Wednesday 09 September 2009

Background

Colossians is a letter written by Paul to Christians in a smallcity in what is now western Turkey. Colossae is a long way fromGalilee and Jerusalem, where Jesus lived and died, but the firstverses of this passage connect these Christians to Jesus Christ'sdeath, resurrection and ascension. Jesus died, was raised, and ishidden in God; and they are caught up in that story.

So Christians then and now live out the next chapter of the Jesusstory; and if God has made us part of it, what will change? Jesus'followers, who have been taken into his narrative of death andresurrection, will deliberately step into that story, with all itsvalues, challenges and rewards.

That will mean putting to death things which don't belong. Paullists some sexual behaviours first: "fornication, impurity,passion, evil desire, and greed". This isn't against sex itself:rather it's against the way sex or any other human behaviour can beused for self-gratification while diminishing another. What must beput to death is the assumption that our own needs and desires comefirst. A second list follows which focuses on violence towardsothers, including the violence which words can do.

However, stepping into Jesus' story and claiming it for our own isnot a negative step. It is about resurrection as well as death. Itis about being renewed "according to the image of [the] creator".Human beings are made in God's image (Genesis 1:27), andas we are drawn into the Jesus story that image is renewed: like anold painting which has become grimy with age and dirt, but now isrenewed so that its likeness can be clearly seen.

One of the primary marks of this renewed life is inclusion. All theharsh judgements which separate one from another no longer exist inChrist. We don't categorise other people, and look to see how wecan use them for our own ends. Instead we see that they are, likeus, images of God, and that Christ "is in all!"

To Ponder

What behaviours in your own life have been, orneed to be 'put to death' to fully embrace the Jesus story?

Can you see ways in which God has renewed yourlife, changing it for the better? What are they?