Jesus in Every Sphere of Life

In Colossians, Paul administers an antidote to the Colossian Christians who have been poisoned by a false teaching that diminishes Christ’s role in salvation and sanctification. What is this antidote? Just the most breathtaking picture of Jesus the Supreme Son of God we have in all of Scripture (Colossians 1:15–20). The cure for a false gospel and our propensity to legalism and/or licentiousness is seeing more clearly who Jesus is in all his incandescent glory as the Supreme Son of God who reconciles all things through the blood of his cross—and being completely captivated by him, treasuring him, loving him above all else. Only when we treasure Jesus will we actually walk in Jesus (Colossians 2:6). Where should we walk in Jesus you ask? We should walk in him in every sphere of life.

The overarching command Paul gives to the Colossians after displaying Jesus in all his radiant splendor is “walk in him” (Colossians 2:6). Paul then begins to apply this command through a series of instructions that apply to different spheres of life. The structure of Paul’s letter reveals these different spheres. In short, our walk in Jesus begins with our personal union with him, which is intrinsically and intimately linked to our corporate union with him, and expands outward in a series of overlapping spheres. As a whole, we see the following progression: Our walk in Jesus applies to (1) our personal life, (1a) our corporate life in the church, (2) our home life, (3) our formal relationships, and (4) our life in an unbelieving world.

 

Walk in Jesus Personally and Corporately

First, in Colossians 2:7–3:17, Paul applies the command to walk in Jesus to one’s personal unity with Jesus and personal purity (holiness), both of which encompass right belief (gospel fidelity) and action. And, likewise, Paul applies the command to walk in Jesus to the local church’s corporate unity in Jesus and corporate purity, both of which again encompass belief and action. Both spheres, personal and corporate, connect intimately. God renews us as individuals into the image of his Son through our personal union with Jesus. And God renews the church, his body, which is made up of individual members united together because of their common union in Jesus. Therefore, God binds our personal renewal and holiness as individuals with our corporate renewal and holiness as the church (Colossians 3:9–11). We must recognize that the natural and normative context of our personal sanctification is the local church. So, if we find ourselves not walking in Jesus in our personal lives, our intimacy and walk in Jesus as it relates to our life in the local church will suffer. And, if we find ourselves disconnected from a local body, our personal walk in Jesus will suffer. And if either of these is the case, there will be a trickledown effect to every other sphere of our life. Therefore, our walk in Jesus will first apply to our personal pursuit of unity and holiness as individuals and as members of Christ’s body, the church.

 

Walk in Jesus at Home

Second, in Colossians 3:18–20, Paul applies the command to walk in Jesus to the home. It’s easy to see how these spheres continue to overlap. Our union with and holiness in Jesus should directly impact our family life. Here, Paul offers particular ways in which walking in Jesus in the sphere of our home should manifest. But the big takeaway is that our walk in Jesus isn’t only personal and it doesn’t stop at the church doors. Our walk in Jesus should carry over and touch our homes and families.

 

Walk in Jesus in Formal Relationships

Third, in Colossians 3:22–4:1 Paul begins to apply the command to walk in Jesus to our formal relationships. Much could be said about the inherent injustice and sinfulness bound up in any system of human slavery. Suffice it to say, while we must be careful to not import our modern ideas of slavery from our different personal contexts into the text, we still must recognize that though first century Greco-Roman practices of slavery were complex and not monolithic, they nonetheless were a horrid manifestation of the sinfulness and fallenness of man. Furthermore, Paul does not endorse it, and he even encourages availing oneself of freedom (1 Corinthians 7:17–24; esp vv. 21 and 24). But here, Paul aims at something else. He applies one’s walk in Jesus to one’s formal, hierarchical relationships (whether they are one under authority or one in authority)—even those that are unjust. For the purpose of this post, the important truth we glean is that our walk in Jesus must carry over into relationships with analogous dynamics where we are either in authority or under authority so that “Whatever [we] do,” in both just and unjust contexts, we do for the Lord and in knowledge that (1) he will bring justice and (2) he is the ultimate authority (Colossians 3:23; 4:1).

 

Walk in Jesus in an Unbelieving World

Fourth, in Colossians 4:5–6, Paul applies the command to walk in Jesus to our existence in and interaction with an unbelieving world. Paul says, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Colossians 4:5–6). Thus, our walk in Jesus must expand out beyond ourselves, beyond our homes, beyond our relationships, and radiate into the lives of those who do not walk in him.

 

So Where Should We Walk in Jesus?

Where should you start walking in Jesus, Christian? Paul tells us in Colossians.

Ask yourself: “Am I walking in Jesus in my personal holiness? Am I seeking to put sin to death?” Or, “Are there still particular besetting sins that I keep hidden in the dark? Are there sins that I continue to embrace?” Start here: Walk in Jesus by pursuing personal holiness and embracing your unity, your identity with him.

And, ask yourself, “Am I walking in Jesus in the local church? Am I a committed member of a local body?” Or, “Am I hopping from church to church? Am I more of a consumer in the church rather than a serving member?” Walk in Jesus by walking in unity and holiness with a local body.

And, ask yourself, “Am I walking in Jesus in my household? Am I honoring my spouse? Am I disciplining my children in love and exemplifying Jesus to them?” Or, “Am I foregoing my privilege of being a gospel witness within my home?” Walk in Jesus by bringing Jesus and the gospel to bear in your home.

And, ask yourself, “Am I walking in Jesus in my formal relationships, even in unjust situations? Am I working unto the Lord first and foremost? Do I respect and honor those in authority?” Or, “Do I work for the eyes of man and undermine authority or disrespect others? Do I lord my own authority over others and treat them unjustly?” Walk in Jesus by bringing your faith to bear in your formal relationships.

