Shalom everyone i'd like you please to turn with me to the book of Colossians in the Brit HaKadasha, in the New Covenant, Colossians chapter 3. We are going to begin today. We have covered already the first two chapters of Colossians, El HaKolosiim as we say it in Hebrew, and we are going to begin today to study from the third chapter of the book of Colossians. Paul, the apostle, his Hebrew name Shaul, is writing to believers in Colossae, whom he never even seen. And he's writing to them, and I'm going to read the first 11 verses of chapter 3. And look what he's saying. If, or better way, since ye then be risen with Messiah, with Christ.

Seek those things which are above, where Christ, where Messiah, sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth, for we are dead, For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Messiah in God. When Mashiach, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, affection, evil desires, covetousness which is idolatry for which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience in the which he also walked sometime when he lived in them but now he also put off all these anger wrath malice blasphemy Filthy communication out of your mouth.

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his desires or with his deeds, and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Well, there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, citizen, bound or free, but Mashiach, Christ, Christos, Messiah, is all and in all. And I stop here with these 11 verses. Now, beloved brothers and sisters, one of the wonderful lessons we learned from the writing of Shaul, Paul is that before he's even talking about practical things he first of all like any good teacher give us teaching doctrine before we are able to practice something it is important first of all that we learn what it means what is the lessons that the teacher has in mind here in the book of Colossians we have four chapters and we have covered the first two chapters and he gave us doctrine teaching after teaching after teaching he told us many things which we have already covered and specifically if you remember what he said for in him this is in the Messiah in Yeshua in Jesus in the Lord Jesus Christ in Him all the fullness of the Godhead dwell bodily the Father the Son Ruach HaKodesh the Holy Spirit all dwelling in the person of the man Christ Jesus he taught the Colossians of the importance of the person and the work of the Messiah which he have done for us you remember.

He also said in chapter 2 ye are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power in other words what he's saying you're not lacking anything when you have the person of Jesus the Messiah the Lord Jesus the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and he has given us all kind of wonderful truths concerning the believer and before he could even speak about practical things he gave us doctrine and teaching and this is very important you see i trust and i believe all of us in this room today can say honestly you don't have to say publicly but in your own heart you can say i know that my sins are forgiven because of what my Messiah my Lord my Savior have done for me when he died for me on the tree.

This is important to know that, first of all, to know that we have been brought into a relationship with the Savior, with the Redeemer, and that we are linked with him, we are connected with him, and we belong to him forever. This is very important to understand. But now he's leading us into some practical things. You know, I'm a believer for about 30 years, believer in my Messiah, in my Lord, in the Messiah. And I know very well from experience, and some are older than I that became believers longer before me. They know it. We know it from experience that it's one thing to know head truth.

Or it's one thing to know doctrine and teaching. It's another story to practice this every day of our life. And what we learn from Paul, he says, listen, I want you to understand what the position that you have in the Messiah and now I'm going to lead you on into the practical aspect of those things and now notice by the way he tells us in these verses verses 1 to 4 5 to 9 and 10 to 11 three things that he teaching the disciples the believers at Colossae number one in the first four verses I want you to be occupied with heavenly things number two in verses five to nine I want you to put to death the earthly things which are wrong that being done in our life and number three be on a daily basis renewed as you're getting to know more of the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

So three things we are going to be talking about at this moment. The first thing is be occupied with heavenly things. Notice I'm reading the first four verses one more time. Since ye have been risen with the Messiah, seek those things which are above, where the Messiah sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God when Christ when Mashiach who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory now notice that the first thing that he does he want and he challenges the Colossians and he's challenging you and I to be occupied with things which are in heaven.

You know, one of the tricks of one of the things that the enemy does to you and I, Satan, the world, and the flesh, you know what he does very well, what these three enemies of the believer do very well? Keeping us so much occupied with earth, so much occupied with here and now, that we don't enjoy the things that God has in mind that belong to the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ in glory, in heaven. And that's what happened to us. You see the television, the computer, the internet, the radio, the billboards on the street, everywhere around, when you look around, you seem to be so much occupied with the things here and now that the believer is no longer occupied with things which are in heaven and what he's teaching us in those verses he says listen be occupied with heavenly things now how does he do it you know what Paul is a great teacher he first gives them facts and then he leads them to the practical things he first gave them notice that i have here four facts concerning you and i concerning the believer and i'm jumping over verse one and two for a moment and i'm talking about verses three and four of Colossians chapter three the first thing he's telling them in verse three a notice that the believer is dead now wait a minute notice what he says verse three for ye are dead Now, wait a minute.

