THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS The verb “ cometh” is in the present tense denoting progressive or continu ous action, and the thought is that this wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience every day (as we all see about us on every hand); hut furth ermore, His final and culminating wrath (cf. 1 Thess. 1:10, R. V.; Rom. 2:5, 8; 5:9, R. V ,; Rev. 6:16) is now on the way, and so it can be said, it “ cometh” (is coming) “ upon the sons of disobedience” (cf. Eph. 5:6 and Notes). Those to whom Paul was writ ing had formerly “ walked” and even “ lived” in these awful practices (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9-11). FRIDAY, Dec. 6. Col. 8:8-11. While those to whom Paul was writ ing in Colossae had formerly “ walked” and “ lived” in the awful practices detailed in v. 5, “now,” by their accept ance, of Christ and by their consequent identification with Him in death and resurrection, everything was entirely changed (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17), and there fore they must “ put away all these” -— “ anger” (i. e. settled anger), “ wrath” (i. e. quick, outbursting anger— the word translated “ wrath” here is not the word translated “ wrath” two verses above. The word translated “ wrath” in v. 6 is the same as the word trans lated “ anger” in v. 8), “ malice,” “ rail ing,” “ shameful speaking” (i. e. foul- mouthed abuse) “ out of your mouth.” Have we “ put away all these” ? Further still, they should “ not lie one to another.” A Christian should never lie to anyone, but a lie to a fellow Chris- tion is especially incongruous in the Christian life (cf. Eph. 4:25). Christ is “ the Truth” and Christianity makes no compromise with falsehood. All lying is a positively damning sin (Rev. 21: 8). The reason here given why we should not lie one to another ife that we have “ put off the old man” (td which lying belongs) with his doings (practices, of which lying is a prom inent one) and have “ put on the new man.” “ The old man” is all that we are in our unregenerate state, “ the new man” is that which we become by the re generating power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Tit. 3 :5). The figure to “ put off” and “ put on” is a figure taken from putting off and putting on one’s garments: the “ old man” is that with which the unre generate man is clothed, the “ new man” is that with which the regenerate man is clothed. This “ new man” is “ being
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renewed unto knowledge (full knowl edge) after the image of Him that created him.” Note carefully that we are here taught that the process of renewal is a continuous process, “ being renewed.” One is born again in an instant by the impartatioh of the Divine nature, but as a result of this instan taneous act a process of renewing goes on continuously day by day, as we behold the Lord Jesus and at each new looking at Him are made more and more into His likeness (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18). Day hy day we come into a fuller knowl edge of God and are being made more and more like God. The image and like ness of God in which man was originally created (Gen. i:2 7 ) 'is evidently not so much a physical likeness as an intel lectual and spiritual likeness, a renewal “ unto knowledge.” In Eph. 4:24 we are told that the likeness of God in which we are recreated is “ in righteous ness and holiness of truth.” As man was originally created in the linage of . God, so in regeneration we are recrea ted in that image. In this new life into which we are created in Christ Jesus, all natural distinctions disappear, “ there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scyth ian, bondman, freeman.” So far from there being any longer these natural distinctions of Greek and Jew, circum cision and uncircumcision it the new life, “ Christ is all things and in all,” i. e., Christ is in every believer and so Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncir cumcision become nothing, but “ Christ is all things.” SATURDAY, Dec. 7. Col. 3:12-14. In vs. 5-11 we have had set before us, the practices which are not in keeping with a life now “ hid with Christ in God” and soon to be “ manifested with Christ in glory:” in vs. 12-16 we have before us the practices which are in keeping with such a life. As believers in Christ and thus identified with Him in His death and resurrection and com ing glory, we are “ God’s elect, holy and beloved.” The “ beloved” here means “ beloved” of God. “ As God’s elect, holy and beloved” we should put on the garments that befit our position. These garments are (1) “ bowels of compassion.” The Revised Version translates it more elegantly and mod- ernly but not as literally and express ively, “ a heart of compassion.” Which ever translation one takes, the thought is the same, and that is, the one who is
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