Today we continue in our study of the New Testament book of Colossians, believed to have been written by the Apostle Paul sometime around 62 AD. Now, if you've missed any of the previous messages on Colossians with the complete background and context of the letter, you can find them and view them on YouTube byentering Dr. Dan Rogers sermons in your internet browser and you will find all of those past videos.
But here's a brief review of the background and context of our passage for today. The Apostle Paul is concerned for the church members in Colasse, a small city in what today is modern Turkey, because he's heard that false teachers, they're circulating false teachings which minimize the deity, the supremacy, and total sufficiency of Christ for the people of God. Paul refers to this false teaching with the term philosophy and in the context of the letter and common usage of the time and the context of Paul's audience Paul is using the word in its meaning of religion and religious ideas and teachings. But what religion and what religious ideas is he talking about?
Colossians 3:1-11 NIV 3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
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