Monday, October 31, 2022

Being the Church #31

I
n Colossians 3 we find one of Paul's contrasts between the old life and the new:
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
The first list is the most observable list of actions that are inappropriate for those who claim to be followers of Christ and children of God. But the second list is no less sinful or inappropriate. Even more so, the fact is that Christ indwells His followers of every kind and background.  None of these are things we can see or hear Jesus doing or saying, especially towards or with one another.  These are not only sins against God - which is bad enough - they are also sins against the Body of  Christ - who we are to be. 

No comments:

Post a Comment