8 但现在必须杜绝这一切的恶事，如怒气、愤恨、恶毒、毁谤和污言秽语。 9 不要彼此说谎，因为你们已经脱去了旧人和旧的行为， 10 穿上了新人。这新人在知识上不断更新，更像他的造物主。 11 从此，不再分希腊人、犹太人，受割礼的、未受割礼的，野蛮人、未开化的人，奴隶和自由人，基督就是一切，并且贯穿一切。12 所以，你们既然是上帝所拣选的，是圣洁、蒙爱的人，就要心存怜悯、恩慈、谦虚、温柔和忍耐。 13 倘若彼此之间有怨言，总要互相宽容，彼此饶恕，主怎样饶恕你们，你们也要照样饶恕他人。 14 最重要的是要有爱，爱能把一切完美地联合在一起。
歌罗西书 3:8-14
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering; 13 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. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Colossians 3:8-14
Q & A：
- 在你的人生旅途中，你最想寻求谁的认可或赞扬？如果没有人像以前那样为你欢呼，你是否会对你的身份或自我价值会有挣扎？讨论我们的旧人（旧我身份）是建立在什么基础上的，以及作为一个尾随配偶，在换工作之间或在一个与你的行业或之前的工作经验差别很大的新工作中，你可能经历过哪些挣扎。(歌罗西书3:8-14; 加拉太书2:20)
- 作为一个信徒，我们在基督里的新身份对你意味着什么，以及你应该如何去看待自己是那被上帝所爱的和被接受成为上帝的儿女的？这种关于你新身份的地位真相与这世上人们所看重和期望的有什么不同？(加拉太书3:28-29; 约翰福音3:16; 约翰福音1:12; 以弗所书1:5-6)
- 当你明白与上帝相合以及你可直接进入到上帝的施恩宝座前来被接纳后，这如何帮助你更好地理解你的新身份？讨论你如何在家庭关系或教会群体中活出你的新身份，而不是纠结于旧人（旧我身份），感到不安全或被拒绝。(罗马书5:1-2; 歌罗西书3:12-13)
- Who do you seek approval or praise from the most over the course of your life? Do you struggle with your identity or self-worth if nobody is cheering you on as it used to? Discuss what our old man (identity) is based on and what struggles you may have experienced being a trailing spouse, in between jobs or in a new role that may be quite different from your industry or prior work experience. (Col 3:8-14; Gal 2:20)
- As a believer, what does our new identity in Christ mean to you and how should you see yourself as being loved by God and being the children of God? How is this positional truth on your new identity different to what the world sees and expects from people? (Gal 3:28-29; John 3:16; John 1:12; Eph 1:5-6)
- How does having peace with God and a direct access to His throne of grace to be accepted, help you understand your new identity better? Discuss how you can live out your new identity in your family relationship or church community rather than holding onto your old self (identity), feeling insecure or rejected. (Rom 5:1-2; Col 3:12-13)