And, ask yourself, “Do I walk in Jesus toward outsiders? Do I measure my words and seek to make them thirsty for the truth of the gospel by what I say?” Or, “Do I sway with the prevailing winds of culture or of whatever context I find myself in?” Walk in Jesus by being a gospel witness to those outside of him.

Remember, before you can walk in Jesus, you must treasure him. Then you will know where to walk in him. You will walk in Jesus in every sphere of your life.

Lyrics that Lead Us to Worship: “What a Beautiful Name,” alt.

“Worship is acting, thinking, and feeling in a way that reflects the glory of God.” So states one of our core documents, composed before Desiring God Community Church even had that name. A later blog post based on that document draws out the meaning of 1 Corinthians 10:31 (“Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”): “Make all of your life worship! Value Christ above all, and display His value in all your outward actions – even seemingly trivial actions like eating and drinking.”

Therefore our Sunday service is not the one time in the week we worship God – rather, that service should glorify God through our acts, thoughts, and feelings both during the service and throughout the following week as the truths sung and read and prayed and proclaimed dwell richly in us.

Consequently, the DGCC elders prepare not only the sermon but the entire service to display accurately the character of God and the excellencies of Jesus, aiming to prompt our right response to His love, mercy, grace, and majesty.

On Sunday, the service included “What a Beautiful Name” (Hillsong, 2017), which states in the second verse:
“You didn’t want heaven without us
So Jesus, You brought heaven down.”

Several of you raised questions about whether or not those lyrics accurately proclaim biblical truth.

These lines communicate to many that there is something lacking in the joy and fellowship of the Trinity apart from creation – that God needs us to be fully happy, in a similar way to Adam needing “a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:20).  But God reveals Himself in Scripture as full, as overflowing in love and joy and goodness. Out of that overflow He creates and redeems – not because of any need or lack within Him.

John Piper helpfully addressed these lyrics shortly after the song was written; that piece prompted some rejoinders (here is one).

We have rarely sung this song because of those lyrics – but we did sing it this Sunday. Why?

Because behind the problematic lyrics there is a precious biblical truth that both Jacob and I have been emphasizing recently: Our God is not an angry authority who only grudgingly lets us off from the punishment we deserve. Neither is our God a heavenly killjoy just waiting for us to mess up so He can zap us. In Jesus, we are His treasured possession. We are chosen, holy, and loved (Colossians 3:12).  He takes pleasure in us (Psalm 147:11, 149:4). He rejoices over us with loud singing (Zephaniah 3:17). The Father loves us even as He loves Jesus (John 17:23). He creates us in His image, He redeems us so that we might show forth that image, and He delights to see us fulfill His purpose in creation.

So what can we do with a song that includes a precious biblical truth, but obscures it with problematic lyrics?

We could avoid singing it.

Or we could alter the lyrics.

There is much precedent in church history for altering lyrics. For example, the first line of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” was originally “Hark, how all the welkin rings.” Today, when making alterations, we note that the text has been changed by including “alt” after the title.

In this case, we can change the clause from a negative into a positive: “You wanted to share heaven with us.” That states the precious biblical truth clearly while maintaining the meter.

The subsequent line – “So Jesus you brought heaven down” – also is problematic. Scripture doesn’t use that metaphor. Rather, Jesus says repeatedly He came down from heaven (see for example John 6:33-58).

So we can replace both lines with:
“You wanted to share heaven with us
So Jesus You died on the cross.”

Those lines then flow well into the rest of the verse:
“My sin was great, Your love was greater –
What could separate us now?”

We plan to use these altered lines when we sing this song in the future.

Jesus became incarnate, died, and rose as God’s superabundant grace and love overflowed in the redemption of rebels – including you, if you trust and treasure Jesus. Fear not – it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you His Kingdom (Luke 12:32). His goodness and love will pursue you all the days of your life, and you will dwell in His house forever (Psalm 23:6).

May this biblical truth dwell in you richly indeed – and may we continue to sing and read and pray and proclaim God’s revelation clearly, so that we might act, think, and feel in a way that gives glory to God every day of our lives.

 

You Are of Heaven

If I asked you to tell me about yourself chances are you would, at some point, tell me where you were from. You would, most likely, tell me the name of your hometown or the city in which you grew up. You may tell me the name of your state. This is normal. We often associate our identity with where we are from. For the next few weeks, we will be seeing a lot of this type of identity and place association. That’s because, this weekend marks the start of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

During the opening ceremony, hundreds of athletes from countries all over the world parade into the Olympic festivities. TV hosts, reporters, and personalities will acquaint us with different individual athletes, by interviewing them or by sharing an insightful story of their fight to make it to the games. And when they introduce them to us, they will often say something like this: “This is So-and-So of Kenya” or “So-and-So of Japan” or “Such-and-Such of Czechia” or “Such-and–Such” of the United States of America.” The point is, the prepositional phrase of [Insert Name of Country Here] identifies who the athlete is. Their identity for the next two weeks is bound up with their country perhaps more than it will be at any other given time.

What’s even more interesting is that some of these athletes may be from one country but compete for another. That’s because, of course, it is possible to become a citizen of another country. That is, an athlete may have emigrated from one country where they were a natural born citizen to live as a citizen in another for which they now compete. You may be “So-and-So originally from the United States” and yet compete as “So-and-So of Mexico.” So it’s possible, then, to change your identity relative to your country. But identity is bound up with one place that cannot be changed.

What place can you be identified with beyond your country? Well, the next logical step would be planet Earth, right? So, in a very true sense, I am Jacob Smith, of Earth. In fact all of us, every human is of Earth. So you are, “[Insert Name Here] of Earth.” In one sense, this is our most fundamental identity as humans. We are humans of Earth. There is no gaining citizenship of another planet. There is no changing your earthly identity. Or is there? Well, the Apostle Paul has something to say about that.

