Colossians
Week 4 – 11/7/10
Monday – Read Colossians 2:1-15
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
1. What do you think Paul means when he says “...as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him...” ? How do you think they received Christ? From what is said in the following verses Paul seems to be indicating that Christ was “all sufficient, all they needed” when they received Him, obeyed the Gospel.
2. What two things does Paul say we should be as a result of our relationship with Christ, verse 7? We should be rooted in Christ and we should be built up, should be growing in our faith in Him.
3. What does Paul say Christians should abound in, verse 7? Why? Christians should abound in thanksgiving. If you focus on your blessings and live with thanksgiving, it will strengthen your walk with Christ.
4. What do you think Paul means when he says “See to it that no one takes you captive...”, verse 8? It is possible for Christians to be taken captive, to be led away from Christ.
5. What does Paul say about philosophy and empty deceit? They are the ways of men and can be used to lead you away from Christ?
6. What point do you think Paul is making when he says that all the fullness of deity dwells in Christ, verse 9? Christ is God and has everything God has. Thus He is all you need.
7. What does Paul state as Christ’s position, verse 10? What do you think that means? Christ is the head over all rule and authority, anyone who has power in this world. Christ is over all.
8. What do you think Paul means when he says “...and you have been filled in Him..., verse 10? You, a Christian, have everything you need in Christ. You do not need anything else to live your life.
9. Why do you think Paul brings up circumcision, verse 11? Circumcision was the sign of the covenant that God made with His chosen people. Since Christians are the new “chosen people,” they need to be sealed, have the sign of the covenant.
10. Thought Question – Paul speaks of the possibility of Christians being led away from Christ through philosophy and empty deceit, verse 8. What would be some practical examples of philosophy or something deceitful that new Christians might accept to help their life? Anything that someone pitches as being something you need for a fulfilled life would be what Paul is talking about. Things like some particular man’s method of meditation or something like the New Age Movement are things that imply a person does not have all they need to live successfully just being a Christian.
Prayer: Ask God to help you always remember that Christ is all you need to be what He wants you to be.
Tuesday – Read Colossians 2:1-15
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
11. What do you think is Paul’s point when he speaks of a “circumcision made without hands,” verse 11? This circumcision is not something that man does.
12. What do you think it means to put off the body of flesh, verse 11? You consider your old self with all its evil desires dead.
13. How does Paul say you “put off the body of flesh,” verse 12? In Christ in baptism.
14. What else does Paul say happens to you in baptism, verse 12? You are raised with Christ through faith.
15. Why do you think Paul includes the point that God raised Christ from the dead, verse 12, in this discussion? Christ is the firstfruits of those raised from the dead. If He were not raised, you are not raised.
16. How does Paul say God made you alive, verse 13? By forgiving your trespasses.
17. What do you think is the “record of debt,” verse 14? It was a written note of what was owed, in this case the record of the death we were due because of our sin.
18. What do you think were the legal demands of the record of debt, verse 14? The record of debt is what you owed. You owed your life, were sentenced to death because the penalty of sin is death.
19. What do you think is Paul’s point when he says Christ nailed the record of debt to the cross, verse 14? This is the way a posted bill, record of debt was shown to be paid. A nail was driven into the face of the record or bill that had been posted.
20. Thought Question – Why do you think the “rulers and authorities” are brought into this discussion, verse 15? What did God do to the rulers and authorities? They are the ones who are trying to led people away from Christ. God put them to open shame through Christ.
Prayer: Thank God for paying your debt to sin in Christ Jesus.
Wednesday – Read Colossians 2:16-23
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
21. Why do you think verse 16 begins with “Therefore”? The action Paul call for Christians to take is based on what has happened to them when they were baptized into Christ. Because they are now in Christ, no one can judge them on any other basis.
22. What do the things Paul list in verse 16 represent? The law of Moses.
23. What does Paul mean when he says these things, verse 16, were a “...shadow of things to come...” verse 17? All of the ceremonies and festivals of the Law of Moses were just a shadow of the real things that were revealed in Christ.
24. What do you think it means when it says “...but the substance belongs to Christ,” verse 17? The actual fulfillment, or purpose of those Old Testament ceremonies and festivals is in Christ.
25. How does Paul say someone could be disqualified from Christ, verses 18-19? By doing other things, like practicing asceticism or worship of angels as a means of salvation.
