Colossians #6

GUARD YOUR FREEDOM IN CHRIST

One of the great threats to vibrant Christian faith and to the testimony of the church is legalism. Laws are necessary for order and the maintenance of civil liberty. Sometimes in order to keep the spirit of the law we invent rules to assist us. In time, the rules become like law themselves. Buried under rules, regulations, and traditions lies the truth, but we forget the heart of the law. We call this legalism.

            Throughout the U.S. there are rules on the books that demonstrate the intention to keep the law, however misguided and unfounded:

- In Indiana, it’s illegal to attend a public event or use public transport within 4 hours of eating onions or garlic.

- In Wyoming, you may not take a picture of a rabbit from January to April without an official permit.

- In Arizona, if you are found stealing soap, you must wash yourself until the bar of soap has been completely used up.

- A motorist with criminal intentions must stop at the city limits and telephone the chief of police as he is entering the town in Washington.

- And in Waynesboro, Virginia, it’s against the law for a woman to drive a car on Main Street unless her husband is walking in front of the car waving a red flag.

            When applied to our faith, legalism promotes performance as a way to gain favor with God. It is the human effort to gain salvation or prove one’s spirituality by an outward show of living by “do’s” and “don’ts.” Some would call this “good Christian conduct.”

            In our passage this morning we read of how the Colossians were being convinced that their faith was lacking. False teachers led them to believe that tradition and rituals would make them more spiritual. Paul responded “NO – Christ died to set you free from such legalism. And now that Christ has died for your freedom, guard that freedom from the laws that brought us death.”

1. Be wary of Legalism

From our text we can deduce that these false teachers may have been Jewish, although the Jews do not have prohibitions about drinking certain beverages, only unclean foods. Whoever they were, these teachers were trying to impose their version of good behavior on the believers at Colossae. Paul warned the believers in 2:8, and now a second time, not to let these philosophies become a stone around your neck.

            “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day” (2:16).

            When such restrictions or requirements are imposed, legalism becomes the focus of our living instead of Christ. What does legalism do and what does it look like?

a) Legalism is myopic (narrow-minded) – We can all be legalistic at times. We judge each other by standards we believe are true and acceptable. Sometimes we think our sins smell better than others and we have very little tolerance for those who do not agree with our definition of sin.

b) Legalism dulls our faith – It acts like a wet blanket on enthusiasm and snuffs out joy. Many who seek freedom in Christ can be burdened by the expectations of older believers.

c) Legalism puffs up – We may not realize the subtleness of our self-righteous attitude, but our evaluation and categorizing of others fills us with pride. We believe we are doing Christianity right and expect others to follow our example.

d) Legalism divides us – We believe “everyone needs to be like me.” When we think this way, we miss the delight of diversity in the church.

e) Legalism blocks our view of Jesus – Nothing pushes a seeker away from the church and Jesus more than a list of rules. When we focus on rules we are not presenting Jesus. Some people want to control others – but if we allow them to do this we give them the place that is reserved for Christ.

f) Legalism gives a false sense of security – We feel good that we are doing all the right things and don’t realize that we are simply conforming to peer pressure. We have not come to Christ at all.[i]

            Paul says that these rituals and rules and traditions are really ten steps backwards in faith. Some of the rules were good. The celebrations, the Sabbath – they were pointing to Christ; they were symbols of hope of the coming Messiah. But now that Christ has come, there was no longer any need for those rules and traditions, they were a shadow of the reality (2:17; Hebrews 10:1a).

            I read about a family that owned a German shepherd named Rex. He was a ferocious looking dog with the heart of a chicken. Rex never bit and he never barked. One thing made Rex bark however – when a flock of birds would fly over his yard. But he chased after the shadows on the ground and barked wildly. One bird flew in circles over the yard, Rex running in circles trying to catch it. Poor dumb Rex didn’t know it was only a shadow, that it wasn’t real.

            To focus on the rules of Christianity and miss the person of Christ is like chasing shadows.

2. Watch out for Legalists

Rules are important – don’t get me wrong – but if the rules are everything, we miss the joy of living. A few years ago when I coached soccer here in Kleefeld, I didn’t care if my young players stepped out of bounds with the ball. I just yelled, “Keep it live! Bring it in!” I liked to keep the game going, to have fun. One game, though, the opposing coach was a stickler for the rules. It slowed the game down, and we argued about the importance of the rules. Soccer, and any sport, needs rules. But we all know that too many rules can ruin the game.

