The purpose of this lesson: To increase awareness of the importance of Christian transition in Christ’s church.

Colossians begins as a letter from Paul “to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae ...“ (Colossians 1:2).  Paul began with an encouragement, an enumeration of the things Christ did for them, recognition of Jesus Christ’s significance, and a declaration of his (Paul’s) attitude and purpose. Evidently, many of them had not personally seen Paul (2:1).  Paul wanted to encourage them to realize the value of their relationship with Christ.

Though Paul may not have had a personal encounter with this congregation of people, he shared with them a connection with Christ. Because everyone belonged to Christ, he wanted to encourage them.

Today’s text began with a conclusion indicated by the “if then” that was based on their relationship with Christ.  Paul would encourage them to understand that their relationship with Christ produced the benefits that determined who they were and their life focus.

Our text began with Paul saying “Because this is true, that truth has to demonstrate itself in this way.”  Since they had relationship with Jesus Christ, that relationship must express itself appropriately.

If (in the sense of because) they accepted as true (correct) that they had been resurrected with Christ, that resurrection with Christ should produce specific results in their lives.  (1) They should seek the things where Christ is.  The values that produced Christ’s enthronement by God should be the values that guided their attitudes and behaviors.  (2)They should set their minds on a spiritual focus, not on a physical focus.  Paul was not suggesting that they were not physical beings who existed in a physical world.  Nor is Paul suggesting that just because something is physical it is bad (or good).  He said their lives had to have a focus, a reason for existing.  That focus should not be defined by the physical realities that surrounded them but by the spiritual realities that surrounded physical existence.  Why?  (a) You died (a chosen redirection of life) to physical reasons for living because you chose to place life in Christ.  (b) Since living in Christ now defines what your life is about, you exist for Christ’s return, not for the present.

Stress the two things that should be done in their lives since they were raised with Christ.  Stress this would be true because they made a conscious choice.  Talk about the importance of “conscious choice” in becoming a Christian.  Paul emphasized they should look upon becoming a Christian as the opportunity to receive life.

What followed is a contrast.  Notice the contrast exists (a) because Jesus was raised from the dead, and (b) because they were who they were because of Jesus’ resurrection.  God’s resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the contrast. (We need to produce a greater awareness that Jesus’ resurrection is the foundation for who we are and how we look at life.)  Do not ignore the “therefore” that begins verse five.  Paul gave them the contrast because Jesus was resurrected and their life was shaped and focused by Jesus’ resurrection.

Emphasize the reason for the contrast existing.  Discuss the essential value of a Christian understanding the importance of Jesus’ resurrection.

Paul’s contrast was constructed on the concept of transformation.  Basically transformation declares, “I was that before entering Christ,” but, “Now I am this because of entering Christ.”  The “that” and the “this” are in distinct contrast.  The life idol worshippers lived before entering Christ and the life lived by the person converted to Christ were in distinct contrast.  There was a distinct difference in the way divinity was viewed, the way the person drew near divinity, the definitions of morality, the view of suitable behavior, and the understanding of appropriate motives.

Make certain the students understand the basic concept of transformation.  Make sure they grasp transformation involves a “ceasing” and a “becoming.”  Discuss the motives that would cause a person to desire Christian transformation.  (Emphasize transition is not a perfunctory role that merely involves doing things without knowledge or feeling, but a desired, intentional change.)

The contrast between life in Christ and idolatrous life was a vivid contrast.  Before conversion sexual indulgence; acts motivated by greed; control of others through anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech; and deceit were appropriate behaviors. After conversion, Christians understood that such behaviors had eternal negative consequences.  The Christian understood that these behaviors (a) were negative because they were in opposition to God’s values, (b) invited divine wrath on a person (the person was responsible for evil committed instead of receiving divine forgiveness), and (c) in no way characterized the life of a person who belonged to Christ.

Most if not all of those people were “first generation Christians”—they had to learn how to transition from idol worship/living to Christian worship/living when no one had been Christians before them.  Discuss the advantages of coming from a Christian home.  Discuss the advantages of growing up in a Christ-centered, serving congregation.  How do people from today’s environment demonstrate transformation?