When I read such a verse, he's saying to them, the first part of verse 3, you are dead. You immediately scratch your head. You wonder, wait a minute. I mean, look at us here, this moment, at this meeting. You all look very alive and well. Thank God that you are sitting and breathing and looking at me and smiling and learning for what I have to share with you this afternoon. We are all alive and well here. But you know, he's teaching us positional truth. You know what happened when the Messiah Jesus died for us 2,000 years ago on the tree? He did not only die for our sin and sins, but he died because we are connected with him that we will be dead to sin.

You know, that's what the book of Romans very clearly teaches us. And I'm going to read just a couple of verses from Romans chapter 6. If you just turn there for a second with me. Romans chapter 6, in verse 1, it says this. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid, he says in verse 2 of Romans 6. How shall we, notice that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not that many of us as were baptized into Jesus the Messiah were baptized into his death? Notice, go down to verse 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him.

Now, think with me, beloved brothers and sisters, what Paul, Shaul, is saying in Romans 6, that's like he's saying in Colossians 3, verse 3a, that the believer is dead. Now, that is a positional death. Yes, we are practically alive and well, but positionally, beloved, look what happened when we became believers in the Messiah this old nature had been set aside positionally before God when God looking at us he doesn't look at Gideon with his sinfulness with his old nature he's looking at the believer through the person of the Messiah and when we became believers we are seen through the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah and that's why he's saying number one you have to understand this fact you are dead positionally as far as God's concern that old nature is not recognized you are dead God knows your old nature but he is considering the believer as dead that's why it says here knowing this that our old man is crucified with him you notice when the Lord Yeshua the Messiah he was crucified on a Roman cross they took him there they placed him there between the two malefactors they nailed his hands and his feet to the tree and they pierced his side with a spear they crucified him he was hanging there.

On that cross and ultimately God judged him on the tree for our sin and sins and when he died you remember what he says it is finished he finished the work of redemption God have been the God of Israel have been satisfied the Messiah have died our sin and sins have been dealt with but when you become a believer you and i actually positionally to know that the old man have been crucified with him just the same like he died two thousand years ago the old nature of ours died with him on the tree that's what he's saying Shaul that's what Paul is saying to the Colossians in Colossians 3 verse 3a the first part you have to recognize when the Messiah died we died with him now go back to Colossians please chapter 3 and verse 3b not only that the believer not only that we are dead we died with him but notice in verse 3b he says that the believer is hid with the Messiah with Christ in God notice I'm reading verse 3 again verse 3b after he says for.

Year dead notice he says and your life is hid with Christ with the Messiah in God you know what that is precious to me and i'm sure it is precious to all of us what happened when the Lord Jesus the Messiah died for us and we have accepted him you know that our life is like a treasure that is being hid with the Messiah, with Christ in God. You know what that teaches us, beloved brothers and sisters? That teaches us eternal security. That teaches us that it doesn't matter what happens when we belong to Yeshua, to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, we are eternally secure with the Messiah in God.

It's like a treasure that's been placed in a safe place and has been placed there for protection. We belong to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. And nothing, nothing ever will be able, no one will be able to separate the believer from the love of God. No one will be able to snatch the believer out of the hands of the Messiah, out of the hands of God. No one, nothing will be able. Where we read in the book of Romans again, in Romans chapter 8, who shall separate us from the love of the Messiah, the love of God, which is in the Messiah, Jesus. He's talking about all kind of situations that happen in the life of the believer, but nothing will be able to separate us.

