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The central point of Paul’s word to the Colossians concerns the renewing of the mind unto the full knowledge of Christ, who is the image of God; the new man was created in our spirit and is being renewed in our mind unto full knowledge according to the image of Christ—Eph. 2:15; Col. 3:10-11:
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Because the new man was created with us who belong to the old creation, he needs to be renewed; this renewing takes place mainly in our mind, as indicated by the phrase unto full knowledge—v. 10.
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The creation of the new man according to God has already been completed, but in our experience the new man is being renewed unto full knowledge little by little; the more we put on the new man, the more we are renewed according to what God is, and the more we bear His image, the expression of what He is—v. 10.
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To be renewed is to have God’s element added into our being to replace and discharge our old element—Rev. 21:5a; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 4:16:
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Our natural and national mentality was educated and built up according to our racial and cultural background; this is the greatest hindrance to the practical existence of the new man.
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In order for the one new man to come into full existence, we must experience a thorough renewal of our mind, which has been built up according to our nationality and culture.
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Newness is God; therefore, to become new is to become God in life and in nature but not in the Godhead:
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God is forever new, and He infuses His ever-new essence into our being to renew our entire being—Rom. 12:2; Col. 3:10.
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The Spirit of God renews us by infusing our inward parts with God’s attributes, which are forever new, can never become old, and are everlasting and unchanging—Rev. 21:5a.
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The renewing Spirit imparts the divine essence of the new man into our being to make us a new creation, the new man—Titus 3:5; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15.
Morning Nourishment
Eph. 2:15 …That He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace.4:24 And put on the new man, which was created according to God in righteousness and holiness of the reality.
Col. 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto full knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
In Ephesians 2 we are told that the new man was created, but in Colossians 3:10 we are told that the new man is being renewed unto full knowledge according to the image of Him who created him…. Because we who belong to the old creation were involved in the creation of the new man, he needs to be renewed. This renewing takes place mainly in our mind, as indicated by the phrase unto full knowledge. In our spirit the new man has already been created. Before the new man was created in our spirit in resurrection, we did not have the Spirit of God or the life of God within us. Although we had a spirit, our spirit did not contain the divine life. But at the time the new creation took place in our spirit in resurrection, the Holy Spirit with the divine life was added into our being. This addition of the Spirit and the divine life to our spirit produced a new being, the new man. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 232-233)
Today’s Reading
Our mind, which represents our soul, needs to be renewed. Eventually, when our body is transfigured, it also will be renewed…. On the one hand, in our spirit the new man was created with new elements, the elements of the divine life and the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, in our soul the new man is being renewed.[In Ephesians 4:24] we are only told that the new man was created according to God Himself, whereas in Colossians 3:10 we see that the new man is being renewed according to the image of the One who created him…. The renewing of the new man results in full knowledge, and this full knowledge is according to the image of God.
In Colossians Paul uses the phrase full knowledge three times (1:10; 2:2; 3:10). The problem with the Colossians was that they had the wrong kind of knowledge. They had taken in philosophies that were not according to Christ. In 2:8 Paul speaks of philosophies that are according to the tradition of men and according to the elements of the world, but not according to Christ …. Concerning the new man, our mind needs to be renewed unto such a full knowledge according to the Christ who is the expression of the invisible God. Our mind needs to be renewed to such an extent that we have a clear view of Christ as the image of God …. The Colossians could be deluded because in their minds they did not have the full knowledge according to God’s expression. The same is true of Christians today. Some have been carried away because in their minds they were not renewed unto full knowledge according to the all-inclusive Christ as the image of God.
When our mind concerning… [some]thing is renewed, our emotion with its love will be renewed also. When the mind is renewed, the emotion is spontaneously renewed as well. Our experience confirms this…. The more my mind is renewed unto the proper knowledge of Him, the more I love Him. I can testify that, even though I am an elderly person, my love for Him is fresh. In fact, I love Him more today than ever before. As I speak of Him, a fire is burning within me. The renewing that has taken place in my mind unto full knowledge according to the image of God has created appreciation within me for the Lord. This causes me to love Him… [and] say, “Lord Jesus, I want to follow You at any cost. I am willing to pay any price, even the price of my life, to be one with You and be for You. Lord, I want to take You as my life and as my person. I want to live You, grow You, and produce You. Lord Jesus, I am here for You and for You alone.” (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 233-236)
Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msgs. 28, 52, 61-63