7 Days in Colossians: Day 5

3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

⁵ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

⁸ But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, ¹⁰ and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, ¹¹ where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

¹² Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. ¹⁴ But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. ¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 



Ok let's start with verse 1.  I really love this mindset. It often makes me think of Phillipians 4:8

Philippians 4:8

New International Version (NIV)

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

This has to be one of the clearest verses to me on how we can become more Christ-like. 
 How often do we forget to take our thoughts captive as unto Christ ( 2 Corinthians 10:5) ?


If we are raised with Christ we should think on things above. Things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.  Do we surround ourselves with these things daily? 
What a difference it makes in a day when we set our thoughts on the things of Christ, the things above as this Scripture says. 

 Next up, Paul tells us things we should avoid. No need to list them, we can all read them for ourselves and determine what they mean in our own lives.  And then... (and then and then and then and then.... Dude, where's my car? anyone?)

He tells us what we should put ON. 

A new man, renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him, who created him. 

Whoa. Hold on. So we are to be made new... by the One who created us.

Then he goes even further and says as the elect of God (aren't we special?) we should show these attributes...

1. Tender mercy

2. Kindness

3. Humility

4. Meekness

5.  Long suffering

6.  Forgiveness

and last (the number of perfection even) but not least.

7.  LOVE

And then he calls it the bond of perfection. There we go.

 So I encourage you today, not only set your eyes and thoughts on those things above. But strive to show these 7 attributes of Christ in your life. 

It's amazing what a heavenly outlook can do for your day!