Colossians 3

Colossians 3:1

If, according to your profession, ye be indeed risen from under the law, and the guilt and power of sin, to a life of righteousness and holiness,—together with, in conformity to, and by the quickening virtue of, our risen Redeemer, applied by faith,—let your hearts, in their temper and exercises, and in all your meditations, views, inquiries, and pursuits, by prayer, and every other ordinance of God, aspire after realizing, clear, and enlarged, experiences and assurances of the durable, substantial, and satisfying, things of the heavenly state, where he, your ascended Head, is exalted in all his majesty and authority, dignity, and glory, rest and safety, to make intercession and prepare a place for you

Colossians 3:2

Let all your affections of desire and hope, love and delight, be supremely fixed upon the excellent things which belong to, and are transacted in, that heavenly state, and not upon the empty, uncertain, perishing, and defiling, pleasures and enjoyments, or even the carnal ordinances, of this world

Colossians 3:3

And this is highly proper, since, by profession and obligation, and many of you by actual communion with Christ in his death, are really dead in your hearts and affections to the Mosaic law, and are crucified with him to sin, Satan, and the world;—and all the pleasures and enjoyments of your spiritual life are maintained and promoted in secret and mysterious transactions, and fellowship between God and your souls, by virtue of Christ, who is one with him, till it be perfected in that eternal life which lies so much out of sight in this life, but is nevertheless secured and treasured up with Christ, in the secret purposes and immediate presence of God, for you

Colossians 3:4

And when Christ, who is the Purchaser, Author, Sustainer, Finisher, Scope, and End, of our spiritual life, and lives in us, shall appear in all his glory to judge the world, ye, who are quickened by his Spirit, shall be glorified together with, and in conformity to, him in soul and body

Colossians 3:5

In the prospect therefore of that blessed day, and in reflection on the spiritual purity and sublime happiness which ye shall then enjoy, as men dead to sin, and risen with Christ, labour to have all your carnal and sinful dispositions, which are like members to the body 13 D of inward corruption, and are influenced and exerted by your bodily members more and more weakened and slain, particularly all inclinations to unchastity in thought, word, and deed, and all excessive or irregular desires after the enjoyments of this world, whereby ye put creatures into an idolatrous competition with, or preference to, God

Colossians 3:6

Abhor and abstain from them, as polluting abominations, which draw down the fearful judgments of God in this life, and especially in the next, upon unbelieving obstinate sinners

Colossians 3:7

And the more earnest care is necessary in this matter, as, in the days of your Heathenism and unregeneracy, of free choice and with great eagerness, ye lived in the love and practice of these abominations

Colossians 3:8

But now, as Christians, ye ought to have no further fellowship with these or any other works of darkness: such as causeless and intemperate anger, furious passion, malicious revengefulness, reproachful speeches, particularly of God and sacred things, and all immodest expressions, which tend to defile your own and others’ minds

Colossians 3:9

And never, either rashly, in jest, in excuse, in ill will, or for gain, speak any thing contrary to strict truth, since in profession, and I hope in reality, ye have absolutely cast off and renounced the whole system of inward and original, of subtle, but just now decaying and dying, corruption, with all its pernicious and defiling practices

Colossians 3:10

And, by a work of heart-changing grace, ye have, as it were, clothed yourselves with the holy qualities and beautiful ornaments of a new nature, formed after the image of God, the Creator and renewer of men: 11. In which new creation there is no partial respect shown to persons on account of any external distinctions or privileges, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, savage or polite, slaves or freemen,—but Christ is ALL IN ALL in the whole of their salvation, in all their experiences and privileges

Colossians 3:12

Therefore, in an entire dependence on Christ and imitation of him, and as persons chosen in him, and accordingly formed into holiness, and regarded as the objects of God’s distinguishing love, instead of indulging or practising works of wickedness, earnestly practise, and, as it were, clothe and adorn yourselves with, the most tender compassion towards the distressed, and with a generous and benevolent temper and behaviour towards all men, with modest thoughts of yourselves, and condescension to persons of low degree, with gentleness, mildness, and candour, towards all, and persevering patience under repeated and long continued provocations

Colossians 3:13

Bearing with, and forbearing, one another’s various infirmities:—mutually forgiving one another their offences and injuries, in imitation and for the sake of Christ, who, at the expense of his own blood, has fully and freely pardoned all our infinite crimes

Colossians 3:14

And especially let the exercise of brotherly love, as an upper garment, add a beautiful lustre to, and regulate all, the other graces,—which is at once the fulfilment of God’s law, and knits together the members of Christ in the most perfect harmony, till his whole mystical body arrive at its perfect stature in him