It says, Romans 8, 31, what shall we say to this thing? For if God is for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son by delivering him up for us all, How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to charge against God's elect? Who is he that condemn us? Notice verse 35. Who shall separate us from the love of the Messiah? You know, sometimes you feel lonely and troubled and discouraged. And you see around and you have problems at home. Problems on your Job, problems around us, and your health situation, and everything. Just meditate, beloved brothers and sisters, on this fact that your life is hid, as Colossians 3, 3b says, that your life is hid with the Messiah in God.

You are so precious to Him. You are so dear to him that nothing, no one will ever be able to harm you when it comes to your relationship, to your position, relationship with the Lord. No one will be able to take us away from the preciousness that we belong, that the believer is to the heart of the Messiah. Hid, protected with the Messiah in God, with Christ in God as we have it in verse 3. Your life is hid with Mashiach in God. Now, he's moving on. You see, he's stating facts. He's telling us, the readers today, the Colossians 2,000 years ago, he's telling them those facts.

He says, get a hold of that. You're dead. Your life is hid with Mashiach in God. You are protected. You are saved. You have an eternal relationship with him. Number three, notice in verse four, the first part of verse four, he says, listen, he says the believer's life is now not only safe, not only that he's safe and protected and he has eternal relationship, but he continues, when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. But the first part, first of all, when Mashiach, who is our life, shall appear. Do you know that it's not only that we have safety and protection, but the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, is our life.

Do you know that our life is linked totally with the person of the Messiah? Our life as it says here Christ who is our life that's who the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah is he is our life everything that is linked with us as believers today or all what we are linked with today is with the person of the Lord who is now our life Paul says the life that I now live galatian i live by the faith of the Messiah the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Paul said that in a book of galatian and notice fourthly now i'm reading in verse four not only that the believer is dead not only that the believer is hid with the Messiah in God not only that the believer's life is the Messiah himself but in verse 4b it says that the believer is glorified in Christ, in the Messiah.

It says in verse 4b, it says, when he is going to appear, verse 4, when Christ who is alive shall appear, then shall he also appear with him in glory. Do you know what he is saying to us? That the believer is actually seen as he is glorified with Christ, with the Messiah. When he is going to appear, we are going to appear with him. I mean, this is amazing truth to understand. We cannot grasp it because we're so earthly bound. We're so occupied with here and now me and my problems and my issues and my desires that we don't have the time even to meditate of what positional truth God is teaching us through His Word.

That we are dead. That we that believe in Him, we are hidden in Messiah. We are sheltered. That we have our life linked with Him and that we belong to be with Him in glory. When He is going to appear, guess who is going to appear with Him? All of the believers, all of those that have been sinners, saved by grace. And that's what leads Him to say now, and I'm going back to verse 1 and 2. He says again in verse 1, Since ye have been risen with the Messiah, seek those things which are above. Where the Messiah is sitting? On the right hand of God. By the way, remember, Shaul, Paul, did not have any New Testament when he was writing to the Colossians.

He couldn't say, let me read you Matthew. Let me read you Mark. He was quoting the Tanakh, the Hebrew Scriptures. And where do you think he was thinking about the Messiah is sitting on the right hand of God? Well, how did he know that? He knew it because he read the Psalms. Where God the Father said to God the Son, Sit down on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. You see, when the Lord Jesus finished the work on the tree, after he was buried in the tomb, after he rose from among the dead, God tell him, I'm going to give you a place.

Sit down on my right hand until all your enemies are going to be dealt with. I'm going to put your enemies, going to be the footstool. Your enemies are going to be judged ultimately. And to Lord Jesus, to the Son, he says, You sit down and you see what he's saying to the believers, to the Colossians. You know, Colossians, they were Gentiles, pagans. They came from a pagan nation. They have not known those truths. They had to learn those things. They just got saved. They just accepted the Messiah. They got saved. And here Shaul, Paul, is teaching them truths, doctrines that are important for them as believers to understand.

Look for things which are above. You know what? You have problems. You have issues in your life. You know where the Messiah is? The Messiah is at the right hand of the Father, at the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above and not on things here on this earth. You know, sometimes our affection is in a wrong place. You know, it's nice to be in love and it's nice to have affection, but affection needs to be placed in the right place. The Messiah, the Lord Jesus, is at the right hand of the Father in heaven. And He wants the affection will be towards Him.

