of the Arch where they do not want to be. Because Christ has become our Arch in His Salvation, just as He was inside the arch of Noah's.

 

 

2Corinthians 5:15-16

"And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth (from the time of their new birth, and then their receiving His salvation) live unto themselves, (seek those things which are above, and not the things here on the earth) but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh (that is His earthly ministry), yet now henceforth know we him no more,"

He's not in His earthly (as Son of man) ministry to Israel mode any longer but is in His, in His, Spiritual Ministry mode, as Christ the Divine One, LORD of spirits. He is the Head of all redeemed from sin and death having sanctified, justified, made righteousness and  holy to Him Who IS. For they now are in His Salvation as the saints and holyones as they walk out their trust in His faithfulness as Seth, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Elijah, Eber, Abram/Abraham and Isaac and King David did. Thusly honoring and fulfilling the requirements of the old Covenant made with Abraham and Isaac as the Prophets said they would and the author of Hebrews testifies too. These people now have hearts and minds fixed on Christ. Because now we’re tied to His resurrection and ascension!

 

 

2Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, (“If” we’re in the Body of Christ. “If” we’re hid in Christ in God, “If” that has happened then) he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away (the full package of the Lord's Last Supper on through to our being in Him at His ascension and His taking His place at the Fathers righthand); behold, all things are become new."

Why? Are they now New because we're part and parcel in the promised New Covenant and in the power of an Endless and Eternal Life, the Light which entered the world. And I guess most of us have experienced that, haven’t we? The things that use to appeal to us, now we wonder, how in the world did we put up with it. The things we used to hate, or resented now becomes our whole life. How, through understanding in the knowledge of Christ as His All in all. This is a very restricked few as the related passages reveal beginning at John 10:16-17, 27-28 and 2Corinthians 5:14-15 state. We just can’t get enough of Him. Well that’s the way it’s supposed to be.

 

 

2Corinthians 5:18

"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by (through) Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation."

Well this is all that concept that comes from the pen of the Apostle Paul, with regard to our New Divine nature, as against the old Adam-Satan nature. As it says we are now God's own possessions having been restored through and in Christ Jesus.

Colossians Study Outline

The Cross Abolished all Legalism in ordinances in the Law of Moses and the forefathers standards built on their traditions.

Colossians 3:8-9a

"But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another,…"

See, that is typical of the unsaved world and many who remain in redemptions school. That is also typical of many churches. They don’t mind lying, they never worry about getting caught, and even if they do, they’re just going to lie some more to get out of it. They preach just enough of the truth to feel good but listen they're making light of Christ and the blood of His cross. So Paul says, "That’s not for us. We don’t lie, we tell the Truth." So this is all admonition for the true Christian lifestyle. For those in Christ they reflect His presences in and among them as the fruit of His Spirit.

 

 

Colossians 3:9

"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man (that old Adam-Satan sin nature bound up in death) with his deeds:"

What does the Lord Jesus say concerning Satan? "He is a liar from the beginning, he's a murderer a destroyer of souls!" And he is the god of this world, so naturally his unwiting followers in the world out there are going to be liars, murders and thieves. But Paul tells us, "You’re not like the world.” We are no longer cut from the same faberic of that old cloth neither are made of the old dead lifeless wineskin because we have put on the new man.

 

 

Colossians 3:10a

"And have put on the new man (the new Adam, the New Divine Nature),…"

Come back with me to 2Corinthians chapter 5. It’s been a long time since we’ve been back in those earlier Epistles.

