Christ in me the hope of glory. It is more than an idea it is a lifestyle to live by! Many false doctrines abound and the word is do not let them cheat you of your reward!
Colossians 2:18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
“Christ in you” is the theme of all of Colossians; indeed, “Christ in you” is the mystery revealed in this new covenant. Jesus Christ is the substance of the all the shadows and patterns from the old testament. When the object of faith is squarely and exclusively in Jesus Christ the false teachers will have no voice. Our ear will be given to Jesus Christ alone.
Practices of the law, working the traditions of men, or faith in Christ plus another work is not holding fast to the Head Jesus Christ. It is faith in Jesus Christ that births you into the kingdom of God . That same faith in Christ brings His nourishing and knitting us together. It is Jesus who nourishes, cherishes and bring a growth and increase; it comes from God!
Colossians 2:20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations; 21 " D o not touch, do not taste, do not handle," 22 which all concern things which perish with the using; according to the commandments and doctrines of men?
If it is faith in Christ alone, why would you go back to the principles of the world. Why touch, taste and handle that which brings death. Practicing the basic principles of the world brings death even if we have a noble intent as our motive! Subjecting yourself to regulations outside of grace will produce a wrong harvest. For some a harvest of self-righteousness and for others the hovering hopelessness of defeat.
Colossians 2:23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
These things (practices of the law, men’s traditions, religious practices) have an appearance of wisdom; it is a self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body. They have no value against the indulgence of the flesh. Only the cross of Jesus Christ brings victory over the indulgences of the flesh.
A 12 step program, a prayer shawl like that from the old testament, fasting more, or and other rules or regulations cannot bring victory over sin. Jesus is the Substance; His work at the cross has the power to break every bondage sin has given birth to!
Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
There is practical instruction that keeps us walking in the victory Jesus provided! Because we have been raised with Christ our attention need to be on those things which are above. Christ should have preeminence in our life. It is a command and it should be our delight and privilege to seek our Jesus!
Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Where is your mind set? Set your mind on things above, not on things on earth. The devil has tried to dissuade believers from setting their mind on things above. If you will not set your mind on the heavenly truths of grace you will be no earthly good at all. When you were born again your life was hidden in Christ in God. It is Christ in you the hope of glory and there is no other source of hope.
Colossians 3:4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
What a truth! Grace is so great we will appear with Jesus Christ in glory! We will manifest and make plain who God is!
Colossians 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Here is practical instruction in walking in victory. By faith every day we can reckon ourselves dead indeed to sin alive unto God. Grace came to free us from sin and join us to the Father of men spirits. It is faith day by day. I will not join my members to sin because I belong God! He has qualified me, set me into the kingdom of light, and redeemed me by Christ blood. My affection are set upon Jesus Christ!
Colossians 3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
We once walked in sin but no longer!
Colossians 3:8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
It not just the “big” sin, but when one sets their mind on the things of Christ it will change from being ruled by ones emotions; agreeing with “Christ in you” brings overcoming power in anger, wrath malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Grace changes the flow of your mouth. What we speak brings life or death. What we set our mind on will manifest through our mouth. Put the word of God in it; the harvest will be fruitful for the kingdom of God !
Colossians 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
We have put off the old man when we got born again. We died to the sin nature! It no longer has dominion over the believer! We have a new man in us which was created in holiness and righteousness. We have been called to live out of the new man. The new man is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
Colossians 3:11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
The ground is level at the foot of the cross. It not about nationality or position in society, or the abundance of your possessions. Christ is all in all! “CHRIST IN ME THE HOPE OF GLORY”
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
Therefore, as the elect of God. The command to live in grace can only be spoken to one who has that newly created being in him. Can you see yourself as the elect of God, holy and beloved? That is what Christ in you is all about. The new man has the ability to walk in tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering. The new man has the power to bear with one another, and forgive one another. Holding on to no complaint that one may have against another. Complaint is one of the greatest tools of the enemy. The believer has not recognized complaint as a tool of satan that gets us off track from living in victory. Let go of the old man put him off; walk in the new man and be empowered to put off complaint. Put a praise in your mouth!
Colossians 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Above all things… put on love! Putting on love is the bond of perfection! The perfect love of God covers a multitude of sins. Christ in you is the power to live free from sin, bondages, and un-forgiveness; Christ in you is the power to live in holiness, righteousness, and forgiveness. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. God’s love is the bond of perfection; true intimacy with God, indeed!
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