Paul tells the Colossians that a change in their earthly identity is exactly what happened to them when God saved them. Consider what he says to them in Colossians 2:20:

 

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations…(Colossians 2:20).

 

By way of question, Paul essentially says to the Colossians, “You have died to the world.” Paul goes on to expound on this idea in Colossians 3:1–3:

 

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1–3).

 

Again, by way of question, Paul says, “Colossian Christians, you have been raised with Christ, made alive with him, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” And in light of this—their dying to the world and being made alive with Jesus—Paul says, “Seek out and set your mind on heavenly things, not earthly things” (Colossians 3:1–2). Paul’s goal here is to convince the Colossians and ultimately us as Christians that our citizenship, our identity has fundamentally changed.

It’s obvious enough that our dying to the world would warrant our no longer seeking out and setting our minds on the things of earth. Having died in Christ, we are no longer citizens of the world and no longer bound by earthly things. Well, if we’re not citizens of Earth, where is our citizenship? What is our new home? Colossians 1:13 tells us:

 

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son (Colossians 1:13).

 

We are now citizens of the Kingdom of God. And even though we don’t see the fullness of that kingdom on earth right now, spiritually, we are fully in the Kingdom of God. We have been raised with Christ (Colossians 3:1). Our life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). And where is Jesus Christ right now? Jesus is in heaven seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1). And what Paul alludes to here in Colossians, he makes explicit in Ephesians 2:4–6:

 

God…raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4–6).

 

Spiritually, we are in Heaven right now.

As Christians, the place most associated with our identity is no longer the world or even our planetary home, Earth, that is destined to pass away. The place our identity is most bound up with is Heaven.

If you are in Christ, You are [Insert Your Name Here] of Heaven. And because we are of Heaven we should seek out and set our minds on the things of Heaven.

The first command Paul gives the Colossians is to walk in Jesus (Colossians 2:6). The only way, we as Christians can walk in Jesus here on Earth with all that entails is to first realize that we are no longer first and foremost of Earth. We are of the Kingdom of God. We are of Heaven. Recall the example of Olympians above. They come from over 200 countries. And, to be sure, they will make known where they are from. Athletes proudly wear their national colors, wave their country’s flag enthusiastically, and perhaps even shout over and over the name of their nation. Every athlete brings their nation with them. Well, Christian, you are of Heaven. Don’t be outdone by Olympians. Make it your aim to wear the colors of Heaven and wave the flag of Heaven, as it were. Shout the gospel that is of Heaven. Christian, make it your ambition to bring Heaven to Earth wherever God sends you, for you are of Heaven.

No Fear

What makes one susceptible to believing a false teacher and embracing a false gospel? More specifically, what would make a Christian susceptible to believing a false teacher and embracing a false gospel? What is the entry point for a false gospel? What door does it sneak through? Paul’s letter to the Colossians gives us some insight.

Paul gives three parallel warnings, by way of three commands, to the Colossians about the danger of the false gospel that false teachers peddle in their midst.

  1. First, in Colossians 2:8 Paul commands the Colossians, “See to it that no one takes you captive” with a false gospel.
  2. Second, in Colossians 2:16 Paul commands the Colossians, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you” with a false gospel.
  3. Third, in Colossians 2:18 Paul commands the Colossians, “Let no one disqualify you” with a false gospel.

How do these three commands relate to one another? How do they inform one another?

The overarching command here is Paul’s command for the Colossians to “See to it” or we might say, “Watch out!” or “Beware! that no one takes you captive!” (Colossians 2:8). Paul sees a very real possibility that the Colossian Christians could be taken captive by a false teacher among them with his false gospel. This might be surprising to us, but it doesn’t surprise Paul. The next two commands Paul gives unpack this general command and reveal to us what he means by a false teacher taking them captive.

Paul commands the Colossians to let no one pass judgment on you and let no one disqualify you. The Greek word for judge here can have a fairly wide range of meaning (semantic range). It can describe anything from simply expressing an opinion, to rendering a decision in a legal or civil case, to divine judgment. How should we take it here? Well, in this case, the Greek word for disqualify, which Paul parallels judge with, informs our understanding. The Greek word for disqualify conveys the idea of robbing of a prize. Well, what is the ultimate prize for Christians if not the prize of eternal life and joy with God in Christ? Given the immediate context of this passage with the presence of a false gospel and Paul’s articulation of the true gospel, what Paul essentially exhorts the Colossians to by saying (1) See to it that no one takes you captive, (2) let no one pass judgment on you, and (3) Let no one disqualify you is let no one condemn you with a false gospel. Paul doesn’t want the Colossians to be condemned. This likely has a twofold meaning.

First, how can the Colossians keep people from hurling condemnation at them because they refuse to accept and embrace a false gospel? They can’t. But what Paul means by issuing the Colossian church this command is, “Colossian Christians, don’t let that condemnation stick. Don’t take it to heart.” Second, what Paul means by issuing the Colossian church this command is, “Colossian Christians, don’t come under eternal condemnation by accepting and embracing a false gospel.” Now, with the our refined knowledge of Paul’s command to the Colossians in hand, let’s get back to our original question.

What is it that would tempt a Christian to accept and embrace a false gospel? We find the answer in Paul’s warning. A Christian could be tempted to accept and embrace a false gospel because of fear of condemnation even in Christ. Let’s explore.

The Colossians find themselves tempted to accept and embrace a false gospel because, by taking their eyes off of Jesus and his gospel work, they have allowed fear of condemnation to creep in. In other words, why would the Colossians embrace a false gospel? Because the false teacher tells them that even though they are in Christ, they still stand guilty and condemned before God. And what does the false offer? The false teacher prescribes the false gospel as a means to solve the problem. If the Colossians take this condemnation pronounced over them to heart, if they fear that they still stand under condemnation even in Christ, then they will not hold fast to Jesus and instead cling to a false gospel (Colossians 2:18–19). And then, the Colossians will find themselves actually condemned. This is true for you and for me as well.