 

 

2Corinthians 5:14

"For the love of Christ constraineth us: because we thus judge, (conclude and discern) that if one died for all, then were all dead:"

What does he mean by that? All mankind was (having been as meaning in the past) under penalty of death because of the Adam-Satan nature of sin and because Jesus died for ALL, of His people, then it stands that all have also died in Him in that one vicarious death, blood and water in His body of flesh. Romans states that from God's view point all of mankind is in sin and guilty of its crime and are therefore due its reward eternal separation, in the second death. But we all, the qualifier her being, of His people, are counted as having received His justification and sanctification through being identifies in Him in His vircarious death and thereby receiving resurrection quickening and ascension power in Him, as a new immortal being. Through His unconditional love and selfless sacrifice we also acquire His benefits of inheritance in an immortal life, the reinstatement of a Genesis 2 being having restored fellowship, cummunion and worship of God in spirit to Spirit and Truth. Notice also that there is no denomination, church group, sect or religion mentioned because not all people are "His people" so to claim otherwise is in error and a gross misleading and misgiving of assumpion. For Jesus is called “one” in distinction to “all” for He alone died as a sacrifice, a propitiation, and atonement. The persons for whom Christ died are the all; not every individual of mankind, but all His people, all His sheep, all the members of His Church / Body / Family unite, or all the sons He received as His ineritance (Ps. 2), as the great Captain of Salvation, brings to glory. Now here comes the part that will frustrate the worlds religion and it own confession. For Gill states this in his commentary on 2Corinthians 5:14: “Wherefore this text does not make for the doctrine of general redemption; for it should be observed, that it does not say that Christ died for "all men", but for "all"; and so, agreeably to the Scriptures, may be understood of all the persons mentioned. Moreover, in the latter part of the text it is said, that those for whom Christ died, for them He rose again; He died for no more, nor for any others, than those for whom He rose again: now those for whom He rose again, He rose for their justification; wherefore, if Christ rose for the justification of all men, all would be justified, or the end of Christ's resurrection would not be answered; but all men are not, nor will they be justified, some will be condemned; hence it follows, that Christ did not rise from the dead for all men, and consequently did not die for all men: besides, the "all" for whom Christ died, are counted by God as having died with Him. And through His death are dead both to the Law and sin; for He died for them, that they might live, not to themselves, but to Him; neither of which are true of all the individuals of mankind: to which may be added, that the context explains the all of such who are in Christ, are New Creatures, are reconciled to God, whose trespasses are not imputed to them, for whom Christ was made sin, and who are made the righteousness of God in Him; which cannot be said of all men. Christ died as the head and representative of His people, and they all died in Him, were crucified with Him, and through His death became dead to the Law, as to its curse and condemnation; and to sin, as to its damning power, being acquitted, discharged, and justified from it; the consequence of which is a deliverance from the dominion of it, whereby they become capable of living to the glory of Christ. The sense of the passage is not, that Christ died for all that were dead, but that all were dead for whom He died; which is true of them, whether in the former, or in the latter sense.”

Colossians Study Outline

The Cross Abolished all Legalism in ordinances in the Law of Moses and the forefathers standards built on their traditions.

Colossians 3:5b

"…fornication (sexual and spiritual immorality), uncleanness, inordinate affection, (affection that is not normal) evil concupiscence (evil, long for, lust after the thing forbidden), and covetousness (to have more of the worlds goods in, health, wealth, and prosperity in abundance), which is idolatry (to worship that which God has not sanctioned or said to do or has already put away and set aside):"

In other words you don’t covet something unless you intend to idolize it. And the prevalent prevailing one is religion as the seat of these activities.

 

 

Colossians 3:6

"For which things’ sake the wrath of God (these are the things that bring on the wrath of God) cometh on the children of disobedience:"

Come back with me to Leviticus chapter 18. Even though it’s Scripture the language is such that we're not to read it in a mixed group, so you can read it in the privacy of your own home. We need to also go back to Genesis chapter 15, if you will remember that in this chapter God told Abraham that his offspring “Israel” would have to wait 400 years before the iniquities of the Amorites would be full so that He could destroy them, and then He'd let Israel have the Promised Land. Do you remember that? So the Amorites lived another 400 years and then they got so wicked, and immoral that God told Joshua to destroy every one of them regardless of their age because of their wickedness, including their herds. All right now look at the conclusion in Leviticus 18. After God lists all the immoral things that we’re reading about everyday in our papers or hearing on the News lately, and God has one word for them, "abomination."

