Digging Deeper Days
Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
Today is 2-for-1 Friday!
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The Questions
Colossians 3:12-17
“12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Original Intent
1) Verse 12 begins with “therefore”, what came before this?
When studying Scripture, it is always beneficial to look at the context, not just focus on a verse or paragraph. This focus passage looks back to verses 5-11 which discusses how we, who are in Christ, are called to live a new life because we have a new Spirit inside of us. We are called “up” into a renewing of our minds through true knowledge of God. These foundational truths are framed within the closing remark, “In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.” (verse 11) All are equally loved and equally redeemed in Christ. Because of this equality, we live out this new life we have been called to by continuing to renew our mindset in how we see people. All need the gospel. There is no hierarchy, no “elite” Christians. Because we are all on the same playing field before Christ, unity and harmony should be among our strongest qualities. Unforgiveness and pride have no place. (Psalm 133:1-2) The believers together form a body (the Body of Christ) and a body must function as one unit, otherwise there will be pain. Just as a toe will be stubbed if the leg doesn’t lift high enough over a curb, the corporate body of believers will suffer if one relationship is amiss. We keep our relationships healthy by “considering others before ourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)
2) How has the Lord forgiven you? (verse 13)
Paul implores his audience to forgive just as the Lord has forgiven them. Jesus provides redemption and forgiveness to everyone who repents; not just partially, but completely. (Psalm 32:1-2a) The Lord forgives all sins. (Psalm 103:3-4) God the Father purchased our freedom and forgave our sins through the precious, perfect blood of His Son shed for us on our behalf, giving us a faultless righteousness we could never attain. (Ephesians 1:7) He forgives us of all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) Forgiving those who have wronged us is a core aspect of “putting on Christ’s fullness” in our lives. We have been redeemed and forgiven, so are we to forgive.
3) What is the “peace of Christ?” (verse 15)
The “peace of Christ” is unlike anything we know. It goes far beyond our understanding (Philippians 4:7) or our ability to manipulate. It is more than just a lack of noise…it is a lack of disturbance in our soul. It is a deep sense of contentment, of trusting in our Savior. It is often counter-intuitive to the world. This peace holds us when everything else around us is chaotic. Paul tells his readers to let this peace of Christ have total rule over their hearts as they engaged as a church body in the relationships and mission around them. When believers are rightly connected with Christ in their personal relationship with Him, His peace naturally rules their hearts, which overflows into the relationships around them. Letting the peace of Christ “rule” starts with growing intimacy between you and Christ Himself!
Everyday Application
1) Verse 12 begins with “therefore”, what came before this?
All of Paul’s words describing believers’ characteristics in Christ (compassion, humility, love, etc.) teach us how to relate to others; more specifically, to the others with whom we have the bond of Christ. We will be sharing eternity with these folks, so we should treat them well here on earth! Remember how Jesus prayed, “let Your kingdom come, on earth as it is in Heaven”? (Matthew 6:10) When we treat one another with the same manner in which Christ treats us, we are bringing His kingdom here! In the same vein, just as the Colossian church struggled with feeling superior over others, which led to disunity, we too struggle with the same thing. Consider who in your circle you have unconsciously deemed “unreachable” for the gospel, or maybe “unworthy” to be in the same small group at church or serve in the same areas as you. Pray over these faces and determine to link arms with all believers for the sake of the gospel!
2) How has the Lord forgiven you? (verse 13)
Did God goof and only give you partial salvation? Is He still holding a grudge against you for that one *unspeakable* sin? Is He waiting for you to say a specific prayer or give a certain amount of money to the church or go on a mission trip before He will forgive you?
Of course not!
But, truthfully, don’t we all do these things to others? (Lord, please help us!)
Our Heavenly Father forgives us in full, without asking us to make it up to Him. When a fellow believer needs our forgiveness, this should be a non-issue. We should just forgive. And pray. Not only for them, but also for ourselves and a restored relationship. Unity between brothers and sisters is utterly impossible without forgiveness being extended just as we have been forgiven!
3) What is the “peace of Christ?” (verse 15)
So often I say that I just need a little bit of peace and quiet…a little respite from the noise and chaos of daily life. But, ladies, is quiet all we need?
Or is it time with Jesus we actually need?
If you’re anything like most women these days, you have a thousand things on your to-do list every day. Have you put Jesus at the top?
Or do you hit the ground running and work as hard as you can to do it all in your own strength? I have to admit that I most often fall into the second category. Then, at the end of the day, I am exhausted. Only when my relationship with Jesus is tended and nurtured are the floodgates open for His peace to impact not only my life, but the lives around me.
I need to re-commit to prioritizing my First Love in everyday life that the rest of my life will be in order. Are you with me?
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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!
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Why Dig Deeper?
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Study Tools
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
Memorize It!
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