Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Mission

The final area where the work of Christ in Colossians was proven preeminent was in his work of sending his people for Mission. After the work of the cross and subsequent resurrection, Jesus immediately sent the Church on its mission: the work of preaching the Gospel. Jesus’ mission purchases and empowers the mission of the church. Here are some examples:

- Colossians 1:1—Jesus sent Paul as an apostle or “sent one” of Christ. Epaphras is the faithful of Minister of Jesus Christ (1:7).

- Colossians 1:9—Paul prays that the Colossians would be filled with the knowledge of the will of Christ for the sending of mission.

- Colossians 4:7 and 4:12—Tychicus and Epaphras are referred to as “servant[s] of the Lord” and “servant[s] of Jesus Christ“ (respectively) because they are active members of the mission of Jesus Christ.

- Colossians 4:17—Paul tells Archippus to “See that [he] fulfill[s] [his] ministry in the Lord.” the Ministry of the saints is a ministry in Jesus Christ because they are sent by Jesus Christ, to proclaim Jesus Christ, in the power of the Spirit of Christ.

Jesus is the preeminent missionary and equips us to be sent, also. Christian, do you believe that you are a "sent one?" Do you believe that the knowledge you have received from him is for that purpose? Are you actively participating in what Jesus has going on? It's all too easy to forget that the preeminent one blesses us with salvation in order that we may proclaim him, "warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ." (Colossians 1:28)

It's my hope that—if Colossians has taught us anything—we will embody the gospel of the preeminent Christ, who is working powerfully within us and through us. May he be first—until the last.

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Firstborn

Jesus also proves his preeminence by being resurrected on our behalf (Colossians 1:18). Jesus is the first fruits of God's resurrection and physical redemption of humanity. It is through Jesus Christ’s resurrection that everything will have resurrection in the future. “The New Age initiated by Christ’s death and resurrection constitutes nothing less than the new order of human life in Christ, the essential ingredient of which is victory over death in its various expressions.”[1] Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrection for humanity providing humanity with the ability to resurrect through Him. Christians are united to Christ in his resurrection “in which you were also raised with him” (Colossians 1:12).

To the skeptic, this sounds ludicrous. How is the resurrection even possible? If it was possible, how does the resurrection of a man who lived and died (and lived) 2,000 years ago have any impact on the world today? The reality is that—without the resurrection—there is no basis for the Christian faith. (See 1 Corinthians 15) The resurrection is our only hope that Jesus has conquered death and sin and all its forms. The fact that Jesus died and rose again guarantees that all he says is true. The fact that Jesus died and rose again ensures death will never hold us. The death and resurrection of Jesus paves the way for the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, which empowers us for daily victory in the war against sin. Did you know that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in those who believe in Jesus? (Romans 8:11) That's more power and strength and provision than you could ever imagine. Yet, how often do we, as believers, ignore the reality of the power of the resurrection in our lives? We turn the greatest something into the greatest nothing—through unbelief. No wonder the gospel seems powerless to so many.

The resurrection does mean something—today, tomorrow and forever—and without it, we're deader than dead. I hope we're not living like its nothing.

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[1] Wall, Colossians and Philemon p.70

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Reconciliation

Jesus Christ also proves his preeminence by being a reconciler. Because of the previous effects of the work of Christ on the cross, Christians have reconciliation with God. Paul tells us in Colossians 1:20 that anything that is reconciled to God is reconciled through Jesus Christ and his cross. All things that are on earth or in heaven are reconciled by the death of Jesus Christ to God from the effects of the fall—rocks, trees, stars, solar systems—all are reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. But most profoundly, Colossians 1:21 tells us that Jesus Christ reconciles unholy humanity to the holy God ”in his body of flesh by his death” making them holy and reconciled to God.

Christian, one of the most unfathomable parts about this is the fact that we, too, are reconcilers. Our Savior reconciled us that we may return the favor. Paul even goes as far as to call us "ministers of reconciliation" in the book of 2 Corinthians. I have to ask you: are you even aware of your calling? Are you breathing it? Are you pleading with the lost to be reconciled to God?

If you have yet to put your faith in Christ, I ask you this: are you aware of your need? Do you feel and experience the effects of the fall—death, disease, pain, injustice—and long for a solution? I ask that you consider Jesus. Consider the fact that he desires to reconcile you to God the Father. Consider how that could change everything. Think about it.

