Colossians 3:9-11
by Dr. Grant C. Richison
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Colossians 3:9
"Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man
with his deeds."
The last of the six sins God wants us to put off like a dirty garment is
lying.
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"Do not lie to one another"
A lie is an attempt to communicate what is false with the evident purpose
of misleading "What I say is true; I belong to Christ and I do not
lie" (Ro 9.1). The Greek term involves more than simply telling what
is not true, for this could occur without an intent to deceive or mislead.
Lying, therefore, involves not only the communication of a falsehood but
also the intent to deceive.
Lying destroys trust. It violates truth and love.
PRINCIPLE: A lie misleads causing distrust; the cross restores broken relationships.
APPLICATION: How can we reconcile untruth with the Truth himself? If we
operate in untruth we misunderstand the relationship between the God of
truth and the Christian life.
The profound change at our new birth changed the nature of the Christian's
life. This is more than some surface change; it is a radical change of
orientation to life. Conversion should change our relationships with people.
People should learn to trust us better because we know Christ.
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"since you have put off the old man"
The figure of the "old man" is common in Paul's writing (Rom.
6:6; Eph 4:22). It means the whole unregenerate life. This life came from
Adam and therefore has corporate associations. We put away our old life
and received a new life in Christ. This transformation causes us to embrace
the cause of Christ. We therefore renounce lying and commit ourselves to
the truth.
The words "put off" mean to take off or strip off clothing --
to undress, to disrobe, stripping off. "He stripped off the clothing
of the rulers and authorities and made them a public spectacle" (Col
2.15). This term is used in 2:11 as well. In both 2:15 and 2:11 it refers
to the effects of the cross. This word is an intensive double compound
(stronger than "put off" of verse 8). This word carries the idea
of "strip off from oneself."
The Greek indicates that this stripping off from oneself took place at the
cross. That is where the great change took place. This principle is the
basis for all spiritual life in the New Testament. God never exhorts us
to crucify self. God wants us to utilize the crucifixion of Christ in our
conflict with sin. This is the reason we are not to lie.
The words "old man" refer to what belongs to the past, i.e., the
believer's former self before his conversion. It is old because it has
been superseded by that which is new (Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9). "Old
man" is an idiom for our former person life -- the old or former pattern
of behavior. This is in contrast to a new pattern of life given to us in
Christ. God wants us to rid ourselves of the old life before Christ (Eph
4.22). The life in the old man is an obsolete mode of life because the
Christian has new life in Christ.
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"with his deeds"
The word "deeds" denotes a doing, transaction, a deed -- the action
of which is looked upon as incomplete and in progress. "Deeds"
is function, implying sustained activity and/or responsibility. We have
stopped acting upon our old life and we start acting upon our new life.
PRINCIPLE: The basis of putting off the old life is the cross.
APPLICATION: There is negative point of view in Christian living -- we
must "put off from" ourselves the deeds of the flesh. Our former
outfit was the old corporate self derived from Adam and his sin. This "hand-me-down"
from Adam pulls our spirituality down.
Jesus gave us a clean life by the Cross, a whole new suit of clothes. God
does not want us to clean the "hand-me-down" clothes. He wants
us to divest ourselves from them and "put on" (v.10) a whole new
set of clothes.
Colossians 3:10
"And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according
to the image of Him who created him."
Since we have put away sin from ourselves and engage fellowship with Christ,
this should arm us against sin. This fellowship is based on constructing
an edifice of maturity in Christ.
This verse moves on from the negative ("put off," v.9) to the
positive ("put on").
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"And have put on the new man "
"Put on" means to envelop in, to hide in, to dress. God wants
us to put on the character of Christ. He wants us to insinuate ourselves
into the new man (Rom. 13:12,14; Gal. 3:27; I Cor. 15:53,54; Eph. 4:24;
6:11).
The "new man" is the regenerate person. There are two Greek words
for "new." One means new in species. This is not the term here.
This term means new in point of time. If a Christian has allowed sin to
dominate his life, he loses the spiritual edifice of his soul. The way
to rebuild this edifice is through putting on the new man by renewing knowledge
according to the standard of Christ. When we put on the new man we are
building an edification complex in our soul.
PRINCIPLE: God wants the Christian to "put on" his new way of
life. Conduct needs to conform to new status.
APPLICATION: Every believer is a new man (II Cor. 5:17). We are new because
we hold the same status that Jesus does before God. We are new because
we possess the life of Christ. We are new because of our position before
God.
As of the moment of salvation, we are a new man regardless of our maturity.
Yet this passage goes beyond our newness in Christ. This passage deals
with development into the character of Christ (Gal. 4:19). This is the
application of the Word of God to experience.
The first step in experiencing maturity in Christ is confession of known
sin. Our sins have already been judged by Christ on the cross. Our sins
can no longer hinder us from advancing toward maturity. Two important dimensions
are involved here: 1) principle -- we understand what Christ did for our
sins as Christians and 2) the application of that principle (I Jn. 1:9).
