A Spiritual Walk in a Very Human World
Colossians 2:6–3:25
By Pastor Dan Kennedy
© April 23, 2017
Choosing What to Believe
• Are we alone?
• Is there One True and Living Creator God, to whom we are all accountable?
Humanity’s Truth:
Who Makes the World’s Rules, if God is left out of the picture?
We Make the Rules.
• How does the world make its own Rules?
o Prevalent Social Opinion Makes the Rules.
• Does Society say People are Inherently Good or Bad?
o People are Innately “Good.”
• When are people “Bad?”
o When a person does something society or I don’t like or appreciate, he or she can be “bad.”
• When does a person become “Evil?”
o When a person does something “inhumane,” he or she may be “evil;”
• How can a bad or evil person be made “good?”
o Everything in the world’s eyes is “relative” – the person may not be bad or evil, they may have just momentarily “lost it;” we must educate them to be better.
Spiritual Truth:
Who Makes the Rules?
The One True and Living Creator God Makes the Rules.
• How does God Reveal His Rules?
o The Bible reveals God’s Rules.
• Are People Inherently Good or Depraved in our Nature?
o People are not inherently good…we are born into depravity. (Ps. 14:1-3; Mk. 10:18; Romans 3:23-24)
• Do we naturally want to obey God’s directives?
o We naturally do not want to obey God’s directives; instead, we want to do what our sensual flesh desires and retaliate the way we feel justified.
• How does a person pleasing to God change from following a naturally depraved lifestyle?
o We must be “Born Again” – Transformed by God’s Holy Spirit (John 3:3).
o We must choose to “die to” our old flesh and “live unto” God, empowered by God’s Spirit, in order to please God (1 Cor. 10:13).
Consequences of Humanity’s Truth:
• What are the after-life [eternal] consequences if humans do not conform to humanities’ rules?
o There are no ultimate consequences to “not” following the rules of humanity.
• What does the world say happens to us when we die?
o We die and our body is consumed by the dust and our life is forever over.
• After death will our life ever be seen to have had meaning or purpose?
o If we have not left a “legacy” of some kind, we will be eternally forgotten. We have no reason or purpose otherwise.
Consequences of Spiritual Truth:
• Are there are eternal consequences for not following God’s Spiritual Truth?
o There are profound eternal consequences: Heaven or Hell.
• Will a person be judged by God on how he or she lived their life on earth and had faith toward God?
o God impartially judges everyone in how they have conducted themselves in this life and regarding their faith toward God (Col. 3:25; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2 Cor. 5:10).
• What has God provided for our Redemption, Forgiveness and Justification before His Holy Throne?
o God’s Son, Jesus, paid the penalty for our disobedience and if we accept God’s free gift of Salvation through Jesus sacrificial blood, by God’s Grace through faith, we are Redeemed, Forgiven, and Justified before our holy God (Rom. 3:24-25; Eph. 1:7).
• What does God have in store for those He has Redeemed?
o Eternal life in the Kingdom of Christ is given to those He Redeemed (John 1:12; Col. 1:13; 2 Pet. 1:10-11).
Depending on what you choose to believe, will be how you choose to live, and how you choose to believe and live will reward you in the outcome of your eternal life.
This, of course, is under the supervision, power, foreknowledge and direction of God’s Sovereign Hand.
An honorable Spiritual life before God begins by choosing, by faith, to believe that God exists, and understanding that God rewards those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6).
The Apostle Paul gives us clear guidelines of how Christians should spiritually live in this very human world, in Colossians 2:6-3:25.
1. Thinking Biblically
Colossians 2:6-8
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Problematic Shadow Boxing Façades
· Hollow and Deceptive Philosophy:
Struggling with Hollow and Deceptive Philosophy which has no eternal value, but instead appeals to our carnal flesh, seeking to free us from accountability to God.
Col. 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
· Vain Legalism:
Struggling with legalistic rewards of good works, religious rituals or traditions.
Col. 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
o False Humility
o Worship of Angels
o Idle Notions
Col. 2:18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and
the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize.
Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.
19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules:
21 “Do not handle!
Do not taste!
Do not touch!”?
22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.
23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with
their self-imposed worship,
their false humility and
their harsh treatment of the body,
but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
1 Corinthians 9:26
26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.
2. Walking Securely while Putting off the “Old Human Nature,” Purposefully
Walking Securely
· Jesus, the Fullness of God: Jesus, is the One in Whom we Trust and Jesus has all the Fullness of God and is Head over every power and authority.
Col. 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
· New Birth, Growing into Maturity: We have New Birth, as Children of God, and are Growing into Maturity in Christ (Eph. 4:14-16).
Col. 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Putting off the “Old Sinful Human Nature,” Purposefully
A. 11 In him you were also circumcised,
1) in putting off the sinful nature,
2) not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,
B. 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
What is Going to Bring the Wrath of God on Humanity?
We are told to put destructive things “to death” – rising from our “old human nature.”
Col. 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:
Sensuality
· sexual immorality,
· impurity,
· lust,
· evil desires and
· greed, which is idolatry.
[Why put these to death?]
6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
Col. 3:8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these:
Self-Centered Retaliation
· 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.
3. Putting on the “New Spiritual Person,” Confidently
12 Therefore, as
God’s chosen people,
holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with
· compassion,
· kindness,
· humility,
· gentleness and
· patience.
· 13 Bear with each other and
· forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
· 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
· 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.
· And be thankful.
· 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
as you teach and
admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
4. Treating Each Other, before God, Honorably
· 18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
· 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
· 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
· 21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
· 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
Conclusion
Choosing What to Believe
• Are we alone?
• Is there One True and Living Creator God, to whom we are accountable?
Depending on what you choose to believe, will be how you choose to live, and how you choose to believe and live will reward you in the outcome of your eternal life.
An honorable Spiritual life before God begins by choosing, by faith, to believe that God exists, and understanding that God rewards those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6).
The Apostle Paul gives us clear guidelines of how Christians should spiritually live in this very human world, in Colossians 2:6-3:25.