Human beings all tend to agree that different people have different styles. Different style for dressing, getting work done, schedules, you name it. Lifestyles define a person, because other people can watch that person in action. Clearly the lifestyle of world would be different from that of a Christian. Is wearing a necklace with cross on it, make you a person with Christian lifestyle? Instead of asking the question, what is the lifestyle of a particular Christian denomination, it would be better to ask the question, what is the lifestyle of faith?
The author of book of Colossians is Paul. The book is written around AD 60. The key themes of the book is that faith, love and hope are key to the following of Jesus Christ. In Christ Jesus, we have been offered freedom. But the most amazing thing, is that because of Jesus Christ, Christians can be as in touch with the next world as this one.
Colossians 3:1 “Since you were raised from the dead with Christ, aim at what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Think only about the things in heaven, not the things on earth.”
1. Our lifestyle is defined by whom we are serving
When we forget whom we are serving, our lifestyle takes a worldly tone. A deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ will transform every area of our lives. If we go after a rock star, cinema star or whoever, our language and our attitude will adapt to their behavior.
Hebrews 10:14 “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” The word perfect is very important, it is not going upwards, improving. It is perfect. Have you come to the perfection as those who are being made holy.
vs.3 Your old sinful has died and your new life is kept with Christ in God.
2. Put all evil things out of your life (v.5)
In order to maintain a lifestyle, we will have to avoid or remove certain things in your life. A combination of Elvis and Justin Beiber lifestyle would likely get ridicule for you. We all have sense , at least most of the time to use a good set of clothes when we go outside our home. Once we are saved through Jesus Christ, the old man should die. Let us find out what are the things that we need to keep out to maintain a lifestyle of faith.
v.5. "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:"We may not do the first item. How about the rest? If we do not put out these evil things, we are serving a false god.
v.8 "But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth."
v.11 Christ is in all believers, and Christ is all that important. What is the most important thing in your life, defines your life style?
3. Always do these things (v.12-15)
We have to do certain things always to maintain a certain lifestyle.
"12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 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."
4. Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord
- Your new life with other people.
The fundamental building block is a cell. A healthy collection of cells, translates to a healthy body.
v.18 “submissive wife - means to stand under leadership of husband” It means the wife is to willingly to abide by decision of husband in matters of home and family”. In life, there will always be exceptions. We know of Deborah the prophet in the old testament, who led Israel to victory. This is to exercise intelligent leadership in a marriage.
"22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;"
This verse also has the word slavery (in some versions) and many atheist folks use it to say, God supports slavery, which is not true. Slavery was part of the societal system at that time. If slaves were not addressed, then society as a whole would not be addressed. We can see that Onesimus, a slave came to Jesus Christ and was considered a brother in equal standing with other believers.
5. Preach the secret that God has made known about Christ (v.3)
" For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."
If there is a secret that brings financial gain, people will try hard to know that. You might have heard about insider trading. Using confidential information of companies to get gain on stocks at the expense of other stock holders.
Where our heart is, there will be our treasure. The amazing thing about our treasure, is the more we share and more people have it, the more it is our gain in heaven. Isn’t that amazing? If you lead many people to Jesus Christ, you will shine like stars in the heavens.
We know the secret that God has made known? Jesus Christ.
When it comes to our position before God, we’re perfect, When he sees each of us, he sees one who has been made perfect through the one who is perfect-Jesus Christ
Is your relationship with Jesus noticeable by your words? Ask God for vocabulary that reflects love for others without any bitterness or hate.
6. Becoming like Christ
Are you feeling refreshed in the Lord” Acts 3:19 “19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,”
What is inside your heart? Romans 5:5 “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Washed, sanctified and justified - 1 Corinthians 6:11 “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. At Cana, the vessels that were outside, were used for a miracle, there status has changed. Our status has also changed, or should be changed. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, let tonight be the night, you will accept Christ.
A deposit, guaranteeing, what is to come? 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 “1 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
Suffering for doing Good- 1 Peter 3:8 “8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.”