 

 

Leviticus 18:24

"Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things (that He’s written in the previous verses); for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:"

 

Leviticus 18:30

"Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile (pollute, corrupt) not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God."

Paul again lists the things that were indicative of a life in the flesh. And of course you want to remember, as I’ve said this all the way up through Paul’s Epistles, he lived in the midst of the pagan Roman Empire. With the exception of those isolated pockets of Hebrews and their synagogue worship, the rest of the Roman Empire knew nothing of the God of Scripture. But we also with that must understand that from God's point of veiw Israel itself was in gross idolatry and religious fornication. They had become pagan and where worshiping the things of the mythological gods and goddesses or even the emperor of the Roman Empire. The Gentile world knew nothing of the God of the Hebrew Scriptures, so naturally it follows that their lifestyle was rank, it was immoral, it was filthy. As had Israel become by this time. And into the midst of that fitly immoral world came this one little man, and turned the Roman Empire upside down.

 

My goodness, I think that if anyone of us could do just part of what Paul did, we’d see a different country. But nevertheless he went into that kind of thing, and this is why he’s always mentioning, "This is what you once were." Today we do not see the same thing all around us but it is there none the less, just waiting for a trigger of some sort to explode into madness and voilence again at a moments insane notice. To day we have many people bent on destroying society by any means they deem necessary and approperate to wage their own war on what they deem as being enjustice. In the East it is a holy war which when examined is any thing but Holy. In the nation of America it is a fabricated race war, fabricated by the every ones who are of race and perpetrated against their own people. These people ensight other to madness and all kinds of mayhem, some of them proclaiming to be a religious head. These people are nothing like the one Who they profess to believe in, they exhibit their own true nature of evil by promoting mayhem.

 

 

 

Colossians 3:5b-6

"…(you were in) fornication, uncleanness, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:"

We are indeed in perplexing times and even more so, remember all the things that have taken place over the last two thousands of years and indeed throughout human history are not the wrath of God, that is still future. The wrath of God will be poured out when the Tribulation begins, or at least the last half of it. As it starts with the household of God or Israel. Why? Because it rejected Him.

And Matthew chapter 22 is a reflection of that which is yet to come upon them for the same reasons here revealed. So the world really hasn’t tasted the wrath of God. Of course the people who are lost, when they die they immediately enter into their lost estate. Then I could say, that the wrath of God is already evident. But as we normally think of God’s wrath, it is in that future period of time. Again I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating. People ask, "Why should this final generation suffer such horrific events that we know are going to come to pass during the Tribulation?" It’s numbers, is the reason and answer. There are more people living on the planet right now, and we’re multiplying at a very high rate each day. So today there’s more people alive on the planet than lived in total, going at least back to Noah’s flood. So when God pours His wrath out on this generation He will be judging the vast majority of people who have ever lived previously. So that’s why the world is rushing to judgment. As if with a blindfold covering their eyes and ears almost headlong. That’s why we’re seeing a population exploding. The wrath of God is going to be poured out on these multitudes of Christ-rejecting people.

 

Hopefully you saw, "God brought down His judgments on those tribes of Canaan because of their immoral practices, and He called them an abomination." Well listen, we’re not under the Law of Leviticus, but the God that designated those things as abominable. He has not changed, and those things are still an abomination, and don’t you ever forget it. God is not going to put up with it forever. The day is coming, when He finally says, "I’ve had enough!" At that time the Age of Grace will come to an end, and then His wrath will be poured out starting with Israel. Because they've mocked Him and the work He has done for them. They've turned their backs towards Him and chose to remain in their own forms and traditions. As being stronger than His Word, just as most of the worlds religions have also done, it matters not what label or brand name it claims to be under. These are all only a means to an appointed end, the same end as its originator, the master of deception, the disceiver Satan, And his mistress, mystery Babylon the mother of all harlots. For she gave birth to the false prophets, and anti-Christs of this worlds order. The false church fostered by mans own traditions of the elders, these elders predate Noah's flood.