We cannot take the possibility of believing and embracing a false gospel lightly. This is because the person who is most likely to peddle a false gospel to us is ourselves. In our ongoing battle with sin as Christians there is always the live possibility that, because of our clinging, sinful flesh and because of the spiritual warfare that rages, we will find ourselves tempted to fear that we remain under condemnation even in Christ. And as a result, we will find ourselves tempted to preach to ourselves a false gospel. That false gospel will look a lot like the false gospel that tempted the Colossians. It offers to remedy the situation by prescribing legalistic, manmade regulations and the pursuit of empty religious experiences (Colossians 2:16–19). This prescription may look wise and productive but it doesn’t actually solve the problem of sin and our embrace of sin (Colossians 2:23). The bottom line is, when we fear condemnation in Christ we diminish who he is and what he has done for us in the gospel. We release him, our only hope of salvation, and we begin to cling to false hopes that will actually lead to our condemnation. But the true gospel says, “Fear not! There is no condemnation in Christ! And nothing will separate you from God’s love when you are in him!” I can’t say it better than Paul does to the Romans.

 

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:1, 31–39).

 

Fear of condemnation in Christ is the open door to believing and embracing a false gospel. But in the gospel of Jesus, there is no fear. Fear not, Christian, there is no condemnation for you and nothing will separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Be Taken Captive

Have you ever been taken captive? Chances are most of us have not, at least not in the way we may be thinking (i.e. being abducted and held against our will). But, chances also are that most of us have some shared universal past experiences that felt like or revealed to us what it is like to taken captive. Consider a couple of lighthearted examples.

Many of us at one time or another probably felt like a captive during the school day. (Perhaps some who are still in school feel this even now. Enjoy your summer freedom. Captivity is coming soon in late August, early September). I can certainly remember the feeling. At times, all I wanted was to be free from having to go to class, be free from the next assignment, be free from the next test. But there I was, along with my friends, held seemingly against my will, conditioned like Pavlov’s dog to shuffle off to my next class and my next assignment at the sound of a bell. Now, don’t take this to heart. I actually enjoyed school and learning for my part most of the time, and you probably did too. But, for the sake of example remember those moments when you truly did feel captive. Perhaps it wasn’t school, but a day at work or some social function you were obligated to attend. Many of us at some point have been a captive to something in a negative way. But is it possible to be taken captive in a positive way?

Perhaps some of us can relate to this with regard to our relationship with our spouse. Many of us often do things for our spouses that we would never do for anyone else. This is especially true in those early days of love. For my part, when Amy came into my life, I suddenly found myself staying up to the wee hours on a work night just to have a phone or Zoom conversation with her while we were separated by two time zones. I went to great lengths to craft hand-written letters complete with some shoddy calligraphy. The sappy list could go on, but the point is I did things I hadn’t done and wouldn’t for anyone else. Why did I do these things? Because I had been taken captive by her in the most positive sense.

So what’s the point of all of this being taken captive talk? Well, often times in our Christian walk, when we find ourselves drifting from God it is due to the fact that something else is beginning to take us captive: an idol, a sin, a false teaching, the wisdom or values of the world. The double danger here, though, is that we don’t realize we have been or are being taken captive. And, the reason we those things take us captive is because we are not taken captive by who God has revealed himself to be for us in Jesus.

Paul gets at this idea with the Colossians in Colossians 2:8 where he warns the Colossians about being taken captive by false teachings:

 

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 (Colossians 2:8).

 

Paul makes clear to us that the threat of someone taking us captive by false teaching is real and to be expected (And for the Colossians it was very much a present reality, as the epistle makes clear). What makes false teaching so tricky is that, as in the Colossians’ case, it may not deny Jesus but simply seek to add to him and his gospel work as if what we really need is Jesus plus something else to know and experience the fullness of God. But Paul makes clear that only through Jesus are we filled with the fullness of God (Colossians 2:9). According to Paul, any teaching that would try to supplement Jesus and his gospel in our pursuit of growing in the knowledge of God is hollow, deceitful philosophy. Such philosophy comes from two places: sinful man and his traditions and demonic spiritual influences in the material world. This is what Paul gets at when he says this empty, deceitful philosophy is according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world. A Jesus-plus teaching produced by sin, worldly wisdom, and demonic powers would seek to take us captive. It is not a philosophy, Paul says, according to Christ. And here we can infer the positive, flipside of the coin for Paul.

If we should keep a watchful eye out so as to prevent ourselves from being taken captive by false teaching, then at the same time we should allow ourselves to be taken captive by philosophy that is not according to human tradition but heavenly tradition. We should allow ourselves to be taken captive by philosophy that is not according to elemental spirits of the world but according to the fullness of God dwelling bodily in Jesus Christ. We should allow ourselves to be taken captive by Christ and his gospel.

It’s no wonder that Paul goes on from this point to herald the gospel to the Colossians yet again (Colossians 2:11–15). He does it so that they might be taken captive by Jesus Christ. And Paul’s aim is not only preventative. It is also meant to induce action.

The first and overarching command that Paul gives to the Colossians is this:

 

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, (Colossians 2:6).

 

Paul’s undergirds his call to holy, Christlike living with the call to be held captive by Jesus. This is because when we are held captive by Jesus, who he is—“in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him who is the head of all rule and authority” (Colossians 2:9–10)—and what he has done for us—“God made (you) alive together with him having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us…This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13–14)—then we suddenly find ourselves doing things we never thought possible. We find ourselves empowered to live holy lives before God. We find ourselves forsaking false teaching. We find ourselves eschewing sin. We find ourselves laying aside legalism. We find ourselves running in righteousness. We find ourselves standing firm in the faith even in the midst of trial and failure and suffering. We find ourselves walking in Jesus all because we are held captive by him, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Lord.

