100922 Document for Praxis Class Meeting

Colossians 3:5-17, Title: New Self

1. Word Prayer (All): “Therefore put to death your members that are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil passions, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (verse 5). God, thank you for making us children of God through the redemptive grace of Jesus. Even though we are born again in Christ, we confess that sexual immorality, uncleanness, lust, evil passions, and covetousness still live in us. Holy Spirit, give us the power to help us kill all these things and cut them off completely. Even though we are new born again people, our actions still contain anger, rage, malice, slander, shameful words, and lies. Holy Spirit, enlighten our eyes so that we can see our shame and lead us to repent. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

 

2. Icebreaker: What are the good things about going to church? Let's share.

 

3. Singing(Hymn): assigned by leader

 

4. Reading the scripture: Colossians 3:5-17

 

5. Understanding the Text:

Looking at the text, the old man is mentioned in verse 9 and the new man in verse 10. These two actually refer to one person. Before I believed in Jesus, I call myself the old person, and the person who received Jesus and was born again is called the new person. A new person who is born again is called a Christian. A Christian cannot be called a new person if he still has the image of the old person. The Christian, the new man, is a man specially chosen by God from the world, and he is not only sanctified, but also abundantly loved by God (verse 12).

The new man who is born again must put to death and cut off the earthly things which are fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil passions, and covetousness (verse 5). The original biblical word “porneia” translated as fornication is the root word for the English “porno.” Uncleanness refers to a messy and dirty life. Lust refers to selfish greed that does not take care of the community. Evil desires are zeal for bad things. Greed is the desire to have more. The text describes these things as “earthly things within you (verse 5).” It refers to members attached to an old person. However, these members are like cancerous masses and must be removed so that the whole body can survive. Otherwise, it will spread throughout the body and eventually die. That is why the text commands them "to be killed” (verse 5).

The new person who is born again must take off the anger, rage, malice, slander, dirty language, and lies that belonged to the old person (verses 8, 9). People say “take off” or “put on” when it comes to clothes. Clothes are the most prominent part of our appearance. Anger, rage, malice, slander, shameful words, and lies are also easily revealed in life. If you are a Christian, you must put these things off.

The new person who is born again must be clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (verse 12). Love must be put on top of these (verse 14). In everyday life, a Christian must have compassion, that is, a heart of compassion, mercy to help those in need, humble humility, meekness, that is, a warm and tender heart, and long-suffering. And there must be love in all of these. In the text, the expression “clothe yourselves” (verse 12) is a metaphorical expression that one must have compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, and love so that others can see it. This is the characteristic of those who are chosen by God, holy, and loved, that is, those who are saved (verse 12).

The old man within us breaks and divides relationships, but the new man restores the broken relationships, brings peace, and makes us one body in Christ (verse 15). The new man not only restores human relationships, but also achieves reconciliation with God. Worship is restored by the new man. The new man longs for the word of Christ, learns and teaches one another, and sings psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to praise God (verse 16). Having been matured in the life of faith, whatever he does or says, the new person within us does in the name of the Lord Jesus, always giving thanks to God (v. 17).

 

6. Questions for Understanding:

6.1. As a Christian, what must we put to death (verse 5)?

6.2. What do we need to get rid of as Christians (verse 8)?

6.3. What should a Christian wear (verse 12)?

6.4. Who is a Christian (verse 10)?

 

7. Questions for Application

7.1. What did I realize in today's study? What words do you think are most important to you?

7.2. What is my spiritual state right now? What is my prayer lists now?

7.3. What do I need to cut off or put off in my life?

7.4. As a Christian, what do I need to wear more?

 

8. Prayer(add your prayer lists):

God, Jesus died on the cross once and for all, bearing the sins of all mankind. Help us, who became Christians by accepting Jesus, to cut off our sexual immorality, uncleanness, lust, evil desires, and covetousness at once, just like Jesus did. Even though we are Christians who have become children of God, our lives reveal anger, rage, malice, slander, shameful words, and even lies. God, help us to put off all these things as a new person born again through the love of Jesus. Rather, please change us into a new person who lives with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and long-suffering clothed with love. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

 

9. Praise/ Announcements/

 

10. End with Lord's Prayer