BIBLECIA.COM
PRESENTS:
St. Paul’s Letter to the
Colossians
“Increasing in the
incomparable
knowledge of the
Colossians 3:12-14
Christ!”
Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano
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8 Dec. Day 17
Colossians 3:12-14•
12 So,
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12 “So,
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as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against
anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond
of unity.
as those who have been chosen of God…”
• There is no more humbling truth than God’s election.
• The church is forever to remember that we are the elect of God.
• Back in 1:13 he said it like this: “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the
kingdom of His beloved Son.”
• Paul said of himself in Galatians 1:15 that it was God who’d, “Separated him from his mother’s womb.”
• "He wanted to show that his calling depended on the secret election of God, and that he was ordained an
apostle, not because he had fitted himself for undertaking such an office by his own industry or because God
had discerned that he was worthy of having it bestowed on him, but because, before he was born, he had
been set apart by the secret purpose of God." –Calvin.
• If a child is in the stands and his favorite basketball player chooses him to come up and sit by him on the front row,
his esteem for the one who chose him is going to affect his appreciation of the choosing.
• In 2:13 he said, “13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you
alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions.”
• Paul is sure to remind them in this letter of their being chosen of God. He does this everywhere.
• In Ephesians 1:4-5 he jumps off into the letter reminding them: 4 “…He chose us in Him before the
foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us
to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.”
In his second letter to the Thessalonians he says in 2 Thessalonians 2:13: “But we should always give thanks to God for
you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God
Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano
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has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the
truth.”
• 1 Corinthians 1:26-27: “26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise
according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things
of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things
which are strong.”
• In Titus 1:1 (at the start) Paul writes: “Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for
the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness.”
Beloved, if you’re in Christ than God has chosen you from before the foundation of the world.
• It is very freeing to know just how much salvation does not and never did depend on you.
“Holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
• We do this by beholding Christ in the Scriptures.
• We actually “put on” by putting “off.”
• The idea of, “putting on” things in Christ is everywhere in Scripture.
• It’s the Greek word ἐνδύω en-duo and can be used symbolically such as putting on a helmet of righteousness
or literally like putting on a garment.
• I submit to you that such things as kindness, humility, etc., are ours already in Christ.
• We are to, “work out” our salvation with fear and trembling.
• The fruit of the Holy Spirit is not something we receive apart from when we receive Him, so if we
have Him we need only grow in our understanding of what He gives through knowledge and
application of the word in our lives.
• Back in vs. 5 we were told to consider our bodies dead to immorality.
I have to tell you, dear ones, I don’t think this maturing and “putting on” of the kind of things Paul speaks of here is
possible just because of what you want to not be.
Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano
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Repentance is turning from something to something.
When God grants someone repentance it’s to turn them to Him.
• In other words, you have to have something greater.
• You have to have a greater desire or objective in life to truly do this.
Is there a beauty of holiness that informs your worship?
• In 1 Chronicles 16:29 as the ark’s returning to Jerusalem David
delivered a long Psalm and praises God in the hope to, “…worship
the LORD in the beauty of holiness!”
• In 2 Chronicles 20 we see Jehoshaphat pleading with God for
deliverance from Moab, Ammon and Mt. Seir and when God announces
their deliverance from these armies they praise, “The beauty of
holiness.”
• Again in Psalm 29:2 and 96:9 there is the command to worship God in
the beauty of holiness.
• Jesus told the woman at the well of those God is seeking to worship
Him in spirit and in truth. This is truly a worship done in the beauty of
holiness.
There is an expulsive power in new affections.
“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil
speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may
grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” 2 Peter
2:1-3.
Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano
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• Notice the last part: “…if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”
Such character as could truly set aside sin and cleanse the heart is a feat only capable in those who’ve been
regenerated.
• Paul spoke of love as the highest gift in 1 Corinthians 13.
