Unity Applied (Colossians 3:1-17)

Big Idea: Act out who you are in Christ by resisting division and living in unity.

Here’s the tension we face in church.

On one hand, we have been called to something amazing. Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop write:

Of all the ways that the gospel changes this world, the community of the local church is the most obviously supernatural. Its witness even goes beyond this world. “The rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” sit up and take notice, says Paul (Ephesians 3:9–10).

They define local church community as “a togetherness and commitment we experience that transcends all natural bonds—because of our commonality in Jesus Christ.”

It is amazing. It is supernatural. And it is real. And when you experience it at its best, it is life-changing.

Let me give you one example. I grew up in a broken home. Our family went through a period of deep crisis. Our local church provided practical support in all kinds of ways. They dropped off groceries. They gave us money. When we didn’t have a car, they drove us to church. They checked in on us. They loved us. When we needed the church, the church showed up for us in a big way.

That’s the one side of the tension we face. The church is an amazing, supernatural, and life-changing reality that we get to enjoy as believers.

Here’s the other side of the tension: we are sinners. To quote Dever and Dunlop again, “he has left the task of displaying the glory of his perfect character to the very imperfect people of his church.” To be part of the church means that we need to face the reality that we will be disappointed with each other, and that each of us will, in our own way, also contribute to the imperfection of the church.

Church is both a wonder and a challenge. It brings some of our greatest joys, yet it can also cost us deeply and wound us in ways we never expected.

Today’s passage helps us navigate this tension in a way that fosters the amazing, supernatural, and life-changing reality of who we’re called to be as we live together with all the challenges that come with being sinners.

Act Like Who You Are in Christ

The message of the Bible isn’t to try harder on your own. Instead, the message of the Bible is to be who you already are.

Everything that we’re about to see is built on the truths found in Colossians 3:3: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Two truths about anyone who has turned to Christ in repentance and faith:

• You have died. Through faith, you are united to Jesus Christ in his death. His crucifixion becomes our crucifixion. The old self—our sinful nature, our identity apart from God, our slavery to sin—has been put to death. It’s not just wounded or weakened, it’s decisively dealt with. So live as someone who’s already died to sin. Don’t let the old habits, desires, and patterns of life have any power over you. They no longer define you.
• Your life is hidden with Christ. Your life is bound up with Jesus. Your old life is gone. The most important thing about you is that your life is inextricably linked to Jesus’. You have an identity in Christ, allowing you to live freely and reflect his character and love in all you do.

That’s the basis of what follows. In light of these two realities, put to death what is earthly, he says in verse 5. And then he lists a number of practices that are incompatible with who we are in Jesus. Then he says:

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. (Colossians 3:9-10)

Put to death what’s incompatible, and then put on what is compatible with your new identity. Then he mentions five attitudes, similar to the ones we looked at last week, because this is not a surface thing. It happens in our hearts. Put on:

• Compassion: A heartfelt empathy that moves us to care deeply for the needs and struggles of others.
• Kindness: A gracious and warmhearted disposition that seeks to do good for others in both words and actions.
• Humility: A lowliness of mind that values others above ourselves and refuses to insist on our own rights.
• Gentleness: Strength under control, showing restraint and grace in how we treat others, even when provoked.
• Patience: A long-suffering attitude that endures difficult people and circumstances without frustration or anger.

These attitudes are all an outworking of the truths that you have died with Christ, and that your new identity is linked to Jesus. This is who you are now, so live like it.

Extreme Examples

Paul explained how to fulfill our calling as a church despite our flaws as sinners. The key is to act like who you already are in Christ. Put on the attitudes that are compatible with who you already are in him.

But I want you to notice how challenging this is. Read Colossians 3:11: “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”

The church brings together people who otherwise would have nothing to do with each other. In Colossians 3:11, Paul's list highlights the significant divisions in the ancient world, such as cultural, religious, and social barriers that created rigid “us” and “them” categories.

Greeks and Jews lived in perpetual tension. Greeks prided themselves on their cultural superiority, quickly calling others "barbarians," while Jews upheld their covenant identity, seeing Gentiles as spiritually unclean. Circumcision served as a clear division between Jews and Gentiles: for Jews, it was a sacred sign of God's covenant, while Gentiles found it confusing and offensive.

The terms "barbarian" and "Scythian" carried the weight of Greek contempt. Barbarians were those who couldn't speak proper Greek, their speech sounding like meaningless "bar-bar" sounds to Greek ears.

Scythians ranked even lower. Greek historians like Herodotus depicted them as brutal warriors who drank enemy blood, used human scalps as napkins, and fashioned skulls into drinking cups. Greeks saw them as the ultimate barbarians: violent, crude, and completely alien.

When Paul wrote to the Colossians, "Scythian" meant the most uncultured and despised people you could imagine. Greeks already called non-Greeks "barbarians," but Scythians were worse than barbarians. They sat at the very bottom, so far outside civilization that Greeks compared them to wild animals.