When we do this we put on the new man. When we judge the "old man"
by the cross the "new man" is made operative.
We put on the new principle which is constantly renewed. When we put on
the new man there is constant renewal based on confession. The idea is
really -- refreshed. We constantly renew ourselves like drinking a cool
drink of water when very thirsty We must constantly drink to refresh our
spirituality (Eph 5:26; Jn 7:37-39).
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"who is renewed in knowledge "
The word "renewed" means to cause something to become new and
different, with the implication of becoming superior. It means to make
new, to renew, to cause a change to a previous, preferable state. This
word comes to mean to restore, to bring back, to make new, not in the sense
of recent but different. This is the renewal of spiritual power.
A Christian who enters into a pattern of sinning goes into reverse in his
Christian development. This is done through going negative to thirst for
the Word of God. Once we go into a pattern of retrogression the believer
deepens in propensity to sin. When we do this we turn to sin as a substitute
for fulfillment.
An ignorant soul cannot live the Christian life (Prov. 19:2). God works
upon our behavior by renewing our knowledge. The "new man" needs
renewal of knowledge. The Greek word here is knowledge that we experience.
It is not enough to leave knowledge in the cranium. Once we apply truth
to experience over a number of applications we begin to mature again. At
some point our maturity will reach an edification complex.
"Is renewed" is present tense. Day by day victory over sin rests
upon renewal in knowledge. We need daily renewed knowledge of Christ, as
opposed to heretical teachings (Heb. 6:4-6).
"Yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day" (2 Cor 4.16)
-- the daily renewal of "the inward man" (in contrast to the physical
frame), i.e., of the renewal of spiritual power.
"But be transformed by the renewal of the mind" (Ro 12.2).
"And put on the new self which is made new in knowledge (Col 3.10).
"To be made new in the spirit of your mind," but more accurately,
"to be made new in your spirit and mind" (Eph 4.23).
PRINCIPLE: God wants us to know Jesus experientially and intimately so
that when we enter fellowship with him, God will renew our souls.
APPLICATION: Renewal comes from experiential knowledge (insight, experiential
knowledge, 1:9; 2:2) of Jesus Christ. This revived state comes from a personal,
intimate, deep knowledge of fellowship with Jesus Christ.
Do you have a full, or thorough personal, experiential knowledge of Jesus
Christ. Have you experience knowing Jesus as the apostle Paul did (Phil.
3:10)? Do you have enough discernment about Jesus Christ to know his mind?
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"according to the image of Him who created him"
"Image" involves the two ideas of representation and manifestation.
God made man originally in his own image before Adam sinned (Gen. 1:27).
Sin defaced that image by sin (Gen. 9:6). However, God renews that image
by Christ's work on the cross.
The New Testament uses "image" in a number of senses:
o of the descendants of Adam as bearing his image, 1 Cor. 15:49,
o each a representation derived from the prototype, of subjects relative
to things spiritual, Heb. 10:1,
o negatively of the Law as having "a shadow of the good things to
come, not the very image of the things," i.e., not the essential and
substantial form of them; the contrast has been likened to the difference
between a statue and the shadow cast by it of the relations between God
the Father, Christ, and man,
o of man as he was created as being a visible representation of God, 1
Cor. 11:7, a being corresponding to the Original; the condition of man as
a fallen creature has not entirely effaced the image; he is still suitable
to bear responsibility, he still has Godlike qualities, such as love of
goodness and beauty, none of which are found in a mere animal; in the Fall
man ceased to be a perfect vehicle for the representation of God; God's
grace in Christ will yet accomplish more than what Adam lost;
o of regenerate persons, in being moral representations of what God is,
Col. 3:10; cp. Eph. 4:24;
o of believers, in their glorified state, not merely as resembling Christ
but representing Him, Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 15:49; here the perfection is the
work of Divine grace; believers are yet to represent, not something like
Him, but what He is in Himself, both in His spiritual body and in His moral
character;
o of Christ in relation to God, 2 Cor. 4:4, "the image of God,"
i.e., essentially and absolutely the perfect expression and representation
of the Archetype, God the Father; in Col. 1:15, "the image of the
invisible God" gives the additional thought suggested by the word "invisible,"
that Christ is the visible representation and manifestation of God to created
beings; the likeness expressed in this manifestation is involved in the
essential relations in the Godhead, and is therefore unique and perfect;
"he that has seen Me has seen the Father," John 14:9.
"According to" is a prepositional phrase meaning according to
the standard. God's standard is Jesus Christ. God's purpose is to make
us just like the Lord Jesus. The new man was created to be like God (Eph.
4:24). This is same as the principle of Gal 4:19 -- conformed into the
character of Christ.
One day we will be "like him" (I John 3:2).
PRINCIPLE: God holds up Jesus Christ as the standard to which he wants
us to conform.
