In Colossians 3, Paul turns from doctrine to practical living. Having shown that believers are united with
Christ in His death and resurrection, he now urges them to live out that new identity in everyday life.
He begins by saying, “Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where
Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (v. 1). Believers are called to fix their minds on eternal things
rather than earthly ones because their lives are now “hidden with Christ in God” (v. 3). When Christ
returns, they will appear with Him in glory (v. 4).
Paul calls them to put to death their old sinful nature — things like sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil
desires, and greed (v. 5). These belong to the old self, which was part of their former way of life. Anger,
rage, malice, slander, and filthy language must also be stripped off (vv. 8–9). The reason: they have “put
on the new self,” which is being renewed in the image of the Creator (v. 10).
In this new identity, all human divisions fade away — there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or
uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free — “but Christ is all, and is in all” (v. 11).
Paul then describes what should clothe the new self: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and
patience (v. 12). Believers are to bear with one another and forgive as the Lord forgave them (v. 13).
Above all these virtues is love, which binds everything together in perfect unity (v. 14).
The peace of Christ should rule in their hearts, and gratitude should overflow in their lives (v. 15). The
word of Christ should dwell richly among them as they teach, admonish, and worship together in song (v.
16). Whatever they do, they should do it in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God (v. 17).
Key Themes
1. New Identity in Christ
Believers have died to their old lives and have been raised with Christ. Their identity is now
rooted in Him, not in their past or earthly status.
2. Putting Off the Old, Putting On the New
Christian growth involves intentional transformation — putting off sinful habits and attitudes, and
putting on Christlike character through the Spirit’s power.
3. Christ-Centered Living in Every Relationship
The gospel transforms how believers relate to others — in marriage, family, and work. Every
action is to be done “in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Main Point 1: Set Your Mind on Things Above (vv. 1–4)
Summary:
Paul begins by reminding believers that they’ve been raised with Christ — they have a new position and a
new perspective. Their focus should no longer be on earthly things but on eternal realities, because their
life is now “hidden with Christ in God.”
Key Idea:
Your focus determines your formation.
Practical Takeaways:
● Refocus your priorities. Evaluate what dominates your thoughts and schedule — career, comfort,
or Christ?
● Start your day with eternity in mind. Ask, “What would it look like to live today as a man who’s
already been raised with Christ?”
● Live with hope. Your true life is not defined by what’s visible now, but by what will be revealed
when Christ returns.
Main Point 2: Put to Death the Old Self (vv. 5–11)
Summary:
Paul tells believers to get ruthless with sin. The old life — sexual sin, greed, anger, filthy speech —
belongs to who we used to be, not who we are now. Christ has broken those chains.
Key Idea:
You can’t live the new life while protecting the old one.
Practical Takeaways:
● Make war on sin. Don’t manage it, kill it. Set boundaries, confess honestly, and pursue holiness
with other men.
● Trade old habits for new disciplines. Replace lust with love, anger with grace, and greed with
generosity.
● See others through Christ’s eyes. In the new self, there’s no hierarchy — every person is equal at
the foot of the cross.
Main Point 3: Put On the New Self (vv. 12–17)
Summary:
Now that we’ve put off the old self, we must put on Christlike character. Compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness, patience, and forgiveness are the new uniform of a follower of Jesus. Love is the belt that
holds it all together.
Key Idea:
The new life isn’t about perfection — it’s about direction, moving toward Christlikeness daily.
Practical Takeaways:
● Clothe yourself with Christ daily. Start your day by asking, “What does love look like in my home,
my workplace, and my church today?”
● Let peace and gratitude rule. Refuse to live in bitterness — be a thermostat of peace, not a
thermometer of chaos.
● Stay rooted in the Word and worship. Let Scripture and song shape your heart so that whatever
you do, you do it “in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Colossians 3:1–17 is a call for all to live resurrected lives — to fix their eyes on Jesus, to put sin to death,
and to clothe themselves with His character.
Colossians 3:18–25 — Christ at the Center of the Home and Work
Context: Paul has just finished teaching about putting off the old life and putting on the new (3:1–17).
Now, he applies that new identity to the most important relational environments:
● The home (marriage & parenting)
● The workplace (bondservant/master dynamic)
Paul is showing that the Lordship of Christ is not just a church thing — it is meant to shape the hidden,
daily, ordinary parts of life.
Passage Summary
1. Wives and Husbands (vv. 18–19)
● Wives are instructed to “submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”
This is not inferiority or silence — it is voluntary, intelligent, Christlike cooperation within God’s
design for marriage.
● Husbands are commanded to “love your wives and do not be harsh with them.”
The emphasis is on self-sacrificial love, modeled after Christ. The husband’s authority is not
about dominance, but about responsibility, gentleness, and servant leadership.
● See Ephesians 5:21-33.
Key Truth:
Biblical leadership is not control — it is carrying weight for the good of others.
2. Parents and Children (v. 20–21)
● Children are to obey their parents because it pleases the Lord and reflects divine order in the
home.
● Fathers (and mothers by implication) must not “provoke” their children—meaning:
○ Do not crush their spirits through harshness.
○ Do not discourage them with impossible standards.
○ Do not lead through shame, anger, or emotional distance.
Key Truth: The goal of parenting is not obedient behavior but healthy, loved, Christ-rooted hearts.
3. Work and Service (vv. 22–25)
Paul speaks to bondservants (the closest NT parallel to modern labor/work responsibilities).
They are to serve with sincerity, not only when watched, because:
“You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Likewise, masters are reminded elsewhere (4:1) that they have a Master in heaven.
Key Truth: Your work is worship. God sees. God rewards.
Important Teaching Points
1. Jesus Transforms Relationships
The gospel doesn’t just save souls — it reshapes households. Where Christ is Lord, love replaces
selfishness, humility replaces pride, and forgiveness replaces bitterness.
Takeaway: If your Christianity doesn’t change how you treat the people closest to you, it’s not the
Christianity of Jesus.
2. Biblical Authority Is Responsibility, Not Privilege
Husbands are not told to demand submission — they are told to love like Jesus, which means:
● Initiating reconciliation
● Leading spiritually
● Serving sacrificially
● Protecting emotionally and physically
Takeaway: If a man wants to be the head of the home, he must first be willing to be the first to apologize,
the first to forgive, the first to sacrifice.
3. Everything Is Done “Unto the Lord”
Whether in marriage, parenting, or work:
The audience is God. Not people.
This gives dignity to hidden or uncelebrated responsibilities.
Takeaway: You don’t work for your boss, your wife, public approval, or success — you work for
Christ, who sees and rewards.
Summary Statement
Colossians 3:18–25 teaches that the gospel is lived out most clearly in the home and the workplace.
If Christ is truly Lord, He will be seen:
● In how husbands love and how wives submit
● In how parents disciple
● In how workers serve
● In how leaders lead
The Christlike life begins not on a stage, but in the living room, at the dinner table, and at work on Monday morning.