1 Corinthians: Dear Reno | A Primer on Church Discipline

If there’s one thing that the church has misconceptions of, it’s church discipline. This weekend, I’m preaching a sermon on 1 Corinthians 5:1-8, which deals heavily with the issue. As your pastor, I want you to know the truth and be set free by it. I’m posting a Primer on Church Discipline for you to use as a resource when you talk about church discipline in your Community Groups and for your own study and reflection. Be informed on this issue. Take some time to dwell on what scripture says. Think of questions to ask your Community Group leader. Wrestle with your perception on church discipline, see what Jesus says and repent of wrong thinking.

A Primer on Church Discipline

There are several guidelines to follow when it come to church discipline. It should be done in humility and love, with the goal of restoration and in accordance with the Scriptures. Different situations call for different responses, as well as godly wisdom. Each church discipline situation should be handled according to the appropriate Scripture on a case-by-case basis. Each Scriptural passage in the New Testament on church discipline is listed below.

With each Scripture reference are some comments for application to Living Stones Church. The procedure for carrying out any situation of church discipline is to first look at the text (one of the references below) and then apply the text to the specific context and situation.

M a t t h e w 1 8 : 1 5 - 1 7

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

• This passage from Matthew 18 deals specifically with personal one-to-one instances of sin, but may be applied in other situations. Matthew 18: 15 to 17 contains a three step process for dealing with person-to-person conflict. Step one is to confront the person who has sinned against you and ask him to repent. If he does not repent after step one, move on to step two. Step two, take one or two other people, along with you to confront the individual about the sin against you and ask him to repent. If he does not repent after step two, move on to step three. Step three is to take the situation to the church. At Living Stones, this may be applied in one of two ways: either take it to your community group for confrontation (assuming you are in the same community group) or bring the sin and the situation to an elder who will bring it back to the elder board for a decision of how church discipline should be applied.

Why is church discipline not brought before the church as a whole?

R o m a n s 1 6 : 1 7

"1 appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them."

• Romans 16 is dealing with individuals in the congregation who engage in two specific types of sin. The first sin is the sin of division within the church. The second sin is the sin of false doctrine in the church. These individuals are to be avoided and reported to the elders of the church for follow-up and reconciliation.

1 C o r i n t h i a n s 5 : 1 - 1 3

• First Corinthians 5:1 to 13 (too long to quote here) details a situation in the church involving gross, unrepentant sexual immorality. The specific situation had to do with an individual having sex with his father's wife. The apostolic exhortation is immediate removal from the congregation until such a time that the individual comes to repentance. This situation is an instance of immediate removal from the church and may be applied in extreme cases.

2 T h e s s a l o n i a n s 3 : 6 - 7 , 1 4 - 1 5

“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you ... .If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

• 2 Thessalonians 3:6 to 7, and 14 to 15 give us a specific situation of church discipline and a timeless principle of church discipline. The situation involved disobedience to the apostolic (and now scriptural) command to work and provide for one's family. The timeless principle to apply to modem church discipline at Living Stones is that if an individual blatantly disobeyed a scriptural command and persists in that disobedience after being urged to repent, the individual is to be disengaged that he may be ashamed. In the process, he is not to be regarded as an enemy, but continually warned as a brother. Persistence in a particular sin may require removal from the church for the purpose of repentance and restoration.

T i t u s 3 : 1 0 - 1 1

“As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”

• Titus gives us a pattern of dealing with individuals in the church who stir up divisions. The individual is to be warned once and then twice and if there is no repentance the individual is to be removed from the congregation because of his potential to harm the church through division.

H e b r e w s 1 3 : 1 7

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

• Hebrews gives us the charge of leadership to carry out leading responsibilities which include church discipline and the congregational duty to obey and follow leadership. This exhortation is for the purpose of the leadership carrying out its duties with joy.

G a l a t i a n s 6 : 1

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”

• This scripture is instructive in church discipline in terms of the heart attitude and spiritual awareness that church discipline requires. An individual should be walking in the power of the Holy Spirit and carry out the church discipline with a spirit of gentleness. As a church discipline is carried out, the individual should be in a state of constant self-evaluation in regard to the many temptations that could accompany such work.

J a m e s 5 : 1 9 - 2 0

“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

• James instructs us on the motivation behind church discipline. Church discipline should never be motivated out of anger, or pride, or woundedness, or self-righteousness, but rather to restore the individual to Christ and his people. The motive is love, the means is love, and the result is love that springs from the gospel.

