The New You in Christ—Lectionary (RCL) Reflection for Pentecost 8C/Proper 13 (Colossians 3)
Colossians 3:1-11 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8 But now you must get rid of all such things: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!
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We have
been working our way through the letter to the Colossians. Though attributed to
Paul, there are questions about Pauline authorship. As with my earlier
reflections, I’m putting aside the questions of authorship. For our purposes,
and the ease of writing, I will assume Pauline authorship in what follows. One
of the central messages of this letter concerns the identity of Jesus, who is
revealed to be the “image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;
for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and
invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have
been created through him and for him.” And “in him all the fullness of God was
pleased to dwell (Col. 1:15-16, 19). This revealing statement that permeates
the letter gives rise to the vision of the Cosmic Christ. This is no ordinary
human being. In what we read here, we find a parallel to the vision offered in
John’s prologue, which declares that the Word of God has become flesh and dwelt
among us (Jn 1:1-14).
This
week’s lectionary selection is the final reading from Colossians for Year C.
The message here is a continuation of one we encountered last week, as Paul
spoke of baptism being that moment where we die with Christ to the old life and
are raised to new life in Christ. Here Paul speaks of the aftermath of being
raised with Christ. He speaks of putting on new clothes and “seeking the things
that are above.” The imagery here assumes that the heavenly realm lies above,
and therefore we’re charged with looking up so we might see Jesus sitting at
the right hand of God. Having taken on human flesh and dwelling among us, in
the resurrection Jesus has resumed his rightful place at the right hand of God.
The message here can be summed up in a reminder that “if Jesus is Lord, then
Caesar is not.” This word reminds us that Christ may have been crucified by the
Roman authorities, but in his resurrection, he has taken up his throne.
Whatever authority Rome or any other governing authority might have over our
lives, it stands under that of Christ who reigns in the heavenly realm.
So, if Jesus now resides in the
heavenly realm, then those who follow him should keep their eyes focused on the
things above. That is, we are called to live according to the ways of God and
not on the ways of the world. Remember, to be in Christ, to be baptized, is to
die to that old life. It’s been buried in the waters of baptism. Now, that you
have been raised to new life, live accordingly, and you will experience the
glory that has been revealed in Jesus.
So,
what is it that we are to put to death now that we have baptized into Christ? What
are the ways of the world? Paul mentions several items in two lists:
fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed. Regarding greed, Paul
identifies it with idolatry. In other words, what do you worship? He expands
the list even more in verse 8, adding anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive
language, and lying to one another. All of these “qualities” mark the old life.
This is the way of the Gentile world out of which these Colossian believers
emerged, but they shouldn’t mark the new life in Christ.
Paul writes this word to the
Colossian church (and any other churches if this is in fact a circular letter)
because he’s concerned that they could easily fall back into that life. After
all, they still live in a world that is marked by the characteristics noted
above. They may have taken on a new life in Christ, but the context in which
they live hadn’t changed. Not only does Paul note the ways that mark their
former life, but he encourages them to let that old life go because those who
persist in that life face God’s wrath. Instead, embrace the new life that
reflects one’s relationship with Christ.
As you looked at that list, does
anything stand out? Do you see any items that might be part of your life? The
Augustinian part of me, suggests that the old life still has a hold on me. Part
of the problem is that all of these qualities are rampant in our culture. Think
of the political culture where we see the presence everywhere of anger, slander,
abusive language, and lying. Consider how large the number of Christians who
not only embrace the “Big Lie” about the 2020 election but eagerly spread the
word, apparently forgetting that we are to be people of the truth (and not
alternative truths that fit our agendas). So, maybe we need to watch ourselves
a bit more, lest we face God’s wrath!
We are new creatures, who are
clothed with Christ. We are being renewed in the knowledge shared with us by
the one who is the image of the creator. As we are being renewed, we are no
longer divided according to our status as Greek or Jew, circumcised or
uncircumcised. Whether we’re barbarian or Scythian (according to Scot McKnight,
this would be the stereotypical equivalent of hillbilly or ruffian, Connections,
p. 208) doesn’t matter. In fact, one’s status as slave or free no longer
defines one. That is because Christ is all in all. In the body of Christ none
of these statuses matter, though we know that they continue to define one’s
status outside the body. That’s the challenge. When this letter was written,
the church was small and hardly influential. The church wasn’t in the position
to influence the larger society, except through the way it lived. But that’s
not true today, at least not in the United States or many other countries where
Christianity is at least the largest religious community. How the church lives
out our faith in Christ does speak loudly. As you may have noticed; that
witness has been damaged by many of the characteristics mentioned above!
So, let us live into our new situation in life, such that we can participate in the life of Christ. That leads to moral and ethical transformation. We see that noted in Romans 12 and again here in Colossians 3. We don’t lose our individual identities as we live in the body of Christ, but our social identities do not define our place in the body of Christ. So, as Joshua Jipp notes, regarding the realities of our own age, “when our social identities are valued above our shared identity in Christ, then inevitably those with less power—usually ethnic minorities, women, the poor, or marginalized—are relegated to a position of subservience within the church” [Connections, p. 211]. That was a concern in the first century and again in ours. So, as we live in Jesus, let us look toward the heavenly rather than the earthly/human. Thankfully, we live out this calling by God’s grace, but grace is no excuse for letting the old life dominate. So, since we're a new creation in Christ, let us dress accordingly! As we do, let us sing praise to God in the words of a Brian Wren Easter hymn:
Christ is alive, and comes to bring
good news to this and every age,
till earth and sky and ocean ring
with joy, with justice, love and praise.
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