Colossians 3:8-15

[Hidden In Him]

Defeating The Spirits Of Division, By Putting On The New Man

                 


     Many interpret our next passage as if it is talking about "putting on the new man" individually, but this is because it is not being taught correctly. As we shall see, Paul was actually talking about entire congregations putting on Christ collectively, but it bears mentioning at the outset here that the reason most Christians don't see this is because they don't operate in genuine supernatural gifts, which in fact was the basis for the entire teaching. In New Testament times, congregations manifested Christ supernaturally. Today, many congregations can indeed be rightly said to be "a body of believers," but they are not truly "the body of Christ" in the same sense. As a result, the expression is now little more than an empty phrase as opposed to a spiritual reality, which makes the proper interpretation of passages like this and the recognition of what is actually being said more difficult. But when Paul was bringing up "the new man" here, he wasn't talking about individual Christians becoming "new men." As the context bears out, he was clearly talking about the congregation at Colossi becoming "one new man" in Christ:

     But now, also put off all these: Wrath, indignation, malice, blasphemy, and foul language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his practices, and have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto [exterior] recognition in accordance with the image of the One having created Him, where there is no Greek and Jew, no circumcision and uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, slave or freeman, but Christ is all and in all. Put on therefore, as the chosen of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, bearing with one another and forgiving each other. If any man should have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. And add unto all these love, which is the bond of perfectedness. And let the peace of God serve as arbitrator amongst your hearts, unto the which you were also called in one body, and be thankful. (Colossians 3:8-15)

     Regarding "the new man," Paul stated here that it was being "renewed unto recognition," or in other words, changed into an exterior image that was "in accord with the image of the One having created Him, where there is no Greek and Jew, no circumcision and uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, slave or freeman, but Christ is all and in all." Thus, the new man Paul is referring to here was Christ's spiritual body at Colossi, which He was manifesting Himself through. This is why Paul likewise ended with the words, "And let the peace of God serve as the arbitrator amongst your hearts, unto the which you were also called in one body."
     So what then was the purpose of becoming one new man collectively in Christ? As Paul informed them, the reason for putting on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, forbearance and forgiveness was that a body should build itself up in love, rather than tearing itself down through strife. Thus he urged that they "put off all these things: Wrath, indignation, malice, blasphemy, and foul language out of your mouth." The purpose of putting on Christ's attributes was to avoid becoming consumed with bitterness, resorting to anger and malice, and potentially even using foul language and taking God's name in vain. Demonic spirits goad us to do such things, and they are constantly working to play divide and conquer with Christian congregations and ministries. The intent is to not just prevent believers from unifying as a body, but if possible to get them to so badly grieve the Holy Spirit so deeply that His Fire becomes extinguished among them. This is why Paul also warned the Ephesians not to "give place to the Devil":

     Be angry yet sin not. Let not the sun set on your provocation, neither give place to the Devil... Let no foul word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for edification when needed, that it may bestow grace upon the hearer. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by which you were sealed till the Day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and indignation, and wrath, and shouting, and slander be removed from you, together with all malice. (Ephesians 4:26-31)
 
     Paul's answer to the potential of this happening was for the congregation at Colossi was to "put on" the full character of Christ, i.e. all His attributes and gifts. They had already put on Christ in receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, but now their job was to put on all of His attributes collectively, so as to walk fully in the fruit of the Spirit and no longer allow evil spirits to manipulate them:

     But now, also put off all these: Wrath, indignation, malice, blasphemy, and foul language out of your mouth... seeing that you have put off the old man with his practices, and have put on the new man... Put on therefore, as the chosen of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, bearing with one another and forgiving each other. (Colossians 3:8-12)

     As we shall see, fully putting on all the attributes of Christ involves prayer, as does putting on the supernatural gifts, and without them the entire analogy of the church being "Christ's body" falls apart, and becomes nothing more than a theological construct rather than a reality in the life of the church.


The Body Of Christ: Without Gifts, It's Just A Metaphor

     Do we hear much teaching on the church being Christ's body today? Usually it's only in passing, or half-heartedly, because most are only using the expression as a means to teach that the membership of their church should get along. But the spiritual realities that lay behind this teaching were more powerful than this, for central to the teaching was the entire body operate in supernatural gifts. Paul's teaching was that when all the members of a church body were operating in genuine gifts, all would have importance and value in the work of God, with every member knowing beyond question that Christ was truly present in the congregation, and in the membership both individually and collectively.
    This was the heart of his teaching in 1st Corinthians 12:

     There are diversities of executions [of the gifts], but it is the same God executing them all within all. And there is being given unto each a manifestation of the Spirit to be of benefit. For to one the word of wisdom is being given by the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to a different one faith in the One Spirit, yet to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit... For by the One Spirit we also were baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or freemen, and we were all made to drink one Spirit... And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you." Or again, the head cannot say to the feet, "I have no need of you." But rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are greatly necessary. And those members of the body we suppose to be more dishonorable, upon these we bestow a more abundant honor, and those among us who are disrespectable have a more abundant respectability, while our respectable members have no need. But God has integrated the body together, having given more honor unto those who are inferior, that there might not be divisions in the body, but that the members might show the same concern for one another. (1 Corinthians 12:6-9, 13, 21-25)

     This is also what Paul was referring to in Ephesians when he urged the congregation there to attain to the full measure of the stature of Christ. By this he meant that the congregation would fully manifest all that Christ is, through the fruit of the Spirit, but also through the full compliment of spiritual gifts:

