“Breaking Free” – Colossians 3

Paul wrote to the smallest congregation of the first century about breaking free from their past – and becoming what they were meant to be. He opened this letter (written while he was under house arrest) with a prayer for the Colossians that showed their struggles and problems (1:9-14):

Col. 1:9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

• Prayer for wisdom and understanding: The Colossians must have felt insecure about their knowledge of God (v. 9)
• Prayer for a worthy and consistent walk: Colossians must have been wavering in their relationship with God (v. 10)
• Prayer for endurance in their walk: Colossians must have not been faithful when things got tough (v. 11)
• Prayer for right identity in redemption: Colossian must have felt inferior or unworthy (v. 12-14)

Paul highlighted four issues that change how I live:

PERSPECTIVE – my frame of thinking: The Colossians were haunted by their pagan past.  They did not have the wisdom and understanding of God that their Jewish contemporaries had (1: 15-23).

PATTERN - my consistency of duplication: The Colossians needed a consistent pattern to their walk that exemplified the Lord’s way.  Paul was an example of how to endure through trials (1:24-29).

PERSISTENCE – my commitment to stick to something: Because of their pagan past the Colossian church felt insecure and unable to live up to the expectations of other believers – so they were not enduring in their walk (2:1-23). He reminded them:

PARENTHOOD – my recognition of my family connection. Paul called on the Colossians to see themselves as part of a family and bear the resemblance by transformation to His likeness.

Then he wrote these words…

3:1 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11 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. 12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 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. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. 18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. 22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. 25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.”

In a positive way – as a believer we not what we appear to be. You and I are complete in Jesus. We are fully capable to walk consistently pleasing to your Father. We can defeat the erratic and sinful pattern that has plagued our lives. How do I know? Long ago, an imprisoned Apostle named Paul wrote to a small congregation of two house churches and told them they needed to focus on the transformation process, and combine to become something God could use mightily against evil. They were “more than meets the eye!”

Key Principle: To be transformed I must deliberately change what I am focused on in my daily life.

Paul wrote: “Because Jesus paid our complete bill and we are raised into a new life through Him, we should now focus on the transformation process. We begin by adjusting our focus from things on the earth as the center of our satisfaction to focusing on our Master and making Him happy as He reigns from Heaven” (3:1).

How do I do that? How do I change the center of my focus that has always been on ME and move it to be about pleasing my MASTER? Fortunately, God’s Word doesn’t just give the standard, it helps us in the execution of the practice. There are eight specific areas I must address and some practical ways I can move my focus from the ways of my past to the transformation to become what God wants me to be.

Eight Steps to Change:

#1: Train my thinking -   I live to please my King!

3:1 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

First, to focus on this transformation process I must train my thinking to get satisfaction when He is satisfied in Heavenly places (3:2). My desires must be put to death and subjugated to His desires (3:3) so that when Jesus comes I will stand with Him as part of His loyal host (3:4). I have to change WHO I am living to please. If I want to be a part of those who stand in the host of Heaven’s army, loyal and trusted among the companions of my Lord in the future, I have to change my thought life. If I live to please ME, then I am not fit to call myself one of HIS. In practical terms, every believer will want to begin his day acknowledging the ownership of His Lord. He or she will want to frequently ask about direction, purchase with His nod of approval, speak with awareness that the Master is listening. When I train myself to realize the nearness of God, I walk in harmony with God. When the enemy moves in to tempt us, he does not get us to HATE God, but to FORGET God. If that is true, frequently recalling His presence and seeking His approval for choices will help me steer away from disobedience and forgetfulness. It starts with the mind.

Stuart Blount: “When VICTOR SERIBRIAKOFF was 15 his teacher told him he would never finish school and that he should drop out and learn a trade. Victor took the advice and for the next 17 years he was an itinerant doing a variety of odd jobs. He had been told he was a ‘dunce’ and for 17 years he acted like one. When he was 32 an amazing transformation took place. An evaluation revealed that he was a genius with an IQ of 161. Guess what ? That’s right, he started acting like a genius. Since that time, he has written books, secured a number of patents and become a successful businessman. Perhaps the most significant event for the former drop out was his election as chairman of the International Mensa Society. The Mensa society has only one membership qualification – an IQ of 140.” Victor changed when he believed he was different.

#2: Get a new diet – I don’t have to live by the old rules.

3:5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.

Second, to focus on this transformation process I must force the desires of my past life to become powerless over me – those passions and lusts that drove me (3:5). They include (3:5b):

• Immoral practices: (porneia) defiled or unlawful use of sexual gift
• Impurity: (Akatharsia) ceremonial or moral impurity – living beyond the restrictions
• Passion: (Pathos) used as one subject to – the idea of something else controlling you
• Evil Desire: (kakos epithumia) evil cravings or longings
• Greed (which is idolatry): (Pleonexia) the unending hunger for acquisition

These things are building to the day of God’s interruption and judgment (3:6). We USED to live in them, but transformation means they are drying up inside us (3:7). If you look closely at the list above, oozing out of the words are the attitudes of selfishness. They are all about ego and fulfilling desires of the flesh. They are all rooted in lies. Sex won’t fulfill my need for intimacy. Living outside the rules may seem exciting, but it will be short lived. Allowing inner lusts and passions to overtake someone may help sell a cheap thrill novel, but impulsive living will lead to ruin in relationships and put a stain on our reliability to one another. Insatiable hunger for more will drive me to make unhealthy decisions in this life and unholy ones for the next. Curbing inner desires is no different in substance than curbing bad eating habits. I must stop feeding on the wrong thing in the short term to realize health in the long term. It may not be easy, but it can be aided by cooperating with others around me and moving from places of temptation!

