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Making God palatable
Sometimes, God doesn’t quite fit into our cultural values. We are surrounded by a whole worldview and philosophy that is not totally compatible with God. That was certainly the case in Colosse. Paul wrote to the Colossians in opposition to the Gnostics, who believed that spirit was good, matter was evil, and thus Jesus didn’t really come in the flesh. They held these clearly heretical views because they wanted the gospel to fit into the philosophical trends of their day. Paul condemned the Gnostics with these words:
Colossians 2:6-10, 15
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority…. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
We are not to try to adapt the gospel to human philosophical systems (à la liberal and Emergent theology); rather, we are to recognize that Christ defeated the spiritual rulers and authorities who are responsible for these systems. We should never be afraid that others will think we are foolish; instead, we are to remember that God has declared the wisdom of this world to be foolish (1 Corinthians 1:25).
Unfortunately, well-intentioned Christians sometimes fall into the trap of trying to conform God to societal values. They see something in the Bible that offends them, and so they build a philosophical system to make God’s actions more palatable. A couple examples I’ve run across:
- Claiming that God’s wrath comes from his love, i.e. God is wrathful only because he is loving. I’ve heard this traced back to the love between members of the Trinity, but quite frankly, this is just a way to make God’s wrath seem less offensive. Biblically, God’s wrath is traced to his holiness—he cannot stand the sight of sin and has promised to punish evildoers.
- Claiming that the reason evil exists in the world is that God values man’s free will. That is, it’s so important to God that people will choose him freely and unrobotically that he’s willing to allow people to do evil things. Of course, this is nothing more than speculation—there is nothing in the Bible that says God allowed sin to enter the world because he wanted people to love him out of their own free will. In fact, it’s clear from the Bible that it is by God’s sovereign decree or plan that evil takes place.
In the past, I’ve definitely valued many theodicies attempting to defend God that are based on human speculation and philosophy, not on the Bible. In fact, I probably still do. May we heed the words of Solomon, who warned us to “beware of anything beyond” the words of the wise, “given by one Shepherd” (Ecclesiastes 12:11-12).
The kingdom of his beloved Son
Could a people be punished for their king’s sin? We see just such a thing happen in the Old Testament in 2 Samuel 24. And the last two verses of Psalm 51 indicate that God’s blessing on the kingdom is tied in with the actions and attitude of its king.
In those instances, the king’s sin was bad news for his people. However, we have a King who is without guilt and perfect in righteousness: “He [God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).
Jesus Christ is our King. As people of his kingdom, we are represented by one whom God calls “beloved.” Our King is loved by God the Father, and so we too are loved by God. While once we were “following the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), now God has transferred us into a kingdom of redemption and forgiveness. May we remember each day that we are citizens of this kingdom, freed from sin and no longer subject to the wrath of God! Rather, we are loved by God and are being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, our King.
Team sanctification
Colossians 1:28-2:4
28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. 2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.
Sanctification is a group effort. It takes a lot of work, and the energy for this work comes from Jesus Christ (1:29). Without the wisdom, strength, love, and understanding of Christ, it’s a lost cause. But with these, we can work to build up the church by our involvement in one another’s lives. Just as Paul and the apostles warned (admonished) and taught the churches through the proclamation of the gospel (1:28), so our church leaders admonish and teach us. We are called to “be knit together in love” (2:2) so that we may be encouraged to understand and know Christ, our priceless treasure. We need to watch one another’s doctrine closely so that no one is deluded “with plausible arguments” (2:4). False teaching rarely announces its presence; rather, it is much more subtle. It requires discernment to pick out. This is one of many reasons why we need the church—to call each other out on our wayward doctrine that will lead us to an unfruitful life.
I’m grateful for the many times in which pastors and friends have corrected my wrong patterns of thinking. Our theology drives our delight in God and our attitude toward life. I know I have a long way to go, but I’m thankful that even now, God is using me to help others just as he has used others in my own life.
Reconciled
Colossians 1:15-23
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 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. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
I love this passage of scripture…what a great reminder that Christ is preeminent over all of creation. Everything was made by him, and everything was made for him. So it’s no wonder that Paul’s focus here is on reconciliation. The world at present is under a curse and is at odds with its creator; marred by man’s rebellion, it is “subjected to futility” and in “bondage to decay” (Romans 8:20). But from eternity past, God had declared that Christ would reconcile the creation to himself, “making peace by the blood of his cross” (v. 20). God has promised that one day, he will make “all things new” (Revelation 21:5). The new heaven and the new earth—and all those who live in them—will once again enjoy unbroken fellowship with their Creator.
Even now, we have been reconciled to Christ (vv. 21-22). We can enjoy the first taste of what is to come! How foolish it is for me to forget the God who has reconciled us…in doing this, I spurn the beauty of the new life that he has called us to, both in the present and in the age to come. May we “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel” (v. 23), so that we may presented as “holy and blameless and above reproach before him” (v. 22)!
Bearing fruit and growing
Colossians 1:5-6
5 …Of this you have heard before in the word of truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.Colossians 1:9-10
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
The phrases “bearing fruit and growing” in v. 6 and “bearing fruit…and increasing” in v. 10 are actually the same words in Greek. The gospel, by its very nature, produces results on both a worldwide and an individual level.
The analogy here is that the gospel is like a tree. It grows as the worldwide church increases in number and as each Christian increases in the knowledge of God. It bears fruit as each believer devotes himself to doing good works for the glory of God, and as the church is united in doing good for the sake of Jesus Christ.
The gospel is a seed that, when planted in a fertile heart, grows into something great. May God soften our hearts and cause us to grow in knowledge and bear fruit for His kingdom.
