Devotions

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Ce ntra l PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Lesson 12 | The Gospel & Relationships Bible Text Colossians 3:1-17 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 1

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 5

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and 12

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hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Commentary Test Time In this the twelfth and final devotional, it is time to take your final exam. Study the verses below and write in the blank the first dominant thought that comes to your mind as you ponder this text. Be spontaneous. What “jumps off the page” and speaks powerfully to your life? If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 1

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 5

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Clearly, there is a moral mandate in this text (v. 5), one that we should all attempt to follow. Was this the verse that most captured your attention? If so, consider the possibility that you are prone to view Scripture in general and the Christian life in particular as the diligent performance of moral duties. Without minimizing God’s call for us to live a life of holy obedience, our attention should first and foremost be drawn to the gospel message of verses 1-4. That is, Paul reminds us of our blessed position in Christ before he calls us to a life of godly performance for Christ. Think of it! We have been raised with Christ (v. 1). We have died, and . . .our life is hidden with Christ in God (v. 3). When Christ who is . . .our life appears, then . . . [we] also will appear with him in glory (v. 4). Paul is preaching to us the gospel of the person and work of Christ on our behalf, his past, present, and future work!

Paul then addresses relational morality—how do Christians interact with one another in the body of Christ?: But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 8

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Performance addicts often miss the gospel motive that is the foundation of gospel living. But in the gracious economy of God, our position precedes our performance; our being precedes our doing; and our identity precedes our activity. To see this beautiful sequence in other Pauline writings, study Romans 12:1-2, Philippians 2:1-4, and II Timothy 2:1-13.

Thirdly, Paul addresses the issue of cultural barriers that must be overcome in order for the church to truly be the church:

Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 11

Finally, he addresses the inevitable reality of the need for conflict resolution in the church:

Put on, then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 12

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Where the Rubber Meets the Road

After establishing the gospel as the foundation and motive of Christian living, Paul then identifies the arena of sanctification. That is, he begins a discussion on relationships in general and Christian community in particular. This is where the power of the gospel gets worked out in very practical and powerful ways. He begins with a very strong mandate of personal morality. The Christian lives a life of moral purity and integrity:

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 5

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Notice that the call to forgive each other is rooted in the gospel (as the Lord has forgiven you).

It is only the power of God’s grace, the influence of the Holy Spirit, and the authority of God’s Word that will keep us from running into these two ditches.

Caution: The road Is Narrow, Avoid the Ditches

Sincere believers who know and love the Lord can easily drive into one of two destructive ditches. It is only the power of God’s grace, the influence of the Holy Spirit, and the authority of God’s Word that will keep us from running into these two ditches.

The first ditch we might refer to as conflict avoidance. Believers who are fearful of conflict tend to avoid it at all cost—even at the cost of unity and integrity. This failure to each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor (Ephesians 4:25), thus avoiding uncomfortable conversations, can manifest itself in many forms: Christians who move from church to church every time a conflict arises; believers who pretend that all is well in their small group or session or staff when, in reality, they harbor deep resentment or animosity; or church members who move from one committee or activity to another as soon as any conflict arises. These conflict avoidant strategies are ultimately selfish. When engaging in them, we are saying that we value and protect our own sense of emotional comfort above the purity and unity of the church.

Conclusion A church can have great preaching, wonderful music, effective programs, and a multitude of ministries, but if it does not have love it is a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (I Corinthians 13:1). The church is a symphony producing beautiful music of harmony and integrity for the glory of God. Each member plays a different instrument; some are more skilled than others, but all play from the same sheet music of the gospel. The world is listening. Why would they enter a concert hall if all they heard was musical chaos? Why would they visit a church if all they saw was relational chaos?

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A second ditch we might call conflict creation. These are believers, usually filled with pride and an unwillingness to see the log in their own eye, who constantly attempt to bring correction to others—usually in an aggressive manner. They have a strong sense that they are right, that their perception should prevail, and that others should yield to them. They value being right above having right relationships. If they do not get their way, they may eventually leave and find another church where their way can prevail.

The gospel changes everything—especially the way we view our relationships within the body of Christ. Jack Miller used to say, “Many Christians know the lyrics of the gospel, but they don’t hear the music.” That beautiful music, written and played by the Lord himself, tells us that we are perfectly loved, safely protected, extravagantly provided for, and at times lovingly corrected by our heavenly Father. When that music penetrates and permeates our hearts and minds, it manifests itself in loving relationships between and among us. Together, in concert with the Holy Spirit, may we participate in a beautiful symphony of sanctification and invite the world to come, listen, and see the reality of the love of Jesus Christ.

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The road to right relationships is crowned by our carnality and slick with our sin. The tendency to slip and slide is very strong. It is only through the gospel that we avoid doing so.

The gospel of God’s love for us and our identity in Christ alone frees us from our fear of others, allowing us to engage them in love and show them the compassion of forgiveness. Notice from our text that even the mandate to love each other well is rooted in our position in Christ: Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 12

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Questions 1. What “jumped off the page” when you pondered verses 1-7? Do you see the Lord opening your eyes more and more to gospel truths in Scripture? Give an example of this from your own Scripture study.

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2. Can you explain the relationship between “gospel motive” and “gospel living”? Are you approaching your Christian life and activities with an increasing awareness of and delight in this “gospel motive”?

3. Why are relationships referred to in this study as the place “where the rubber meets the road”? How have you seen this to be true in your own life and relationships and in your participation at Central Presbyterian Church?

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4. Of the two ditches, which one do you tend to fall into more frequently? Why is this so? What is the Lord teaching you in this regard?

5. As you pray for Central, consider the illustration of people attending (or not attending) a symphony. What “instrument” has the Lord called you to play in the life and ministry of Central?

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Suggested Prayer (from The Valley of Vision—A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, ed. Arthur Bennett, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1975, p. 161)

Love

LORD JESUS,

Give me to love thee, to embrace thee, though I once took lust and sin in my arms.

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Thou didst love me before I loved thee, an enemy, a sinner, a loathsome worm.

Thou didst own me when I disclaimed myself; Thou dost love me as a son, and weep over me as over Jerusalem. Love brought thee from heaven to earth, from earth to the cross, from the cross to the grave.

Love caused thee to be weary, hungry, tempted, scorned, scourged, buffeted, spat upon, crucified, and pierced. Love led thee to bow thy head in death.

My salvation is the point where perfect created love and the most perfect uncreated love meet together;

For thou dost welcome me, not like Joseph and his brothers, loving and sorrowing, but loving and rejoicing. Thy love is not intermittent, cold, changeable; it does not cease or abate for all my enmity.

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Holiness is a spark from thy love kindled to a flame in my heart by thy Spirit, and so it ever turns to the place from which it comes.

Let me see thy love everywhere, not only in the cross, but in the fellowship of believers and in the world around me. When I feel the warmth of the sun may I praise thee who art the Sun of righteousness with healing power. When I feel the tender rain may I think of gospel showers that water my soul.

When I walk by the river side may I praise thee for that stream that makes the eternal city glad, and washes white my robes that I might have the right to the tree of life. Thy infinite love is a mystery of mysteries, and my eternal rest lies in the eternal enjoyment of it. page

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