DT – 5/6 – Colossians 3:9-14 – Putting Off the Old Self and Putting on the New Self
Apostle Paul affirms that Christians “have taken off their old self with its practices and have put on the new self.” Why, then, do some Christians still live in their old lifestyle? I think one reason that Christians still live in their old lifestyle is that they don’t want to. They may have wanted to leave their old lifestyle the moment that they received Christ and for a few weeks afterwards. But somewhere along the line, “holiness” became too difficult, and so they found themselves craving the things that they once left behind. But how is it possible to live in their old lifestyle with this verse? I think when they read this verse they have to gloss over it by not reading it carefully. Or if they read it carefully they become like tax attorneys who try to find a loophole or they define “old lifestyle” in a way that allows them to continue living their old lifestyle. Also, I think a lot of Christians don’t understand how spiritual transformation works. They have tried to leave their old lifestyle and they failed. And so they become cynical and think that perhaps spiritual transformation happens in heaven, and until then, because God “forgives us anyway,” they don’t make an effort to leave their old lifestyle. And I think others think their lifestyle is not as important as the work of the gospel. These Christians do a lot of evangelism and their serve and they think they are good Christians. But they ignore their character and sinful activities done in private because they think “hey, I’m serving God, and isn’t that what Christianity is all about?”
Verse 10 says that the “new self” is being “renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” How can I be renewed daily to faithfully reflect the image of Jesus? What aspects of God’s image do I need to foster? I really admire the fact that Jesus was busy but he was never in a hurry. He had a good relationship with time. He was able to enjoy the moment and be fully present for the people around him. He didn’t get bogged down by what he had to do. Often when I think about what I need to do I completely miss out on the life that is happening right in front of me. I also admire Jesus’ understanding of his identity. He came to serve and he knew that his role was to die as a ransom for many. Is my call any different? Am I not called to serve and to die, not as a ransom, but to die to my life so that others may live. It was Bonhoeffer who said that when Christ calls a man he calls him to die. I’m to take up my cross and follow him, and that means I’m to submit myself to reality so that others can live. Christ humbled himself to reality. His reality was the fact that people interrupted him all the time. And his reality was not to become the king of kings on the earth, but to be a ransom and eventually be the king of kings in God’s kingdom. There are parts of me that wants to live, that wants to seize life by its horns so that I may find life, hoping to experience a thrills and excitement, while picking up recognition and status along the way. I think that if I can have those things then I would really find life. But that’s not what God calls me to do. He even says that if I pursue life then I will forfeit it. I’ve got to humble myself to my reality and by doing so I can be a blessing to others and I can find life. “Life” is not found only in preaching at a revival service where many can come to Christ. “Life” can be found in the mundane, in playing with my kids, in cleaning up the church with my ministry group, in cleaning my house with my wife.
Why is it important to put on love over all these virtues? What would happen if I were to pursue these virtues without love? According to the text, it is important to put on love over all these virtues because it binds them all together in perfect unity. If I pursue these virtues without love then I am pursing them with self-interest in mind. The pursuit of these virtues becomes a means to a selfish, not selfless, end. Ultimately I am serving myself rather than others, and I can fool myself into thinking that I’m a loving person when in fact I’m a selfish person.
Tags: Colossians
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