Perspective
( Col. 3:1-7 ; Matt. 12:33-37 ) We are the sum of what we encountered in life and our reactions to life. Being conditioned by life's experiences, we are prone to react to life impulsively and instinctively rather than to respond on the basis of considered judgment. Man's words and manner of speech reveal his inner life, where his focus is, and who and what determines his peace and joy.
We are to set our mind on things above, not below. The issue here is spirituality, the capacity to know, to experience, to respond to God. As we do, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live and to work with Christ-likeness, dealing with our character (inner man) and conduct (outer man).
We are challenged to make Christ the center of our lives. All our faculties and passions (intellect, memory, emotions, will, and love, hope, joy, sorrow) are to be at His disposal and direction.
Hope
( Eph. 2:8-10 ; 2 Cor. 5:17 ) All man has to do is to believe what Jesus did for him on the cross. We were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. Man cannot earn, merit or win salvation. He is to believe, confess, repent and by faith receive the gift of God's grace. His belief places his spirit in union with God's Spirit. Thus, he is empowered to do good works, to bear the fruit of his new nature.
( Col. 1:15-21 ) Christ lives in us to transform us personally. He wants to affect our individual jobs, our families, our communities, and our personal relationships. By faith in Christ and by our obedience Christ will reconcile all things within us: our minds and emotions, and our relationships with others. Thus, making us holy and blameless and above reproach in His sight.
( Eph. 2:19 ; Phil. 3:20 ; Gal. 4:5-6 ; Matt. 12:50 ) We are fellow citizens in a nation created by God. We have been adopted as children of God, and live in the same house with God and His family. Now, we have the privilege and responsibility to render service for the sake of God's family.
Change
( Col. 1:10 ; Rom. 12:10-11 ; Gal. 6:2,10 ) It is not enough to 'know' God's will or to possess wisdom and understanding. We are to put what we know into practice, so that our behavior and conduct reflects that of Christ. We must be committed to be fruitful in every good work and grow into the knowledge of God.
( 2 Tim. 2:19 ; John 10:14 ; Eph. 4:22 ) A person who follows Christ does not live in sin. To become a noble person, it takes purging, cleansing self from behavior that is dishonorable and unrighteous.
( Prov. 14:12 ; Isa. 55:8-11 ; Rom. 12:1-2 ) As a man commits his total life for God's service, he separates himself from the world, the flesh and the devil. He does this by purging himself and renewing his mind from all behavior that is dishonorable, and from teaching that is false and cancerous. Thus, he prepares himself so that Christ may infuse his very being and to use him for every good work.
Work Out Your Salvation (Phil. 2:12-13)
BSAF on Eph. 5:1 ; 2 Thess. 3:6 ; 1 John 2:15-16 .
Examine your life in the light of Col. 3:1-17 . Work out Section A.10, “Change Is a Two-Factored Process” . List all your failures on left side of sheet, and correspondingly what God wants you to do in its place on the right side.