            Paul seems to echo this when he said, “Do not let anyone…disqualify you for the prize” (2:18). To be “disqualified” is an athletic term – it carries the idea of an umpire calling you “out” for disobeying the rules, like being red-carded in soccer. What’s the prize? You know…Paul told us “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14). Christ is the prize…and you don’t win the prize by stellar spiritual performance, but by humbly confessing that Jesus died for your sins and accomplished everything you needed to do. Don’t let anyone disqualify you with rule-keeping then.

            Legalists have definable characteristics that we can identify, according to Paul. They delight…

…in false humility. They present themselves as humble and holy. It’s really a paradox or a contradiction of character. In reality, they are filled with their own sense of importance and pride. They present themselves as meek, but believe they are superior to other Christians.

…in worshiping angels. Their focus is on spiritual beings other than Christ. This can work the other way too, by paying too much attention to spiritual warfare and finding demons everywhere.

…in sharing visions. These people are eager to tell you the “latest word from the Lord.” The danger of these visions is the reality of subjective bias. We cannot trust our own imaginations or emotions. We want so badly for these impulses to be from God. When a legalist has a vision, they are certain that it must be a revelation and follow it religiously.

…in idle notions. They draw false conclusions. They come up with a teaching that promises to lead you to God but it really leads you away.

            When legalists succeed in building into you a fear of making mistakes or not living up to their standard of faith and life, we become like ill-taught piano students. We play our songs, but we never really hear them or enjoy them because our main concern is not to make music but to avoid flubbing and getting into trouble.

            Then…then we know… that they…and we…have lost connection with the Head, that is, Christ.

3. Remember that you are Free

Whether you are prone to being legalistic or are a victim of legalism, you need to remember the essence of this letter to the Colossians. Christ is supreme; Christ is the sustainer; and Christ is sufficient. Christ is enough. You are saved by what He did, not what we can do.

            Paul refers to 2:11-12 (we were buried with Christ in baptism) when he says, “Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules?” (2:20).

            You no longer belong to this world. Is vibrant Christianity defined by one’s refusal to dance or enter a bar? Are you more saved because you are an environmentalist and recycle? The rules “Don’t taste! Don’t touch!” focus on personal denial. They were trying to help people to put the brakes on the appetites of the flesh. Sounds reasonable. And we are definitely called to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus. We need discipline. But these legalists were saying that the rules themselves made them more acceptable to God. Nothing you do can make you acceptable to God, because Christ has already made you acceptable to God.

            You are not bound by rules then. It seems that we are drawn to making rules so that we can put everything in a category. People who are orderly and neat like it when everything has a place. I know that I am like that; I am someone who appreciates rules. We need to remember that rules are a human invention and belong to a world that is passing away. They are based on “human commands and teaching” (22).

            The Pharisees and teachers of the law once asked Jesus why His disciples did not live according to their traditions, traditions that had been passed down from generation to generation. Jesus replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men” (Mk 7:6-8).

            Do you see the difference in Jesus’ words concerning commands and traditions? God’s commands are at the heart of knowing who He is, so we don’t abandon His law in that sense. Human traditions, however, distract us from the heart of God. We must differentiate between God’s command and our own rules about those commands, how we think we ought to keep those commands.

            You are free from the flesh. Since we died with Christ, our sinful nature is buried with Him. We are no longer slaves to the sinful nature because we are essentially dead to it. So Paul says that even though these rules look wise and helpful, and denying oneself harshly seems spiritual, “they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence” (23b).

            Since legalism focuses on superficial spirituality, it seems easier to keep the external rules than actually deal with the issue of the heart. It’s easier to “not play cards,” or whatever, than to deal with a bitter heart. It is easier to conform outwardly to the standards of a social group like the church than to put on the nature of Christ. Thus we can pretend to “be” Christian, all the while struggling inside with our guilt.

            But you are free in Christ. Guard that freedom. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1). If we believe that Christ is enough, then our righteousness does not need to be earned by rule-keeping; Christ is the only person who kept the law 100 percent; we never could. Put your faith in His work on the cross and know that you are free indeed.

            Extreme adherence to the letter of the law can come back to bite you in time to come.

