What does life in Christ look like
A View of Life in Christ Through the Eyes of Colossians
Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing [Him], being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;
God wants to fill us with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and understanding. When I meditate on God’s desires for me, I fall in love with Him all over again. Because of His kindness toward me I long to work worthy and live bearing the good fruit of walking in His works.
Colossians 1:12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed [us] into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Grace guides me into thanksgiving to the Father. He is the one who qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints. His heartbeat and desires delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. It is through the blood of Jesus we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
Consider the greatness of our Redeemer Jesus Christ; the firstborn over all creation!
Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased [the Father that] in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Jesus is the head of the body, the church. He indeed is the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have preeminence. Not just first place, but the center of which all things are connected. It is the Father’s pleasure to make all the fulness dwell in Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-- 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Jesus is going to present us holy, and blameless, and above reproach. If the object of our faith remains in Him and Him alone.
Colossians 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The great mystery of the church: Christ in you, the hope of glory!
Colossians 2:6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Based upon the strength of all the word, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him. It not just a starting point, it is a lifestyle God has provided and qualified us for!
Colossians 2: 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
This exclusive way found in Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which our victory depends. Beware lest anyone cheat you… In Jesus Christ dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily and you are complete in Him!
Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Jesus Himself has eliminated all that stood between you and God the Father by nailing it to the cross.
Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
The enemy of our soul is disarmed! So let no one judge you in food or in drink or some tradition of man. Many of the works of the law only pointed to the Messiah coming. They were at best a pattern and shadow. The substance is of Jesus Christ and He is the only One, He is the true reality!
Colossian 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ [who is] our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
We now have a new mindset to walk in; it is the kingdom of God mindset. Seek those things which are above. Set your mind on things above and not on things on the earth. Live as a newly created being!
Colossians 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
Based on who you are in Jesus Christ you can put off the old man you died to!
Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new [man] who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave [nor] free, but Christ [is] all and in all.
Based on who you are in Christ you can put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as [the] elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also [must do]. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
This covenant of grace gives us instruction. As the elect of God, holy and beloved we can do these things. The old man cannot do it; reckon him dead. The new man can do it because it is Christ in you the hope of glory.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 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. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Life in Christ provides the way of living in His rest and peace. His peace will rule in your heart and what sweet instruction for those who have put on Jesus. The old man has no ability to live in this instruction; however, the new man was created for living in this lifestyle in verses 15-17 call us to. 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. Yes, this is the normal; the believer walking in the supernatural. Doing whatever is done in word or deed, doing it all in the name of the Lord Jesus! It is the view of life in Christ for every believer! Come abide!