To have affection stirred, you know, when you fall in love with someone, you miss that person. You want to be with that person. You want to be with that particular individual, whether it is a bride-to-be or bridegroom-to-be. You want to be with that person so much. Affection is directed towards that person and you can't sleep at night and you can't go without to think about that person that's how the Lord want us to have our affection upon the Lord Jesus affection upon the person and you know what makes our affection stirred when we think again and again of the price that he paid for our sins remember we sang we could not keep the law, we could not fulfill the holy requirements of God.

And what did he do? He sent his son to pay our price, to pay the price that we could not pay. And you know what? It's a love relationship. It's something that really ought to stir up our hearts again and again. But he won't hear the believers to have their affection set on things above. Not here on this earth. Because one day this world is going to end. And even before this world will end, we are going to leave this scene, perhaps at any time. Maybe we're at a meeting, not even going to finish today. And we're going to just even go outside the hall.

And who knows what can happen to each and any one of us. And then we have to leave everything behind. But what he really set before us here, he wanted to set the Lord Jesus, the Messiah who is in heaven, the affection to be stirred towards him. And you see, that's how he started. Paul, Shaul is like this, giving some beautiful teaching facts, and now he's leading us to the practical things in the next verses. Now notice, I'm moving down in our chapter, Colossians 3. And now from verse 5 to 9, he's telling them to put to death their earthly wrongdoings, wrong things. To put it to death.

You notice he's using the word in verse 5, mortify. In other words, for mortify, simply put to death. You remember, in verse 3, he says, you are dead. Now he's telling them in verse 5, put to death. You see the difference between the positional and the practical? The positional is verse 3. You are dead. But God has left us here in this world. God has left us here in this scene, in this world. Now he's wanting us with our affection set on the person of the Lord. Now to move from the positional, to recognize it, and to begin to practice this on a day-by-day routine. So he's telling us, notice what he's telling us.

By the way, he's talking about sensual sins, which all of us, and by the way, don't you think that he's speaking about to unbelievers. He doesn't speak to unbelievers here at all. He's speaking to us as believers. He's speaking to Christians. He's speaking to those who confess that they belong to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. And he's telling us because he knows our hearts. He knows how our nature, the old nature is sinful. The old man is so sinful, we are not better than the unbelievers. We are not better by one iota from the unbelievers outside. And that's why he's speaking to us. He says, listen, put to death, therefore, your members which are upon this earth, fornication, uncleanness, passionate affection, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry, For which things' sake, the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience.

Now just these thoughts. First of all, put to death your members. By the way, you notice that he's speaking about members. With those members, the members of the body that God had given to us to use it in a proper way, are capable to be used in a wrong way. And that's why it's not even possible. Otherwise, unless our affection is on the Lord, If our affection and our thoughts are not on the Lord, we will not have the energy, the strength, the ability to be different than the unbelieving world. And that's why he says, Put to death, therefore, your members which are upon this earth.

Fornication, he mentioned in number one, this is sexual immorality. Then he says to us, uncleanness, speaking about lustful desires and so on, and he's continuing, he's giving us these practical things for the Colossians and for us, evil desires and covetousness, which is idolatry. You notice that including with those things, the sensual sins, using the word covetousness as well. And you know, it is capability that we have as believers to covet things that do not belong to us. It is sins that are creeping into our own hearts and our own mind. This is the way the old man, the old nature that's the makeup of the old nature is sinful and that's why he's saying listen i know that we have those conditions it may happen in the life of the believer but if you are going to be able to put to death those members you must recognize the place that you have in the Messiah and with the Messiah and he giving us that list i mean he's amazing that list and he says in verse 6, you know what?

The wrath of God came upon the children of disobedience because of death. Verse 6, it says, for which things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience. The children of disobedience are the unbelieving world. The unbelieving world are considered here and in Ephesians chapter 2, as it says here, children of disobedience. Those who haven't accepted the messiahship of Yeshua those who haven't acknowledged that they are sinners and that God through the person of the Messiah paid the penalty for their sins they haven't acknowledged what the Lord Jesus the Messiah have done for them well he calling them children of disobedience but the believer have obeyed the word in accepting the Messiah and he's appealing to us he's appealing to the believers to put to death the members which are causing all the wrath of God to fall upon the children of disobedience and beloved you know this is very practical because we know our hearts we know our failure in many many ways we know what we are capable of doing but God having desire to have our affection on the person of the Lord will enable the believer to rise above it.