Colossians 3:15

And for the more effectual cultivation of this brotherly love and every other grace, let the sense of God’s friendship with you through Christ engage you always to practise and live under the influence of that excellent peace and concord among yourselves, of which God is the Author, Approver, and Commander, and to which ye are called by the grace of the gospel, and your union as members in Christ’s church; and let the sense of mercies received or expected animate you to constant thankfulness and praise

Colossians 3:16

And, for the same purpose, let the holy scriptures, of which Christ is the Author, Matter, and End, be applied to, and fixedly reside in, your hearts, as the constant mean of renewed influences from him, and of directing your whole conversation; and be mutually helpful in instructing and exciting one another to bless and praise God in every proper form; not only with grateful and harmonious voices, but with spiritual and gracious affections towards Jesus Christ, and God in him

Colossians 3:17

And whatever ye do in thought, word, or deed, in public or private, in things religious or civil, let it be done with a conscientious regard to the authority and command of the Lord Jesus Christ, with an humble dependence on him for all direction and assistance, and with an eye to his Father’s glory,—always giving God thanks for his unnumbered mercies through him, through whom the blessings themselves are granted and your thanksgivings for them accepted

Colossians 3:18

And, as the Christian religion does not dissolve, but strengthen all moral obligations to relative duties required by the law of nature, let each of you carefully attend to them, notwithstanding your differences in other things;—particularly see that ye, Christian wives, behave in a meek and submissive manner to your lawful husbands, as far as consists with your superior relation and obedience to Christ

Colossians 3:19

And ye, Christian husbands, treat your wives with all possible tenderness, kindness, and affection, doing all that you can for their temporal and spiritual ease, comfort, and happiness; and never exercise a severe and arbitrary lordship over them, or abuse them by passionate words, blows, or other severe conduct

Colossians 3:20

Ye, Christian children, love and honour your parents, of whatever character or condition they be, and conscientiously obey them in every just and reasonable command; for this is agreeable to the will of Christ, and acceptable to God through him

Colossians 3:21

On the other hand, see that ye parents carefully study the tempers of your children, and by prudent, kind, and gentle, methods, establish your authority over them;—but never, by furious or opprobrious language, unreasonable impositions, or unmerciful corrections, sour their minds, break their spirits, and fill them with prejudices against you, and the religion which ye profess

Colossians 3:22

And ye, servants, whether bought or hired, be diligent, and faithful in executing the trusts, and doing the business, which your masters commit to you, fulfilling all their commands as far as ye can in consistency with your duty to Christ, your master in heaven—and that cheerfully and sincerely at all times, from regard to God’s honour and authority, and as in his sight

Colossians 3:23

And whatever ye are called to do in their service, let it not be done with grudging and reluctance, but with a willing and ready mind, from a sense of duty towards the Lord Jesus Christ, in obedience to his command, with a view to his glory, and not from a selfish mercenary spirit, which aims only at pleasing of men

Colossians 3:24

And, to animate you to cheerfulness and fidelity in your service, know that, whatever ill treatment or unrighteous returns ye meet with, instead of a suitable reward, from your masters on earth, ye shall now, and especially hereafter, be graciously rewarded with the heavenly inheritance; for in doing your duty to earthly masters ye really pay honour, and do service, to the Lord Jesus himself, who hath placed you in your subordinate station for that purpose

Colossians 3:25

But he, whether master or servant, who indulges himself in wronging the other by any injustice, shall receive a just and impartial recompence of reward for all his iniquitous conduct; none being respected by Christ more than another upon account of any external circumstances

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. III.—How dignified and happy are they who are risen with Christ; and whose life is laid up with him in God! Certain is their glorious appearance with Christ in the last judgment, and their eternal reign with him in heaven. And it is necessary that they set their affections on things above, and abhor and mortify every lust, shun every sinful practice, and study to be like Jesus their Head, their Saviour, their portion, their Master, in both heart and life. A worldly and wicked mind and a heavenly hope are quite inconsistent. It is absurd to conceive ourselves members of Jesus Christ, redeemed to God by his blood, while we live in unchastity, covetousness, sinful passion, malice, falsehood, or blasphemy. If we belong to him, we must prove it by our conformity to him in our tempers and practice. Actuated by the faith of his forgiving kindness, what merciful compassion—what meekness—what humility—what forbearance—what readiness to forgive injuries—what brotherly love—what calmness of mind—what experimental and abundant knowledge of the scriptures—what labours to edify one another—what thankfulness to God—what constant improvement of Christ—what punctuality in relative duties—ought to mark every Christian! And in every relative duty great regard must be had to Christ, as the Commander, the source, the motive, the pattern, the end, of them all