            One year Dave Hagler was working as an umpire in a rec-baseball league in Boulder, Colorado. Unfortunately, Dave got pulled over for speeding one day. He tried to talk the officer out of giving him a ticket. Dave asked for leniency since it could make his insurance go up. But the officer was relentless and told Dave that he could take the matter to court if he didn’t like the ticket.

            Fast-forward to the first game of the next baseball season. Dave was umpiring behind the plate when he recognized the policeman coming to bat. The officer also noticed Dave and asked how the whole ticket thing turned out. Dave simply replied, "You better swing at everything!"[ii]

            You will notice that I did not get specific about the rules we follow. I did not want to be legalistic in pointing out legalism. I leave it to you to take these words and evaluate your own path in life.

            Let me ask you this: "What is your Christianity like?"

1. Is it focused on yourself or on Christ?

2. Is it focused on sin and failure or grace and           forgiveness?

3. Is it anchored in personal experiences or in the Word        of God?

4. Has it set you free or tied you up?

5. Does it make you cry, or dance?

            Remember your freedom in Christ; Guard your freedom in Christ.

                                                            AMEN

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[i] These definitions of legalism are a compilation and improvisation of two pastors’ works: Bruce Goettsche and Brian Bill. I used their ideas and came up with my own list, as it were. 

[ii] Source: Everybody’s Normal Till You Get To Know Them, John Ortberg, 2003, p.158 (Found in "In Other Words - June 2007 #2 - by Dr. Raymond McHenry) From a sermon by Rick Crandall, "God’s Plan for Our Relational Health" 2/19/2009

Colossians #4

THE STRUGGLE FOR CHRISTIAN MATURITY

Paul says, “I want you to know how hard I am struggling for you…” (2:1). He was continuing the thought at the end of chapter one where he explains his ministry purposes. “To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy…” (1:29).

            Before we look at the purpose of Paul’s struggle, I want to focus on that word “struggle” itself. Your translation may have “contending” or “struggling,” but the Greek word is “agona” from which we get the English word “agony.” The Greeks tended to see everything as a fight between two opposing sides. Memorizing your lines for a school play is an agon, a fight between you and the play. Getting up in the morning when you are still tired is a battle between your mind and your body. The conflict between eating a cheeseburger and a salad is an agon, a fight. Even a courtship is an agon where one person tries to win the other’s heart.

            One of my greatest agonies involves stepping onto the treadmill. I really don’t enjoy being forced to walk at 4 miles an hour for fifteen minutes (after which I switch to the stationary bike), but I know that my cholesterol and blood pressure demand it. My agony intensifies when I look down at the timer to discover that only three minutes have gone by when it feels like ten.

            Agony does not feel good but to agonize or to make an effort produces good results. We will not win or succeed unless we strive to win. In the same way, Paul agonized over the Colossian believers to present them as mature in Christ. He agonized in prayer: “We have not stopped asking God to fill you…” (1:9); he agonized in suffering: “…I rejoice in what was suffered for you…” (1:24); and he agonized in teaching (1:28-29).

            Like Paul, we must agonize, make an effort, to be what God has called us to be: Mature in Christ. Salvation is not the end but the beginning of our spiritual journey. Maturity is our goal. So let us consider the maturity that Paul seeks in us.

1. Mature Christians are encouraged in heart

Paul states his ministry goals clearly: “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart…” (2:2a). We know that a heretical group, some false teachers, had discouraged the church and caused them to doubt. These teachers had tried to convince the believers that they lacked knowledge of the holy things. Paul revealed the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ to them to encourage them: “You are on the right path.”

            The word “encourage” comes from the Greek term “to call alongside.” This is a similar term that Jesus uses to describe the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit coming alongside them, they can know the joy of knowing Jesus.

            An encouraged heart knows the joy of the Lord and joy is a protection against discouragement (Phil. 3:1; 4:4). Discouragement leads to a spirit of defeatism. When we feel defeated in our Christian life we find we can’t serve, we have no energy to fight the good fight. Defeatism can cause us to turn to other sources than Jesus, other comforts or vices.

            We all have an Achilles heel, a secret button (known to some) that causes us to crumble into discouragement. Paul’s preventative defense is joy. Rejoice in all situations. “Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds (Js. 1:2).

2. Mature Christians are united in love

One aspect the false teachers emphasized in their pursuit of the great mystery of the universe was knowledge. They sought knowledge as the be-all-end-all of life, like it was the key to spiritual enlightenment. Knowledge is good, but without love, the church is just an institution of higher learning. Paul’s goal included love: “My purpose is that they may be…united in love” (2:2b).

