C+C University District CG Discussion Guide
Text: Colossians 3:1–11
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Summary
Christian obedience begins not with a self-improvement plan, but with a new identity.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Summary
Christian obedience begins not with a self-improvement plan, but with a new identity.
In Christ, believers have died, been raised, and are hidden with Him in God. This means the old self no longer defines us, our future is secure, and Christ Himself is now our life. The Christian life flows from union with Jesus: because He died and rose, we put sin to death and walk in newness of life.
Colossians calls believers to a whole-life response to the Gospel. We put off what belongs to the old life, including sexual sin, greed, anger, slander, and lies. We put on what reflects Christ: compassion, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness, and love. This is not moralism; it is the Spirit-empowered life of those who already belong to Jesus.
This new life is never meant to be lived alone. The church is called to teach, admonish, forgive, and bear with one another in love. God forms His people through personal devotion, intentional community, gathered worship, cheerful generosity, and courageous mission.
Because Christ is all and in all, every part of life becomes worship: our holiness, relationships, money, work, words, and witness. The Gospel that saved us is also the Gospel we carry into the world with clarity, grace, and urgency.
Key Takeaways
- Identity before activity - Christians obey from their union with Christ, not to earn acceptance from God. We are called to live out what is already true of us in Jesus.
- Put off, put on - The Christian life includes both killing sin and growing in Christlike love. God's grace does not leave us unchanged.
- Together for mission - Believers need personal devotion, real community, gathered worship, generosity, and Gospel witness. The church is God’s people formed by the Gospel and sent with the Gospel.
What are some identities, labels, or roles that most shape people’s choices today? How does a person’s sense of identity help or hinder real change?
Reflection Questions
- How does Colossians 3:1-4 describe the believer's identity in Christ?
- Why is it important that Christian obedience flows from who we are in Christ rather than from trying to earn God’s approval?
- What does it mean to "put to death" what is earthly in us?
- What habits or rhythms help you grow in personal devotion to Jesus? What habits or distractions tend to pull you away?
- Which "put off" or "put on" command in Colossians 3 feels most pressing in your life right now?
- How can you discern what sacrificial giving looks like without falling into guilt, comparison, or legalism?
- What part of this passage could open a natural conversation with someone who feels lonely, anxious, or unsure of who they are?
Practical Applications
- Put one sin to death - Name one specific pattern from Colossians 3, confess it to God, and invite a trusted believer to help you fight it with Gospel hope.
- Move toward community - Take one step this week to be known or to get to know someone else. What can next steps look like for you or for a friend to be more plugged in to community?
- Practice cheerful generosity - Review your giving, spending, and desires before the Lord, and choose one way to support Gospel ministry or care for the church family.