So I ask again, have you ever been taken captive? If not, you need to be. Be taken captive by Jesus.

Paul’s Passion for Others

Paul says some pretty remarkable things, theologically speaking, to the Colossians. Here’s a few bits that often catch our eye.

  • He praises Jesus the Son of God for his preeminence in creation, salvation, indeed, all things. All things were created through him. He holds all things together. And he reconciled all things (Colossians 1:15–20). There is no one higher. He is supreme.
  • He declares that Jesus in his people is the mystery hidden for ages but now revealed to his saints (Colossians 1:26–27). Christ in man is the hope of glory—the hope of salvation (Colossians 1:27).
  • He says that Jesus is the treasure trove, the repository of riches of all godly wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (Colossians 2:3).

Colossians is a theological gold mine for studies in Christology.

But Paul also says some things to the Colossians that reveal a little about himself. He says things like,

  • Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake (Colossians 1:24).
  • Him (Christ) we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me (Colossians 1:28–29).
  • 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 (Colossians 2:1).

These are some bits that could easily get engulfed by the wake of Paul’s high Christology. However, these passages give us a glimpse under Paul’s hood, so to speak. They reveal to us in part what drives Paul’s ministry engine. Namely, they reveal that Paul’s passion for others and his passion to see others sanctified together propel his gospel ministry. In other words, his ministry aims to see people grow in spiritual purity and in purity with regard to understanding the gospel of Jesus. Paul desires to see the Colossians increase in their purity in Jesus and in their passion for Jesus and the gospel. In short, Paul’s passion for the Colossians is a passion to see them sanctified. An added benefit of this, that Paul exemplifies, is that sanctification begets sanctification. That is, when we seek others sanctification in love for them, this lends to our personal sanctification. First, consider Paul’s desire to see the Colossians sanctified.

 

Paul’s Passion for the Colossians

In Colossians 1:24–2:5, Paul gives the Colossians a glimpse into his ministry. Paul deems it necessary that they know what it is that drives him. Paul wants them to know why he would write and proclaim the gospel of Jesus to them. So why? What is Paul’s overall goal in sharing his joy and pain in ministry? It’s this:

  • That we may present every mature in Christ (Colossians 1:28).
  •  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 (Colossians 2:2).
  • That they might be a people of unwavering passion for Christ and the truth of the gospel (Colossians 2:5).

In sum, everything Paul says (Colossians 2:1, 5) is for this purpose: the Colossians’ sanctification in life and belief—their purity in Christ and passion for Christ as revealed in the truth of gospel.

Amazingly, this is Paul’s desire for a people whom he has never even met (Colossians 2:1). Paul is concerned for their personal holiness. Paul is concerned for their personal assurance as it relates to their belief and understanding of the gospel. This is why he ministers to them, suffering, toiling, and struggling. And this itself is Christlike and leads to greater Christlikeness.

 

Passion for Others and Christlikeness

We often have a hard enough time suffering, toiling, and struggling in ministry for the sake of those we know—those who are in our lives and those who are in our church—those we love! Indeed, we often think of and apply the ideas of suffering, toiling, and struggling for the purpose of sanctification only personally. We say, “I suffer, toil, and struggle enough in my own sanctification. I cannot even think of expanding that suffering, toiling, and struggling outward to include caring for others in their sanctification. I don’t have the bandwidth!” But here, Paul’s disposition admonishes us. He gives his life for the sake of others’ sanctification. Where did he learn this? Well, he tells us: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Indeed, Christ considered others more significant than himself, looked to the interest of others, took on the form of a servant, humbled himself in obedience even to death (Philippians 2:3–8). Jesus suffered, toiled, and struggled for the sake of the salvation and the sanctification of others. So this is what Paul aims to do, and this is what his life and ministry encourages us to do. We might be tempted to say, “What about me and my sanctification!” Well, in this is the genius of the gospel.

When we begin to consider and care for others more, when we begin to love our neighbor as ourself, we grow in Christlikeness. When we become willing to suffer, toil, and struggle on behalf of others for their joy and growth in Christlikeness, for their purity and passion, we find that we begin to look more and more like Christ ourselves. Our pursuit of others’ sanctification goes hand-in-hand with and often leads to our own sanctification.

 

Conclusion

Paul teaches us that passion or love for others and the desire to see them grow in purity in Jesus and passion for Jesus should drive our ministry and service to others. And, by divine design, our ministering to others in their sanctification is bound up with our own personal sanctification. Paul knew this and he exemplifies it. His heart, ministry, and passion is for the Colossians, for the church, for people. He wants them reach full maturity in purity of holiness. He wants them to have the joy and full assurance of understanding of Jesus. He wants them to taste and see the riches of glory in Jesus. He wants them to increase in their passion for Jesus. He wants them to know God and experience his glory and joy. This is what drives him. This is a Christlike passion. And this should be our passion as well.

Song as a War Strategy

Last Sunday we heard a powerful sermon from Pastor Jacob about Jesus – the Supreme Son of God from Colossians 1:15-20. An early insight shared in that sermon was that Colossians 1:15-20 is believed to be one of the oldest hymns we have from the early Church. We see another example of an early hymn like this in Philippians 2:6-11. In the context of orderly worship, Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 14:26, “…When you come together, each one has a hymn…” In a few weeks, we’ll see in Colossians 3 that one of the ways we remember our identity in Christ (3:1, 3) and keep our minds set on things above (3:2) as we await Christ’s return (3:4) is to together “sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness to God in your hearts,” (3:16). Notice the refrain here? In all of these verses, Christ’s bride has always been a singing church. Why is that?