            God is love. To know God is to know love. When people come to know God’s love, they find they can love each other. Some of your translations say it better: “My purpose is that they may be…knit together in love.” I like that. God’s people will be like knitting, intertwined and joined together when they allow love to draw them together. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Cor. 8:1b). Love characterizes the people of God. Only as Christians are “rooted and established in love, can they comprehend or grasp the fullness of God’s love” (Eph. 3:17-18).

            One preacher addressed his congregation with his understanding of what love looks like in the church. He said that this love is magnetic or attractive when it is lived out. True love in the body of Christ means:

-          We treasure each other

-          We spotlight gifts and abilities; not faults and failures

-          We celebrate others’ gifts without resentment

-          We rally around each other in times of loss

-          We allow each other to have “bad days”

-          We are quick to forgive

-          We act in kindness to one another

-          We defend each other

-          We are willing to give in to other ways of doing things

-          And we listen to a list like this and wonder how we could love better rather than grieving that we are not better loved.

Mature Christians allow their love for a brother or sister to rule over “feelings” that are contrary to godliness.

3. Mature Christians have a full understanding of Christ

Knowledge without love is cold. Love without knowledge, or a proper understanding of the truth, can be very dangerous. These false teachers at Colossae targeted the deity of Christ, the sufficiency of Christ, and the effectiveness of the gospel. Without a sufficient knowledge of Christ and the gospel, we will be led astray by any and all new teachings (Eph. 4:14).

            This is why Paul agonized over these believers “in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (2:2c-3).

            While the teachers were saying “Christ is not enough,” Paul countered saying “Christ is everything you need to know.” Personally knowing Jesus is the only way you will know the depth of divine wisdom. You need a personal relationship with Jesus to truly understand life.

            We can know Jesus primarily through studying the Bible. Only through a knowledge of the Scriptures can we grow in maturity. Here are a few reasons why:

            Knowledge of the Bible gives substance to faith. When you do not know the truth, you are forced to rely on emotions or feelings or someone’s opinion.

            Knowledge of the Bible gives stability in times of testing. When you know God’s promises we have something to hold on to in the midst of the struggle.

            Knowledge of the Bible equips us to handle the Bible correctly. The more we know the Bible, the better we are able to understand it. Then it forms our values, rather than using the Bible to validate our opinions.

            Knowledge of the Bible equips us to detect error and confront it.

            Knowledge of the Bible equips us to walk with God. The better we know the Lord, the better we understand what He requires of us and how we can please Him.

            Knowledge of the Bible filters out our fears and superstitions. God’s Word silences the voices that distract us.[i]

            Paul calls Christ the mystery of God – not that the mystery is found in Christ – the mystery is Christ. And in Christ we find the mystery of what it means to be godly – He is the way to godliness, as it says in the ancient hymn (1 Tim. 3:16).

4. Mature Christians can stand firm against opposition

Just as the Colossian believers faced heretics who did not believe in the supremacy of Christ, we face similar groups today. False religions today still refute the divinity of Christ: Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the Church of Scientology for example. And more and more within the church in North America, we find that Christians disagree on the person and role of Christ in the life of the believer.

            Paul, however, delighted “to see how orderly and disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is” (2:5). With their love of Christ and each other established by their knowledge of Christ, the church was standing firm against the onslaught of heresy and unbelief.

            Paul used two military words in this verse “orderly” and “firm.” The greatest enemy of the church is Satan, and he uses external and internal means to dismantle what Christ is doing in us. He will use “truths” that sound like truth, that is so close to truth, some can’t tell the difference. We are in a battle and so military language is appropriate. To be “orderly” means that like an army, we must stand in formation. Everyone in a formation has a specific role (form square). If one member does not hold formation, Satan gets a foothold. When one of us is disgruntled and refuses to submit to the will of God, or refuses to use their gift, a door is opened to the enemy. But when each person holds the line of faith and life, the formation is dynamic and unbeatable.

            To be “firm” means standing together no matter what comes out the door. That’s what Maximus told his fellow gladiators when they faced an unknown enemy in the arena. Stand firm no matter what comes. Put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground (Eph 6:13).

5. Mature Christians continue to walk in Christ

It is said that the next two verses summarize the whole letter to the Colossians. Indeed, they summarize what we have been hearing Paul say this morning about maturity in Christ. “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (2:6-7).