#3: Rein in my Heart and my Tongue -  Feelings and words can’t run my life

3:8 “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,”

Third, to focus on this transformation process I must deliberately change both my attitudes and the expressions of my mouth is used (3:8-9). I have to set aside:

• Anger: (orgay) untempered agitation of the soul
• Wrath: (thumos) heat; uncontrolled outbursts of burning frustration
• Malice: (kakia) depraved speech and thinking
• Slander: (blasphemia) speech that injures another
• Abusive speech: (Aischrologia) debased speech, obscenities
• Lies: (Pseudomai) speaking substantive untruths

I smiled when I read about this new believer: A woman testified to the transformation in her life that had resulted through her experience in conversion. She declared, “I’m so glad I got a relationship with God. I have an uncle I used to hate so much I vowed I’d never go to his funeral. But now, why, I’d be happy to go to it any time.”

No place are attitudes so obvious as in our mouths. When we let a matter burn our hearts within, a small amount of pressure will push out the feelings within. The text counsels that I my set some bad attitudes aside. In practice, I may need to stay away from some influences that stir up my heart (news, tv, etc). I may need to withdraw from conversations with people that I am fully aware peddle in smut or gossip. I want to be a witness, but transformation focus requires that I understand who is being changed. If I am being pressed into the mold of the world, it is time to withdraw for a time of renewal and re-strengthening before I continue to reach out to that particular person or group. Weak Christians can damage the testimony of the Lord and His people quickly.

#4: Add in Truth – tilting the scale with transforming truth

3:10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—

Fourth, to focus on this transformation process I must add in truth about what pleases my Master (3:10). This seems obvious, but many show in their walk they do not naturally discern this. Time spent in the Word is essential. Time under solid Bible training in small and large groups is essential. In addition, the only way to grab the Bible and really understand the truths contained in the pages is to really study it. Discipleship is essentially helping a young believer be molded by the power of the Spirit through the work of the Word. D.L. Moody used to say: The Scriptures were not given for our information, but for our transformation.

#5: Pull toward people – change the way I interact

3:11 “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. 12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”

Fifth, to focus on this transformation process I must open my heart to people. The first way to do so is by understanding that we all have the same need and hope in Messiah (3:11). There is no second Gospel for Jews. There is no special handshake Gentiles need to learn. We all come the same way- men and women, Jew or Gentile, bond or free. We don’t all LIVE the same way after salvation, but we all get salvation the same way. There will be commands that differ between men and women, Jew and Gentile, bond and free men and women. Essentially, we have more that binds us in identity than divides us, and that is important to understand. The second way is to deliberately clothe myself with attitudes that are not natural to my flesh (3:12):

• Compassion: (Oiktirmos) open behaviors that show undeserved mercy on another.
• Kindness: (Chrestotes) positive and useful helpfulness
• Humility: (Tapeinophrosune) “low judgment” or other person centeredness
• Gentleness: (Prautes) Reasonable disposition
• Patience: (Makrothumia) “Long heat” enduring
• Forbearance: (Anechomai) prop one another up
• Forgiveness: (Charizomai) To graciously restore another
• Love: (agape) Godly acted out love without self interest
• Unity: (Sundesmos) bound together as in ligaments
• Rule of Peace: (Eirene) tranquility
• Thankfulness: (Eucharistos) grateful, mindful of undeserved mercies received

I don’t naturally think in these terms. My flesh and ego have been my companions from birth, and I find myself unwilling to let go of their hands easily – but it is an essential reality of the transformation process. When my hunger for transformation becomes strong, I will turn my eyes to others and see them as more important than myself. I will become softer and less concerned with how I look in front of them. My Savior’s pleasure will come out as I emulate His behaviors (Philippians 2). In practice, I need to look at others with a desire to help them grow to become what God wants them to be. I need to factor “how it makes me appear” out of the equation!

#6: Drown out the noise – increase the praise sounds

3:16 Let the word of Christ richly (plousíōs -an adverb meaning “much in quantity”) 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.

Sixth, to focus on this transformation process I must let the inner voice of my flesh evaporate as the Word of my Savior becomes the voice I heed. This will grow stronger when I am carefully instructed and taught by my faith family, when we sing it out of our hearts together and lift our thankful voices to the Savior (3:16). One of the most practical ways I can drown out the flesh screaming within in to learn thankful singing and praise. Here is the paradox: what comes out of my mouth is reflective of my heart – yet – what comes from my mouth can affect my heart. Try it. When you want to grumble, put on your favorite praise music and sing alone in the car. Turn it up loud! Pretend you are in a corporate worship setting. Then picture yourself before the throne of your Master, giving praise that pleases Him. See if that doesn’t change your attitude and lift your burden!