 

 

Colossians 3:7

"In the which (that horrific lifestyle) ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them."

Isn’t it amazing? Where did these people come from? Out of that wicked lifestyle. My, we had such a tremendous testimony in a gentlemen who was a football player in years back with one of our large major leagues, and like he says, "When you’re in that kind of situation, big man on campus, or in the spotlight you can just about do as you please." And he said, "I did. I did it all." Well a few weeks ago he went back home to visit some of his family, down the road from us a few miles and one of his brothers took him into a sports bar, and he said, "All I could think of was, this is what I used to be. The language and smell of the cigarette smoke, the booze was wicked, and I couldn’t wait to get out of there." He said when I got back out on the street, I had to stop and think, "That’s what I was, before salvation. Thanks be to God and you who opened my eyes, now I’m clean!" That’s the words he used. "Now I’m clean!"

Well that’s exactly what Paul was telling these people. "Well this is what you were, but now they had been washed, and no longer walking in those things." And along with the ones he listed in verse 6, he lists some more in verse 8.

Colossians Study Outline

The Cross Abolished all Legalism in the Law of Moses and the forefathers standards built on their traditions.

If there is any value in the Epistle to the Colossian Christians it is the fact God has rolled up the old system of Judaism which was but a shadow of Better things in Christ. Yet over the past 2000 years Israel and indeed the world over still clings to the traditions of the Hebrew fathers. This is what has keep the Hebrew people Jews, a stubborn people not willing to allow their God to be their God and LORD. It is this same stubburness and blindness that overflows to all nations around them. They resist His change because of their stubborn hearts and is why He gave their forefathers over to a deceiving spirit to believe a lie, as spirit of sleep. In Isaiah 29:10 and other related passages speak of Israel's spiritual blindness because she refused to listen to God's word spoken to them through His appointed Prophets. Here is what Isaiah stated: “The LORD has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers has He covered. And the vision of all is become to you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he says, I cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he says, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid.”

Here I have to ask, did you see the words “they removed they're fear of Me, by turning it toward the precept of men”? The “precept of men” is nothing short of mans own commandments as being authoritative rule of action other wise known as the traditions of the fathers. This theme is seen in Matthew chapter 15 and Mark 7 and listen to what the Lord's own response is to the Pharisee's beginning at verse 1-11: “Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But He answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother: and, he that curses father or mother, let him die the death. But you say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatever you might be profited by me; And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have you made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. You hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draws nigh to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching doctrines “the commandments of men.”

He called the multitude, and said to them, Hear, and understand: It is not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defile a man.” Here the Lord used the word commandment instead of percept as used by Isaiah because they both mean the same thing. It is mans traditions or percepts that defile the person matters not how far back they may go, why? Because they, the traditions void the Word and it's power to do as God intended it to do. To adhere to any tradition or percept is like pocking a finger in the eye of God. By implying I'll do it my way. That is why Israel was given a spirit (a mind hindered from seeing clearly) of slumber or sleep. Something so well fastened, abundantly shut up, that it can not be broken by mans own means. That is why Paul continually preaches on the mortifying of our flesh and our having a change of mind toward God and His active kingdom as our rule for life.


 

Colossians 3:5a

"Mortify (put to death) therefore your members which are upon the earth;…"

This is an attitude of spirit with a renewed mind over the things of the flesh. With everything in subjection to His Will [Word, law] through His Blood for we over come by His Blood and the Word of our testimony or witness to these things being so. Of course there’s only one place a human being can put these things to death, and that is the cross as a living sacrifice in our daily worship in spirit and truth. When we become a believer we automatically put to death these things that are part and parcel of life on this earth. Then Paul begins to list them as he does over and over in his letters, admonishing believers, Christians, that this is not part of our lifestyle, and we’re not to have any part of it. The former way of life that is our past. And what are they? The same things as before.