            Salvation is just the beginning. By faith in Jesus who died on the cross as an offering for our sins, we are forgiven and reconciled to God. Now, with that same dependency on Christ, we walk with Him.

            To walk with Christ is to grow more to be like Him. I imagine that walk to be something like a small intimate group crowded around Jesus, hearing Him talk, listening to His stories and thoughts about life, seeing Him interact with people along the way, and even getting to ask Him questions. As this group walks with Jesus, each of us takes turns coming up beside Him and having a moment to ask that probing question that sits heavily in our thoughts. While we walk with Jesus, we grow. This is the journey of life. The crowd is the church. We don’t walk alone with Jesus; we walk together, enjoying His person as a community of disciples.

            Paul seems to mix his metaphors in these two verses. But one thing characterizes all of them: growth. These two verses challenge us to…

Grow downward, sinking deep roots into the life of Jesus.

Grow upward, being built up in character to be like Him.

Grow inward, strengthened in the faith, the beliefs and doctrines of Christ, who He is and what He came to do.

Grow outward, overflowing with thankfulness, like a river overflowing its banks, unable to be contained because we recognize the work of God in our lives.

            The mature Christian grows and keeps growing until the Lord Jesus calls us home.

How can we tell if we are mature Christians?

            In life we mark maturity in several ways. We feel “grown up” when we receive our driver’s license at 16 years of age. We graduate from high school and maybe College or University a few years later. I remember one friend of mine saying that she felt invisible in our Winnipeg church until she got married – all of sudden people noticed her. Are these the marks of a maturing life?

            Throughout the years, in moments of immaturity, people have told us to “grow up” and “act your age.” Implied was their opinion that you weren’t acting maturely. If maturity means sitting quietly with a sour expression on our faces, then I don’t want to grow up.  

            At my age I would have thought that I would feel mature, or at least more mature. But in fact I feel as though I still have some growing up to do.

            How can you tell if you are a mature Christian?

Rick Warren wrote, “There are no short cuts to maturity.

It takes years for us to grow to adulthood, and it takes a full season for fruit to mature and ripen. The same is true for the fruit of the Spirit. The development of Christlike character cannot be rushed. Spiritual growth, like physical growth, takes time.

            When you try to ripen fruit quickly, it loses its flavor. In America, tomatoes are usually picked unripened so they won’t bruise during shipping to the stores. Then, before they are sold, these green tomatoes are sprayed with CO2 gas to turn them red instantly. Gassed tomatoes are edible, but they are no match to the flavor of a vine-ripened tomato that is allowed to mature slowly.”[ii]

            That’s why life in Christ is pictured as a walk and not a ride in a Shelby Mustang. It takes a lifetime to walk with Jesus and grow in maturity. Paul agonized, he made every effort, to help the Colossians grow. In the same way, I present to you these words of Paul’s so that we all might grow in maturity together.

                                                AMEN

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[i] Adapted from Charles Swindoll’s “Six Benefits of Being Spiritually Informed”

[ii] Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), 217.

Colossians #3

LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF TRUTH

There are competing voices in every aspect of life (environment, politics, and faith). Which voice do we listen to? You might choose the voice that best fits your core values and belief systems. But even then we may be setting the course of our lives on a subjective, emotional response that only seems right but is in fact leading you astray.

            The story is told of a man who used to stop by a clock shop every morning and stare at one particular clock in the window. One morning the owner of the store came out (sensing a chance for a sale) and remarked that he had seen the man stop there every day to look at that "beautiful" clock. The stranger replied, "I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that I stop here every day because my watch is not very accurate. Every morning I synchronize my watch with this clock. You see, I am the time keeper at the factory and I am the one charged to blow the whistle at 4:00 to signal quitting time." The shopkeeper began laughing. He said, "I must admit that this clock is not very accurate either. Every day I set it by the 4:00 whistle at the factory."

            Obviously, when neither of these clocks is a dependable standard, the standard will become more and more corrupted. This is exactly what is happening in our world. People are determining their standard of right and wrong (and their view of God) by the prevailing view of public opinion. And Public Opinion is determined by the prevailing standard of right and wrong! Is it any wonder, then, that our society drifts deeper and deeper into the mire of perversity? There is no standard of truth! There is no fear of God before their eyes!

