FIRST QUARTER 2026
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #11
MARCH 14, 2026
"LIVING WITH CHRIST".

 

The passage for the lesson this week, Colossians 3:1-17, starts with, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3, NKJV unless otherwise specified). In these verses and those following, Paul says that Christ is our life, we died with Him, our life is hidden with Christ in God, therefore we must seek those things which are above. The section for study in Colossians chapter 3 this week is divided into two themes. The first verses speak of the old life (1-9), the old man or things on the earth, while the later verses (10-17) speak of the “new man,” the man who seeks “things which are above.” However, before Paul got to chapter three, he covered some important gospel truths. The questions to explore are, how do we become heavenly minded (discussed in Sunday’s lesson)?, and how do we end earthliness (discussed on Monday’s portion of the lesson)? The truth is that both of these characteristics need to occur in the bride of Christ, if we are to live with Christ now and for eternity.

In chapter 1 Paul prays that the saints and faithful brethren in Christ will “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,” and that they may be “strengthened with all might according to His glorious power.” The understanding and the strength were needed in order to appreciate what God had done for them. “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-14). He continues in chapter 2, “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:13-15). There was nothing we could do to save ourselves. A note of indebtedness was against all humanity; the handwriting of requirements was against us and contrary to us. The cross of Jesus Christ changed all of that, and because of the message of the cross, which is the power of God, believers become dead to the appeals of their sinful propensities. Verse fifteen is the greatest news ever. By His cross Jesus Christ disarmed, stripped, principalities and powers. Paul is speaking here of the disarming of Satan, removing him from our affections. Christ triumphed over Satan at the Cross. Throughout Christ’s ministry Satan used whatever means he could—the Jews, the pharisees, the priests, and rulers—to tempt Christ, but in every situation He was victorious. Christ’s victorious life triumphed most gloriously at Calvary and spelled Satan’s demise. Calvary made a public spectacle of principalities and powers “triumphing over them in it.” The onlooking universe, full of intelligent beings, understood.

Ellen White says this:

“The mighty argument of the cross demonstrates to the whole universe that the course of sin which Lucifer had chosen was in no wise chargeable upon the government of God. In the contest between Christ and Satan, during the Saviour’s earthly ministry, the character of the great deceiver was unmasked. Nothing could so effectually have uprooted Satan from the affections of the heavenly angels and the whole loyal universe as did his cruel warfare upon the world’s Redeemer.”^—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 500-501.

“Satan saw that his disguise was torn away. His administration was laid open before the unfallen angels and before the heavenly universe. He had revealed himself as a murderer. By shedding the blood of the Son of God, he had uprooted himself from the sympathies of the heavenly beings. … The last link of sympathy between Satan and the heavenly world was broken.”^—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 761. 

In light of all of this, Paul now urges upon the “saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colossae” and us, to let the cross break the last link of sympathy between Satan and self, uprooting every bit of sympathy we have with the enemy of our souls. As we believe the good news of Christ and Him crucified, we are now dead to the appeals and influence of our sinful propensities. 

What is the good news?  “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Romans 5:20). “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3). It is important to note that the phrase “were raised” is in the passive voice, which tells us that this is not achieved by human effort nor our own efforts, but solely by the work of God.Elsewhere in another of his books written during this imprisonment, Paul says, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:4-9). “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1,2).

In Wednesday’s and Thursday’s lessons, the author wants us to consider the character of the new life and living the new life. Paul first describes our history as the “old man with his deeds” in Colossians 3: 5-9. The old man is characterized by fornication, covetousness, evil desire, idolatry, anger, blasphemy, with filthy language coming out of their mouths, lying, and being full of wrath. In contrast we consider verses 12-16 to appreciate what the “new man,” “elect of God, holy and beloved” looks like. These verses describe what the goodness and grace of God will do in us. “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3:12-15). How to achieve this is described by Paul as the “in Christ” idea and the faith of Jesus, both of which are essential to the gospel in its fulness.

Ephesians chapter 1 describes the “in Christ” idea. We have “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” He “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself” (Ephesians 1:3,5, emphases supplied here and onward).Verse 6 says, “He has made us accepted in the beloved.”   More than that, “in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us” (Ephesians 1:7,8). The “in Christ” idea is crucial to the gospel. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD” (1 Corinthians 1:30,31). This tells us that our boasting will never be in what we do, but what Christ does in us. Paul assures us, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). The Apostle goes further with this concept. “The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily” (Colossians 1:26-29). The plan of salvation has placed before fallen humanity the remedy for sin. Christ in us gives evidence of the power of the grace of God to transform the character, restoring the image of God in His people.

