Bible Study - Heart of Worship (5) - The Lifestyle of Worship - Colossians 2 and 3 - February 16, 2025

 

Bible Study – Heart of Worship (5) – The Lifestyle of Worship – February 16, 2025

Life is an act of worship when we know the truth. Life upon earth is the training ground for eternity.

Our focus scriptures are selected passages from Colossians 2 and 3.

The Apostle Paul was in Rome when he wrote this letter to the Christians in Colossae. Colossae was 1,300 miles away from him.

The Apostle Paul had not visited the church in Colossae.

Let’s read Colossians 2:1-5:

2 For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person. ² I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ.^[a] 3 In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

There was no need for them to explore other religions or seek other paths to THE ONE TRUE GOD because JESUS THE CHRIST is a treasure trove of wisdom and knowledge, and JESUS is all you need. True then and true now.

The Jewish teacher Gamaliel educated the Apostle Paul. Paul knew the Law, but grace was revealed to him on the Road to Damascus through his faith in JESUS The CHRIST.

Christ versus the Colossian Heresy

⁴ I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable. ⁵ For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.

The Apostle Paul had not visited Colossae. But he had a heart for the Christians in Colossae. Why? Because they were brothers and sisters in JESUS through the miracle of Spiritual birth.

The Apostle Paul was in Rome when he wrote his letter to the church at Colossae, 1,300 miles away. Paul’s letter is GOD’S gift to Christians then and today.

The Apostle Paul knew that Satan would do all he could to get the Christians to compromise. The same battle takes place today. We must study GOD’S Word, The Holy Bible, and build our trust in JESUS based upon truth and not hearsay. It is up to every true Christian to know GOD’S Word and evaluate it against what is being taught by fellow Christians, teachers, pastors, etc.

Why? Because as we get close to the second coming of JESUS, the distortion of the TRUTH will get worse.

In Matthew 24: For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Spirit-born Christians are the elect.

The Apostle Paul was concerned with the Spiritual growth of all the Christians in Colossae being misled by corrupt teaching. The Apostle Paul then and to us today admonished Christians to focus upon the teachings of JESUS and not distortions of truth that sound good to the flesh.

As Spirit-born Christians how are you to do that? You need to know who you are in JESUS and not to look at the world for your teaching but to elevate your thinking to the things in the Heavenly realm, not the earthly realm. Why?

Because as a Spirit-born believer your citizenship is now in Heaven for eternity.

The Apostle Paul gives us a glimpse of this fact in Philippians 3:20:

²⁰ Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5: ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he (she) is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has^[d] come! ¹⁸ Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. ¹⁹ That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

2 Corinthains 4:7 - ⁷ Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.

²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” ²¹ He made the one who did not know sin (JEUS) to be sin^[e] for us, so that in him (JESUS) we might become the righteousness of God.

The Apostle Paul considered himself already in Heaven, he was witnessing, teaching, and waiting until HIS LORD JESUS was finished with the work GOD had for him upon earth.

While we are upon earth, GOD and JESUS have work for each Spirit-born person to accomplish for the Kingdom.

While you are still upon earth, always keep foremost in your mind, who you are in JESUS. You know the truth, don’t hide it because others need to know what you know, and GOD will give you opportunity to share the Gospel through your life and/or through your life as you encounter life each day.

Those who know the truth of salvation are the light of JESUS in a world of darkness.

Therefore, be prepared to share what you know, which is ----

Colossians 3:1-25:

The Life of the New Man (Or Woman)

3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your^[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (WOW!!!)

⁵ Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient,^[b] 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. ⁸ But now, 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 self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your^[c] Creator. ¹¹ In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.

Notice, in verses 9 and 10, you are in control of what you put on and what you take off. These actions are acts of your will.

As a Spirit-born Christian your life is ever changing on an ascending scale because you are growing in the knowledge and application of truth through your faith in JESUS.

The Christian Life

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. ¹⁴ Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,^[d] singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Christ in Your Home

¹⁸ Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they won’t become discouraged. ²² Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, ²⁴ knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵ For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism.

Relationships are vital when Christians serve their LORD JESUS, especially those who are married. Husband and wife relationships are vital to serving our LORD JESUS.

Why are husband and wife relationships vital?

1 Peter 3:7 - ⁷ Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner, showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

James 4:3 - When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

The bottom-line is what is in our hearts? Are we trying to deceive or con GOD? GOD knows our hearts, so be truthful with GOD when we approach HIM.

Keep in mind as recorded in John 3:16:

¹⁶ For God loved the world in this way:^[a] He gave^[b] his one and only Son (JESUS), so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Notice: EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN JESUS!

Everyone who places their faith in JESUS is, as recorded in 2 Corinthians 5:20:

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”

Those who are born of the Holy Spirit are called to be GOD’S ambassador. That is a high calling to serve GOD. An Ambassador represents his/her country in a foreign land. Since Heaven is the home of all who are Spirit-born, they are in a foreign land. 

 

Blessings!!!