By Matthew Ritchey
Happy New Year to the readers of
Wisconsin Christian News! Last year we started a study on the wonderful book of Colossians. We are going to continue our study by looking at Colossians 3:16-17. Before we do, it is important to keep in mind that this all starts with the identity and work of Christ and the believer’s blessings in Him - we have complete, full, blessed salvation from the moment we place the entirety of our faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. In our last few articles, we have touched on some things that should not be part of our lives and some things that should be part of our lives because we are a new creation in the Lord Jesus Christ.
While this section of Colossians (3: 5-17) begins with the individual’s willingness to live a life pleasing to the Lord, this section has the corporate Body of Christ (God’s special group of believers in today’s Age of Grace) in mind. The corporate Body is referenced directly in verses 10-11 and 15. The phrase “one another” is used four times, and the plural “hearts” is used in verse 15. Long story short: the individual is to take care to behave in this way for the corporate good of the Body of Christ. Corporately, we are to display compassion, generosity, humbleness, meekness, longsuffering, supporting, and forgiveness; all bound together with love. Peace is to rul ...