Songs certainly weren’t unique to the New Testament. We see many references to songs and their various types sung throughout the Old Testament as well. Take for instance the two Songs of Moses in the Old Testament. One is found in Exodus 15 as a victory song of God, detailing how the LORD overcame Pharaoh’s army by bringing back the parted waters of the Red Sea over top of them. It is bookended by the chorus, “Sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea,” (Exodus 15:1, 21). The second song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32 is a song Moses had the people memorize and teach their children. It was meant to serve as a warning and witness for them. It was to be in their hearts as a continual reminder to trust and obey God’s law and good purposes to them as their very life, or receive deadly consequences.  In addition, we’ve seen in Pastor Coty’s Psalms series that there are groupings of Psalms sung for specific purposes within the calendar year. One example are the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120-134) sung as God’s people walked up to Jerusalem each year during the Feast of Tabernacles. Another set of songs are the Hallel songs of praise to the LORD sung at Passover (Psalms 113-118).

Throughout the Bible we see many reasons why God’s chosen and redeemed people have always been a singing people. Singing songs of praise to God about His character and past faithfulness certainly glorifies God. It also pleases Him to see His redeemed children seeing and savoring their almighty God. It serves as a way to verbally cry out and demonstrate His matchless worth (the essence of worship) through belting out who our triune God is and what He has done.

But I want to suggest to you today that singing Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs both individually (and especially collectively) is a means by which the Spirit enables us to wage spiritual warfare against our threefold enemy: our sinful flesh, the fallen world, and the Satanic powers of darkness. Yes, there are other means for spiritual warfare God has given us. These include regular reading of God’s Word in public gatherings and private settings. It includes private and corporate prayer, memorizing and meditating on God’s Word, regular meeting together for worship and fellowship, the Lord’s Supper and baptism, and fasting, among others. But I want us to briefly ponder in a few passages the purposeful power of singing to God while in the battle.

A classic case of this is in 2 Chronicles 20. King Jehoshaphat of Judah finds the southern kingdom facing the combined forces of a 3 nation army. Feeling fearful and weak, Jehoshaphat wisely calls for all of Judah to fast (2 Chronicles 20:3), and he seeks the Lord in dependence, admitting to God, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you,” (2 Chronicles 20:12). The LORD hears and graciously responds with the familiar answer to “not be afraid…or dismayed” (2 Chronicles 20:15). He then uses words reminding them of past victories He’s won for them. Just as David once had yelled out to Goliath, now the LORD reminds Jehoshaphat and the people, “the battle is not yours but God’s,” (2 Chronicles 20:15).  And similar to Moses’ words to the people trapped at the Red Sea, now God says, “You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf,” (2 Chronicles 20:17).

The response of the people is elation and boldness and faith and worship. It says, “Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice,” (2 Chronicles 20:18-19). The people rose up early, the King encouraged them to believe the LORD, and then after meeting with the singers something shocking happened. The singers went before the army and began to sing a chorus of praise to Yahweh, “Give thanks to the LORD, for His steadfast love endures forever,” (2 Chronicles 20:21).

Note, the battle lines of the enemy were not weakened, and the circumstances had not changed. The people had simply heard, received, and believed that the LORD was mighty, that He’s with them, and that He’s for them. And they worship! And what’s the result? Verse 22, “And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.” We see in verse 23 the LORD turned the enemy against themselves. God’s presence turned the sin of fear to bold faith in Him, and used the bold faith as a means to turn their worldly enemies and Satan’s plans for evil to total defeat. The people plundered the spoil of their completely annihilated foe. It took three days to haul off. The valley of enemies that had just evoked fear became after that moment Beracah (the Valley of Blessing).

Two other quick New Testament examples of songs of praise being lifted up in the middle of the battle.

  1. Acts 16 – Paul and Silas went to Philippi and Paul, by God’s power, freed a fortune-telling, slave girl from spiritual possession. In anger, the slave’s owners seized Paul and Silas, raised up a mob, and they ended up being beaten with rods by the authorities. They were then sent to an inner prison and their feet were fastened in stocks. “About midnight,” the text tells us in v. 25, “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,” They were singing in the spiritual battle. Suddenly, an earthquake hit, all the prisoners’ chains were released, but none left. Paul saved the jailer who was about to commit suicide and then the jailer and his entire family received Christ and are baptized. Singing in the midst of the storm was instrumental for both Paul and Silas to keep their focus and perspective on their loving, unchanging, all-powerful God. It also was a means that fallen people around them heard the Gospel, and for more of Satan’s territory to be plundered.

 

  1. Then we see our LORD on His last night. He’d just eaten the Last Supper with His disciples. He’d just washed the feet of His closest friends who would all abandon Him. Jesus was about to break the news of this to His disciples and Peter. He knew, Peter would answer that he’d stay with Jesus till death, but that He’d actually deny three times he even knew Him. Another He knew, had just left the dinner to betray Him. So what does Jesus do as He’s leaving the dinner table, about to have these conversations, with the weight of the world on His shoulders? Matthew’s Gospel tells us as an aside, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Just before Jesus takes the path headed straight towards what He knows is His certain death towards the Mount of Olives, likely on the same trail David took when he was weeping while fleeing from Absalom, He sings! He’s singing to God and then He’s praying to God. He alone took the path and made the decision in that Garden to go forward to the cross. He alone willingly took the path that didn’t lead to God’s encouragement that He’d be with Him, but led to Him becoming sin and the Father’s wrath. But on the way, He sang and then He prayed. And the result of His finished work on the cross and empty tomb was to set up a new kingdom. He defeated sin’s penalty and power over all who would believe in Him. He came to overturn and make right again this fallen world. And He came, and will come again, to finally crush and defeat Satan and his evil forces by fully plundering his kingdom of darkness and bringing people into the light of the kingdom of God!

