On Sunday, June 27th, we examined Colossians 3:1-17. I attempted to emphasize the fact that the Christian way of life Paul advocates in this text is shaped by his understanding of the Kingdom of God as being a present reality that has yet to be fully manifested. That is, the reign of God has started in Christ’s first coming, but it will not be completely consummated until his second coming. This already/not yet tension with regard to God’s rule is dubbed inaugurated eschatology in theological terms (i.e., the beginning of the last things, the end of this age and the beginning of the age to come). The main idea is this: because of God’s grace we have been justified and brought under his glorious reign; therefore, we ought to live accordingly. In short, our current lifestyle should “fit with” or “correspond to” the age to come.
In Colossians, Paul states several things that God has already graciously done for us as the theological basis for his ethical exhortation. Namely, we have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of Christ, we have received the circumcision of Christ (the sign of membership in God’s people), we have been reckoned dead to the elemental spirits of this world having been buried with Christ, and we have been forgiven our sins and given new life on account of having been raised with him by the power of God. As God’s holy and beloved, chosen ones, we are to become who we are. In other words, we are to develop in the present time the character traits that anticipate who we are destined to be in the coming age.
According to the apostle Paul, this process of character formation is not automatic, we must actively seek things above, set our mind on things above, take off and set aside what is sinful, and put on the characteristics of Christ. Too often we make the mistake of viewing spiritual formation in terms of two humans cooperating with each other on a task: whatever one person does the other refrains from doing. That is, if we are to do the work, God must not be involved or vice versa. However, God’s sanctifying work in our lives is not like that. Rather, the Spirit permeates all our practices. His grace undergirds and empowers all our efforts to “put on” this new kingdom way of life. Nevertheless, the point still stands – we are not passive participants in the process. We must put forth moral effort in cooperation with the Spirit’s work in our lives. (Note: exhibiting moral effort in the process of sanctification has nothing to do with earning or meriting salvation; on the contrary, the fact that we are already saved by grace alone through faith alone is the underlying motivation for our moral make-over under the direction of the Holy Spirit).
In contrast to the sinful way of life that destroys fellowship and discriminates among persons, the new life of the age to come cultivates a caring community that cherishes everyone. This everlasting life of the new heaven and new earth is characterized by compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness, love, peace, and thanksgiving. It is the life we were created for, the life we were redeemed for, and the life we are exhorted to exhibit in the here and now.
Remember, there will be no Sunday School on the Fourth of July. Then, on Sunday, July 11th, John will continue our study of Colossians by looking at how this new way of life ought to manifest itself in our households.
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