Testify What the Lord Has Done for You

Last Sunday morning, we collectively read Psalm 40:1–5 as our responsive call to worship. Recall v. 5:

You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

David announces that he will proclaim all the wondrous deeds and thoughts or intentions that YHWH has multiplied to the people of God’s kingdom. We applied that this past Sunday to our call in Colossians 4:2–6 to be witnesses to those outside the kingdom—to walk in wisdom toward outsiders and to let [our] speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt. This is vital. We as disciples of Jesus must be his witnesses and ambassadors of the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:13–16; 2 Corinthians 5:20–21). However, we should also take a cue from our king and tell of God’s kindness toward us to our brothers and sisters in Christ, the church, as well. David, writing prophetically in the voice of Jesus in Psalm 22, pens:

I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! (Psalm 22:22–23).

Our call as disciples is also to tell of Jesus to our brothers and to praise him in the congregation. God calls us to share Jesus with one another by telling of the wondrous deeds and thoughts he has multiplied toward us. Testimonies of what the Lord has done for us encourage our hearts in Christ and build up the church.

We see this exemplified by Paul and his partner in ministry, Tychicus.

Tychicus shows up a few times in Scripture. And, from the evidence available, he seems to be a very trusted co-laborer of Paul’s. When the church in Crete needs to be covered in Titus’ absence, one of Paul’s go to candidates is Tychicus (Titus 3:12). When Paul requires Timothy, he sends Tychicus to Ephesus to cover for Timothy while he’s gone (2 Timothy 4:11–12). Tychicus, Paul tells us, is a beloved brother and faithful minister of the gospel (Colossians 4:7; Ephesians 6:21). And, one of his most important jobs, it seems, was to to testify to other churches—to tell everything that was happening in Paul’s ministry:

Tychicus will tell you all about my activities… They (Tychicus and Onesimus) will tell you of everything that has taken place here (Colossians 4:7, 9).

 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything (Ephesians 6:21).

Why did Paul send Tychicus to tell about his ministry? He had this purpose in mind: to encourage the hearts of those who listened.

Paul writes to the Colossians and the Ephesians using identical language, “I have sent him (Tychicus) to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts” (Colossians 4:8; Ephesians 6:22). Paul wants other saints to know what God is doing through his ministry in order to encourage or exhort them.

Some of the sweetest moments in our corporate worship are our “Mission Moments” when a missionary we support visits and shares with us how the gospel has been increasing and bearing fruit in their ministries. In what manner does this encourage or exhort our hearts so much? I think it does so in at least three ways.

First, hearing the testimonies of what God has done for and through his people in the gospel magnifies Jesus in our midst. And, when we magnify Jesus in our midst, this stokes our affections for and worship of him as we behold his glory.

Second, hearing the testimonies of what God has done for and through his people in the gospel strengthens our unity and solidarity with Christ as the church.

Third, hearing the testimonies of what God has done for and through his people in their gospel ministry emboldens gospel action—we effectively spur one another on to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).

There is one scene from Acts that captures this quite poignantly. In Acts 4:23–31, Peter and John return to their friends to report their recent gospel activities (healing of the lame beggar [Acts 3:1–10], Peter preaching in the temple [Acts 3:11–26], and the persecution they endured at the hands of the chief priests and elders [Acts 4:1–22]). They specifically report “what the chief priests and the elders had said to them” (Acts 4:23). After hearing their testimony three things result: (1) Worship—They begin to worship the Lord (Acts 4:24–30), (2) Strengthened unity—They prayerfully worship together (Acts 4:24), and (3) Emboldened gospel action—The Holy Spirit fills them and they continued to speak the gospel with boldness (4:31).

The lesson for us is, let’s be like Paul, Tychicus, Peter, and John. Let’s make a habit of sharing with our fellow brothers and sister what Jesus is doing in our lives and ministries. Because, our testimonies (1) magnify Jesus, leading to worship, (2) galvanize our collective solidarity with and our unity in Jesus, (3) and embolden gospel action. In short, when we share our testimonies of Jesus, we encourage one another in Christ and build up the church.

In that spirit, I leave you with these words of instruction from our King from Mark 5:19:

“Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

The End of Secular Work

The Supremacy of Christ in all things has been a clear and encouraging theme in the book of Colossians. Christ having made all things and being in authority over all things has established himself as the perfect image of God and the purpose of all creation. How does this apply to our labor?

