This summer at Christ Church, we did a sermon series which claimed that the Christian life is "not about morality." Colossians 2 makes a similar claim. Morality—manmade religion—does have "an appearance of wisdom" (2:23), but the engine of true Christian living is not in rules and regulations (2:16, 21), but in understanding—in the deepest reaches of our souls—the power and wonder of the gospel of grace. Paul wants to make sure we GET this.
He doesn't present a timid, limp-wristed account of the gospel. He hits the truth head on in all its offensive glory. You were spiritually dead, unclean sinners in desperate need of God's forgiving grace (2:13). God gave you that grace, resurrecting you with Christ, nailing your sin to the cross, setting aside your guilt before him, and subjecting every spiritual power to victorious Jesus (2:13-15). "Don't you get it?" Paul seems to say, "everything has been subjected to Christ, especially you whom he made alive by his grace. Christ is your gracious, loving Master. Why, then, would you enslave yourselves to manmade rules and regulations that seem wise, but are really the cruelest of tyrants? Why would you give yourselves to anyone but Christ???"
Every moment of every day, I choose whom I will serve. Will I serve manmade religiosity or will I serve Christ? Religiosity doesn't keep me from sin (2:23), but since it looks wise I am often tempted to yield to it rather than Jesus. I want to follow the rules in hopes that everyone will see my good works and glorify me! But God's call to us is so much more beautiful, so much more compelling than any of our (supposedly) pious religious observance. Our call is so much higher: "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him" (2:6).
We have received Christ the Colossal: the One who holds all wisdom and knowledge (2:3), the One whose authority is over every other (2:10, 15), the One in whom all divinity dwells (2:7). This Colossal Christ is ours to walk in and follow. I need to reflect in awe at the immensity of that truth, and be knit in love to my brothers and sisters (2:3), established in the faith, and abounding in thanksgiving (2:7) for my loving, gracious Lord.
The words "walk" and "stand" in the last 3 days' readings seem important to me. Much as I may wish it and say so - or even pray so - walking in and with Jesus is not yet reflexive for me. I have to get up to exercise that choice. So I thank our Lord that we have this reading plan to go through and talk through together. It encourages the heart, knits us together and brings us closer to the wealth of confidence in seeing and knowing more of our Christ. Without this exercise, it is only too easy to be inert and passive, even to be easily moved by the tide of man's notions of what seems good, right and desirable.
ReplyDeleteI've been encouraged in reading the Bible with everyone here. It is a blessing, isn't it, to know you aren't alone in making the hard choice to do what it takes to grow. It's a blessing to walk this path with you, Seng, and with everyone else as well!
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