And to seek to be living for the pleasure of the Lord. You notice he says in verse 7 that we used to walk in that way, in which ye also walked sometime when ye lived in them. You know, the Colossians used to live this type of a life. He's saying to them, you know what, you used to walk sometimes in that in the past before you have acknowledged the person of the Lord Jesus that's the way you used to live but once you have accepted him once you died with him now put in a practical way to death those members and seek to live for the Lord Jesus the Messiah that's what he's saying you see and thank God that there is always forgiveness if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us first John 1 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness God is able through the person of the Messiah through the work that he has done for us on the cross there is forgiveness for sins but it ought not to be characteristic of the believer.

There is a change that had to happen in our lives. But this change can only be obvious as we are setting our affection on the person of the Lord in glory. And so here, now, he is telling them in verse 5, 6, and 7 to put to death these members. Now notice what he does. Not only that we are talking here about what you call sensual sins, There is another type of sins which are called social sins. You know, those sins, perhaps you and I, I don't look at them. You know, if somebody fell into sin morally, we say, ah, ah, ah, what a bad person. But when somebody fall into those next sins that he's going to mention, we don't take it as serious as the other.

And it is amazing how we are. You notice in the next verses, verse 8 and 9, It's not only that we are to put to death those members with regard to the sensual sins, but what about the social sins? Notice verses 8 and 9. But now, ye also, notice he used the word also, put off all these anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another seeing that he have put off the old man with his deeds you notice that these are things that we are what you call social the relationship between you and i you know imagine to be angry at the other all the time can you imagine to have an ongoing basis anger and wrath and malice see this is something that's happening and we know it i mean we know it happening in local assemblies in local churches and fellowships we know that people are angry with one another wrath against the other and malice against the other and they don't intend to forgive or to judge it, to confess it, and to set it aside.

You see, beloved? See, he doesn't say, listen, ah, if you have sexual sin committed, God's going to judge you for that. But if you're angry or have wrath and anger and malice against someone else, that is not so bad. You can carry on and do that. No, beloved, what he's saying here, in addition to the sensual sins, The social sins are just as important to deal with on day-by-day living. And you know, I want to tell you that if you or I harbor anger, wrath, or malice, who do you think is going to lose out? We are going to lose out from our spiritual growth when we have such an attitude towards one another.

Do you know what's happening to a person that is always angry and always have anger and wrath and malice? Do you know that person can never come to a meeting room and enjoy the grace of God? You know, if there's anybody that can be angry with us, if there's anybody who can be just with having anger against us, having wrath against us, we read about the wrath of God coming against the children of disobedience earlier, God has a right to be angry with the sins that even the believers are committing every day. But God does not justify our sins. He does not sympathize with our sins.

The Lord is sympathized with our infirmities. But God wants us to deal with it. To get out of the way. So we can come freely to be in His presence. And we can bow before Him. Knowing that we have failed Him. Knowing that we have done wrong. And yet He forgave us. He paid for our sins. And He brought us back to Himself. He restores my soul. The psalmist says, And you know what a peace it gives you in your heart. When you have dealt with those things and he says, God, if I'm getting angry and if I'm getting malice and wrath, if I'm speaking blasphemy and filthy communication come out of my mouth, God, I want you to help me to set this aside so I can come into your presence clean, forgiven, and i can worship you worship my Mashiach in a right way in a right suitable practical way and you see beloved Paul is very practical he knows that and you know what many times churches local churches local assemblies local fellowship have been divided the ship are scattered people are going around have no place to be in because we haven't learned to deal with each other and haven't learned to be more gracious more conformed to the image of our blessed Lord Jesus the Messiah if we will learn from him if we will set our affection on him it will change us in a practical way.

