Col. 2:20-3: 11
In the preceding section of the epistle we have been warned against the special dangers to which the Christian assembly is exposed. With verse 20 of chapter 2, we pass to the hortatory part of the epistle in which we are exhorted to apply, in our practical lives, the great truths that as believers we have died, and are risen, with Christ.
In the practical application of these truths to the life and walk of the believer there will be found, on the one hand, salvation from the dangers of which the apostle has been speaking; and on the other hand, preparation for the setting forth of Christ characteristically in the saints, of which he speaks in the following division of the epistle (Col. 3:12-4: 6).
V. 20. The first exhortations are based on the great truth that believers have died with Christ to the elements of the world. The immediate words of the apostle, as well as the general tenor of the epistle, clearly indicate that “the elements of the world" are the religious ordinances invented by men or borrowed from Judaism.
The apostle has been speaking of the different snares by which the enemy would seek to draw our souls from Christ. As we have seen, these snares are all of a religious and intellectual character; therefore, in this passage, the great fact is pressed, that if we have died with Christ it is, not only to the gross things of the world, but to the religion of the world. Very plainly, the apostle's statements expose and condemn this worldly religion.
Firstly, he shows it is a form of religion entirely adapted to men "living in the world." The religion of heathendom, of corrupt Judaism, as also that of corrupt Christendom, suits the world, can be carried out by the world, and leaves men living in the world. Thus it stands condemned by the Word of God, for Christianity takes the believer out of the world by death with Christ.
Secondly, the religion of the world is a religion of "or-dinances," or human regulations to which the natural man can submit. Such ordinances call for no work of God in the conscience or heart, and raise no question of new birth or conversion. Such ordinances consist of abstention from certain material things on certain days which men count holy, such as new moons and Sabbath days. They can be summed up by the negative formula, "Touch not; taste not; handle not.”
Thirdly, such ordinances occupy the soul with material things which perish with the handling. A religion that consists only of obedience to such ordinances must of necessity perish when the things of which it consists perish. Faith puts the believer in touch with spiritual and unseen things that are eternal in the heavens.
Fourthly, we are told that this religion of ordinances is "after the commandments and doctrines of men." It is not of God's appointment nor according to the teaching of Scripture.
Fifthly, these ordinances of men have indeed, in the eyes of the world an appearance of wisdom; for it seems wise to avoid certain things which men are able to abuse, and, if abused, are harmful to the body.
Sixthly, these ordinances leading to asceticism, and "harsh treatment of the body" (N. Tn.), would appear to show a willingness to worship God while humbling and denying oneself, and thus appear exceedingly meritorious in the eyes of the natural man.
Seventhly, such religion stands wholly condemned by God as simply "satisfying of the flesh." Instead of setting aside the flesh as worthless, it recognizes the flesh and panders to its pride. To deny the body certain food on certain set days, and treat the body harshly, gratifies the flesh with the feeling of having acted in a praise worthy manner.
Thus a religion of trust in ordinances, while appealing to a man "living in the world," is wholly inconsistent for the believer who accepts the great truth that he has died with Christ. For such an one to turn back to religion of ordinances is practically to deny that he has died with Christ, and once again take his place as living in the world.
The practical effect of being risen with Christ (Col. 3:1-111If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. (Colossians 3:1‑11))
Having warned us against the religion of the world which we have left behind by death with Christ, the apostle now exhorts believers to enter into the positive blessings which form the portion of those who are risen with Christ.
The exhortations are connected, first, with the new world of blessing opened to the believer (v. 1, 2); then, the new life (v. 3-7); and lastly the new man (v. 8-11).
Vv. 1, 2. First the apostle speaks of the new sphere in contrast to the old. It is clear, when Christ was raised from among the dead, that death had no more dominion over Him, and the believer, being risen with Christ, is free from death as the penalty of sin. There is, however, the further great truth set forth in Christ risen, namely that a new scene with new relationships are opened to the believer. As the risen Man Christ could say to Mary, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God." After His resurrection the world saw Him no more, and His own were to know Him no more after the flesh, but in connection with the Father and His new position in heaven. The believer, though having to do with the life here and its relationships while passing through time, is, as risen with Christ, brought into new relationships in connection with the scene above where Christ has gone.
We are exhorted, then, to "seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." In this passage the things which are above are set in contrast to "things on the earth." This world is occupied with vast schemes through which man seeks, by his own will and power, to improve the condition of the world and bring in a millennium without God or Christ. Looking above, we see it is the purpose of God to bring in a universe of bliss through Christ, and of which Christ will be the Head and Center. God has given assurance of the accomplishment of His purpose by exalting the One whom men have crucified to His own right hand. Christ on the Cross is the clear witness to the failure of all men's schemes: Christ in the glory, at the right hand of God, is the sure token that God will accomplish His purpose. The things which are above are all those things which depend upon Christ at the right hand of God, and which God has purposed for the glory of Christ and the blessing of man. It is on these things we are to set our minds and not on the passing things of earth.