 

So brother and sisters, in your homes, and as we come together this weekend, recognize one of the means of grace at your disposal – singing songs of praise to our God. When you do, know that it is a means to fight against the war we’re all involved in – against sin, against the fallen world, and against Satan Himself. Remind yourselves in Psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs how great our triune God is. How loving our Savior is. Remind yourself how powerful the Spirit of God is within us and of the kingdom in which Christ has made us heirs, ready to fully inherit at His return. Sing with joy in God, knowing that He’s won our victory, He’s with and for us, and He’s using our song as a means through which our enemies camp is plundered.

Praise to the Son in Colossians 1:15–20

Colossians 1:15–20

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.

Why is Jesus worthy of praise? Colossians 1:15–20 counts the ways. These ways can be neatly divided into two broad categories: (1) Jesus’ Supremacy in Creation and (2) Jesus’ Supremacy in Salvation.

Jesus’ Supremacy in Creation

  1. Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). The Son of God is the perfect reflection of the unseen God. All his unrivaled beauty, all his radiant glory is displayed perfectly in the Son of God. And God delighted for all his fullness imaged in the Son to dwell in the man Jesus of Nazareth (Colossians 1:19). Thus, he is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature (Hebrews 1:3). So when we desire to see and praise the glory of the unseen God who dwells in unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16), we look at Jesus of Nazareth, because we behold “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). We praise Jesus because Jesus is God.
  2. Jesus is the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15–17). The uncreated Son of God existed eternally in joyful fellowship with his Father before creation breathed its first breath. He was before all things. The Son of God created all things in concert with the Father and the Holy Spirit. All things were made by him and all things were made through him (John 1:3). The Son of God bears up the universe by the word of his power, keeping it from flying apart (Hebrews 1:3). In him all things hold together. And the Son of God is the goal of all creation. All things were made for him. We praise Jesus because we only exist through him and for him.

 

Jesus’ Supremacy in Salvation

  1. Jesus is the head of the body, the church (Colossians 1:18). Jesus nourishes us in our faith, unites us together in our faith, and grows us in our faith (Colossians 2:19). We praise Jesus because he has united us in him, who is the head, source, and object of our faith.
  2. Jesus is the beginning and the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18). Jesus is the Last Adam who is the beginning of a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus is the firstborn of the dead in that though all died in Adam, Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection so that all in him are made alive (1 Corinthians 15:20–22). While the first Adam was a living being, Jesus, the Last Adam, became a life-giving spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45). In him the old has passed away and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). We praise Jesus because he makes us new and gives us resurrected life.
  3. Jesus the Son of God reconciled all things, making peace by the blood of his cross (Colossians 1:19–20). Jesus through his death has given us peace with God. Through the cross of Jesus, God reconciled sinful man to him, not counting our trespasses against us (2 Corinthians 5:19). Through the cross of Jesus, God transferred 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 through his cross has given us peace with one another. He has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, making us one body, killing the hostility (Ephesians 2:14–16). Through the cross of Jesus, God brought all things back under the rightful rule of his Son by disarming all rulers and authorities (Colossians 2:15), and then bestowing on Jesus the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9–11). We praise Jesus because of the cross.

Jesus is worthy of praise because of his supremacy in creation and his supremacy in salvation. Jesus created and Jesus renewed. Thus, Jesus is worthy of praise because in all things, creation and salvation, whether in heaven or on earth he is preeminent (Colossians 1:18). Praise his name.

Thankfulness in Colossians

The book of Colossians reveals that our walk as Christians hinges on our thankfulness to God for what he has done for us in Jesus, what he is doing for us in Jesus, and what he promises to do for us in Jesus. Even so, we might not instinctually connect Colossians to the concept of thankfulness. Rather, Colossians is most well-known, and rightly so, for having some of the most stunning christological language in all of Scripture. I mean, who can keep themselves from being swept up into the mind-boggling wonder of descriptions like this in Colossians 1:15–18,

 

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 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. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 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.

 

We’re truly breathing the rarefied air of pristine alpine peaks here. But what is Paul’s aim in soaring to these spectacular heights? Well, it is certainly authentic worship on his part, so that would be the ultimate end. But why invite the Colossians into this worship? What gift does Paul seek to impart here? To answer this question, it helps to consider what seemed to be the climate in Colossae.

It seems that some false teaching had recently clouded the Colossians’ view of this christological summit. Given a few of Paul’s commandments, this false teaching was on the order of a strange mix of asceticism, mysticism, and pagan and/or Jewish rituals that all billed themselves as a means to grow in wisdom and knowledge of God. In response, Paul issued instructions such as these:

 

 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath (Colossians 2:16).

Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels (Colossians 2:18).

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? (Colossians 2:20–22).

 

But to all these, Paul says “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 1:23–3:1).

In short, false teaching tempted the Colossians to add to the gospel of Jesus some legalistic measures or practices in order to make themselves worthy of God and to increase their knowledge of God. So that was the situation at Colossae. And, that is why Paul’s entire message to the Colossians from the beginning is this:

Jesus the Son of God, who is your life, is supreme; therefore, just as you received Jesus, so walk in him (Colossians 1:18; 2:6).

So, to return to the top, what is Paul’s aim in highlighting Jesus’ supremacy? Well, according to the message I just articulated, Paul aims to spur the Colossians to right obedience. But we might say, how does Jesus being supreme inspire obedience? How are the two connected? We find the connection in the relative clause, who is your life.