APPLICATION: Is your life day by day becoming more like the Lord Jesus
Christ?
Colossians 3:11
"Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised,
barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all."
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"where there is neither Greek nor Jew"
"Where" means "in which state." In Christ there are
no class distinctions.
We must remember that people are not born equal. We have different IQ's,
physical beauty, strength. There is no such thing as true equality in this
life. Members of the human race are not born equal.
Regeneration brings true equality to people. "Where" indicates
our position in Christ. This separates us from religion.
PRINCIPLE: Regeneration brings true equality.
APPLICATION: People are not equal physically, mentally or economically
in this life. Only the gospel can place people on equal footing with God
and others.
Regeneration means new birth. We were born the first time physically.
Subsequently, we need to be born spiritually. Have you had a spiritual
birth (John 3:3,7)? John 3 tells how to receive spiritual birth -- we must
believe that Jesus Christ saves us from our sin (3:16). Are you willing
to be born spiritually today?
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"where there is neither Greek nor Jew"
The terms "Greek" and "Jew" are national differences.
"Greek" -- a person who is a Gentile in view of being a Greek
-- Gentile, non-Jew. The Roman world classified a "Greek" as
a person who participates in Greek culture and in so doing would speak the
Greek language, but not necessarily a person of Greek ethnic background.
A "Greek" was equivalent to a civilized person Greek applied
to such Gentiles as spoke the Greek language, e.g., Gal. 2:3; 3:28 used
in contrast to the "barbarian" (Rom 1:14).
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"circumcised nor uncircumcised"
This is religious difference -- no rite of religion can influence the Christian
life
"Circumcised" are Jews. "Uncircumcised" -- those who
are not Jews.
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"barbarian, Scythian"
"Barbarian" and "Scythian" are cultural differences
"Barbarian" properly means one whose speech is rude, or harsh;
the word is onomatopoeic, indicating in the sound the uncouth character
represented by the repeated syllable "barp;bar." Hence it
signified one who speaks a strange or foreign language (I Cor. 14:11).
The "barbarian" came to denote anyone ignorant of Greek or its
culture, a person not participating in Greek culture and civilization. The
focus is on culture rather than on language (I Cor 14.11). One may render
the contrast in Ro 1.14 as "the civilized and the uncivilized."
"Scythians" were uncultured, nomadic people from north of the
Black and Caspian seas. They were fierce barbarians who scalped their enemies
and used their skulls as drinking cups and offered human sacrifices. They
are taken as a specific representative of the barbarian world.
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"slave nor free"
These are economic or social distinctions (Gal 3:28).
The "slave" in Roman times was not classified in law as a human
being. His master could maim or kill him at his pleasure. The slave had
no rights. He did not even have the right of marriage.
PRINCIPLE: Jesus destroys the walls that divide. All distinctions are void
in Christ.
APPLICATION: The world of the New Testament, as our day, was full of divisions
between people. The Greek looked down on slaves and barbarians and Scythian.
The Greek was the aristocrat of the Roman world and lauded it over anyone
who was not Greek in his culture.
The Jew looked down on the Gentile.
Regardless of the level of culture or civilization, each ethnic group seems
to be able to point to some other group regarded as uncivilized. We cannot
excuse racism on the basis of class or background. Jesus sets aside all
our education, background, nationality and experience.
Jesus breaks down social barriers. Jesus sets aside national, religious,
cultural and social distinctions. God's Word says that there is one place
where everyone is equal and that is at the foot of the cross.
There is no ultimate answer to race problems because of the degeneracy of
the human being. We can legislate rights but we cannot legislate the heart.
Slavery was rampant in Paul's day. In the Devil's world there is no solution
to the inequalities of life. There never will be an ultimate solution to
the social and racial problems except the gospel.
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"but Christ is all and in all"
Christ takes down all walls that divide. There is no difference in condition,
education, circumstance, personality. All stand on the same level before
God.
Jesus made this happen by his cross. All are equal at the foot of the cross.
Whatever we are in other respects, Christ is all to us. God wants us to
center around Christ, not our differences. As our new head he breaks down
social barriers of pride, place and circumstance. Race and culture evaporate
in his presence. Union with Christ wipes out natural distinctions.
PRINCIPLE: Regardless of religion, nationality, culture or economic status,
all Christians should live the transforming life of Christ.
APPLICATION: It comes as a shock to religious people that all they need
to be acceptable to God is the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no need for
catechism, baptism or joining a church. Christ is all we need for salvation.
Moreover, Christ is all we need for the Christian life. We do not get more
of him than we have. He is a person and we do not receive a person on the
installment plan (John 1:16). Since we received new life in Christ we received
Christ fully. All we need to do is learn to appropriate him personally
to our experience (II Cor. 4:10; Phil. 1:20,21).
In our world of division we need to remember that there are no distinctions
in the body of Christ.
Copyright © 1995, Dr. Grant Richison. All rights reserved.
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