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Expiation

Jesus Christ is the preeminent one who not only forgives, but also provides—through his death and resurrection—a basis for the forgiveness of sin. The apostle Paul points out Christ's work of expiation in Colossians 1:14. The concept of expiation is that we are cleansed from the guilt of our sins. Not only are we freed from the penalty of our sin, but we are freed from the guilt associated with it, as well. The work of Christ provides for us “forgiveness of sins” (1:14). Later in the Colossians, Paul writes, “And you, who were dead in trespasses and circumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses” (2:13). Union with Christ provides expiation of sin leading to forgiveness of sin. Sinners are made clean before a holy God and free to live a life of worship and mission. He did this “by canceling the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set it aside, nailing it to the cross.” (2:14). Expiation is accomplished by Christ on the cross as he dies for sin; the sin of the believer is literally and completely nailed to the cross with Jesus. Jesus Christ takes his place of supremacy over sin and death and hell on our behalf, thus cleansing us from impurity.

If you're a believer in Jesus: when was the last time you thought about the fact that you are completely cleansed of you sin? When was the last time you experienced the freedom of knowing that you are guilt-free because of Christ? Why aren't you experiencing that daily?

If you're not following Jesus: Can you imagine a guilt-free life? Do you think it's even possible?

It is possible. And it is yours in Christ.

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Propitiation

Colossians 1:20 speaks of the propitiatory work of Christ. Although Paul does not overtly describe Jesus’ death on the cross as a “propitiation” in this passage, the idea is implied when Paul says he was “making peace through the blood of his cross.” The death of Jesus Christ propitiated the wrath of God aimed at a fallen world. But what does propitiation mean? It's the idea that Jesus absorbed all of the wrath that God the Father had toward the sin of humans by dying on the cross. Jesus stood in between us and the Father and bore the punishment that was rightfully ours. You can see how this principle paves the way for our redemption. Speaking about the propitiation of Christ, Robert L. Reymond writes something absolutely crucial. Don't miss this, or you'll miss the point:

“…major revision is essential in the thinking of the Christian mind, which is accustomed to viewing the cross work of Christ as having been directed primarily, if not solely, toward men. In light of the fact that Paul and John (and probably the author of Hebrews as well) expressly represented it as a propitiating work, it is important to recognize that Christ's cross work had a God-ward reference. Indeed, if one reflects even for a moment on the sinful condition of the race vis-a-vis the holy character of God, it will become clear that God-ward reference was the cross' primary reference.”[2]

The Father's wrath needed to be appeased and Jesus was the only one who could do it, being fully man and fully God (and thus able to satisfy God's need for a blood-price to be paid and his need for that sacrifice to be perfect as he is perfect). As Reymond points out, the work of the cross was primarily directed toward the Father, since he was the rightful, offended party with a rightful wrath in need of satisfaction. The primary orientation of the cross was not us. Yes, we were the ones in need of rescuing, but we were not the offended party who needed our grievances addressed. After all, there is no wrath that any man can have toward God that is in any way justified. Just try to think of something, I dare you.

Also, the glory of Christ's propitiation is more about magnifying the love of God than anything else. Although we enjoy the benefits of propitiation, it's not about us! John Stott elaborates on this in ways I couldn't have said better myself:

“It cannot be emphasized too strongly that God's love is the source, not the consequence, of the atonement…. God does not love us because Christ died for us; Christ died for us because God loved us. It is God's wrath which needed to be propitiated, and God's love which did the propitiating. If it may be said that the propitiation ‘changed’ God, whereby he changed himself, let us be clear he did not change from wrath to love, or from emnity to grace, since his character is unchanged. But the propitiation changed with his dealings with us.” [3]

The Father wasn't "only wrath" before the cross occurred and he's not "only love" now that the work is finished. There was love expressed and grace given to humans pre-Christ and there will be more wrath to come at the Final Judgement when the presence of sin and Satan will be demolished. Glory in the fact that—in Christ—this wrath is no longer directed toward you. Glory in the fact that God's immeasurable love motivated sending Jesus to propitiate you.

