# Colossians 03 📖: Set Your Minds on Things Above [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Colossians Overview]] | [[Colossians 02]] | [[Colossians 04]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### Exhortations to Seek the Things Above **Principle**: Don't try to keep more rules, become a new man. [[#Verse 01.]] Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  [[#Verse 02.]] Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth,  [[#Verse 03.]] for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  [[#Verse 04.]] When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him.  [[#Verse 05.]] So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.  [[#Verse 06.]] Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. [[#Verse 07.]] You also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among them.  [[#Verse 08.]] But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth.  [[#Verse 09.]] Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices  [[#Verse 10.]] and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it.  [[#Verse 11.]] Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all. [[#Verse 12.]] Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, ### Exhortation to Unity and Love **Principle**: Unity, Forgiveness, God's Word = Do all for Jesus. [[# Verse 12]] Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,  [[#Verse 13.]] bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.  [[#Verse 14.]] And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.  [[#Verse 15.]] Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful.  [[#Verse 16.]] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God.  [[#Verse 17.]] And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. ### Exhortation to Households **Principle**: Mutual Submission [[Ephesians 05]] [[#Verse 18.]] Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  [[#Verse 19.]] Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.  [[#Verse 20.]] Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing in the Lord.  [[#Verse 21.]] Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become disheartened.  [[#Verse 22.]] Slaves, obey your earthly masters in every respect, not only when they are watching—like those who are strictly people-pleasers—but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.  [[#Verse 23.]] Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people,  [[#Verse 24.]] because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.  [[#Verse 25.]] For the one who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there are no exceptions. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. Colossians 3 closely parallels Ephesians 4-6. Both letters were likely written about the same time and carried by Tychicus. 2. Paul calls greed a form of idolatry (3:5). 3. The Scythians (3:11) lived north of the Black Sea, and Greeks considered them the least civilized of peoples. 4. "Put off" and "put on" (3:9-10, 12) use the language of changing clothes. 5. Love is called the "perfect bond" (3:14), like a belt that holds the other garments together. 6. "Be in control" in 3:15 comes from a word used for an umpire deciding a contest. 7. "Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" (3:16) also appear in Ephesians 5:19. 8. Paul's household instructions (3:18-4:1) parallel Ephesians 5:22-6:9. 9. Under Roman law slaves could not inherit, so the promise of an inheritance from the Lord (3:24) was striking. 10. Onesimus, a slave from Colossae, traveled with this letter (4:9), which gave the instructions to slaves and masters a real-life setting. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is our life, seated at the right hand of God, and when He appears we will appear with Him in glory (3:1-4). We are being renewed in His image, for Christ is all and in all (1 John 3:2). ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. What does it look like to set your mind on things above (3:1-2) in a busy week? 2. Paul calls us to put to death what belongs to the earthly nature (3:5-9). Why does he use such strong language? 3. Paul tells us to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (3:12-14). Which of these do you most need to put on? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verses 1-2: Seek and set your minds on things above, where Christ is. - 📖 verses 3-4: Your life is hidden with Christ in God. - 📖 verses 12-14: Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and above all love. - 📖 verses 16-17: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, and do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. - 📖 verses 23-24: Work at everything wholeheartedly, as serving the Lord. ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 [[Psalm 110#Verse 01.|Psalm 110:1]] - Christ at God's right hand. - 🔗 [[Matthew 06#Verse 19.|Matthew 6:19-21]] - Treasure in heaven. - 🔗 [[1 John 03#Verse 02.|1 John 3:2]] - When He appears, we will be like Him. - 🔗 [[Ephesians 04#Verse 22.|Ephesians 4:22-24]] - Put off the old self, put on the new. - 🔗 [[Galatians 03#Verse 28.|Galatians 3:28]] - All are one in Christ. - 🔗 [[Ephesians 05#Verse 18.|Ephesians 5:18-20]] - Filled with the Spirit, singing to one another. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Colossians 03 - SOAP|Radical Warfare]] ## 📂 Internal Notes