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15-17)

First, work is a good thing. God commanded Adam to work before the Fall (Genesis 2:15), and we continue this work even today. We work to provide for our families. Work can give us a sense of purpose and accomplishment. And, work helps to build our communities. But how we work and why we work is a reflection of our souls, which too belong to God. For this reason, we cannot consider our work to be “secular,” having no relation to religious or spiritual activity. Ironically, those who take pride in building a Godless society may make this point more clear to us, because they have actually elevated their work to a religious or spiritual activity. They have elevated the created thing over the Creator and have fallen into idolatry.

To be clear, our work can certainly be sinful. There are whole industries, both legal and illegal, devoted to indulging our sinful nature and working in these industries would certainly put us at odds with Gods Word. A bigger temptation for us is that we elevate the good work that God has given us above God himself. We can be motivated to work from our hunger for more: more pay, more status, more accomplishment, or even more ministry success. When we work, whether we recognize it or not, we turn the good labor that God has given us into our redeemer instead of God himself.

We are tempted to look to our work to provide for our needs instead of looking God who uses work as means to provides for us according to his riches  (Philippians 4:19).

We are tempted look to our work to affirm and validate us instead of looking to God who affirms us as his children with great love (Galatians 3:26; 1 John 3:1).

We are tempted to identify with our work instead of God and his people (Colossians 3:3).

We are tempted to work to please man instead of God (Colossians 3:23).

Christ has redeemed us by completing a work we could not perform

Ultimately no work can be separated from God since all work belongs to God and reveals what our soul truly desires. And, Christ, by his work, has paved the way for us to put our work in its proper place. Christ has redeemed us by completing a work we could not perform. By living a sinless life and going to the cross, he frees us from the curse of death that we earned from the work of sin that we did perform. Only because of Christ can we put work in its proper place and, thereby, labor out of our satisfaction in God instead of laboring out of our hunger for his creation. When we do this, we begin to model Christ, the perfect image of God, who has supremacy over all things.

Don’t Forget Your Name!

Two scenarios:

First: Someone approaches you. You recognize the face as belonging to an acquaintance – but your brain struggles to remember the person’s name, or even the context of your relationship. You speak for several minutes, smiling and acting like you know the person, hoping that at long last the right name will come to mind.

Has that happened to you? If you’re like me, it will become more frequent as you age!

Second scenario: Now imagine that you wake up from a deep sleep. You find yourself in a bed you don’t recognize. You look around the room and see nothing familiar. You arise, look into a nearby mirror, and have no idea who you are. You have forgotten your name.

How frightening that would be!

Now return to the first scenario – but instead of forgetting the name of an acquaintance, you have forgotten the Name of God.

Can that happen?

Recall that God reveals His Name “Yahweh” to Moses at the burning bush, and says, “This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations” (Exodus 3:15). To remember God’s Name consists of much more than remembering a label (like “Coty” or “Jacob”). God’s people are to remember Who He is, His revealed character, His attributes, His promises.

Over the centuries, the people of Israel often forget God’s Name in this sense. Indeed, God says that false prophets “think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another” (Jeremiah 23:27). Those so-called prophets use the label, “Yahweh;” when speaking their own thoughts, they say, “declares Yahweh” (Jeremiah 23:31). But they are twisting and distorting God’s revelation of Himself, and in this way make the people forget the real character of God – His Name.

We must remember God’s Name – who He is, who He has revealed Himself to be. We must remind each other of God’s character, and help one another to hold onto those truths when all around us prompts us to forget. So we preach the Word, we counsel the Word, we speak God’s Word when we sit at home, when we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise (Deuteronomy 6:7).

Thus: To forget God’s Name is to forget Who He is.

Can we forget our own name in that sense?

Followers of Jesus face that temptation frequently. Oh, unlike the person with amnesia we remember what is written on our name-tag. But we forget our identity in Christ. We forget that we are citizens of His Kingdom. We forget that we are chosen and holy and loved (Colossians 3:12). We forget that the very purpose of our existence is to “proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

Now, if someone asks us, “Does God love you?” we will give the right answer. We don’t forget in that sense. But as the Israelites forgot God’s character and their own position before Him, we face the temptation to forget God’s Name and the implications of being part of His family. We then make choices that are inconsistent with those truths – and thereby fail through our lives and our words to proclaim His excellencies.