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[2] Robert L. Reymond. A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998) p.639

[3] John Stott. The Cross of Christ (Intervarsity Press) p. 174

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Redemption

Redemption

Colossians 1:14 tells us that Christ is the one “in whom we have redemption.” In Colossians 1:22, we see the result of the redemption of Christians is to be saved from sin to make them “holy and blameless and above reproach” before God. A believer is able to be holy and blameless and above reproach before God because he is connected to the person and work of the preeminent Christ. The redemption that Christ provides is like no other. Wayne Grudem explains the redemption Christ provided this way:

“Because we as sinners are in bondage to sin and Satan, we need someone to provide redemption and thereby ‘redeem’ us out of that bondage. When we speak of redemption, the idea of ‘ransom’ comes into view. A ransom is the price paid to redeem someone from bondage or captivity. If we ask to whom the ransom was paid, we realize that the human analogy of a ransom payment does not fit the atonement of Christ in every detail…. It is sufficient to note that price was paid (the death of Christ) and the result was that we were ‘redeemed’ from bondage. ” [1]

In other words, our ransom was not paid to Satan for our redemption. Although, as sinners, we are held captive by sin and Satan because of our rebellion toward God, our ransom was paid to the Father in order to clear us of our grievous offenses toward him and free us from our imprisonment to sin and Satan.

The fact that we were bought with a price ought to change the way we live life, don't you think? We are not our own anymore. And why would we want to be? Without Christ's redemption, we are building our personal silos in the kingdom of darkness, already prepared for destruction. It's sheer futility. Christ's rescue frees us to live in submission to him. We go to our jobs day in and day out working for his fame; we go to school to know him, know his truth in all things and make his truth known; we raise our kids that they may know and love him; we give generously because it all belongs to him, anyway. A redeemed life is a re-purposed life—all for him.

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[1] Wayne Grudem. Bible Doctrine (Zondervan Publishers, 1999) p. 255

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Christus Victor

Christus Victor is one of the most important aspects of our faith. The concept of Christus Victor is the idea that Jesus Christ—in his death on the cross—had victory over sin, death and the demonic realm. How did he accomplish this? Jesus Christ defeated the demonic realm through his death by crushing the power of sin and thereby taking away demonic ability to rule in the hearts of humans. In his resurrection, he proves his death to be effective and triumphs over the demonic realm publicly.

In Colossians 1:13, Paul writes, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” In a fallen-sinful-world, the fallen-sinful-human lives under the dominion of dark forces because of sin and death; but in Jesus Christ’s victory, humans are transferred into the kingdom of the beloved Son, the kingdom of light. This triumph—Christ's victory on the cross—allows the believer to share with Christ in his conquest over evil. Jesus Christ is preeminent as Savior because of his destruction of evil through his work on the cross. In his success, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (2:15).

The doctrine of Christus Victor not only teaches us that Jesus Christ accomplished the conquest of evil through the cross... it allows us to live in the freedom of it. Have you thanked him for this lately?

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Penal Substitutionary Atonement

The work of Christ is preeminent and central in the church because Jesus Christ himself is preeminent. I recently heard a pastor say that “the cross is central because Jesus got on it.”[1]

Penal Substitutionary Atonement

The work of Christ on the cross and in the resurrection is summed up in his work of penal substitutionary atonement. Penal substitutionary atonement is the idea that Jesus Christ became the substitute penalty taker on behalf of sinners to make them free from guilt and to make them one with God in his righteous life. Consider how B.B. Warfield defined penal substitutionary atonement:

The Biblical doctrine of the sacrifice of Christ find’s its full recognition in no other construction than that of the established church doctrine of satisfaction. According to it, our Lord's redeeming work is at its core a true and perfect sacrifice offered to God, of intrinsic value ample for the expiation of our guilt; and at the same time is a true and perfect righteousness offered to God in fulfillment of the demands of his law; both the one and the other being offered in behalf of his people, and, on being accepted by God, accruing to their benefit; so that by this satisfaction they are relieved at once from the curse of their guilt as breakers of the law, and from the burden of the law as a condition of life; and this by work at such kind and performed in such a manner, as to carry home to the hearts of men a profound sense of the end indefectible righteousness of God and to make them a perfect revelation of his love; so that, by this one and indivisible work, God is reconciled to us, and we, under the quickening influence of the Spirit out for us by, a reconciled to God so making peace-- external peace between an angry God and sinful men, and internal peace in the response to human conscience to the restored smile of God.[2]

Paul writes in Colossians 1:24 that the cross consisted of “Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church…” The afflictions that Christ suffered for the sake of his church were afflictions that led to atonement of sin and reconciliation to God. He died in their place for them. Jesus Christ is preeminent not only in his person but also in his work on behalf of his people. He is preeminent to his people because his work for them destroys all that was standing against them and results in reconciliation to God. The afflictions of Christ should be seen in the light of the love and pleasure of God.

