Renewed in True Knowledge to Pour Out Love

(Colossians 3:9–15)

Over the past few years, AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity have become part of daily life. We trust these systems because their knowledge makes tasks easier. Paul, writing to the small and primarily Gentile church at Colossae nearly 2,000 years ago, pointed believers to a far greater knowledge: the knowledge of God. This knowledge is not mere information—it transforms us.

1. Knowledge That Renews the New Self (vv. 9–10)

Paul reminds believers that through Christ’s work, the old self is stripped away and the new self is put on. This is like changing clothes—an action already accomplished through salvation. Yet, the new self “is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its Creator.” This knowledge is not intellectual trivia but deep, experiential discernment that reshapes character.

God’s purpose in sanctification is not simply to make us “better” but to transform us into the likeness of Christ, reclaiming His image first seen in Genesis 1:27. Renewal is lifelong: even as our bodies age, inwardly we are renewed day by day (2 Cor. 4:16). This renewal comes primarily through His Word and is often painful—it challenges pride, ambitions, and old wounds. Unlike AI, God’s Word does not merely serve our preferences; it is living and active (Heb. 4:12), cutting through our defences to free us from past chains (John 8:32).

2. Knowledge That Shatters Boundaries (v. 11)

In Christ, divisions vanish—Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian or Scythian, slave or free. This was radical in Paul’s day, when ethnic, cultural, and social walls ran deep. The Gospel still calls us to reject prejudice, caste, classism, or stereotypes. Only the sanctifying knowledge of God can puncture our biases and bind us together. All human philosophies may offer temporary unity, but only Christ creates true oneness: Christ is all, and in all.

3. Knowledge That Pours Out Love (vv. 12–14)

Because believers are chosen, holy, and dearly loved, we are commanded to “put on” virtues that reflect God’s character: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and above all, love—the bond of perfect unity. These virtues are not surface-level niceties; they flow from deep transformation. Compassion, described as “bowels of mercy,” springs from within like living water (John 7:37–38). Humility, despised in Paul’s world, was exalted by the Gospel.

Love in action is messy. Relationships—marriages, families, churches—will test our patience and humility. But sanctification fuels lasting service; without it, our efforts become engines that run out of fuel.

Closing Picture: Clothed in Christ

After the fall, Adam and Eve’s fig-leaf coverings were inadequate. God provided garments of skin (Gen. 3:21)—a foreshadowing of sacrifice. At the Cross, Christ was stripped of honour so that we might be clothed in His righteousness. Unlike earthly garments that wear out or stain, this clothing never fails: our lives are hidden with Christ (Col. 3:3). Having been chosen, loved, and secured in Him, it is only fitting that we seek His knowledge, become like Him, and pour out His love on others.

Questions for Reflection & Application

1. Where in your life are you resisting God’s transforming work through His Word?

2. What old ambitions, hurts, or habits must you surrender for true renewal?

3. Are there boundaries—cultural, social, or personal—that you need Christ to break in your heart?

4. Which virtue listed in Colossians 3:12–14 do you most need to “put on” this week?

5. How can your actions point the next generation to “things above” rather than “things below”?

   
   

Takeaway: The knowledge of God is not passive information—it is living truth that reshapes us, breaks down walls, and equips us to love as Christ loved. Crave this renewing knowledge and let it overflow to bless others.