When a person chooses to live in Christ, he (or she) chooses to become the “new self.”  This new self has been “renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.”  Notice here Paul declared the knowledge that focused a person on physical existence to be a false knowledge.  It pretended to know because it focused on what was physically seen.  Genuine knowledge focused on the spiritual—a reality based on Jesus’ resurrection.  The foundation of true knowledge rested in the human understanding that there is a Creator and we humans are His created.

Stress that being a Christian includes a personal desire to transform one’s life.  Transformation involves learning.  The combination of knowledge and understanding are critical in spiritual transformation in Christ.

In Christ, the Creator erased the significance of human distinctions through Jesus’ resurrection.  There was no longer Greek (here civilized non-Jew) versus Jew, or circumcised versus uncircumcised (another way of saying Jew versus the rest of people), or barbarian including the Scythian (despised as the uneducated and inarticulate with the Scythian being the lowest form of barbarians), or slave and free—all human distinctions were erased by God through Christ.  One of their challenges as Christians, the church, was to destroy human distinctions—offer genuine oneness in Christ to everyone.

The church as Christ’s body produces a “level playing field” that makes the salvation of all people possible in Christ.  There are no spiritual advantages given to or withheld from certain social groups. That is easy to say, but hard to practice.

The contrast between Christian and non-Christian is seen in verses 12 and 13.  Christians were a kind, compassionate, gentle people who were patient with the mistakes of others.  They acted in love and forgiveness rather than recognizing human distinctions.  Their values came from the Lord, not from people.

Christian character is infinitely possible anywhere, but rarely appreciated in ungodly circumstances.

Why was there a difference between those in Christ and those not?  Transformation!  God through Christ enabled those who placed confidence in what God did in Jesus to be freed from their past.  God enabled people to be entirely different.  As those freed people, they encouraged others to escape their past by placing confidence in Jesus.  Being a Christian is more than associating with Christians—it is being transformed through Christ!

The enabling by God is critical in the process of transformation. Spiritual transformation in Christ always is more than a mere human determination/effort.  It will not occur without God’s involvement.

For Thought and Discussion

1. How did Colossians begin?  How did Paul begin?

Colossians was addressed “to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae . . .” Paul began by encouraging those Christians.

2.  Explain the significance of the “if then.”

It recognized a conclusion that was based on their relationship with Christ.

3.  Resurrection with Christ should produce what specific results in their lives?

a. They should seek the things where Jesus Christ is.

b. They should set their minds on a spiritual focus, not a physical focus.

4. The contrast existed for what two reasons?

a. They died with Jesus Christ to the physical.

b. They existed for Jesus Christ’s return.

5. Paul’s contrast was constructed on what concept?  Explain what transformation is.

Paul’s contrast was structured on the concept of transformation.  Transformation in Christ is based on an “When I was not in Christ, I was” but “In Christ, I am (have become).”

6.  Before conversion to Christ, what were considered some appropriate behaviors?

Included in appropriate idolatrous behaviors were sexual indulgence, greed, the use of anger, malice, wrath, slander, and abusive speech to control/manipulate others, and deceit.

7. Name three things the Christian understood about these behaviors.

a. These behaviors were negative as they opposed God’s values.

b. They invited divine wrath on a person.

c. They did not characterize a person who belonged to Jesus Christ.

8. When a person chose to become a Christian, what did he choose to become?  What renewed the new self?

The person chose to become the new self.  The new self was renewed by a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.  (God originally designed us to reflect what is [in Christianity] the new self.)

9. Discuss what God erased in Christ.

The discussion should include an awareness that God erased human distinctions in groups of humans.

10. Describe what first-century Christians were to be.

The discussion should include the awareness that Christians are to be kind, compassionate, gentle, and patient as they act in love and forgiveness.

11. What did God enable people in Christ to do?

a. To be freed from their past

b. To become entirely different

Link to Student Guide Lesson 13

Copyright © 2009
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ

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