Paul writes about this in Colossians 1:19-20: “For in him all the fullness of God pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things… making peace by the blood of his cross.” God was motivated by his good pleasure to reconcile all things to himself in the cross of Jesus. Louis Berkof comments on the good pleasure of God and the cross:

“According to Scripture the moving cause of the atonement is found in the good pleasure of God to save sinners by substitutionary atonement. Christ himself is the fruit of this good pleasure of God. It was predicted that he would come to the will to carry out the good pleasure of God….”[3]

Colossians 2:11-12 also speaks of the penal substitutionary nature of the atonement: ”In him also you were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” Paul refers to Jesus' death on the cross as a circumcision. This circumcision of Christ on the cross is also referred to as the circumcision of Christian. When Christ died, the Christian died. In the same way, when Christ was raised, the Christian was raised from the dead. In this way, Jesus Christ is the penal substitutionary atonement for the Christian in his death and resurrection, circumcising in himself the penalty of sin, death, and hell for the believer in granting to them his resurrected life. All other effects of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and in his resurrection spring from the foundation stone of substitutionary atonement.

There will never be a victory you have that did not originate in the cross. There will never be failure you have that cannot be healed by the cross. Our preeminent Savior's work is first, final and forever.

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[1] Eric Mason at Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, sermon title “Christocentricity” 10/4/09

[2] B.B. Warfield the person and work of Christ (Presbyterian and reformed publishing, 1950) p.368

[3] L. Berkhof systematic theology (Eerdmans Publishing, 1939) p. 367

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Life & Faith

The spiritual life of the Christian is Christ himself. Christ is not only preeminent in the cosmos, but he is also preeminent in the life of the Christian. Those who have been striving together with him are “mature in Christ,” not in and of themselves (1:28). The apostle Paul was supplied with the “energy” of Christ working within him in his ministry (1:29). Since the spiritual life of the Christian is tied to the life of Jesus Christ, Paul instructs the Colossians to walk in him and to be built up in him (2:6-7). Christians have been filled in Christ (2:10), and Christ in them: “Christ is all, and in all” (3:11). Jesus is the very life of the Christian: “Christ who is your life” (3:4). The Christian does not possess his or her own eternal life but rather shares in the eternal life of Jesus Christ. Christians are instructed to let Jesus regulate their hearts in Colossians 3:15: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts”… because the very life of Christ is in the Christian.

Because Jesus Christ is preeminent in the universe, he is also preeminent as the object of faith and proclamation. In Colossians 1:4 and 2:5, Jesus Christ is the object of belief for the Colossian Church. In Colossians 1:28, he is the object of proclamation: “Him we proclaim.” Christ is the object of faith, the preeminent one, the reason for all things; it is always Him we proclaim. Colossians 2:2-3 says that Jesus is the knowledge of God's mystery and recognizes that his job is to ”declare the mystery of Christ.” (4:3). Faith in any other system or object is an unacceptable faith; casting the weight of one’s soul upon any human tradition apart from Christ is sternly warned against. Any philosophy that does not flow directly from Christ is to be opposed (2:8). In Colossians 3:22-24, Paul tells us that work should be done by fearing Christ; “fear the Lord,” knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one that you are serving. Work itself is seen as an act of faith in Christ. Jesus Christ should be central in the faith of the church and the proclamation of the church because Jesus Christ is central—period.

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Shadows of Religion

In Colossians 2:16-17, the apostle Paul tried to explain that—because of Jesus’ preeminent reality—the types and shadows of the old covenant are no longer necessary for Christian practice and exhortation. “Therefore, let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or Sabbath. These are the shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” Jesus is the substance of all the Old Testament types and shadows. The types and shadows are now fulfilled in Jesus Christ, leaving no need for their implementation in practice in the new covenant era.

