Mind - What's on Your Mind - Colossians 3:1-14 - February 21, 2010

Bible Study – Mind – What’s on Your Mind – February 21, 2010

This study three (3) in our series entitled “Battle for the Mind.”

Our scripture is Colossians 3:1-14.

The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Colossae. Paul did not start this church but it is believed that Epaphras (EP uh frass) may have started it. The church was encountering false teachings. It is not clear what the false teachings were but they took away the supremacy of CHRIST, which led to attitudes and actions unworthy of Christians. It could have been an infiltration of Gnostics in the church.
Paul emphasized the need for believers to be the same inside and outside. The key to being the same inside and out is what is on your mind. If JESUS were to approach a believer at random moments and ask him/her to reveal their thoughts, would his/her thoughts be pleasing to HIM? A believer’s thought life is a good barometer of his/her spiritual growth and maturity. It reveals the degree a believer has been transformed by the renewing of his/her mind.

Paul mentions CHRIST’S death, resurrection and ascension into Heaven to sit at the right hand of GOD

Trying to renew your mind on your own is impossible. Renewal of the mind is accomplished by the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT to the degree a believer allows HIM.

Let’s read Colossians 3:1-4:

The Life of the New Man
1 So if you have been raised with the • Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. 4 When the Messiah, who is your[1] Other mss read our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

In a recent study, we discussed the fact that, in essence, when a person became a true believer in CHRIST, he/she died when CHRIST died on the cross, was resurrected with CHRIST and ascended into Heaven. The miracle of our Spiritual rebirth brings believers into complete unity with GOD through CHRIST. GOD chose to leave believers upon earth to be HIS witnesses to the lost and in need of salvation. Satan knows that, so he tries to break a believer’s unity with CHRIST, thus GOD, through compromise.

Since our citizenship and home is in heaven, believers are to “set their minds” or think the way GOD desires. In the model prayer JESUS gave us a glimpse of the mindset GOD desires in believers – Matthew 6:9-10 - 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

When believers pray they need to pray from the mindset of obedience, “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Only those who are believers, in unity, with CHRIST can carry out GOD’S will and purpose upon earth.

I recall a story I heard from a former pastor many years ago. A military flight instructor drilled into the heads of his student pilots the absolute necessity of checking their instruments especially when flying when they do not have a visible land reference such as bad weather. A student asked him why he was such a stickler about them checking and relying on their instruments under such conditions.

The flight instructor told his students about a time when he was flying in bad weather and could not see any landmark. He was flying by the seat of his pants. He thought his left wing was drooping so he corrected it by applying pressure to the right to raise it. He continued to feel that his left wing was drooping so he applied more pressure to lift the wing. He did this several times and he felt his shoulder straps cutting into his shoulders. He decided to check his instruments to discover that he was flying upside down and in the wrong direction. He said, “That is why I am telling you to watch and rely upon your instruments when you fly, especially when you are flying in conditions when you have no land reference.”

I learned to fly many years ago. Learning to fly by the seat of your pants, especially in a small aircraft, becomes natural because you are in unity with the aircraft and you can feel the position of the aircraft from your bottom side which is in contact with the seat. It is easy to rely upon your own intuition when you don’t have a landmark and in a tense situation.

This is so true of our walk with CHRIST, especially when we encounter bad weather in our life and loose our spiritual landmarks. We must reflect on what we know to be true and check our instruments – GOD’S Word, prayer and trusted fellow believers. As I recall the words of yet another pastor, “You must practice in the dark, what you learn in the light.” Easier said than done.

Paul was coming from that viewpoint in verse 1. He was telling the Christians in Colossae to come back to the basics. Their citizenship was no longer on earth but in heaven where CHRIST is seated at the right hand of GOD. So they were to focus their minds on heaven and not upon the things on earth.

Every believer has died to his/her flesh and when CHRIST is revealed, so will all who believe in HIM. Let others see CHRIST through you. The miracle of rebirth results in a believer being in unity with CHRIST. CHRIST fully and completely becomes one with the believer.

So why don’t believers do what JESUS did when HE was on earth? Paul will give us some ideas as we study the following scripture.

Let’s read Colossians 3: 5-11:

5 Therefore, put to death whatever in you is worldly:[2] Lit death, the members on the earth sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God’s wrath comes on the disobedient,[3] Other mss omit on the disobedient 7 and you once • walked in these things when you were living in them. 8 But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his practices 10 and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of his Creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian,[4] A term for a savage slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.

Paul used “therefore” to carry the thoughts up to this point in their minds because they knew the truth but had gotten spiritually off course. “Therefore” was intended to carry what had been stated over to what would follow.

Remember GOD gives us, as HE did CHRIST, freedom of choice. We choose every day whether we will follow the flesh (world) or the dictates of the SPIRIT. JESUS tells believers in Luke 9:23 - 23 Then He said to [them]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. all, “If anyone wants to come with[8] Lit come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily,[9] Other mss omit daily and follow Me.