 

 

Colossians 3:5-11

“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”

Colossians Study Outline

The Cross Abolished all Legalism in the Law of Moses and the forefathers standards built on their traditions.

Colossians 3:3

"For ye are dead, (like that seed we just read about, we have died to that old Adam-Satan nature, it dies and the seed of Christ hidden within us will spring up in) and your (New) life is hid with Christ in God."

Before I get into this study I want to look at just what Israel and mankind was dead in. You see there is an area of our being and mind that is to be cleansed and given clear vision for God's purposes. This area is the same area that He said in Genesis 1 states that man would be created with in one word and that word is simply “image,” or put another way with God's imagination. Man over the centeries has been in a perpetual process of ever increasing iamagination. In fact to days sciences tell us that one side of our brain is dedicated to imagination, the other side to knowledge or rationalization. Our deadness is in the side of imagination as it is hindered to reach forward to God and is the area most perverted by sin. Do not get me wrong here as both areas are perverted but it is in the imagination area that we are most blinded to God and the heavenly things. Jesus as the Son of man made a consciencous decision on His way into the widerness and that was to decide to allow the Holy Spirit now received into His flesh to work unhindered by His flesh. Being very God through this operation of choice. We're going to use circles as a way of deminstation (a series of three circles each just a little smaller then the next and one inside the other), here we are way down in the recesses of the Godhead. Out here at the outer circle we have God the Father, and in the inner circle we have Christ the Son, and here we are way down in the middle. Now there is nothing that can touch any one of us as believers, without coming all the way through the Father, and the Son, it’s impossible. When the revelation of Christ is perfected within us or we become mature in Christ and He in us nothing can penetrate our covering, Christ. Because we are hide In Christ or as stated clothed with Christ our new covering. Isn’t that comforting? That’s where we are NOW at this very moment. With our imagination reverse this new image and we have our flesh as the outer covering, our soul/heart/spirit the second layer and the Godhead is our new core being, whereas in the old nature this core was darkness, sin and death to God.

When did this change come into being many may ask? Well it could have been at the time of mans building the tower of Babel. Because it was there that mans tongue and words were confussed by God. So it could well have been our tongue it tied to both areas of our brains functioning. If we think about what would make this world better then we may well be worldly and earthy in our minds thinking processes and thereby remain carnally minded with both sides contaminated unable to function and see clearly.

I've used the example of the black walnut, as we have a lot of them around here. That big black walnut with that thick outer green shell, turns black when it falls to the ground and that no one wants to fool with really. But if you want to get to the meat of that walnut, you’ll clean that outer shell off, and then you’ll get to the hard part, that hard shell of the walnut. We almost have to put them on a piece of concrete and beat them with a sledge hammer until they crack. Then down in the crevices is where the meat and goodness is. So every time I break a black walnut I can’t help but think, "That’s where we are in God." We are hidden in Christ, and Christ is hidden in God, and we're in Christ and listen, there’s no way possible for us to get out of there once you’re in there. A lot of people have never really gotten there, but once they’ve really believed Paul’s Gospel for they're salvation, God secures us forever. We’re eternally safe, secure in Christ and nothing can touch us, because we are hidden in Christ in God. That’s what the Bible says. That’s our position, not my opinion, our position that’s our safety, our security once we become true believers. When both sides of our brain are properly functing again as God designed us to function.

 

 

Colossians 3:4

"When Christ, who is our life (the One who not only saved us, not only keeps us, but now He gives us eternal promises), shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

Romans 8 is enough to even excite young people. I know when we were young we had our life ahead of us, and the hope of ambitions of being successful and having a family and all that. But as rotten as the world is becoming we hope that young people realize that there’s not much of a good future left on this planet, so we’d better start looking at Eternal things. This took us over 40 years to realize and OH! we're so grateful that He never forsook us. It all started for us with a change of mind as a triggering process.