In Colossians 2:18-19, the apostle Paul warns against human religion having any place in Christianity. “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with the growth that is from God.” The preeminent Christ is mandatory in spiritual life. Jesus is unswervingly the substance of the faith. In Colossians 2:20-23, Paul points out that being in union with the person who is the substance of the faith, Jesus Christ, there is no need to submit to man-made religious regulation. “Growth in the Christian life comes by walking him, not by following some ascetic regiment where certain foods are forbidden and special festival days are observed. These things are ‘shadows’ and the substance is Christ.”[1] Paul encourages a Colossian Church not to be distracted from its Christocentric focus. False teachers were leading them to other foci aside from Christ. Keeping Christ central is the only way to maintain health in the church.

When Paul addressed the church of Galatia, he had a similar admonition. The Galatians, like the Colossians, were swayed and enticed by religious practice. To them, he says: "...if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:18-20) The reality of religion is that it kills. Only Jesus can give us life. The law was meant to be a tutor lead us to Christ (Galatians 2:24), but was never designed to be his replacement. If the value of any practice or discipline begins to exceed the value of Christ himself, we are being deceived. Are you judging your Christian life based on your ability to perform? That is sin. Are you getting your worth from your ability to obey? Guess what: even our ability to obey is a gift, and you didn't earn it. We must fight to remember what we are so prone to forget: Christ in us is our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), not our law-keeping or law-breaking. Have you been crucified with Christ? Stop clinging to the shadows of religion and walk in the light.

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[1] Schreiner, Paul apostle of God's glory in Christ p. 27

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Humanity

Colossians 2:9 tells us that the fullness of God dwells in an actual human body and, in other words, Jesus Christ was and is truly human. Jesus was not just the shell of a human with God inside or, perhaps worse, a ghost of some kind; Jesus was actually human. “The Christian doctrine of the incarnation claims that the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, became fully man, Jesus of Nazareth; they been doing so he did not for a moment ceased to be fully God; and that he did this ‘for us and for our salvation.’”[1]

Jesus' humanity enabled him to be our atoning sacrifice; without the shedding of blood, there would be no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). Obviously, he needed to have a human body in order to shed his blood. His deity ensured that his blood, in its perfection, would be able to satisfy the wrath of God (1 Peter 1:18-19). We cannot rely on any righteousness other than the perfect record of Christ. Jesus' humanity assures us that he is able to sympathize with our weaknesses as our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). And his deity reminds us that his compassions for us never fail (Lamentations 3:22-23). In his humanity, Jesus showed us dependent obedience to the Father by doing nothing on his own initiative (John 8:28, 42). In his deity, no mere man could forcefully take Jesus' life; he laid down his life on his own initiative (John 10:18). Jesus' humanity tells us that we must die (Matthew 10:38, John 12:24). His deity tells us that we will live (John 6:54).

It is incredibly important to keep Jesus' humanity and deity in view. To ignore either is a grave error.

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[1] Garrett J. Deweese edited by Fred Sanders and Klaus Issler One person, Two natures in Jesus and Trinitarian Perspective (B&H publishing, Nashville Tennessee, 2007) p. 115

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Trinity

In the process of greeting the Colossians, Paul writes, “we always thank God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you” (1:3). Jesus is referred to as the Son of God the Father, thus putting his person and the context of the Trinity. With the high Christology that we find in the book of Colossians, we must keep in perspective that Jesus Christ, God the Son, is one of the members of the triune God. This explains several of the other references to Christ such as Colossians 1:19: “In [Jesus] the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.” In Jesus Christ, the Triune God is seen. Jesus not only shows us who he is as God the Son, but also who the Father and Holy Spirit are. Colossians 2:9 also shows Jesus in Trinitarian perspective when Paul tells us that “in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” All of the fullness of God is found in Christ. All the Father's nature is in him (what Paul calls the pleroma of Godhead, Col. 2:9). Consequently, he is equal with God; which is why, in turn, he is a unique revelation of God, unlike any other. We, as humans, may bear the image of God, but our portrayal is nothing in comparison to the complete picture that Jesus' person and work paint for us. [1]

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[1] Donald MacLeod the person of Christ (Intervarsity Press, 1998) p.74

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Eternal

The book of Colossians also makes it clear that Jesus Christ is eternal. He has no beginning or end. Jesus Christ is before all things, therefore, he is eternal, “And he is before all things” (Colossians 1:17). There is nothing that is here or that was here before Jesus Christ. He was here among the other two members of the Trinity from all eternity. Peter T. O'Brien comments,

“The first affirmation, ‘he is before all things’ declares his temporal priority to the universe. Therefore one could not rightly say as Arius that: ‘there was once when he was not.’ At the same time this statement implies his primacy over the cosmos.”[1]

Paul goes on to say in the next verse that Jesus is “the beginning” (1:18). In other words, he is the origin and source of all things because he is the eternal God. In order to be the origin of something, one must exist outside of that something—in this passage, he is the beginning of “all things,” therefore he is eternal.