We will know how to deal with our wives, and the wives know how to deal with our husband, with our children, and the children with their parents. And brothers and sisters in a local fellowship will know how to deal with each other when we set our affection on the person of the Lord. That's what he's telling them here in this passage. And you notice he continues, and you know another thing that is very easily done by us in verse 9, let no one lie to the other, seeing that he have put off the old man with his deeds. You know, not to lie to one another.

Apparently, you know, I mean, those things are written for a reason. Apparently, people are lying one to another. You know, we have to be honest. So quickly we can lie. It's like, you know, it's not a big sin. But you see, what happened when believers began to lie to one another, there is a breaking of the trust. And there is no longer the freedom of sharing and caring. You know, we lose out. You see, he's talking about relationship as we talk, Not so much here about sensual sin, but social sins. Things that can harm relationship. And the truth of the matter is that we fail in that in many ways, many times.

But we can always come back to the Lord and always ask Him to help us in those attitudes. So here we have, here is that fact that He's encouraging the Colossians. Don't be living in such a way. You know, Satan is called a liar in John 8. And verse 44 you know the Spirit of God is called the Spirit of truth in the book of John John chapter 14 the Spirit of God is a Spirit of truth and the devil Satan himself is a liar from the beginning and let's emulate the person of the Lord with the help of the Spirit of God much more than to emulate Satan who seek only to destroy and to cause havoc and so beloved here practical verse one to four, be occupied with heavenly things.

Verse five to nine, put to death earthly wrong doings. Put to death. That takes actively. That means that we're doing it at times, but actively put to death. Actively judge it. Have the help of the Spirit of God to help you to do so. But now next, and that's quickly, I'm going to close with this, verse 10 and 11, be renewed after the knowledge of God, after the knowledge of the Messiah. Be renewed in verse 10 and 11. He says. This, put on the new man, as it says here, which the new man renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him where there is neither Greek nor Jew circumcision nor uncircumcision barbarian thithelian bound or free but Messiah is all in all notice what he's telling them at the end of this section he's telling them to put on or as it says and have put on the new man In other words, you notice it's like putting clothing on.

In earlier, he says, put to death. And earlier, he said in verse 8, put off all this anger and malice and wrath and blasphemy. Now he's telling them, put on the new man. It's like wearing some garments. Putting off the old. Put on the new. You know, we have two natures. The old man is the Adamic nature. That which we inherited from our father Adam. The new nature is a divine nature. It's a nature that links with the Messiah. It's a divine nature. And there is a constant struggle between the two. And we are to put off and to put on. To put off that which is connected with the old and to put on that which is connected with the new.

And that also demands day by day help from the Spirit of God. And so he's saying to them, you know what? You need to put off. And of course, we know that we had once upon a time where we have accepted the Lord. We have really been judged. The old nature has been judged. And we put on this one-time action already. We have had it. But now in a practical way to put on that which is linked with the new man. Which is renewed in the knowledge after the image of him that created him. You know, the new nature, the new man, is renewed after the image of, as it says here, of him that created him.

This is God. So we are to be renewed after the knowledge of God. As we are occupied with the person of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, We are being renewed after the image of God. We become like Him more. We become like the Lord Jesus, like the Messiah Himself. And end this section where it says, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond free, but Messiah is all and in all. Now, let me put an important truth about the last verse we have read today, verse 11. You know, there are three times in the Bible, at least in the New Covenant, the New Testament, where the apostle used this expression, neither Jew nor Gentile, or neither Jew nor Greek, or neither circumcision nor uncircumcision.

In every time we read that passage, it is important to understand the context like i said many times text without context is pretext we must understand the text in light of its context let me read you please two other verses go to the book of Corinthians now please first Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 12 and 13 i'm reading verse 12 for as the body is one and as many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is the Christ, the Messiah for by one spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we are Jews or Gentiles whether we are bound or free and have been all made to drink into one spirit for the body is not one member but many in light of first Corinthians chapter 12 where the apostle is speaking about there is neither Jew nor Gentile nor as it says here no bar nor free what he's saying in context with these verses especially verse 13 is that entrance into the.