 

 

Romans 8:14-15a

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (renewed or born ones, the God-child through the reformation) of God. For ye (if you’ve been restored to God) have not received the spirit of bondage (legalism, traditions of religion or of the world) again to fear;…"

Have you ever realized that every religion of the world (such as the followers of Buddhist and Mohammed, Judaism and Islam and the others) are basically scared to death. They’re superstitious about doing anything contrary to their religionious ideologies, lest they lose the hope of whatever they’re looking for. I don’t care what religion you get involved in it’s going to be a bondage. Filled with rules and heavy regulations designed to keep you in line to toe the make of someone elses thinking, opinion and words.

 

It’s going to be a constant fear, even in Protestantism, Christendom and Catholicism here in America, or any one of over 1500 sects. If you’re going to depend on works for salvation there is that bondage of fear that you’re not working quite hard enough. For those who have a concept of eternal doom, they are scared to death in their superstitious legalism, of their religion and consequently they can’t have this liberty and freedom that we have. So if you’ve living under bondage and fear you’re in a works religion, your in spiritual idolatry and fornication. If your in some kind of positive thinking thing, or a name it claim it kind of thing, or even some kind of faith for this or that kind of thing you are indeed in trouble. Why? Because most are based on some kind of tradition or a blending thereof.

 

 

Romans 8:15-17

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear (see the two go together) but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (we have been placed, by virtue of the Lord's Supper, death on through His ascension into our salvation, into a position in the Body of Christ) The Spirit itself (Himself) beareth witness with our spirit, that we are (not hope to be, but rather it’s a done deal) the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him (as those made light of, pushed aside, mocked, ridiculed and scorned), that we may be also glorified together."

“If” we’re His children, then we’re going to be glorified together with Him. Because We’ve been reunited with Him, we are joint-heirs with Him. Like a husband and wife today, and everything that is Christ’s is ours and all of glory is going to be ours to enjoy. There will be no limits. You know? If we want to go to Pluto we can be there in a split second. We’re going to have that new resurrected and glorified body that won’t be confined by time and space, we’re going to have absolute freedom, and full knowledge. We won’t need computers to project our travel, we’ll be able to do anything that you can imagine, and we’ll have total freedom. That’s just a little glimpse, with all that as a prospect, then for goodness sake -

 

 

Colossians 3:5a

"Mortify (put to death) therefore your members which are upon the earth;…"

Colossians Study Outline

In Christ Jesus is held the Godhead, for He is the Visible Manifeastion of the Invisible God.

Colossians 3:2

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

There’s nothing wrong with things and God doesn’t tell us that we have to live without things. And God doesn’t tell us that we have to just barely get by or just simply exist because we’re Christians. But what’s the word? Priority. That’s the word we are always using as children and telling our own children. To get our priorities straight. There’s nothing wrong with things if they’re in their right leveland order of priority. But what should be number one? Christ as our Head and then Heaven, from which our relationship, our citizenship is, and where we’re soon going to be going. In death passing from this physical world to the spiritual heavenly world, our Hope yet unseen but yet known by faith's receptivity. For even the pagans, infidels and cults of the general garden verity of unbelievers believe in a form of heaven or its equivalent. We're to set our affections on Christ the Head and not on the things which are perishing all around us whether with usage or just sitting idol. Because everything is in a continuous state of deterioration and corruption.

 

 

Colossians 3:3

"For ye are dead, (to the old Adam-Satan nature, to the old flesh, the natural status of all fallen men. They’re dead, separated from God not having and being a possessor of) and your life is hid with Christ in God."

It’s hard for us to mentally comprehend death and life in the same sentence. But, do you ever realize that throughout all of nature you can’t get life until there’s death, you know that. Every seed you put in the ground, before it can have New life, must die. The Lord Himself used the same analogy so beautifully back in John chapter 12:24.