The passage clearly indicates that above there is rest, where toil shall be no more, for Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Moreover there is power, which can sustain the whole universe of bliss for Christ is in the place of power the right hand of God. Then does not Psa. 16 tell us that, at God's right hand, there is fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore? Joys there may be on earth, but the fullness of joy is at God's right hand. On earth the joy runs out; in heaven it is full. On earth the pleasures are but for a season; in heaven they are for evermore. Are not these some of the things that are above, on which we are exhorted to set our minds, in place of having them set on things on the earth? The apostle does not say things that are in the world, but things that are on the earth. Worldly things may include many things that are absolutely evil, and for the mind to dwell on such things would be defiling. Earthly things include natural things and natural relationships which, in their place, are not wrong, and yet if our minds are over-occupied with them they will spoil our taste for heavenly things.
Vv. 3, 4. Secondly the apostle speaks of the new life in contrast to the old. In the first two verses of the chapter there is opened up to us an entirely new scene-the resurrection sphere-and everything in that fair scene is beyond the reach of death. The things of earth, however right in themselves, are subject to death and the limitations of time. The Christian is not only set in relation to this new scene, but he possesses a new life capable of the enjoyment of heavenly scenes and eternal relations. Of this new life the apostle now speaks, for how can we set our minds on things above apart from a life that can appreciate these things?
The life of the world consists in the enjoyment of the things of the world, such as they are. Christ, who is the believer's life is hidden from the gaze of the world, and hence the world cannot see the source and spring of the Christian life. Christ can be said to be that life for, in Christ in glory, we see the setting forth of the believer's life in its own proper sphere. This life will be manifested in all its blessedness when Christ appears and we appear with Him in glory. It will then be seen what sustained the believer in life as he passed through the world during the absence of Christ.
Vv. 5-7. Having spoken of the Christian life, the apostle refers in contrast to the things which form the life of the world. Already he has said we are dead to the religion of the world; now he would have us apply death to the activities of the flesh in us. We are to cut off that in ourselves which would link us with the life of the world. If an angel passed through this world he would not be contaminated by the world; there is nothing in the angel that would answer to its seductions. With us there is the flesh a nature that quickly responds to the attractions of the world and the pleasures of sin. We are therefore exhorted to cut off and refuse the different forms in which the flesh manifests itself the lusts, covetousness, and idolatry of the flesh. Unless we bridle our desires they will lead us to pursue some particular object with such absorbing interest that the particular thing becomes an idol that shuts out God.
The Christian is called to mortify these members of the flesh. The flesh has been dealt with at the Cross: the believer is to deal with the different forms in which that flesh (which is still in him) seeks to manifest itself. The members of which the apostle speaks in this passage can hardly refer to the members of the body. So far from mortifying these members of our bodies, we are told, in Rom. 6 to yield our members as instruments unto God. The members here would seem to be all these unholy things by which the flesh expresses itself; even as the actual members of the body are the instruments for the service of the body.
It is for the indulgence of these members of the flesh that the wrath of God will come upon the children of disobedience. Refusing the grace of God that would put away their sins they come under the wrath of God that deals with them because of their sins. In times past these believers had walked in these things in which they had found their life. In those days their evil walk was perfectly consistent with their unregenerate life. Now as Christians the apostle exhorts us to walk in consistency with the new life.
Vv. 8-10. Thirdly, from speaking of the new life in contrast to the old, the apostle passes on to speak of the new man in contrast to the old man. The evils spoken of in verse 8 are connected with the mind and spirit, rather than with the body. Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and vile language, all suppose the mind working in an evil way; whereas the list of sins in verse 5 involves the actual evil deeds connected with the body. Here it is not the evil acts, but the violent and corrupt way in which the flesh expresses itself in committing its evil acts.
All these things are to be put off as forming part of the character of the old man with his deeds, and as wholly inconsistent with the new man. Here, then, the apostle draws the contrast between the old man and the new. These expressions do not refer to particular individuals. They are used to describe different orders of men each having certain characteristics. In ordinary language we speak of "the black man" and "the white man," not in reference to any individual, but as describing different races of men. Further, the expression "new man" does not mean simply a fresh man, as when we speak of a new man being appointed to fill some position; it implies an order of man that is new in the sense of being entirely different to the old man.
This new man is "renewed," a word that implies it is daily gaining new strength. This fresh strength is found in the knowledge of the One that has created the new man. As we grow in the knowledge of Christ, so we be-come like Christ, the One who is the perfect expression of the new order of man. When Christ carne into the world there was under the eye of God One who, morally, set forth a new order of man—a heavenly man—with new characteristics. The introduction of the new order of man made the first man, morally, the old man.
The new man is renewed after the image of Him that created him. The more we have Christ before us—the One in whom the new man is perfectly expressed—the more we become like Christ, and thus practically "put on the new man" by exhibiting the character of the new man.
V. 11. In this new order of man there are no national distinctions such as Greek and Jew: there are no religious distinctions, such as circumcision and uncircumcision, nor are there social distinctions between ignorant and learned, slaves and free. The old man may indeed include a variety of men, such as Jews and Gentiles, but all marked by certain evil characteristics. The new man is an order of man in which "Christ is everything, and in all." Christ is everything as the perfect pattern and object; and Christ is in all to form the character of the new man.
Thus in connection with the resurrection of Christ, and the believer being risen with Christ, there is brought before us a new scene the resurrection sphere in contrast to the earth (vv. 1, 2); the new life in contrast to the old (vv. 3-7); and the new man in contrast to the old man (vv. 8-11).