Answers for a study in the book of Colossians: Chapter 3

Review and Bible Study 

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

1.  Review of Class Topics:

With your table group, discuss today’s apologetics presentation by summarizing what you learned, commenting, or asking any questions.

Answers will vary…

2.  Review of Daily Devotional:

How is it going with your devotional? Are you having any difficulty with reading on a daily basis? Are there any questions you have, or anything that stands out to you as a life application that you’d like to share with your group?

Answers will vary…

Class Bible study: The Book of Colossians

Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for “Discussion” or “Going Deeper” questions. Cite your sources to share with your group.

Read Colossians 3:1-24 with your group then, to the best of your ability, answer the following questions:

3.  What are the things we should be doing “if we have been raised up with Christ,” in other words, if we are professing Christians what are some things we should be seeking and why (3:1-4)?

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”  Colossians 3:1-4

As Christians who have given their lives to Christ Jesus, the following should be our priority, and everything else should fall behind…

• We should always seek the things above – in other words, we should look to God, His Word and Jesus’ teachings to guide us first
• Setting our minds on the things above (God, His Word, Jesus and the Holy Spirit) first, will help us deal with the things we encounter (probably daily) on this earth

Why we should do this…

• Because of what Christ Jesus has done for us, laying His life down and taking our sins upon Himself, we should remember that, and want to honor that in all that we do.
• Because when Christ returns to bring His Kingdom, we want to be considered worthy of citizenship in that eternal home, and not just be drug in by the skin of our teeth.
• Because of God’s grace and mercy, we should want to actively participate in honoring Him daily.

4.  Even though we once walked in the things that displease/anger God (things that will ultimately lead to God’s wrath in judgment), we are covered and forgiven by the blood of Jesus as true believers in Him. What are all the things we should consider as dead and put aside (3:5-9)?

“Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,”  Colossians 3:5-9

• We should consider as dead and put aside all forms of: Immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, greed, idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech and lying.
• This list is overarching and covers just about every sin we come across in one form or another – try hard to think of something that would not fall under at least one of these, I for one cannot.

5.  What are all the things that we should put on as believers (3:10-14)?

“and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.  Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”  Colossians 3:10-14

• We should have put on the new self, if we have given our lives to Christ Jesus, being renewed to a true knowledge according to God (who created us), this would include all forms of…
• Having a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience (bear with one another), forgiveness (because God forgave us), and love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

6.  What are all the things that should rule in our hearts and dwell within us (3:15-17)?

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”  Colossians 3:15-17

• We should have ruling and dwelling in our hearts: The peace of Christ, thankfulness, the Word of Christ, wisdom in our teaching, admonishing one another with God’s Word in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs that include thankfulness to Him.
• In all that we do and say, we should keep in mind that we are representing the Lord Jesus, and we should give thanks through Him to the Father for all things.

7.  What does Paul say concerning family relations (3:18-21)? Discuss: How does our culture today react to the Christian Worldview on family relationships?

“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.”  Colossians 3:18-21

• Wives are to be subject to their husbands, as is fitting in the Lord; Husbands are to love their wives and not be embittered against them; Children are to be obedient to their parents in all things. Additionally, Fathers are told not to exasperate their children so that they will not lose heart.
• We can dive deeper by doing a word study on “subject,” “embittered,” “obedient” and “exasperate” from the NASB across other versions, and search original meaning in the Greek to get a better grasp on the details, and we can also cross-reference other Biblical passages on family and marriage – However, it all boils down to God’s design for humanity and family relations that follows His Word, purpose and plan from the beginning of time, and the ultimate message of love. Imagine if we loved one another first as He loved us! There would never be problems within the family or in a marriage relationship, but it takes the selfless sacrifice of each one for the other as modeled by our Lord and Savior Jesus.
• Secular culture will always be in opposition to God’s Word and plan for humanity. Secular culture puts “me” first and others second and God nowhere in the picture. This is backward, and the result is obvious in the high divorce rates, abuse rates, depression rate and a lack of respect for marriage in the traditional and Biblical sense. Yet, studies are finding that traditional marriage and lifetime family commitments are the best way to produce happy, healthy and secure people.

8.  Remembering the context and culture of the first century (discuss if necessary), what does Paul say about the working relationship between slaves and masters, and how that relates to the idea of rewards and consequences in the spiritual sense (3:22-25)? Discuss: How can we apply this to our own work ethic today?

“Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.”  Colossians 3:22-25

• Slavery was a normal part of most ancient cultures (and still in some today). In many cases it was a desired form of survival (employment) as there was no “middle-class” or possibility of moving up in these ancient societies unless you were born into the elite or rich. Therefore, people often chose “servanthood” (slavery) over the consequence of poverty/beggars’ status.
• Paul speaks directly to Christians’ “work ethic” by showing that obedience to earthly masters (employers) is a form of serving the Lord. He told them to work “with sincerity of heart” and not simply when someone was watching, nor to do only the minimal that one could get away with, and this applies to us still today.
• Spiritually speaking, Christians must keep their eye on the eternal, and view this life, and its work, as practice for that one. Therefore, if we are practicing in good faith here, the Bible tells us that there will be a “reward of the inheritance” someday, and knowing that should give us the comfort to endure hardship and even mistreatment for the sake of the Kingdom to come. Note: The “reward to come” should not be a goal in itself, but the love for what Christ Jesus did for us should be our motivating factor.

9.  Discuss: What are some things, if any, from chapter three are being twisted in our secular culture today? For example, are there things that we should consider as “dead and put aside” that are acceptable or even promoted; or are there things that should “rule in our heart” that are looked down upon today?

Answers will vary based on answers above, but can include discussions, and consequences, of the secular view of…

• immorality, marriage, work ethic, families…

10. Memory verses: Recite Philippians 1:9-10; Philippians 3:14; Philippians 4:6-8; Philippians 4:12-13; Colossians 1:16-17; Colossians 2:8 and add Colossians 3:12-13

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ” Philippians 1:9-10

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:14

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things”. Philippians 4:8 

“I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:12-13

“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”  Colossians 1:16-17

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”  Colossians 2:8

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”  Colossians 3:12-13

Please continue to join us as we read and study the Bible as part of our Christian Apologetics’ class each week!

Note: Class presentation, videos, reflections and Bible study questions are posted on the weekend – Bible study answers (like these) are posted mid-week.

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Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15