The character of the new life and living with Jesus is not complete without the faith of Jesus. Paul articulates this powerful truth in Galatians and Philippians in the following verses. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, KJV). “I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:8,9, KJV).

In the book Lessons on Faith, A.T. Jones comments on Galatians 2:20 in the following quotes.

 “There are too many who try to live the Christian life on the strength of the faith which they exercised when they realized their need of pardon for sins of their past life. They know that God alone can pardon sins and that He does this through Christ, but they imagine that having once been started they must run the race in their own strength.

“We have heard many people tell how hard they found it to do right. Their Christian life was most unsatisfactory to them, being marked only by failure, and they were tempted to give up in discouragement. No wonder they get discouraged. Continual failure is enough to discourage anybody. The bravest soldier in the world would become faint-hearted if he had been defeated in every battle.

“Here is the secret of strength. It is Christ, the Son of God, the One to whom all power in heaven and earth is given, who does the work. If He lives in the heart to do the work, is it boasting to say that continual victories may be gained? Yes, it is boast; but it is boasting in the Lord, and that is allowable. Says the psalmist, ‘My soul shall make her boast in the Lord’ and Paul says, ‘God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.’” Gal. 6:14. —(excerpts from pp.10-12). 

Ellen White has much to say on the topic of the faith of Jesus, and here is just one relevant quote: 

“‘The faith of Jesus.’ It is talked of, but not understood. What constitutes the faith of Jesus, that belongs to the third angel’s message? Jesus becoming our sin-bearer that He might become our sin-pardoning Saviour. He was treated as we deserve to be treated. He came to our world and took our sins that we might take His righteousness. And faith in the ability of Christ to save us amply and fully and entirely is the faith of Jesus”^—Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, Vol. 3, p. 172.

It is upon these gospel principles that Colossians 3:1-17 is based and the context in which we read about the “old man” and his deeds, the things of the earth versus the “new man” “who is renewed in knowledge.” Paul enjoins us (16) to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

“At the time of their conversion and baptism the Colossian believers pledged themselves to put away beliefs and practices that had hitherto been a part of their lives, and to be true to their allegiance to Christ. In his letter, Paul reminded them of this, and entreated them not to forget that in order to keep their pledge they must put forth constant effort against the evils that would seek for mastery over them. 'If ye then be risen with Christ,’ he said, 'seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.’

“‘If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ 2 Corinthians 5:17. Through the power of Christ, men and women have broken the chains of sinful habit. They have renounced selfishness. … Souls that have borne the likeness of Satan have become transformed into the image of God. This change is in itself the miracle of miracles. A change wrought by the Word, it is one of the deepest mysteries of the Word. We cannot understand it; we can only believe, as declared by the Scriptures, it is ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory.’

“When the Spirit of God controls mind and heart, the converted soul breaks forth into a new song; for he realizes that in his experience the promise of God has been fulfilled, that his transgression has been forgiven, his sin covered. He has exercised repentance toward God for the violation of the divine law, and faith toward Christ, who died for man’s justification. ‘Being justified by faith,’ he has ‘peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Romans 5:1. ….

“The letter to the Colossians is filled with lessons of highest value to all who are engaged in the service of Christ, lessons that show the singleness of purpose and the loftiness of aim which will be seen in the life of him who rightly represents the Saviour. Renouncing all that would hinder him from making progress in the upward way or that would turn the feet of another from the narrow path, the believer will reveal in his daily life mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, forbearance, and the love of Christ….

“In his efforts to reach God’s ideal for him, the Christian is to despair of nothing. Moral and spiritual perfection, through the grace and power of Christ, is promised to all. Jesus is the source of power, the fountain of life. He brings us to His word, and from the tree of life presents to us leaves for the healing of sin-sick souls. He leads us to the throne of God, and puts into our mouth a prayer through which we are brought into close contact with Himself. In our behalf He sets in operation the all-powerful agencies of heaven. At every step we touch His living power.”^___Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 476-478. 

May the word of Christ to us, dwell in us richly.

Amen.

—Lyndi Schwartz