See, essential to Jesus’ preeminence is that he is the first born from the dead (Colossians 1:18). It is through supreme Jesus’ cross and resurrection that sinful man has been reconciled to God (Colossians 1:20). It is through supreme Jesus that the Father qualified sinful man to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Colossians 1:12), which is their hope laid up in heaven (Colossians 1:5). It is through supreme Jesus that the Father delivered sinful man from the domain of darkness and transferred him to the kingdom of his beloved Son (Colossians 1:13). It is through supreme Jesus that sinful man has redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:14). And, it is through supreme Jesus that sinful man is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his creator (Colossians 3:10). Jesus is supreme. And, his supremacy, his preeminence, goes hand-in-hand with his redemption of sinful man, whom he makes new and to whom he promises eternal, resurrected life. He is the first born from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Paul ascends to such apexes to remind the Colossians that this is their present spiritual condition. Supreme Jesus has made them alive and new, and he is making them alive and new. And because of Supreme Jesus, this is also the Colossians’ future. He will resurrect them alive and new to live with God for all eternity.

What should such a reality inspire in the Colossians? Thankfulness. And here we’ve arrived at the main point of this post. Notably, Paul does something more in Colossians, than he does in any other epistle. What is that? He exhorts his audience to thanksgiving.

 

…we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his…so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him…giving thanks to the Father…(Colossians 1:9–12).

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6–7)

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15).

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God (Colossians 3:16).

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:17).

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2).

 

Colossians is a short book. The density of exhortations to thankfulness is impressive and noteworthy. What does this reveal to us? It reveals this: Our walk as Christians hinges on our thankfulness to God for what he has done for us in Jesus, what he is doing for us in Jesus, and what he promises to do for us in Jesus.

Colossians reveals to us that we must stoke the flames of thankfulness in our hearts. To do that, let’s follow Paul. Let’s take his invitation to try as we might to summit the peaks of Jesus’ supremacy. We must be fascinated by and stand in wonder at who Jesus is and what he has done for us. We must see Jesus as supreme. And, when we see him thus, we cannot help but be thankful.

3 Ways to Pray to a Passionless God

One common objection to the doctrine of impassibility which states that God does not suffer or feel the actions of creatures upon himself is that it implies that God’s love for us is inferior in someway. We can be tempted to think that God lacks of passion means he doesn’t care about our circumstance (particularly our suffering), and so it appears that God’s love is cold and distant. This cannot be further from the truth. God being revealed as a God who does not have passion actually means that he cannot love you more than he already does. His care and intention toward you is superior to human care and intention because it does not require a first cause or stimuli. As we heard proclaimed during our time in the book of Mark, God loves you because he loves you and all of his acts toward you are filled with his khesed.

I’ve been encouraged by the response I’ve received since I preached on this topic. The questions, challenges, and conversations have led to deeper study of the doctrine and confirmed my belief that these doctrines matter. I want to continue the dialogue by applying God’s impassibility to our prayer life. How does understanding Yahweh as a passionless God impact our prayer life? If God is impassible why should we pray? And, what is the impact of my prayer on God? So here are 3 ways to pray to a passionless God.

When we follow Gods command to pray we are more able to see him as the infinitely loving God in all of life’s circumstances.

Pray with the knowledge that Christ is your Lord

When we focus on a particular attribute of God whether it is his impassibility or omniscience, we can lose sight of the other things that God has revealed himself to be. God has revealed himself fully in the life of Christ who prayed often to the same Father we have. Christ is not only our model but our Lord who commands that we pray (Matthew 26:41), so we pray to follow the lead of our master who forever lives to intercede for us. We do well to humble ourselves under a God who seeks to serve and build us up through our prayers.

Pray as a means of Gods grace and glory

Imbedded in the question “If God is impassible why should I pray?” is the implication that our prayers are not a result of God’s attributes. This may be easier to see if we replace impassibility with sovereignty. God has revealed himself to be sovereign over all things and this can lead us to ask the same question, “Why pray?” The answer is the same for both questions, our prayers are means of God’s sovereignty and an act of God’s unchanging love toward us. God’s unchanging emotional state is not a reason to pray less but more. We pray for forgiveness knowing that our sins do not change God’s redemption love toward us in Christ, and he is zealous to redeem us as we have seen in the book of Ruth. We pray that God shows his glory through our words and deeds to those arounds us, which he is committed to do. He uses our prayers as a conduit to accomplish his good and perfect will for us. This is an act of his unchanging love for us. Our prayers are the means of grace that he uses because he is impassible not in spite of it.

The Psalmist is praying not to change God but to be changed by God because he knows God loves him despite his circumstance (42:8)

Pray in times of suffering knowing that God loves you

Psalm 42 is great example of how we should pray in light of Gods passionless love for us. The psalmist is in despair and he feels that God has forgotten him. His enemies take note of his condition as well and taunt him. At first glance, knowing that God’s love for him has not changed and cannot increase may not seem to be the best encouragement. We are tempted to think “if this is how God shows his love then no thanks.” This is not the psalmist’s response to his circumstance. Instead he prays for his soul to put its hope in God (Psalm 42:5,11). The psalmist is praying not to change God but to be changed by God because he knows God loves him despite his circumstance (42:8). This is a great example for us because our petitions to God should be informed by who he has revealed himself to be and not simply how we would like him to act on our behalf. This is not to say we should not pray that our suffering be removed—this is a good and worthy petition to God. However, what we ultimately need is to see God for who he is even when we suffer so that our faith In him increases even in our times of suffering. Nothing will separate us from his love, even life’s trials (Romans 8:31-39).

So our prayer life should not be hindered but enhanced by who God has revealed himself to be. He wants us to cast our cares onto him because of his unchanging love for us (1 Peter 5:6-7). When we follow God’s command to pray we are more able to see him as the infinitely loving God in all of life’s circumstances.