So don’t forget your name! Go to the Word to remind yourself. Remind others of their name. Like Peter, see your task as stirring up one another by way of reminder (2 Peter 1:13).

Then, may we live out that Name together, so that all around us may know God’s Name – to the glory of the Name of Jesus.

[Michael O’Brien’s novel Island of the World and Andrew Peterson’s song “Dancing in the Minefields” prompted this devotion. In both, spouses say something like, “When I forget my name, remind me.”]

Sing

Two months ago, Pastor Wil wrote a blog post titled “Song as a War Strategy,” and he alluded to where we presently find ourselves in Colossians this weekend, Colossians 3:16, “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.” In that post, Pastor Wil crystallized a vital truth for the church—God has given us psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs as a means of grace to build us up in our Christian walk. If you haven’t read it yet, don’t wait another second. Avail yourself of the opportunity here.

Wil wrote, “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.” He then followed this up with wonderful examples from Scripture where songs of the saints preceded miraculous victory. I want to use this as my jumping off point for this post. Specifically, I want to answer the question: What do psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs do for us as a body that makes them such a vital means of grace? Let’s follow Paul’s logic in Colossians 3:16 to find out.

The main idea in Colossians 3:16 is Paul’s primary command, “The word of Christ must dwell in you richly” (My translation). The word of Christ is nothing less than the gospel of Jesus that Paul has just brilliantly put on display like a multifaceted diamond refracting light and beauty from all angles for the Colossians to see. You must read all of Colossians up to this point if you want to fully appreciate all the angles of the gospel that Paul has uncovered. This word of Christ, the revelation about Jesus, must dwell richly in the church. That is, it must be central to everything she does and completely conspicuous. It must be noticeable and on display. Why? Because through this gospel the Holy Spirit ignites faith in Jesus unto salvation. Our very salvation depends on the gospel of Jesus dwelling richly in our midst. Okay. It’s vital. Not an option. We’re on board. It needs to dwell in us. So how does one cause it to dwell? Paul tells us in this verse.

We cause the gospel of Jesus to dwell richly in us by teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom. Teaching and admonishing go hand-in-hand with gospel proclamation (Colossians 1:28). All wisdom is just code again for gospel wisdom — in [Jesus] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). When we teach to one another this revelation—the word of who Jesus is, what Jesus has done to justify sinful man, what Jesus is doing to sanctify sinful man, and what Jesus promises to do, that is, glorify his perfected people—we cultivate an environment for the gospel to dwell richly. And, when we admonish one another, that is, warn one another about the disastrous consequences that await if we don’t heed this gospel, we cultivate an environment for the gospel to dwell richly.

Okay. Let’s do this. Let’s teach and admonish one another so that the gospel dwells richly in our midst unto our salvation. Obviously this happens through formal teaching settings, one-on-one discipleship, and other times of informal fellowship, but how else can we practically facilitate a culture, an environment where all this happens corporately? Of course, we gather for the corporate preaching of the word, which is central and vital to the life of the church and the body’s gospel culture. But Paul clearly gives this command to everyone, even if they are not in leadership or particularly gifted in teaching. So how do we do it? Paul has a solution. Sing.

Paul says the way in which we teach and admonish one another corporately so that the gospel dwells richly in our midst is with psalms, hymns, and songs of the Spirit, singing with thankfulness in [our] hearts to God (My translation). The grand solution—(Indulge me for a moment—The grand solution to cultivate and build a beautiful gospel culture that treasures Jesus and his gospel at such a deep, abiding level that no one could walk into the midst of a local church and not know who they were gathered to worship and why. That’s a mouth full.)—the grand solution to that, is to sing praises to God for Jesus and the gospel. If teaching and admonishing comes through this singing, this means that the songs the church sings should declare who Jesus is and what he has done in the gospel. And, in this way—through corporate praise and thanksgiving to God through singing—every member teaches and admonishes one another. Thus, singing Jesus and the gospel in praise to God cultivates a culture where the word of Christ dwells richly. And, where the word of Christ dwells richly, there one finds salvation. There one finds the Holy Spirit working to reveal Jesus and empower saints to walk in him.

Pastor Wil summed up this in his post:

“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.”

Sing to God with thankfulness in your heart for Jesus, and then step back, and just enjoy the word of Christ as it dwells richly in your midst.

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.