Since all believers are in CHRIST, they should choose, daily, to put to death all the things that are of the flesh such as: Sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire and greed. Paul confirmed the fact that they knew what he was talking about because they used to do these things of the flesh.

Some of the pagan religions had temple prostitutes for their members to have sex with. They had both male and female prostitutes. Gratifying the flesh was what it was all about, thus Paul’s list. It was a society where anything goes that pleases you. Believers today can add Paul’s list to their check list plus many other things such as addictions.

Paul urged them to take off the ways of their old life and put on the righteousness that comes only from CHRIST WHO gives them new life. A person cannot serve two (2) masters. Paul’s use of the words “take off” and “put on” were a reference to taking off your old clothes and putting on new freshly cleaned clothes. My, my you smell so much better in your new clothes.

Focus upon the fact that CHRIST is in you renewing your mind, through knowledge gained from walking with HIM. Walking in unity with CHRIST, results in a believer being made into the image of JESUS. Since GOD and CHRIST are ONE, when CHRIST is in the believer, through the miracle of rebirth, he/she is in unity with GOD through CHRIST. Even born-again believers can get caught up in other things the world has to offer but if they will check their instruments – the Bible, prayer, attitude to GOD and fellow believers, their joy level when they consider their relationship toward GOD – they quickly learn their spiritual status.

GOD is no respecter of persons whether Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian slave or free. After listing various groups of people he concluded that in every group of people there are believers because they had CHRIST and CHRIST had them - “CHRIST is all and in all.” When a person has CHRIST, he/she also has GOD WHO is manifested through the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT. As CHRIST is the image of GOD, GOD’S desire is for all believers to be made into the image of CHRIST, through relationship and obedient service.

Believers are one in CHRIST. Believers are in unity with CHRIST and HE wants believers to keep that in their minds. Take off your dirty, smelly clothes and put on the clothes of righteousness which have been cleansed by the shed blood of JESUS.

Let’s read Colossians 3:12-14:

The Christian Life
12 Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so also you must [forgive]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. . 14 Above all, [put on]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. love—the perfect bond of unity.

Paul used the word “therefore” to tie what he had said regarding the believer who was in the process of renewing his/her mind by being in unity with CHRIST and fellow believers to what he/she should be putting on. Just as believers took off their old way of life they should put on their new life in CHRIST because GOD had chosen them, made them Holy through CHRIST and loved them by sending HIS ONLY SON JESUS to save them. HE sent the HOLY SPIRIT to indwell each believer to manifest GOD in his/her life. Paul gave a partial list of the fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT - heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. A list of the fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT is found in Galatians 5:22-26: (Notice that it is the “fruit” of the Spirit and not “fruits.” Also keep in mind that fruit has seeds so it can reproduce.)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,[5] Or faithfulness 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. 26 We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

There is no place for prejudice in any believer. Believers are to show heartfelt compassion, which means put feet to your concerns. Take action! We can say what a pitiful situation that person is in is showing compassion but heartfelt compassion is doing something about it. Kindness and humility focuses on the needs of others before our own needs. Gentleness is harnessed power kept under control by the Master and patience involves waiting and not giving up on people or a situation needing a positive outcome. Accepting one another and forgiving one another. It is easy for some believers to become self-righteous and look down on others struggling with various problems. Until a believer has walked in that person’s shoes he/she cannot fully understand what he/she is going through. We all come from different backgrounds. Some may have become addicted to sex, alcohol, drugs, gambling, lying, stealing and the list goes on and on. CHRIST can deliver them but the flesh can rise up again. All believers must remain in unity with CHRIST through fellowship to overcome the lure of the flesh. Fill your mind on the things above because earth is not your home. You are not your own because you have been bought with a price – the shed blood of JESUS. Every believer owes a debt they cannot pay but the love of GOD came down to earth to redeem every believer from sin and death. REJOICE!!! AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE!!!

It is important that believers forgive others who may have done them wrong or done something wrong in the past. Un-forgiveness breaks unity between believers and non-believers. Forgiveness followed by love restores unity. It is love for the person but not for what a person does or has done. Once believers are shrouded with righteousness and in unity with GOD, through CHRIST, the love of GOD can flow through them to others. Remember, CHRIST so loved you that HE gave HIS life for you.

As believers, we are in unity with CHRIST; therefore, just as CHRIST represents love to all, believers should do nothing less. Unity cannot exist in the absence of love.

Is this easy? No, it is impossible in our own strength but when we are in unity with CHRIST, HE helps believers to show love without constraint. This is agape love which demands nothing in return. Put on the love of CHRIST and look upon others through HIS eyes.

Love is the ultimate ingredient in relationships. Paul states the importance of love in 1 Corinthians 13:13:

13 Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Paul tells believers, “Above all, put on love – the perfect bond of unity.” Love is the final touch that puts the sparkle and sweet smelling fragrance to our freshly cleaned clothes, cleansed by the shed blood of CHRIST.