26. What body do you think Paul is speaking of in verse 19? Christ’s body, the church.
27. Thought Question – Do you think verses 16 through 19 are teaching that a Christian can be lost? Why or why not? Yes. When a Christians turns to anyone or anything other than Christ for salvation, they are cutting their self off from Christ, saying He is not sufficient to save them. Thus they are lost.
Prayer: Ask God to help you remember your salvation is in Christ and that you do not need anything other than Him.
Thursday – Read Colossians 2:16-23
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
28. What do you think are the “elemental spirits of the world” referred to in verse 20? These were the rules, regulations of the world that they were using to control their behaviors before they came to Christ.
29. What do you think “...with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world...” verse 20, means? You recognized they were only temporary measures and your power to overcome fleshly indulgences is in Christ so you stopped using them.
30. What do you think the “do not handle, do not taste, do not touch” is making references to, verse 21? The regulations of the Law of Moses.
31. Why do you think Paul would say those regulations, verses 20-21, have the appearance of wisdom, verse 22? Because they in fact do give temporary victory over the indulgences of the flesh. However, they are based on your will power, your own self will to do those things and eventually your self will will fail and you will engage in the things you were trying to overcome again.
32. Thought Question – Why do you think Paul says that these regulations, verse 20-22, have no value in stopping the indulgences of the flesh? If in fact you did not handle, taste or touch something, that would control your using it, wouldn’t it? They do give temporary control over the indulgences of the flesh but only Christ can give you the power to change your heart, your desire for those things. God is not into trying to get your to stop wrong behaviors. He is into changing your heart so you no longer will desire to do wrong behaviors.
Prayer: Thank God for the areas where He has given you the victory by changing your desire for things that were wrong. Ask Him to help you see all the areas where you need your heart to change and to trust in Him, as you walk by faith, to give you the victories in these areas.
Friday – Read Colossians 3:1-16
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
33. What do you think “...raised with Christ,” verse 1, means? When you were born again through obedience to the Gospel in baptism, you were raised to a new life and that life is in Christ.
34. What do you think “the things that are above...” verse 1, means? Those are the things of God.
35. What do you think it means to “...set your mind..., verse 2? You have control over your mind; you determine what you want to think about.
36. What do you think it means “...your life is hidden with Christ in God,” verse 3? Not only is your old life, the life of sin hidden, covered by Christ’s blood, you new life is also covered by Christ’s blood.
37. What does Paul say will be the result if you set your mind on the things above, verse 4? You will be glorified with Christ when He returns.
38. What do you think the phrase “put to death...” verse 5, means? This implies that you have the power to control your actions, to stop doing wrong things through Christ.
39. What does Paul say is your relationship with sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, verse 7? These things used to be a part of your life, some of the behaviors you practiced. Now you are putting them to death.
40. What do you think verse 11 means? God regards all men the same in terms of salvation.
41. Thought Question - What do you think is the different between your “old self” and your “new self”? Your “old self” was condemned to die because of your sins which you did not have the power to control. Now, your new self has power in Christ to do the right things and will be glorified with Him when He returns.
Prayer: Thank God for your forgiveness in Christ Jesus.
Saturday – Read Colossians 3:1-17
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared from you during your study.
42. What does the phrase “put on then...”, verse 12, imply? This is something that you can, and must do with Christ’s help.
43. In verse 12, Paul begins to give specific instructions about the areas where these new Christians were struggling in their new life in Christ. What was the primary problems they were having? It appears their problems were with relationships within the body, their local congregation.
44. Why does Paul say we must forgive others? Because God has forgiven us.
45. What does Paul say is God’s desire for the body, verse 15? To have perfect harmony.
46. What does Paul say will be the result of the peace of Christ ruling in your heart, verses 15-16? You will teach and admonish others, sing spiritual songs and hymns and give thanks to God for others.
47. What do you think the phrase “...do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus...” verse 17, means? By His authority and through His power.
48. Why do we give thanks to God through Jesus? Because He is our intercessor. He appears in the presence of God for us with our requests.
49. Thought Question - What do you think “...love binds everything together in perfect harmony” means? When the motive for everyone’s actions is love, everything will come together just as God planned.
Prayer: Pray for your church, your body in Christ.
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