#7: Act in Character – use Jesus as the pattern

3:17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Seventh, to focus on this transformation process I must do all according to Jesus’ character to thankfully serve Him (3:17). Linked with my songs of praise must be actions of praise and thanks. I need to focus on the character of my Lord and His example. I need to think of how He has done so much for me – an undeserving one. When I see another in the street that has a need, my heart will be softened if I have been focused on thankfulness in what He has given me! That brings us to the last focus point…

#8: Act Out – Reflect Jesus in my relationships

3:18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. 22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. 25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.”

Eighth, to focus on this transformation process I must change the way I deal with the people in my life (3:18-25). Each role has its own challenge:

• Wives be subject: (Hupotasso) “to station under”; deliberately place myself in subjection to
• Husbands love your wives: (agapao) selfless and “not embittered” is no easily irritated with them
• Children obey your parents: (Hupakouo) place your hearing under
• Fathers don’t exasperate: (Erethizo) stir up contention with
• Slaves obey, work heartily: (pseuche) put your soul, breath into it

Each of the people in the end of the passage must change what is natural to them. A wife does not want to place herself under her husband. A husband desires to be selfish and gets easily irritated with the questions of his wife. Children want to do their own thing. Fathers don’t look with understanding when operating in the flesh. Slaves don’t want to put their backs into every aspect of the work.

Sheila Crowe wrote: Dennis E. Mannering was teaching a class for adults, when he did the “unpardonable.” He gave the class homework! The assignment was to “go to someone you love within the next week and tell them you love them. It had to be someone you have never said those words to before or at least haven’t shared those words with for a long time.” Now that doesn’t sound like a very tough assignment, until you stop to realize that most of the men in that group were over 35 and were raised in the generation of men that were taught that expressing emotions is not “macho.” Showing feelings or crying (heaven forbid!) was just not done. So this was a very threatening assignment for some. At the beginning of our next class, Mannering asked if someone wanted to share what happened when they told someone they loved them. He fully expected one of the women to volunteer, as was usually the case, but on this evening one of the men raised his hand. He appeared quite moved and a bit shaken. As he unfolded out of his chair (all 6’2″ of him), he began by saying, “Dennis, I was quite angry with you last week when you gave us this assignment. I didn’t feel that I had anyone to say those words to- I had told everyone who needed to know that I loved them, and besides, who were you to tell me to do something that personal? But as I began driving home my conscience started talking to me. It was telling me that I knew exactly who I needed to say ’I love you’ to. You see, five years ago, my father and I had a vicious disagreement and really never resolved it since that time. We avoided seeing each other unless we absolutely had to at Christmas or other family gatherings. But even then, we hardly spoke to each other. So, last Tuesday by the time I got home I had convinced myself I was going to tell my father I loved him. “It’s weird, but just making that decision seemed to lift a heavy load off my chest. “When I got home, I rushed into the house to tell my wife what I was going to do. She was already in bed, but I woke her up anyway. When I told her, she didn’t just get out of bed, she catapulted out and hugged me, and for the first time in our married life she saw me cry. We stayed up half the night drinking coffee and talking. It was great! “The next morning I was up bright and early. I was so excited I could hardly sleep. I got to the office early and accomplished more in two hours than I had the whole day before. “At 9:00 I called my dad to see if I could come over after work. When he answered the phone, I just said, ’Dad, can I come over after work tonight? I have something to tell you.’ My dad responded with a grumpy, ’Now what?’ I assured him it wouldn’t take long, so he finally agreed. “At 5:30, I was at my parents’ house ringing the doorbell, praying that Dad would answer the door. I was afraid if Mom answered that I would chicken out and tell her instead. But as luck would have it, Dad did answer the door. “I didn’t waste any time – I took one step in the door and said, ’Dad, I just came over to tell you that I love you.’ “It was as if a transformation came over my dad. Before my eyes his face softened, the wrinkles seemed to disappear and he began to cry. He reached out and hugged me and said, ’I love you too, son, but I’ve never been able to say it.’ “It was such a precious moment I didn’t want to move. Mom walked by with tears in her eyes. I just waved and blew her a kiss. Dad and I hugged for a moment longer and then I left. I hadn’t felt that great in a long time. “But that’s wasn’t his point or even my point. Two days after the visit, his dad, who had heart problems and didn’t tell him, had an attack and ended up in the hospital, unconscious. And the gentlemen didn’t know if his father would see tomorrow. But he had a peace just knowing that his dad knew he really loved him.

Here’s the point of transformation. We have to become what we are not in the flesh. We have to allow the Spirit of God through the Word of God to transform us into the people of God for the glory of God. God is able, and desires to make these changes. At the same time, they require daily steps of obedience on our part. No one else can make us change. We must submit to the process. All the DNA of the butterfly is found in the caterpillar, and all the DNA of a God-honoring and transformed powerful believer is found in you and I. If we are not becoming what we should, it is time we change our focus.