CHAPTER 3

1-4

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are
above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also
appear with him in glory.

Back in Ephesians 2:1, Paul said, "And you hath He quickened,
who were dead in trespasses and sins;"

The Christian has been made alive from the deadness of a
sinful life.
The symbol of baptism suffices to exhibit this.
We have DIED to SELF, and been buried with Christ;
but now have been raised up by Him to a new way of life.

The life we live now is "hid with Christ in God."
Therefore, when Christ shall appear again, He shall bring us
to Him in glory!

THEREFORE.....

"Set your AFFECTION on things above.."
The Greek word phroneo, means to set your mind;
or, to meditate upon.
As Christians, our thoughts and desires should be channelled
toward allegiance to, and work for Christ.
This does not mean we are not also to have focus on family,
and jobs which provide physical needs.
It simply means that our primary focus is on obedience to
our Lord; and everything else comes 2nd.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;
fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence,
and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children
of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

It is good to look up words and find original meaning.
"Mortify" comes from the Greek word nekroo.
It means to deaden or subdue.

The word "members" is from the Greek word melos;
meaning a certain part of the body.
In this context, it would better relate to the mind or heart than
to arms, legs, etc.

The mind and heart wander toward those things mentioned in
verse 5. But our Lord is angry toward those things because they are sin.

Before a person is saved, they "walked some time" in
those things.
After conversion, we need to deaden our hearts and minds
toward those things.
((Illustration: A man and his son went into the grocery store. As they passed
the candy. The boy became fixated upon the attractive sugar
things, and when dad was not looking, he put a piece of candy in
his pocket.))

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man
with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge
after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor
uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all,
and in all.

Anger, wrath, and malice LEAD to blasphemy and filthy speech!

The true Christian has "put OFF" those things and has
"put ON the NEW man."
((Illustration
A teen son became angry with his father. So he took his rifle and
shot many holes in the wooden fence around the yard. Dad saw,
and called his son. He said, "Son, take this pen and draw circles
around every bullet hole." The son did. Then dad said, "Now,
go and take OUT every bullet." The son did. Then dad said,
"Now, take this wood putty and REPAIR every hole." The son
did. Dad said, "See? It is a lot of work to repair ANGER!"))

Let me say it again, "Anger is only ONE letter from Danger!"
So, let us live where everyone is equal!
Let us live where Christ is ALL!!

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels
of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man
have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also
do ye.

We must learn to SUBSTITUTE!
PUT ON: mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, longsuffering.

We must learn to get along with one another and be willing to
forgive.

It is agreed, that to COVER ourselves with these things, as a
constant, is a task difficult to do.
But notice that word "meekness."
It does mean to be mild, kind, gentle; but it also means to be
SELF-DISCIPLINED!

In order to PUT ON the spiritual attitudes in vss 12-13, one must
genuinely DISCIPLINE SELF!

In the book of Numbers, Chapter 12 and verse 3, the Bible says,
"Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which
were upon the face of the earth."

The REASON Moses was mild, kind and gentle is because he
DISCIPLINED himself to be that way!!

I don't know about you, but I have more trouble with this than
most other things!
Before I became a pastor, I had many ANGER issues.
But our Lord helped me to SUBDUE them with self-discipline!

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of
perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also
ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

The word "charity" comes from the Greek agape
which means genuine caring love for others.
Notice it is called, "the bond of perfectness."
The word "perfectness" is from the Greek teleiotes;
which means COMPLETE.

Let us be assured that one can never be perfect in this life.
But you can have a MORE complete livelihood if you GIVE
yourself to others in loving care.

The "peace of God" is the peace of Christ.
THAT peace indwells us when we give ourselves to Christ in
sincere prayer. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Therefore, being often in prayer, will lead us to the peace from
our Lord; which aids us in having genuine caring love for others.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching
and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

When one LEARNS the Word of God (the Gospel), and one
MEDITATES on that Word; then, we are led into true WISDOM.
Proverbs 4:20 says, "KEEP thy heart with all DILIGENCE;
for OUT of IT (heart) are the issues of life!"

Let your mind RECORD the Word of God.
Then, let your HEART DECIDE using the Word of God as a
BASE for actions!

Prov. 2:6 says, "For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of HIS
mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."

To "teach" is to educate.
To "admonish" is to warn.
Using songs based on Scripture, one can accomplish BOTH!

For instance, Matt. 6:9-13 has been made into a song.
It teaches to depend upon God, and He will DELIVER us
from the temptations of sin.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

This (and vs 23) is a real lesson in putting primary focus on
Christ!

However you speak; however you act, keep your focus on
bringing glory to His Name!

Through Christ we have access to God the Father.
Therefore, let us also give THANKS!!

18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit
in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing
unto the Lord.
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be
discouraged.
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh;
not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart,
fearing God;

Concerning relationships, we should always take care to do the
right thing according to God's directions.

In Christian marriage: FIRST -- the Head of every Christian man is
CHRIST!
He is our LORD, our MASTER.
SECOND -- the head of every woman is the husband.
It is the man who will answer to God for the actions of all his family.
THIRD -- Christ is subordinate to God the Father.
He willingly submitted Himself to God the Father!
(See Philippians 2:5-11 and Matt. 24:36).

This understanding is preliminary to the following discussion.
As godly Christians:
The man is supposed to exhibit his surrender to Christ as his
HEAD, and the woman is supposed to exhibit her surrender to
her husband.

This is NOT a restriction upon women having input into family
matters.
For the "two" have become "one." (See Gen 2:24)
BOTH have major contributions to the family!

Next (vs 20), children should be taught obedience to their
parents.
If the children do not receive this teaching from their parents,
it is doubtful that they will be obedient to others in authority.

Next (vs 21), Also, Fathers (and mothers) should not utilize
parenting through words or discipline that demeans the child.
This causes an unhealthy outlook for the child's future life.

Next (vs 22), Servants (that includes laborers) should respect
the authority of their supervisor.
They should also perform their duties as they were doing it for
the Lord - not just making themselves look good for
a while and then slacking off their work when the supervisor
isn't looking!

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not
unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the
inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Christians KNOW they are receiving the "inheritance" as
a reward.
That inheritance is to live with Christ for ever, without sickness,
tribulation, or death - BECAUSE:
There will be NO sin in that inheritance of eternal glory!!

So let us do ALL that we do with Christ at the forefront of our thoughts and hearts.

25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he
hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

LIFE is a gift from God!
What we accomplish in this life does not put us in good standing
with God's judgment.
Rom. 2:11 says, "For there is no respect of persons with God."

That means that the final judgment will not depend upon what
fame, fortune, or money one has obtained.
Nor will that judgment depen upon how many good works a
person has done.

Final judgment will depend SOLELY upon whether a person
has surrendered to Christ as LORD!

This whole chapter has been about:
How one acts with FOCUS upon what God wants from us, and
not what WE might want!