Slavery created perhaps the most profound divide. Slaves existed as property rather than people, their humanity diminished to their usefulness. Free people lived with rights and dignity that slaves could only imagine. The notion of these two groups worshiping side by side would have struck the ancient mind as absurd.

These weren't abstract categories but flesh-and-blood realities. Each group carried deep-seated reasons to distrust or despise the others. Yet Paul's declaration cuts through it all: "Christ is all, and is in all." The gospel doesn't pretend these differences don't exist; it transcends them. It creates a new humanity where our primary identity isn't Greek or Jew, slave or free, but belonging to Christ. This vision demanded—and still demands—extraordinary grace to live out in community.

We don’t get along because it’s easy to get along. God’s grace enables us to transcend the most extreme divisions that tear people apart. Once we come to Jesus, our differences stop being barriers, because Christ is all and is in all.

Getting Practical

We’ve seen that the church is amazing and supernatural but hard. The only way it works is if we act like who we already are in Christ. When we do this, we’ll overcome the most extreme divisions that tear us apart because Christ is all and in all.

Paul concludes this passage with seven practical instructions for living in harmony as God's people. His instructions are deeply practical and relational, and they’re central to how God wants us to live together. Paul tells us to take seven practical actions.

Bear with each other (3:13).

This means to put up with the imperfections, quirks, and even offenses of others within the body of Christ. It's about staying in relationships with those who may frustrate us, choosing to show grace instead of giving up. It’s about patience and understanding, even when others frustrate us. It’s about remembering how much God has put up with us, and extending that same treatment to others.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you (3:13).

Forgiveness isn’t optional. It’s not based on our feelings or the worthiness of the person who wronged us. It involves releasing the person who wronged us from the debt of their offense. It’s a decision to let go of resentment, bitterness, and the desire for revenge. It’s an act of grace, mirroring the unmerited forgiveness God extended to us through Jesus. Just as Christ has forgiven us, we must forgive others, no matter the offense.

Put on love (3:14).

When Paul speaks of “putting on love,” he’s describing love as the supreme virtue that holds all other virtues together. It’s the crowning piece of the new wardrobe we’re called to wear as followers of Christ. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience are all essential, but love is what holds them together and makes them effective. Without love, these virtues lose their power and purpose. It's not just a feeling; it's a commitment to actively seek the wellbeing of others, even if it costs you personally.

In practical terms, putting on love means choosing to act in ways that reflect Christ’s sacrificial love. It's about being patient with others during tough times and striving for unity despite our differences. Love is the ultimate expression of the gospel lived out in community. It’s what makes the church a reflection of Christ’s character and a witness to the world.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts (v. 15).

The word "rule" here suggests an umpire or referee. It means letting Christ's peace guide us in our lives, like an umpire, especially during conflicts. When this peace rules in our hearts, it shapes how we respond to others. It calms our fears, tempers our frustrations, and enables us to pursue unity within the body of Christ. His peace becomes the defining characteristic of our hearts and relationships.

Be thankful (v. 15).

Gratitude shifts our focus from what’s wrong to what’s right, fostering a spirit of joy and contentment in our relationships. Instead of dwelling on frustrations or differences, gratitude helps us see others as gifts from God. It reminds us that everything we have—including our brothers and sisters in Christ—is a result of God’s grace. Being thankful reduces criticism and grudges, and fosters encouragement, forgiveness, and support for others.

Gratitude also creates a culture of joy and unity. A thankful heart is contagious. When we express appreciation for one another, it strengthens bonds and reflects the love of Christ. It’s a way of saying, “I see God’s work in you, and I’m grateful for it.” This kind of thankfulness doesn’t ignore problems, but cultivates a heart that sees God’s grace everywhere and reflects that grace in how we treat others. It’s a powerful way to live out the gospel in the church.

Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you (v. 16).

Paul emphasizes the importance of Scripture in shaping our community. Teaching, admonishing, and singing together are ways we encourage one another with God’s truth. When God’s Word shapes our hearts and minds, it naturally overflows into how we interact with one another. When God’s word shapes our hearts and minds, it naturally overflows into how we interact with one another.

Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus (v. 17).

Every word and action should reflect Christ’s character and bring him glory. This last verse gives us a Christ-centered focus for all we do. When we speak and act in Jesus’ name and give thanks to God, our differences take a backseat to our shared purpose. We will have a culture where we’re quick to forgive, eager to encourage, and committed to building each other up.

This is what God has called us to do. It’s not easy.

Look around you. There is nothing that would have brought us together except for Jesus. We have every reason to divide and anger each other. And yet we died with Christ and our lives are in Christ. That allows us to live out our new identity. This means we should bear with others, forgive easily, love selflessly, let Christ's peace guide conflicts, stay grateful, base our relationships on Scripture, and use Jesus as the reference for all we say and do.

Act out who you are in Christ by resisting division and living in unity.

This is what it means to be bound together. I wish I could say that it’s easy. It’s not. Living this way allows us to treat others as Jesus treated us, showcase God's greatness to the world, and fulfill our calling as the church.