• Though the Apostolic gifts of tongues, healing and prophecy have ceased, this greatest gift did not.
• True love is only achievable in Christ.
• Whatever love non-believers have it is a love which does not love true love.
Holy and beloved is in opposition to, “Sons of disobedience” in vs. 6.
• Mention your class to the youth at ELBC and the labels Christ gives and how they help us gauge our
spiritual lives. Are we comfortable being called:
• Saints?
• Contenders?
• Lights of the world?
• Children of light?
• Elect?
• Chosen of God?
• Here we have, “holy and beloved” as attributes that should describe us.
• These titles (when properly understood) can test our hearts.
13 “Bearing
with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave
you, so also should you.”
• The forbearance of God is remarkable and His patience is actually a form of judgment on the world.
• We must forgive as Christians.
• Mark 11:26: “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Yikes!
• Matthew 18:23-34 has the parable of the unforgiving servant. That parable ends with, “So My heavenly
Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano
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• Forgiving others should be something we jump to do in great joy!!!
Forgiveness, if not utilized, according to 2 Corinthians 2:9-11, is a weapon Satan can use against the church.
• Let us obey this command given and forgive one another just as Christ has forgiven us.
• Bitterness, strife, envy, etc., IAW 1 Corinthians 3:3 are evidences of carnality in a place.
• It is evidence of a church not mature.
14 “Beyond
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all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”
Love is hard!
I think it’s important in this day and age to distinguish between love as an abstract quality and love which comes
from the word.
• Jesus didn’t say, “Father, sanctify them by love.” He said, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”
John 17:7.
• It is that word in its fullness that speaks of precisely what love looks like and upon what love is
based…I.s. truth.
Share the story of the Chinese emperor who had pity on his enemies thus “destroying them” and making them his
friends with mercy.
• That story would mean nothing without the gospel behind my motivation for it.
Love fulfills the law.
To dwell above with the saints we love, oh, tell me of the glory! To dwell below with the saints we know now
that’s another story.
Love does no wrong to a neighbor.
We are to put on love at the pinnacle of things to put on.
• How often do we thank God that we can love others?
• All of these attributes we’re to put on or, if negative, put off are ours already either by virtue of the new birth
or of our flesh.
• How often do we thank God we can love, not like the world, but with a love not ashamed of the light?
• At a wedding this weekend I said goodbye to some folks I love that I may never see again yet
that, “Never see again” has an expiration.
• Someone had to bleed for this circumcision of my heart that allows me to love!
• In Col 2:11 we read about the circumcision we have in Christ not made with hands.
Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano
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In Genesis 17 we have the institution of the covenant of circumcision.
• Circumcision was a symbol of one’s union in the nation of Israel. Expound.
• It symbolized the need of a cleansing of the flesh.
• The adherent had to bleed to receive it.
• Jesus physically bled to purchase this spiritual circumcision.
• In one way in His active obedience to the law on the 8 th day of His life.
• Another way on the cross.
• Jesus had to die so that we could love.
• Follow me:
• Love is only love if it does not stop when the God of heaven and earth walks in the room.
• Playboy mansion “love” stops then.
• Love is an ability given in Christ when we’re born again!
• Jesus had to die and ascend to send the Holy Spirit.
• Prior to the cross He says, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to
your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to
you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7.
• We need to be born again of the Holy Spirit to even call him Lord.
• 1 Corinthians 12:3b: “…no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy
Spirit.”
• We’re commanded to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength as the mother
of all commandments.
• “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and
with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.” Matthew 22:3738.
• Beloved, you can’t even love God unless He dies and circumcises your heart to do so.
• Love is hard.
Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano
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BIBLECIA.COM
PRESENTS:
St. Paul’s Letter to the
Colossians
“Increasing in the
incomparable
knowledge of the
Colossians 3:12-14
Christ!”
Biblecia.com. Colossians Bible Study Notes. FBCH 2013-2014. Joseph Pittano
8