Colossians 3: 1 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 things that are above, not on 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: fornication, 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, slave and free; but Christ is all and in
all!
Step 1: Initial Diagnosis (External Problem) - Doing
On the surface it seems pretty logical, even easy enough: To live a Christian
life simply get rid of anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive language
(v. 8). Put to death fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire and greed
(v. 5). Do not lie (v. 9).
Step 2: Advanced Diagnosis (Internal Problem) - Trying
But if we are honest we have to admit that those vices take on a life of their
own. We resolve to put away abusive language and situations arise that are
guaranteed to make us curse. We try to put greed to death and suddenly
temptations and desires rise up in technicolor. The result of our own efforts
will only make us aware of how truly we are bound to our vices we are.
Step 3: Final Diagnosis (Eternal Problem) - Failing
Yet the judgment is clear: The wrath of God is coming on those who are
disobedient (v. 6). God is not impressed with our efforts-we have tried and
failed and are still found guilty. Left to our own devices, there is no
escaping God's judgment.
Step 4: Initial Prognosis (Eternal Solution) - Crucified and Raised
The way out is in verse 3: For you have died and your life is hidden with
Christ in God. When we are crucified with Christ, all of our greed, passions,
and evil desires are put to death with him as well. Christ is the one who
takes on the wrath of God for our sins and dies in our stead. But that is not
the end of the story. For Christ has been raised and thus has triumphed over
all those forces that would keep us imprisoned and separated from God. We have
truly been raised to new life in Christ.
Step 5: Advanced Prognosis (Internal Solution) - Clothed
Since our old life has been crucified with Christ, in him we are stripped of
the powers and principalities of the old Adam who used to control us (v. 9).
We are clothed in Christ's righteousness (v. 10). Living in Christ, our new
life is hidden-not from the world, but hidden in the divine mystery of God
(v. 3). Our lives are reoriented; we are no longer focused on greed (v. 5)
and getting ahead of the earth (e.g., secular society), but on the things
"above," that is, on Christ (v. 2).
Step 6: Final Prognosis (External Solution) - New Self
Clothed in the new self, "according to the image of the creator" (v. 10), we
are now free to live in Christ for service to one another. We recognize that
Christ is all in all and therefore all boundaries between people (Greek and
Jew, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free, etc.), all ethnic, cultural and
social distinctions are dissolved (v. 11). We are free to be who we are,
renewed and alive in Christ alone.