Living the Gospel: A Reflection on Colossians 3:1-17

Paul's exhortation in Colossians 3:1-17 is a rich guide for Christian living, rooted deeply in biblical understanding of union with Christ, sanctification, and the transformative power of the gospel. Three imperatives stand out in this passage: seek the things above, put to death what is earthly, and put on the virtues of Christ. Each command flows from the believer's position in Christ and calls us to a new way of life.

Seek the Things Above

Paul opens with a striking call: "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things" (Colossians 3:1-2). This is not mere religious idealism but a call to live in light of a new spiritual reality. Believers are united to Christ in his death and resurrection—our lives are "hidden with Christ in God" (v.3).

To "seek the things above" means to orient our affections, priorities, and thinking toward Christ's kingdom. It is a mindset shaped by the gospel, not by earthly concerns, achievements, or anxieties. This heavenly focus is not escapism; rather, it grounds us in the reality that Christ reigns and that our true identity and hope are found in him. In practical terms, this means that our daily decisions, relationships, and ambitions are to be filtered through the lens of Christ's lordship and our future glory with him.

Put to Death What Is Earthly in You

Paul moves from identity to action: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). This "mortification of sin" is not a call to self-reformation by human effort, but a response to the reality that we have died with Christ to sin's dominion.

The language is uncompromising. Paul does not call us to merely suppress or manage sinful behaviors, but to "wipe them out, completely exterminate the old way of life." This includes both overt sins (sexual immorality, greed) and relational sins (anger, malice, slander, filthy language, lying). The power to do this comes not from ourselves, but from our union with Christ and the indwelling Spirit. As John Owen famously wrote, "Be killing sin or it will be killing you."

This process is ongoing. The "already" of grace means we are free from sin's penalty and power, but the "not yet" of sanctification means we must daily put off the old self and its practices. The gospel provides both the motive and the means: we fight sin not to earn God's favor, but because we have already been accepted and transformed in Christ.

Put On Then...

Having stripped off the old, Paul now commands us to "put on" the new self, which is "being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator" (Colossians 3:10). This is the positive side of sanctification—clothing ourselves with Christlike virtues: "compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience... Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity" (vv.12-14).

These virtues are not self-generated but are the fruit of the Spirit, evidence that we are God's chosen, holy, and dearly loved people. The imperative to "put on" is grounded in the indicative of what God has already accomplished in us. The Christian life is not about earning a new status, but about living out the new identity we have received in Christ.

Paul's vision for the church is a community marked by forgiveness, love, peace, gratitude, and worship (vv.13-17). This new way of life transcends social and ethnic boundaries—"Christ is all, and is in all" (v.11). Every word and deed is to be done "in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (v.17).

Conclusion: Living Out the Gospel

Colossians 3:1-17 calls believers to a radical, gospel-shaped life grounded in these foundational truths:

• We seek the things above because our life is hidden with Christ.
• We put to death what is earthly because we have died and risen with him.
• We put on Christlike virtues because we are God's chosen people, already holy and loved.

This is not a call to self-improvement, but to gospel transformation. As we set our minds on

Christ and rely on his Spirit, we become what we already are in him—new creations, living for his glory in every aspect of life.