Before It Gets Better – 10 | Colossians 3:1–17

This reflection concludes the series by emphasizing that the Christian life begins with the identity Christ has already given His people rather than with their own efforts to earn it. Drawing from Paul’s teaching, it encourages believers to let their obedience flow from the new life they have received, learning to live each day in a way that reflects who they already are in Christ.

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“May the Lord bless you and keep you — and may His presence guide you this week.”

Transcript

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Today I'm reading Colossians three, verses one through ten. Since you've been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven and not the things of earth, for you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you'll share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don't lie to each other, for you've stripped off your old sinful nature and its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In another great example of order, before Paul tells the Colossians to set their minds on things above, before he speaks about putting old ways behind them or clothing themselves with compassion, kindness, and love, he begins with Since you've been raised with Christ. Paul could have started with the commands, there's plenty of them in this chapter. Instead he begins with something his readers already possess. Their identity isn't something they're striving toward, it's something they've already been given. Every instruction that follows grows out of that opening sentence. Paul isn't asking believers to become someone they're not. He's inviting them to live in a way that reflects who they already are because of Christ. It's easy to fall into thinking that the Christian life begins with trying harder. We imagine that if we can just become more patient, more forgiving, or more loving, then we'll finally begin to resemble Jesus. Paul tells the story in the opposite direction. Because you've been raised with Christ, because your life is now hidden within him, because Christ is your life, now live from that reality. The gospel never asks us to build a new identity through our obedience. It gives us a new identity and then patiently teaches us to grow into it. Before Paul ever tells us what to put on, he reminds us who already wears the name of Christ. Before I close in prayer, here's a question to wrestle with. Am I trying to earn the identity Christ has already given me, or learning to live from it? Father, thank you that my identity is not built on my performance, but on what Christ has already done. Teach me to live each day from that truth, allowing my actions to reflect the new life you've given me.