 

 

John 12:20

"And there were certain Greeks (non Hebrews, Gentiles) among them that came up to worship at the feast:…"

It doesn’t say that these Gentiles were worshipers, but they were there watching all the activity that was going on. Every time people go to Jerusalem, and the Temple mount, naturally they go to the Wailing Wall. They, as tourists, stand back and watch those Jewish people holding their bahmitzvah and so forth as they worship. Some of these people will place into a creaves in the wall a piece of folded paper on which they have written a prayer request in hopes that some how it will be answered in this way. Others are just on lookers as these Gentiles were. They were allowed to all the activity of these thousands and thousands of Hebrews gathering for the feast days, so they were just among them. So these Greeks came to Philip.

 

 

John 12:21

"The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus."

Remember Jesus had already told them back in Matthew 10:5 "that they could not go to the non-Jews, but only to the lost sheep of Israel." They had never ministered to the non-Jew, nor do they this time. But these Gentiles came up to Philip and said, "We’ve been hearing about this Jesus of Nazareth. Take us to Him." How do you suppose old Philip thought he could handle this? He didn’t want Jesus to embarrass them or anybody else by just telling those Greeks that He didn’t want to have anything to do with them. And he didn’t want to take full responsibility for them, so what does he do? He comes and tells Andrew. Now can’t you just put that conversation in your mind? I’m sure he tells Andrew, "There’s some Gentile dogs out here, and they want to talk to Jesus, and we know that He’s not going to talk to them, but what are we going to do with them?" So Andrew says, "Well we shouldn’t take the responsibility to ourselves. Let’s go in and ask the Master." So they find the Lord Jesus, and we have to picture Him probably in one of the buildings in the temple complex, but whatever.

 

 

John 12:22

"Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus."

Hey there are Gentiles out here that want to see you’ to this what does Jesus say, "Bring them in?" No, but He gives the reason.

 

 

John 12:23-24

"And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come (this is a matter of hours before His crucifixion, but it is also a changing of the guard the old standard is going to give way to the new) that the Son of Man should be glorified (that will happen at His ascension, No! but when He returns in the personage of the Holy Spirit). Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

Why the Holy Spirit because throughout the old system and Israel's economy He made Himself visibly known as an angel or Spirit in some shape or form. Of course the seed kernel dies, and up comes the blade, and hopefully produces at least a hundred kernels within the head. Here in John, He’s referring not only to His own death, burial, and resurrection but also that of our own in Him, in order to be fruitful we to must be separated from our past way of life to become part of the new. And the Gentiles would have no object of faith until He would accomplish that in death, burial, resurrection and ascension with a new Spiritual returning. We must keep in mind that all of the old things were but a shadow of the New. So that’s why He didn’t invite them in. They could not come and partake of Him until He had finished Covenant meal and the work of the cross and ascension. This is exactly what Paul is talking about in Colossians 3:3.

Colossians Study Outline

In Christ Jesus is held the Godhead, for He is the Visible Manifeastion of the Invisible God.

Colossians 3:1a

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,…"

I think 99% of us, believers, can hardly wait for the Lord to come, because we understand the glory that’s waiting for us. We’re not tied to this old world as beautiful as it is in places. And so uggly in others, especially when it come to how people treat and mistreat each other the world over. I’ve stated that we love our children and grandchildren, and we’ve got it as good as they come, but they pale in significances when I think of eternity, and going into the Lord’s presence. So we, my wife and I do, we seek those things which are above, I have been called, so heavenly minded that I am no earthly good. To which I have said, thank you. Why? Because if it were not so, I would be of no value to God and His charge. I will be held accountable for every words in print and spoken by me. I value His revelation and I ask that the tent pegs of my being be increased so that the “I” of selfwill be killed and crucified daily, He must incease and I must decrease. My personal vision of where I am now seated is to be my hope, yet not now attained in a physical since.