The fact that he is eternal has a lot of implications. First, because he is eternal, the entirety of his person and work is also eternal. His righteousness is eternal. His atonement is eternal. His love, his justice, his mercy are eternal. And although we don't deserve it, all of this is given to us. Second, the fact that he is eternal doesn't just mean that his quantity of life is unending... it means that his quality of life is unending. His eternal life isn't just about boundless, endless time or even being outside of time. It's about the fact that he is the only life, the best life, and everything about who he is and what he does is completely satisfying. The fact that these things are true not only leads us to worship him, but it leads us to the responsibility to live in light of this truth right now, where we are and where we stand. How often do we remember that Jesus is the eternal fullness of deity (Col. 1:19) and he lives in us by the Holy Spirit? Remembering this can change everything. How will it change your life today?

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[1] O'Brien p. 47

Christocentric: Christ in Colossians | Creator

Colossians is very clear that Jesus Christ is Creator God. You can understand why Paul would be so insistent on letting the Colossians know this fact since they were being drawn toward believing that Jesus wasn't sovereign over all things. Knowing that Jesus is the Creator puts him on a different plane than mere man. Knowing that Jesus is our Creator-God not only affirms his deity, but also insists that he is worthy of our submission.

In Colossians 1:15 we read that Jesus is the “firstborn of all creation.” At first glance, this verse seems to undermine everything we just talked about. We might as well pack up and go home, if that were the case. But the idea of firstborn here cannot possibly be that Christ is the first created thing because, as verse 17 says, he is ‘before all things.” Paul is not constructing faulty logic. He is listing Jesus' credentials and this, too, is one of them. John Piper states:

“the reason Paul called Christ the firstborn ‘of all creation’ is ‘because in him all things were created.’ The reason is not that he was the first and greatest created thing. The reason is that every created thing was created by him. This does not incline us to think then that ‘firstborn of all creation’ means ‘firstborn among all created things,’ but rather “firstborn over all created things.’”[1]

In relation to the Father, Jesus is as a firstborn son, privy to all the rights, powers and attributes of the King. So Jesus is not firstborn in the sense of creative order, but firstborn in the sense of authority. If the Father says, "let there be light," you'd better believe that Jesus can make it happen (and -- spoiler alert -- he did).

Colossians 1:16 goes on to assert the Doctrine of Christ as Creator: “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- all things were created through him and for him.” This passage tells us that Jesus Christ is the Creator God of Genesis 1. The things that are in heaven and the things that are in earth, the things that are visible and the things that are invisible, all things are created by Jesus. Peter T. O'Brien, commenting on this passage, says: “’Heaven’ and ‘invisible’ correspond as do ‘curse’ and ‘visible.’ The expression in parallel lines embrace everything, for they are no exceptions… all things have been brought into existence by the creative act of God in Christ.”[2]

Jesus Christ is not only the Creator God, he is the God who sustains all things. Colossians 1:17 puts it this way: “And in him all things hold together.” Millard Erickson writes about this passage, “After a statement about the role of Christ in creation, Paul links him to the continuation of the creation as well.”[3] In Jesus Christ, all things continue to exist. At every moment, Jesus Christ is holding all creation and sustains it by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus Christ not only brings things into existence as Creator, but he also keeps things existing as sustainer. Can you believe that? Every particle of your body is being held together by Jesus. You are reading this (and not falling asleep while reading it) because Jesus made your eyes, nerves and brain, made the light by which you see, made your mind capable of cognition and critical thought... and he lets you continue to enjoy those privileges.

Take a minute to think about all the ways that Jesus is your creator and sustainer. You'll be thinking for a while, I assure you. May your heart be moved to worship as you consider these things.

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[1] John Piper The Pleasures of God (Multnomah, 1991) p. 39

[2] Peter T. Obrien Colossians, Philemon; Word Biblical Commentary (Thomas Nelson Publishers,1982) p.46

[3] Millard J. Erickson Christian Theology (Baker Books) p. 414