The church in Colosse were really in a fix. These believers had heard the gospel and had believed, but there were “teachers” in Colosse who were pushing that in order to manifest as Sons of God in glory, and walk in the fullness of deity they had to keep strict rules of self-denial. Their teachings sounded holy and disciplined: “Do not touch this, do not do that. Don’t put up a Christmas tree, blowing out candles on birthdays is pagan, no wearing black or t-shirts.”.
But thank God Paul cuts through all of this and boldly declares that such regulations and legalistic practices were feeding the flesh mindset, and not helpful to live out the fullness of God. He says that
First, Know You Are Complete and Perfect in Him
He presents the true path: your identity and your location. it begins with knowing that you are complete in Christ, you have been crucified with Christ and you have raised up with Him. Before ANYTHING, understand that you are perfect and blameless in Him1. Also, know that this is an act done by God in the past forever.
Secondly, You Are Dead to the Law and the World Systems
This completeness means you have been crucified with Christ, and the worldly systems that once held power over you no longer apply. You are not mere men(1 Cor 3:3). So that means that you, the believer are supernatural, and you have Christ in you, eternal life, and divine nature, you are not under the law, but you are one with Christ in the spirit.
Thirdly, Have the Heaven-perspective
From this foundation, we are called to set our minds on things above. Remember in the movie Bruce Almighty where Jim Carrey takes the position of God, and he has all the power, but he focusses on the wrong things, and doesn’t have the heaven perspective. That’s exactly what Paul is saying here. Get the heavenly perspective. Use what God has given you to make changes in your city, among people. Dispel darkness with the power of God and authority of God, and move powerfully in this earth, rather than just focussing on arning money, achieving a perfect life on earth, or ensuring comfort and security for your family? This means deliberately thinking, pondering, and aligning our thoughts with heavenly realities—those related to God.
However, the Colossians spent their time pursuing spiritual fulfillment through rules and rituals that seemed holy but were ultimately focused on earthly systems. Even today, we see people spending countless hours trying to get a special anointing, and more power, double portion not realizing that THE PORTION, Christ is in them, and hence they spend all their efforts on themselves.
Paul’s message is revolutionary: stop striving to “get there” because you are already in Christ, seated at the right hand of God, endowed with His authority and power. The question is not how do you reach God? but rather, how do you live out His will on earth with what you already have? (Read about how Lester Sumrall walked in this perspective).
Fourth, Let Christ Appear Through You
If you master the first three points and renew your mind to them, you will know that you are complete and perfect in Christ, dead to the law and the world systems. Instead of striving or focusing on “getting there,” you will adopt a heavenly perspective to help others. At this point, read Colossians 3:3-4, which says:
“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
The “life” Paul refers to here is Zoe life—the eternal essence of God. Paul says that this eternal life is hidden with Christ in God. The greek word for hidden is where the word encrypted comes from. Christ is encrypted in you, and then Paul says:
When Christ, who is your life, appears (revealed), then you also will appear with Him in glory.
When you reveal Christ in your life, you appear with Him in glory, and your glorified life shines with Christ, bringing glory to God. This is not only a future event; it happens when you actively manifest Christ through your actions in the natural realm.
Making Christ Visible
Now the significant question- How do we make Christ visible in our daily lives? Paul provides the answer. Renew your mind to the first 3 points and live it out.
- Renew Your Mind: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
- Put on the New Self: “…and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:10).
Renewing the mind means you are thinking like God. As Curry Blake, the overseer of JGLM Ministries says “Your Mind Is Renewed To The Degree That It Dictates Your Daily Actions!”. For great teachings on how to renew your mind check here. This transformation allows us to reflect Christ in everything we do, revealing His life and glory to the world.
Now, look at these two verses and get a whole new meaning to it.
“which is Christ in you, the hope (expectation) of glory.” Col 1:27
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom 12:2)
Conclusion
Paul explains that God’s purpose is for us to be revealed in glory, walking in the fullness of God—not through self-denial or a performance-driven mindset, but through the revelation of God within us.
Footnotes
- This is why Paul spends the first 3 quarters of his epistles to tell us who we are. ↩︎
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