Body of Messiah has no distinction of Jew and Gentile or bound or free. All must enter into the body of Messiah under or in the power of the Spirit of God. It is the Holy Spirit of God who baptized, who put under, who put together that one body and every member of the body had to enter in the same way in the power of the Spirit of God. A Jew had to enter this way, and a Gentile had to enter this way. A barnman had to enter this way, and the free had to enter this way. Everyone enter into the body of Messiah one way, is in the power of the Holy Spirit of God, which gives us new nature now go to Galatians chapter 3 and verse 28 listen to what the apostles saying there Galatians chapter 3 and verse 28 I'll read verse 27 first Galatians 3 27 for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, or into Messiah, have put on Christ, have put on Messiah, where, now notice.

Again, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, and there is for all, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Here is again important to understand the text while in first corinthian 12 he says the entrance into the body is for the Jew the same way as it is for the Gentile for the barn it is the same way as it is for a Gentile in galatian he's speaking about the fact that in our positional standing before God the Jew and the Gentile have the same positional standing whether as it says here in there there is no such you think that the Jew is higher than the Gentile, or that the bond is higher than the free, or that the male is higher than the female.

All have the same position in Christ, in Messiah, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Now, mind you, while he said there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female, we know that in practice, they are still male. And there is still female. We are going to the restroom. There is a male washroom and a female washroom. In the body of Christ, in the body of Messiah, God had given to the men to take the leadership in the assembly. And that the sister is not to usurp authority. He gave that in Scripture. Not because the male is better. It is the divine order.

But positionally, the male and the female is in the same position and truth in the presence of God. By the way, it's also saying here, neither bond nor free. In a Roman Empire, when the free men had liberty and freedom that the bond, the one who was slaves, did not have in this earth. Positionally, when the bond becomes a believer, he is in the same position that the free man. The slave is in the same position when he became a believer in Jesus the Messiah. Now, he could not come to his boss and tell him, listen, I became a believer, so I'm no longer bond.

Give me the keys. I'm no longer servant. I'm free. No, he still was a slave. And the free man did not come and say, well, I'm no longer free, now put me, make me a bond, a slave. No, he still was free. But in Christ, positionally, they all enter in the same way, 1 Corinthians 12, by the power of the Spirit of God. And they all have the same position in the body of Messiah, standing before God. Male or female, Jew or Greek, or bond or free, they all have the same position. We have the same thinking here, but with a different context. Text without context is pretext.

What we have here in Colossians chapter 3 and verse 11, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, barbarian, cithelian, bond or free, but Christ is all in all. Here's the third lesson we learn. In the practical outwork of the life of the believer, a Jew need to stop the wrath, the anger, the malice. A Gentile need to stop the wrath, the anger, the malice, the blasphemy. All are need to have this practical walk with the Lord. Doesn't matter who they are. In context here it has to do with in our practical day-by-day walk you cannot say you know what i'm Greek i'm not a scythian i'm free i'm not barbarian or i'm Jewish or i'm gentle i don't need that no every individual had to have as he tells us here to mortify therefore your members which are upon this earth every one of us need to do that by the grace of God now i'm often amazed how people take these verses and take it out of context he says no Jew no Gentile therefore you see you are no longer Jewish because you became a believer in Jesus you are no male or no female therefore you are no male or no female you became a believer in Jesus therefore you are not free or not bound become a believer in Jesus the Messiah.

That is not what the Bible teaches because on earth we are still Jews and Gentiles. We are still bound and free and we are still male or female. And God given us responsibility in this world. But every one of us enter into the body by the same spirit. Every one of us have a position and standing before God in the same position. And every one of us responsible to be subject and to mortify the members of our bodies. Every believer has to do so, as God is enabling us today. So, beloved brothers and sisters, this is the first 11 verses of Colossians chapter 3. Be occupied with heavenly things, put to death earthly desires, earthly things, earthly wrong things, and be renewed after the image of the knowledge of God.

Can you say Amen to that? Amen. Well, we thank the Lord for these verses. May the Lord help us as we study Colossians. We're going to move on to the next verses next time in the will of the Lord, and you will see what a blessing it is to learn from the Word of God.