Sermon Outline Title: The Bond Of Perfection
Text, Theme, Big Idea
Bible Text: Colossians 3:1-14
Theme: True spiritual maturity is seen when believers set their hearts on things above, cast off the old life, and put on charity as the bond of perfection.
Big Idea: We will never have Christ’s sinless perfection in this life, but in the eyes of Jesus we grow toward “human perfection” when we live a life of charity—God’s own kind of love in action.
I. A Heavenly Focus For Earthly Followers (Colossians 3:1-4)
a. Paul begins with, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above… set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
b. When we gave our life to Jesus, we died to this world and became a new creation; the old man and his old ways were put to death.
c. That means we are no longer at home in this world—if we don’t keep our eyes on heaven, we can easily get sidetracked and wander off the right road.
d. We all know what it is to lose sight of heavenly things; the enemy will do whatever it takes to make a believer a “worthless Christian,” salt with no savor and a light with a burned-out bulb.
e. When we have drifted off the straight and narrow, the answer is to listen again to the sound wisdom of God’s Word, put our heart back in Jesus’ hand, and claim victory in Jesus instead of letting the enemy claim victory in our life.
II. A Holy Forsaking Of The Old Life (Colossians 3:5-9)
a. The Bible says to “mortify” our members—put to death the sins and unrighteousness that stunt our growth and weigh us down in the race we are running.
b. We must cast off the old man and his old ways so we can run to win; heaven is waiting at the finish line for those who keep their eyes on the promise.
c. Paul lists outward, fleshly sins to put off: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry—unbridled lust and desire for what God says to leave alone.
d. Our generation loves its idols—its toys and pastimes—things the devil uses to pull believers away from a righteous walk and into a life of sin and shame.
e. He also lists the sins of the heart: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, and lying—Jesus said in Matthew 15:11, it’s what comes out of the mouth that defiles, because it reveals what is in the heart.
f. Many today, even many believers, have grown comfortable with these inner sins, like Pharisees who look good on the outside but are ravening wolves within; God warns His people to put these off and live for Christ.
III. A Holy Bond Of Charity (Colossians 3:10-14)
a. Verse 14 says, “Above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness”—charity is what makes a believer as perfect as they can be in this life in the eyes of Jesus.
b. Charity is more than our shallow English word “love”; it is love proven by actions and deeds—a “God so loved the world… look what He did for us” kind of love.
c. Anybody can say, “I love you,” but charity shows love by what it does; when there are deeds behind the words, you don’t have to be told—your heart knows it.
d. Charity sees people through God’s eyes. John 3:16 shows us how God saw a world of sinners and gave His only begotten Son, not just saying He loved us but acting to make us right in His sight.
e. Charity does what is right when nobody is watching, because it knows you cannot hide who you really are; if you only do right when people see you, it is just an act, not a life.
f. Charity is rooted in the cross; it is self‑sacrificing, treating others as well as it treats itself, living the golden rule Jesus gave—doing to others as we would have them do to us.
g. Charity has a short memory; it does not hold grudges, feed ill will, or seek revenge—it may remember what happened, but it refuses to let vengeance live in the heart.
h. Charity is the evidence of spiritual maturity; it looks like Jesus and leaves a deep impact on everyone around those who live this way.
i. This is the bond of perfection—what makes a believer complete, entire, and lacking nothing in the eyes of Jesus; everything He did for us, He did because of this word “charity,” and He wants that same God‑sized love in every believer’s life.
Illustration / Example
Most people know the joke, “Church calories don’t count.” We smile because we know that’s not really true—what we take in still shows up sooner or later. In the same way, what we take into our hearts and what we choose to hold onto will show up in our words, actions, and relationships. When we feast on charity—on God’s kind of love—it will eventually show up in how we treat people in the parking lot, at home, on the job, and even when nobody is looking.
Conclusion / Invitation
Colossians 3 shows us that the Christian life is not just about turning from sin, but about putting on something better—charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
To the believer: Are you keeping your eyes on things above, casting off the old man, and putting on charity in your daily life? Will you ask God to tear down any idols, cleanse any hidden sin, and fill your heart with a God‑sized love that shows itself in action, forgiveness, and self‑sacrifice?
To the lost: The greatest act of charity was when God gave His Son to die for your sins. He did not just say He loved you—He proved it at the cross. Will you turn from sin and trust Jesus Christ today as your Savior and Lord?