 

 

Colossians 3:1b

"…where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." (positionally)

Again, I had someone ask one time, and I can’t blame people for wondering, "You mean He’s just up there seated on a chair next to God the Father for the last 2000 years?" Well hardly. But positionally, He's there, and this is what we have to see, that positionally He’s at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. And as heirs of Christ we are seated in Him! Not physicaly but spiritually seated with Him, We're constantly in His presences by virtue of our faith in Him. Of course that’s just a Pauline concept, so come all the way back to the book of Psalms and we'll look at 110:1. This is way back a thousand years before the birth of Christ. This is David’s Psalm, and this is good for people to realize. This isn’t so deep that you’ve got to have 4 or 5 degrees to understand it. You don't have to be a Rabbi to get it either.

 

 

Psalms 110:1

"The Lord, (the Father) said unto my Lord, (the Son) Sit thou at my right hand, until (that’s a time word) I make thine enemies thy footstool."

Positionally then when Christ finished the work of the cross, He ascended and went right into the very throne room of heaven, and positionally is at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. Though spiritually we're in Him. Come on back to Hebrews chapter 1, where we have that same comment. All these things substantiate each other, and that’s why I repeat things. I’ve got to lock it in, that this isn’t just some fluff. You lock it in, because Scripture has repeated it over and over for emphasis.

 

 

Hebrews 1:1

"God, (Greek is theos - triune God, Godhead) who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets,"

What is that speaking about?  The world before Israel and even before Noahs flood spoke to man, but not all of them, just a small select few. Those who did as Adam had been shown and who then passed on to their sons the practice of sacricificing, or blood letting. Then the nation of Israel back in those days of antiquity. He spoke to the nation of Israel by the Prophets – Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and all the rest.

 

Hebrews 1:2

"Hath in these last days (what are “the last days” in God’s program? His first advent of dealing solely with one nation Israel has ended, it has reached its termination point, is the meaning of this phrase. From John the Baptist through Jesus Christ this direction took a sharp turn and became the last days. God has already) spoken unto us by his (in my Bible this word "his" is added and this should then read as, by a Son, or in a) Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things (in Psalm 2:6-9), by whom also he (the Son) made the worlds;"

 

Hebrews 1:3

"Who being the brightness of his glory, (see He never was less than God) and the express image of his person (this has been our theme in this study so far), and upholding all things by the word of his power, (see how this fits with Colossians chapter 1 where it says, ‘by Him all things consist.’ He holds all things together in the universe and man by His Word =law, Christ) when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"

It’s the same kind of language of Psalms 110:1, and the scriptures above reflect upon it’s all positional in term. It’s like Paul tells us "we’re citizens of heaven." Well we’re still down here, but our citizenship is up there positionally. “In Christ” Do you see that? Let’s look at another one in 1John chapter 2. This Gospel Age are indeed the last of days because one Israel's age has been terminated and two this Age will in like fashion also be terminated just at the moment of the start of the next. This Age will be shorter than the others in duration being only 7 years in total, within this 7 years there will be two sections of 3-1/2 years each and then what is called the Millenium period will begin.

 

 

1John 2:1

"My little children (so even here, who is John writing to? Hebrew Believers, Jews. This applies to them and us as believers), these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"

John does not refer to Jesus as setting at the right hand of the Father, but according to the rest of Scripture isn’t that where He is? Sure He’s our advocate our Mediator of Hebrews chapters 8, 9 and 12. Every time we fail, every time we sin, He’s right there, and He is confronting the Father of spirits, as He says, "Yes he sinned, but he's under My blood, I’ve paid for that sin." And this is our comfort that we have. Back to Colossians chapter 3. If we’re a believer, and if we’ve experienced this death, burial, resurrection, and ascension the following is revelation to us 1Corinthians 11:23-32. We’ve been identified with His finished work of the cross, then we realize that our advocate is seated at the right hand of the Father. Now since that’s our position then we should automatically do the following.