BE THANKFUL

(A Bible study for Thanksgiving, 2011)

Colossians 3:1-17

Key Verse 3:15-16

[15] Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

This book is one of the Apostle Paul's prison epistles. In this book Paul emphasizes the supremacy of the Christ, being supreme in all aspects of the life that is filled with joy and thanks. 

Although the Thanksgiving Day comes many remain unthankful. Most likely the situation might have been the same with the believers in the day of the Apostle. 

As a shepherd for them, the Apostle sets forth key conditions for the life of thanksgiving (like, set your hearts and minds on the things above, put to death that which  belongs to earthly nature, etc.)

Think about the thanks topic(s) described in vs. 1-4. What do "things above" refer to?  What does 'set' mean? How is the heart different from the mind? Why is it necessary for one to set one's heart and mind on things above?

** Above refers to the things that are true of the domain where Christ is now seated at the right hand of God. [Read 1:12-13.]

** Set - primarily this word means here finality, so one would not oscillate between different states of mind or heart. 

** Heart is the innermost sanctum where God is capable of residing. Mind is like a chamber or a room leading to the heart. This design is seen in the way the Lord's temple was set up, that is, the holy of holies vs. the holy place. 

** It is necessary for the Son's Kingdom represents the source of life, from which stem all blessings such as joy, peace, and all other blessings.

 

Read vs. 5-11. What does this passage indicate about the reasons why many still live a life that is NOT thankful to Lord?

** The exhortations like 'put to death', 'rid yourself of', or 'do not lie to each other' indicates that the life here on earth in a physical body is subject to the conflicts between two dominions (of darkness and light as in 1:13), so that unless one chooses to remain in the Lord, one will has no other choice than the choice to live in darkness where the primary characteristic of man's life is that of ingratitude. 

Read vs. 9-11 again explain:

1) the difference between old self vs. new self;

2) 'is being renewed' in knowledge in the image of its Creator; and

3) Christ is all, and all in all.

** The origin is different that is, the first Adam vs. the last Adam. 

** The word 'renewed' presupposes that man is on the receiving end, whereas God is the on the giving end. The phrase 'in knowledge' refers to "cause" that is the truth vs. lie for the devil deceived Adam and Eve into the life of darkness where it is impossible for one to give thanks to God. The term 'in the image' refers to the 'consequence' [or end result], for although God created man in his image, due to the fall of man, he ended up bearing the image that is less than who God is, rendering himself to be like animals or less than animals.

** "Christ is all" = "all" one needs to overcome the cause and arrive at the purpose God desires to fulfill. 

"Is in all" refers to the way for us to see all who are in the Lord, that is, a member of the body of the Lord, so that there is no Korean or American but one ethnicity (if you will) that is, a new creation that belongs to Christ. 

This is important for a meaningful thanksgiving celebration, for when the relationship among the members of a church like Downey UBF goes sour, it is impossible to be fully thankful to the Lord. 

Read vs. 12-14 and compare the exhortations described in this passage with the ones found in vs.5-11. How are these exhortations related to the life that is thankful to the Lord?

** The former (5-11) talks about 'negative' (in the sense of what we are called to STOP doing) injunctions, whereas the latter (12-14) describes what we need to do positively. Salvation is always from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of the Son's life, love, and light. 

And it is only in the son of God, Jesus Christ that one can be truly to the Lord. 

Read vs. 15-17. What further admonitions (or conditions, if you will) can you find here for the life that is thankful to the Lord?

** Four more but of the four, the call to "be" thankful (or Giving" thanks to God the Father through the Son seems to be primary. This indicates that we cannot be thankful in our natural state. We need to know what God has already done through the Lord, and make conscious efforts to go by these admonitions. Then we can be thankful. 

The end

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