            The Christians at Colossae were listening to the voices that so confidently declared that the gospel they believed was too simple. Those voices invited the believers to discover the deeper mysteries of faith beyond Christ and the gospel. Paul’s response was to bring them back to the simple truth that secured their faith and gave them hope in a hopeless world.

1. Truth: You are not what you once were

Having established that Christ is the image of the invisible God, the Creator, the Sustainer of all things, the Supreme and utterly effective Savior of the world, Paul turns to the Colossians themselves. He recalls their former situation: Who were they? What was their status before God?

            Paul describes their pre-Christian condition (and ours) in three jarring expressions. These expressions sound a lot like Eph. 2:1-3 and remind us that all of us were once lost and worse “objects of wrath.”

            The first expression in this letter is this: “Once you were alienated from God…” In the Greek, the word “alienated” means “to be separated as a stranger, to be shut out from.” There is quite a difference between being an alien and being alienated. Every foreigner in Canada is considered an alien, unless they become a citizen of Canada, renouncing their allegiance to their former country and being subject to Canadian law and life. But if a Canadian were to reject Canada and become a citizen of Iran, for instance, that person would be alienated from us, especially if that person fought against the country that gave him or her birth.

            Sin alienates us from God. While we live in our sin, we are shut out from relationship with God. Isaiah states this quite bluntly, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Is. 59:2).

            The second expression builds on the first: “… (you) were enemies in your minds…” To be in a state of alienation from God breeds hostility. We hate God because we perceive that God opposes us. Our rebellion rejects His authority, our unrighteousness hates His righteousness, our inferiority hates His supremacy – we want our way, not His way.

            I have spoken about syncretism recently and it fits here. Christians try to straddle the line between faith and the world and it is a difficult and impossible task. We try to be friends with the world in order to attract the world to our faith. But our faith becomes worldly. As James wrote, friendship with the world is hostility towards God (Js. 4:4).

            And the third expression is a product of the first two: “evil behavior.” What we think we are apt to do. Alienation from God conjures hostility towards God and thus we act out in rebellion. But to cover up this behavior we justify our actions. “Sin” is old fashioned and politically incorrect. This attitude leads to Denial (“I didn’t do anything wrong”), Diversion (“Everyone does it”), Repression (avoiding value judgments), Rationalization (“It’s not really stealing”), and Renaming (It’s not sin, it’s a syndrome or disorder).

            Thankfully, Paul opened with “once” indicating that this is a past condition of those who now believe in Jesus. We do, however, need to be reminded of what we have been saved from. Believers must never forget their sinful nature. G.K. Chesterton wrote in response to a question in the London Times. The question: “What’s wrong with the world?” Chesterton replied, “I am. Yours truly, G.K. Chesterton.”

2. Truth: You are reconciled to God

That was then, this is now. When Epaphras came preaching Christ, their status changed when the Colossians believed. Praise God, Paul notes this change with the words “But now.” The drama of those two words cannot be over-expressed.

            “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation - ”

            The message of reconciliation has both a cosmic and a personal aspect to it. We tend to think of reconciliation as only about us and God, but in v. 20 God is shown to send Christ to reconcile to himself all things. That means that all of Creation has a serious problem. All of Creation suffers from the effects of sin and longs for restoration (Rom. 8:20-21). Creation groans for its liberation from frustration.

            The personal aspect certainly appeals more to us. We see this illustrated in Adam’s sin in Genesis 3:8 when God came looking for him. What did Adam do? He hid. This is a picture of man’s relationship to God – he hides from God. Light has come into the world when Jesus arrived, but people hated the light and hid in darkness because they were evil (John 3:19-20).

            To be reconciled to God is to be changed from one thing to another. We were messed up, broken, unfixable – we had to be completely changed. This was only possible through the physical, bodily death of Jesus. “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God…” (1 Pet. 3:18).

            False teachers in Colossae claimed to have knowledge of a mystery and offered to share this mystery with them. It was said to be a door to greater spiritual awareness. Mystery religions were prevalent in those days. You see that Paul takes that word “mystery” and redefines it in vv. 26-27. Here is the true mystery revealed: While we were enemies of God, Christ, God’s Son died for us. The mystery of the gospel is not just that we are made acceptable to God, it is that God wanted us at all. The mystery of the gospel that Paul was a faithful steward of was that those who were once enemies of God are now called His friends. The mystery goes deeper in that God makes these friends His children – we are now family. That is truly a mystery.

