The Strand Study Bible

Written From Rome During Paul’s First Roman Imprisonment

1995

COLOSSIANS 3:1-16

1. Psa 110:1 & Eph 1:20 2. Gr., “mind” 3. Fulfilled- Rev 4:1 (Rapture) 4. Jn 14:6 5. or, “put to death” - Rom 6:13 & 8:13 & 12:1-2& Eph 5:22 6. Eph 5:3 7. or, “desire” 8. Rom 1:18 9. Mt 13:38-42 & Eph 2:2 10. I Cor 6:11 13. or, “inner man” - II Cor 4:16 & 5:17 & Gal 6:15 & Eph 2:15 & 3:16 & 4:24 14. Rom 12:1-2 & II Cor 4:16 & Eph 4:23 & Phil 4:8 15. Rom 7:22-25 & 8:5-8 16. Gal 3:27-29 17. Eph 1:4-5 18. Mk 11:25 & Eph 4:32 19. I Pet 4:8 20. Phil 4:6-7 21. Eph 5:19-25 11. Eph 4:31 12. Eph 4:29

8 But now ye also 11 put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, 12 filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the 13 new man, which is 14 renewed in 15 knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 16 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on therefore, 17 as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mer- cies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and 18 forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 19 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the 20 peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Colossians 3 Think on Heavenly things Date Written - c. AD 62

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where 1 CHRIST sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your 2 affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. The promise of CHRIST’S return (Rapture) (Fulfilled - Rev 4:1) 4 When 3 CHRIST , 4 WHO is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. P The Word-filled ( SPIRIT -filled) walk of the Christian 5 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; 6 fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil 7 concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 8 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh 9 on the children of disobedience: 7 10 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

16 21 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. 3:2 This word ( affection) is the Greek word MUοQHLτH . ( phroneite ). It is translated “ mind ” in nineteen other places within the New Testament, and means “ to think .” Paul admonishes us to “think ” on things eternal ( II Cor 4:18 ). THE ADAGE IS TRUE: Without an eternal perspective you don’t have an eternal directive 3:16 According to Paul, what comes first – the Word ( Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly ) or music ( singing )? The answer is –the Word! According to Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:18, being right with God (being filled with His Word/ SPIRIT ) comes before being joyful with God ( singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord ). In other words, the message (Scripture) should always come before the music (singing). David said in Psalm 51:10,14:

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness .

According to Scripture, having a heart that is in harmony with God (via God’s Word - Colo 3:16) is what activates SPIRIT - filledsinging. There is only one place in the entire four Gospels, only one place in the entire three-year ministry of Jesus where music is spoken of in the context of a “church setting” (Mt 26:30 and Mk 14:26). Bill Gothard, in an Internet article called Conclude With a Hymn , notes:

Jesus is the Head of the Church; therefore, the disciples’ singing after Jesus’ teaching and communion illustrate the important concept that music should be a response to the Word, rather than a preparation for hearing it. 1

Music can be an “expression” of praise, but only after one has been cleansed through the Word. We need to learn to hear from God before we sing to God. The same is true of prayer. God doesn’t want to hear from you until you’ve heard from Him. We need to learn to hear from God before we pray to God ( Job 35:13 ). Christians would pray more intelligently, if they knew what God thought (Word). Sadly, more Christians would rather pray than read God’s Word. Yet, God made us with two ears and only one mouth. Thus, He created us to listen more than talk (be it praying or singing). THE ADAGE IS TRUE: CHRIST wants our heart before our heartfelt words and deeds ( Lk 10:41 ) NOTE –The probable difference between a psalm and a hymn was that a psalm was rendered with instrumental accompaniment ( Eph 5:19 ), whereas a hymn was rendered by the voice alone ( Gen 4:21 ). 1 Gothard, Bill. “Conclude with a hymn.” Cyber Church. (2009). 20 apr 2009 .