October 2008 Meditation
RAISED
One of the most significant--in reality, every word of the epistle of Colossians is significant -- passages in the little book is verse one of chapter three, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” A second verse of parallel significance is chapter two verse twelve, “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” These two verses speak of the fact that we have been raised up by Christ but then go on to show us that we must live different lives as a result of what Christ has done in us. Because we have been changed, we should show forth some real changes. Let’s look at the word “raised” in order to see how we are expected to respond to the change that Christ has made in us.
R represents our obligation to Receive Him, allowing Christ to enter into us. “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” (verses 3:24-25) “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.” (verse 1:21) In the book of Revelation, John expresses the heart of the Lord who has been locked out of the hearts and lives of men, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (verse 3:20) Once we were alienated from God and were without an inheritance, but our simple act of opening our heart’s door to Christ is all that is required for us to come into this radically new relationship which Paul is describing in this letter.
A stands for Advance, allowing Christ to motivate us. Paul makes the point several times that we must not stand still, or stagnate, in our experience with Christ. Instead, we are to make positive, forward steps to walk out our faith and experience. “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (verse 1:10) “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” (verse 2:6) “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” (verse 4:5)
In Galatians 5:25, the Apostle Paul admonished us, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” There is a tremendous difference between living and walking. Our being alive is dependent on others, but walking is self-dependent. It is our mother and father who are responsible for our being alive, but we are individually responsible for our walking. Any time we let someone else do our walking, we cease to walk and start to ride. In the spiritual realm, we are alive because of God's action, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (I Corinthians 15:45) Yet God allows us to do our own spiritual walking. He will guide our steps and support us if we falter, but He will not do our walking for us. One fast food restaurant boasts, “We do it all for you.” But God doesn't make that same claim. He will give us dramatic instant deliverances, but then He commands us to follow through with the day-to-day disciplined walk which lives out that deliverance.
Walking has to do with progression. Unlike plants which are stationary, man can advance and move forward. In Japan I saw a Bonsai tree the size of a seedling although it was seventy-five years old. In the mountains of California, I once viewed the Bristol Pines which were almost 4,000 years old but about the size of regular trees. A few miles away, I marveled at the giant sequoia trees and redwoods which were almost as old but massive enough to prove their age. Regardless of how long these trees had lived, none of them had moved even an inch away from where they first sprouted. They had life, but not progress. Man, on the other hand, has the potential to progress; he can move forward; he can achieve; he does not have to remain stationary and stagnant. If a man does not progress, he is considered to be “vegetating” -- becoming like one of those stuck-in-the-same-spot trees. Perhaps this is why the Bible speaks so frequently and pointedly about walking. God wants us to be progressive achievers.
When Paul challenged the Roman believers to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), he seems to have hand-picked his terms. He chose the Greek word for “walk” which means to progress at ones own volition rather than the term which implies a regimented march. Thus, he suggests that the Christian walk is to proceed from the freshness of the spirit man rather than from a mechanical following of the letter of the law. The term “newness” means new in nature rather than simply new in time. Three Greek words were available for the apostle to choose among for the word “life.” His choice was zoe (the life of the spirit man), rather than bios (the life of the physical man), or psyche (the life of the soulical part of man). In other words, our Christian walk is not to be an emotionless march through life dictated by a disciplined system of “do”s and “don't”s barked out at us by a spiritual drill sergeant; rather we are to be always progressing, but not on a regimented time table which prohibits us from stopping to smell the roses along the way. Walking in the newness of life is walking in the spirit where there is liberty, righteousness, peace, and joy.
I comes next to remind us of the significance and necessity of Initiation rituals which demonstrate that Christ is transforming us. The apostle speaks of two different initiation rituals -- circumcision, an Old Testament practice to demonstrate that the recipient is in covenant relationship with God, and baptism, the New Testament symbolism of identification with the death and resurrection of Christ. The first of these two rituals shows that we have been cut off from the old kingdom and made recipients of the blessing of the new kingdom. The second of these rituals signifies that we have died to the old sin-dominated life and raised with the freedom to live a new sin-free life now that Christ has erased the rap sheet that Satan held against us. “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” (verses 2:11-14)
In verses eight through thirteen of the third chapter, he furthers the discussion with some allusions which may not be immediately understood in our modern culture. “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” (verses 3:8-13) The first-century church practiced an additional step in their baptisms which has been lost somewhere along the way. When the candidate went down into the river for baptism, he would wear his old cloak which was certainly soiled from daily wear and possibly tattered and stained. As he came up from the waters of baptism, he would discard the old cloak for a beautiful new cloak which was spotlessly white. Paul admonishes his readers to follow through with the symbolism and apply it to their own lives by ridding themselves of motivations, actions, and habits which are spots ruining their spiritual garments while accepting the new spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness.
The S brings us back to the fact that Christ has Spoiled principalities, the reality that Christ is empowering us. Although we have previously discussed this point, it is worthy to be repeating here since it is a key to the whole book. “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (verse 2:15)
E is for Established, the fact that Christ secures us. Notice the powerful adjectives, “perfect” and “complete,” used in the following passages: “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” (verses 1:28) “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” (verse 4:12) “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” (verse 2:10) If only we could really grasp the reality and significance of these verses, we would never again allow a “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven” bumper sticker on our cars or make apologies like, “Well, I’m only human,” or “Well, none of us are perfect.” In reality, we are perfect in God’s eyes because His perfect Son lives in in us!
“Raised” concludes with a D signifying that we are to Demonstrate our faith in practical ways, allowing Christ to manifest through us. Here, Paul gives us some where-the-rubber-meets-the- road counsel on living the Christian life. He writes, “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (verses 3:14-17) The following verses show how this love will play out in our home and business relationships. He then wraps up the discussion with the admonition, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (verses 4:2-6) I find it significant how often he says “let.” For Paul, the Christian life isn’t about what we are doing; it’s all about allowing the new life of Christ to manifest itself through us.