            With this new status we are presented as holy in His sight, no blemish, with none who can accuse us and win. Corrie Ten Boom used to say, “Jesus takes your sin, past, present, and future, dumps it in the ocean and puts up a sign that reads ‘No Fishing.’”

            Contained in the mystery is this fantastic statement “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (27). His literal presence in our lives is the promise of hope; hope is that quality that despite the trials and travails of this life, there is something better in store. Christ is in you, the hope of glory.

3. Truth: You need to continue in your Faith

Since there are so many voices competing for our attention and allegiance, we can at times feel like a tiny row boat tossed about on a stormy sea. Paul’s “if” in v. 23 can seem like a point of doubt but it is really a reminder to stay the course.

            Consider the “if”: We are reconciled, holy in God’s sight, free from blemish and accusation – “if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel” (23).

            The word “if” takes away the safety of living as you please while enjoying the grace of God. This response to our reconciliation with God takes for granted the cost that Christ incurred for our sakes. So the “if” implies that there is a condition or a consequent course of action that is appropriate regarding the gift. The writer of Hebrews employs the “if” in discussing our participation in Christ when he writes, “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at first” (Heb. 3:14).

            To put such a condition on our salvation is not unusual or illogical. Consider an illustration from marriage. Let’s say a man marries a woman and has an elaborate wedding ceremony. Following the ceremony, however, he never sees the young woman again. He wears the ring, tells people he’s married, and enjoys the status of a married individual. So a relationship with the woman never develops: he doesn’t put in the work of nurturing the relationship, to “love and obey, in sickness and in health” never enters his mind. What kind of marriage is this?

            This is where the “if” enters the picture. If you invest yourself in the marriage, if you sacrifice for your spouse, if you endure hardships together, if you spend your whole life serving your spouse, then you will reap the joys of marriage.

            There are people who acknowledge Christ, even attending church services, showing themselves to be disciples, but they have no real relationship with Christ. Sadly, one day, Christ will say, “I never knew you.”

            The message of reconciliation lands squarely on the fact that we are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. Our faith has a doctrinal element to it: We believe in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ for the sins of the world. But, and this is the “if” element of faith, it also has an element of commitment and obedience to follow Him. When you really believe something it will affect how you live. (More of this in ch. 3).

            This is why Paul is so adamant about his ministry to the Colossians. His ministry, and the ministry of all pastors including myself, is two-fold.

            On the one hand, Paul knows that God has called him “to present to you the word of God in its fullness” (25). I know that you know this but it bears repeating. The word of God, the scriptures, that Paul taught everywhere he went was the OT, the prophets like Isaiah, from which he revealed the person of Jesus Christ. The NT would come later. The Bible that early believers read was primarily the OT. That is why we preach the whole word of God in our church. We believe and affirm that the Bible is true from beginning to end.

            On the other hand, Paul had a deep desire to proclaim this word of God “so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ” (28). We know that we will not be perfect in this life. But we also know that the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives through the word of God is to perfect us in the meantime. This is a process that spans our lifetimes and beyond. We participate in this process by learning to obey Christ.

            That is the significance of “if.” Don’t let anyone rob you of the faith and hope that you have in Christ. Live it standing firm in your belief. We must never be moved from the gospel by other voices.

This is a simple truth. You know this truth. Yet, as the hymnist once wrote, “prone to wander, Lord I feel it.” So you let me remind you once again of this standard on which we build our lives.

            If we forget what we once were, we ignore or deny the sinful nature that had us enslaved to sin. The church cannot allow “sin” to be renamed or considered passé in today’s culture of tolerance and acceptance of each individual’s choice. To do so is to water down the gospel and make it irrelevant. If we allow that to happen, the church becomes irrelevant and many will close their doors.

            The acknowledgement of that sinful past makes the message of reconciliation that much more poignant. Paul declared, “For if, when were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life” (Rom. 5:10). The message of reconciliation loses its power if sin is of no mortal consequence. But we see that it is of spiritual and physical consequence, and thus we worship God more vibrantly because we know we have been truly saved.

            Then, having seen the power of God’s love through Jesus Christ’s bodily death and how it brings us to Him, we surely must respond with gratitude, living our lives with the holiness and purity that Christ won for us.

            Listen to the voice of truth. This is the message of reconciliation. This is our message.

                                                            AMEN