Husbands Love Your Family Series

#9~Col.3:9-21 HUSBANDS LOVE YOUR FAMILY 1-19-14

9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

The old man is all that a person was before being saved, his worldly thinking and sinful acts.-- But now that we're saved lets not bring reproach on Jesus our Saviour, He said in Jn.14:6 "I am the ... truth."

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10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

~Put off all those old habits, just as you would discard an outworn suit of clothes which no longer fit you. -- The more a believer knows and understands the things of God, the more he will reveal a Godly character and conduct.

--- Paul calls the believer to a deeper obedience, he tells us to bridle our tongue (as did James in James 1:26.

~ Because the new man is renewed in knowledge he is always hungry to know more about what God says in His Word. -- We have a desire to understand it.

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11Where there is neither Greek [gentile] nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Barbarians were considered a lower class of people because they couldn't or didn't speak the Greek language. --

Scythian; people were known for their cruelty, an un-civilized people, and were regarded by the ancients as standing extremely low in intelligence and civilization.

~ The new man is part of a family, which favors no race, nationality, or class of any people. -- It only favors Jesus, because in this new family, Christ is all and in all. ~~~ This work of the new creation not only deals with the old man, but gives us the new man patterned after Jesus Christ; it also breaks down the barriers that separate people in society. ~~ A barrier is something used to close an opening. ~~

~ Among new creation people, it doesn't matter if a person is Greek or Jew or circumcised or uncircumcised or a Barbarian or Scythian or a slave or a free man.

~~ All those barriers are broken down. --- All sort of barriers existed in the ancient Roman world; and the power of God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ broke them all down.

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~In verse 13 we learn that Paul is talking about believers, forgiving believers.

12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, (holy and beloved,) bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

"Put on", means to take on, or assume certain virtues and qualities. --- "Bowels of mercies" means heartfelt compassion.

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13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

"Forbearing one another" means to, make an effort to put up with things we dislike, and try to get along with people who disagree with us. --- Christians can disagree without being disagreeable.

The word "forgiving" is much like the word grace, and means to bestow favor unconditionally.

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14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. ~Above what things? -- bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 -- Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another,

The phrase "bond of perfection" ~ makes us think of a "prison chain or bond" which is described as leading to Christian maturity. --- The love produced by Christ constrains, restricts, or forces Christians to love and serve one another.

~~ "Charity" is love, here called the bond of perfect -- ness, -- [Charity - Love] -- completes the list of virtues required for perfect-ness or spiritual maturity. As a "bond" it binds all other virtues together in harmony and unity.

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15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

"The peace of God" is the harmony and ability, created by God* to get along among His people. ~ It is to rule. ~ This means, to act as an umpire who makes decisions in an athletic contest. ~~ "let the peace of God rule in your hearts" means, that when believers are at odds with each other, whatever the course of action may be best to maintains peace and harmony, is the course to be taken.

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16Let 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.

~~ This is the only time the phrase "the word of Christ" is used in the N.T. Other references refer to "the word of God" and "the word of the Lord." "The word of Christ" refers to the revealed word, whether spoken by Christ or of Christ.