Enjoy   Colossians 2:20-23

Paul confronts the false teaching of asceticism - depriving the body and treating it harshly.  He clearly shows that this form of religion is completely man-made and has nothing to do with God and His Kingdom.  We can enjoy what God has given us but we must always remember that we are just stewards of God’s possessions.

What Do You Desire    Colossians 3:1-4

As Paul moves into the practical living out of our salvation, he starts by laying the foundation for Christian living.  He commands us to set our hearts on things above.  He is telling us that we must begin by changing our desires in life to match what God desires.  We are to discard our desires and to replace them with what God desires.  

Death Penalty    Colossians 3:5-7

Paul continually comes back to the idea of putting the old, fleshly nature to death.  We must choose to live according to God’s commands and this requires a very difficult change in our lives.  Even though we have a new spiritual nature the old physical desires still have a strong hold on us.  We must learn to put them to death.

Good Riddance    Colossians 3:8-9a

If we are truly born again in Christ our old life is gone and has been replaced with new life, the life of Christ.  We are no longer our own but we belong to Him.  This new life brings about many radical changes in us.  In this passage Paul begins to explain this new life and the fact that it requires us to get rid of certain things that are connected to our old fleshly nature.