Colossians 2:20 – 3:11

Feb. 2, 2022

20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

21(Touch not; taste not; handle not;

22Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

23Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Chapter 3

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Lots of good stuff here but this is what jumps out at me this morning – ‘8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.” I stopped using foul language years upon years ago and God has blessed me with a very long fuse so anger doesn’t really trip me up but wrath and malice? Hmmm – as you use your own mental check list against the items in this verse, consider how you speak about the government and the people in office. Ah – hadn’t thought of that, had you? Regardless of where you are on the political spectrum, chances are you’re not very happy.

How we deal with our feelings about the government, in our hearts and with our mouths, shows a lot about us as Christians. We are all made in the image and likeness of God. Even ‘them’. We’re told that the measure of judgement we use in regard of others will be used in same measure of judgement to us. When our words come home to roost, we’re going to have to face the fact that we’re on ‘skinny ice’, as my dad used to say.

Best advice – “let your yes be yes and your no be no” (Matt 5:37)

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