colossians 3

Read Colossians 3 at Bible Gateway.

Col 3:1-25 chiastic structure:

1a) Col 3:1-9, The affections of the children of obedience and disobedience;

1a.1) Col 3:1-4, The risen with Christ set their affections on the things above, appearing with Him in glory;

1a) Col 3:1a, If you then be risen with Christ;
1b) Col 3:1b, Seek those things which are above;
central axis) Col 3:1c, Where Christ sits on the right hand of God;
2b) Col 3:2, Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth;
2a) Col 3:3-4, For you are dead + your life is hid with Christ in God/ When He appears, you shall also;

1a.2) Col 3:5-9, Put off that for which the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience;

1a) Col 3:5a, Put to death earthly members;
1b) Col 3:5b, Fornication, uncleanness, improper affection, evil appetites, covetousness/ idolatry;
central axis) Col 3:6-7, “Because of these things the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience: in which you also once walked, when you lived in them;”
2b) Col 3:8-9a, Put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy talk of your mouth, lying;
2a) Col 3:9b, Seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds;

1b) Col 3:10-15a, Put on the new man, as the elect of God, holy and beloved;

1a) Col 3:10a, And have put on the new man;
1b) Col 3:10b, Which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him;
central axis) Col 3:11a, “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free;”
2b) Col 3:11b, But Christ is all, and in all;
2a) Col 3:12-15, Put on mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, forbearance, charity;

1a) Col 3:12, Put on, holy + beloved, mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
1b) Col 3:13a, Forbearing with one another + forgiving one another;
central axis) Col 3:13b, If any man have a quarrel against any;
2b) Col 3:13c, Even as Christ forgave you, so also do you;
2a) Col 3:14-15, Above all put on charity/ let the peace of God rule in your hearts;

1c) Col 3:15b, And be thankful;

central axis) Col 3:16, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly/ teaching + singing with grace;

2c) Col 3:17, Whatever you do in word or deed, do in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to the Father;

2b) Col 3:17-23, What wives, husbands, children, fathers, and servants are to put on;

1a) Col 3:17, Whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus;
1b) Col 3:18, Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fitting in the Lord;
1c) Col 3:19, Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them;
central axis) Col 3:20, Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord;
2c) Col 3:21, Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged;
2b) Col 3:22, Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
2a) Col 3:23, Whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

2a) Col 3:24-25, The reward of the children of obedience and disobedience;

2a.1) Col 3:24, From the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance;
2a.2) Col 3:25, He who does wrong shall receive wrong’s recompense without partiality.

We learn that the things we set the affections of our hearts on, are the things we will do in word and deed. Words and actions do not come from thin air, but they are produced in the heart, the “production room” if you will, of each person. Therefore, the central axis: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. It is something we allow or do not allow, our choice. If we were to honestly look at our lives, and see there a struggle with improper affections or appetites, or anger and filthy talk coming out of our mouths, we can change it by changing what we let our hearts dwell on. If we set our affections on the things of the earth, then we will produce the wrong for which God has stored up wrath, without partiality. No one will escape it because they are members of the right church or affirm the right doctrine. But if we let the word of Christ dwell richly in us, setting our affections on the things above, then we will produce those things that receive the reward of the inheritance of the children of God, the children of obedience. ♥