     And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the purpose of equipping the saints for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ, until we all might attain to the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ… so that holding the truth in love, we all might grow up into Him in all things Who is the Head, Christ, from Whom the whole body, being fitted and joined together by every joint that supplies, according to the measure of activity in each part, produces growth of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:11-13, 15-16) 

     Again, the use of the analogy was to teach that churches were to manifest the full stature of Christ, not just in theory but in reality through the full manifestation of the gifts, so that the whole body might engage in the edifying of itself in love, and true spiritual growth through the Spirit of God operating within each member.
     This is precisely what the Corinthians were doing during their services:

     What is it, then, brothers? Whenever you may come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks with a tongue, let it be by two or the most three, and in succession, and let one interpret. And if there is no interpreter, let him be silent in the church, but let him speak to himself and God. And let prophets speak two or three, and let the others discern. And if anything should be revealed to another sitting by, let the first one be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and be exhorted. (1 Corinthians 14:26-31) 

     Notice that again in this context, and regarding yet another congregation, there was mention here of operating in diverse supernatural gifts; tongues, interpretation and prophecy. How is a congregation truly being the body of Christ if they do not manifest His gifts? God is the same, yesterday, today and forever, and our Lord still possesses all these supernatural gifts today. So for those who believe Him to be God, how is a congregation truly a manifestation of Christ's supernatural body if they are not manifesting His gifts?


Fruit, Gifts And Attributes Are Put On With Prayer

     So how are His gifts and spiritual attributes actually "put on" by a church? Through prayer. This is evident in many passages, some of which most do not suspect are actually discussing it. For instance, when Paul talked about "putting on the whole armor of God," he was teaching the very same thing, and the closing verses of this passage key the reader in on how prayer was actually the means by which they were to do so:

     Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the strategies of the Devil, because we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against [spiritual] authorities, against the world rulers of this dark age, against the spirits of wickedness in the heavens. Because of this, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having subdued all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having girded your waist about with the truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped your feet with the readiness of the gospel of peace. Above all, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the wicked one. Also, through all prayer and supplication, receive the helmet of deliverance, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying in the Spirit at all times, and remaining wakeful unto all perseverance and supplication so as to pursue this same need for all the saints, and for me, that in the opening of my mouth with boldness there may be given unto me utterance to make known the mystery of the gospel. (Ephesians 6:11-19)

     How were the helmet of deliverance and the sword of the Spirit supposed to be received and put on? Paul stated clearly here that these were put on "through all prayer and supplication," and if this is how these pieces of armor were put on, then the rest were to be put on the same way. What were the other pieces of armor? Righteousness, Truth, Faith, and the Readiness to Evangelize. These were all what might be adequately termed the manifold attributes of Christ, and two (Righteousness and Faith) were specifically listed elsewhere in scripture as fruit of the Spirit:

     And this I pray, that you love may increase more and more in all recognition and intelligence, for you to approve the things that are excellent... having been filled with the fruit of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:9-11)

     But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
 
     No surprise then that we see Paul mentioning putting on several of these same things to the Colossians in our present passage:

     Put on therefore, as the chosen of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, bearing with one another and forgiving each other. If any man should have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. And add unto all these love, which is the bond of perfectedness. And let the peace of God serve as arbitrator within your hearts, unto the which also you were called in one body, and be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15)

     The same is clearly true of the supernatural gifts. In 1st Corinthians 12 through 14, Paul urged some within the congregation there to pray for greater gifts than simply the ability to speak in tongues. Both prophecy and the gift of interpretation of tongues were more valuable to the congregation, because they spoke to the intelligible minds of those present rather than simply speaking unto God:

     But be zealous for the greater gifts, and I will show you a way according to excellence... pursue love, and be zealous for spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophecy.... since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, be zealous that you may abound unto the edification of the church. Wherefore let the one speaking in a tongue pray that he may interpret, for if I pray in a tongue my spirit prays but the understanding is unfruitful. (1 Corinthians 12:31, 1 Corinthians 14:1, 1 Corinthians 14:12-13)

     So as stated, this is the means by which the church being Christ's spiritual body on earth will become a reality once again. We must be zealous for the spiritual gifts that we are willing to pray for them, and fast for the as well if necessary until we receive them. When the full array of Christ's supernatural gifts manifest in the churches, the result will be that we again begin to recognize ourselves as His true spiritual body, not in name or theory only, but as a reality. When this happens it will become much more natural to use the analogy once more without it simply being hypocritical religious talk, and we will fully recognize the analogy again when it was being used in scripture and for what reasons. Satan will always attempt to stir up quarrels, but the Spirit of forgiveness will again be present. Demons will always attempt to create contention, but the peace of God, rather the fruit of peace, will become our Arbitrator, and speak in divine utterance to correct and discipline whenever necessary, which will lead congregations to speaking thanksgivings unto God rather than cursing one another and even blaspheming God. This is what Paul urged the Colossians to do. By uniting as one body in Him, they would avoid quarreling and backbiting, and defeat the spirits of division that were attempting to operate among them, and quench the fires of the Holy Spirit from operating.

     If any man should have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. And add unto all these love, which is the bond of perfectedness. And let the peace of God serve as arbitrator amongst your hearts, unto the which also you were called in one body, and be thankful. (Colossians 3:13-15)