CHRISTIANS CHANGE TO CHRISTLIKENESS
SERMON SERIES: A CHRISTIAN IS
COLOSSIANS 3:1-3
THESIS: Christians are given a new spirit and a new heart which results in a new desire to change in order to please God.
Today’s passage serves as a transition to the practical part of Paul’s letter. One’s belief must be put into practice. Orthodoxy – good doctrine, must be translated into good practice (orthopraxy). In 1 Corinthians 13 the apostle states that nothing matters without a life of love, a prime indicator of change.
Today we will focus on three things:
1. Why do Christian change or what makes Christians change?
2. What do we change?
3. How to Change?
WHY DO CHRISTIANS CHANGE?
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” Colossians 3:1-3 (NIV)
The phrase “since, then” in the NIV or the “therefore” from the NASB points us back to the first two chapters, the theology, where Paul laid out what God has done through Christ. God’s awesome work through Christ demands a response to those who receive it.
First, we change because of what Jesus has done for us. Paul describes the child of God in a similar fashion to that of Jesus who died and rose again. The Christians has also died with Christ (Colossians 2:20) and has been raised with Christ (3:1). This speaks of the new life that you receive when you turn your life over to Jesus. You have been raised to NEW LIFE!
God is saying, “because your have been raised with Christ, your lives are to be different. You no longer have a life of your own, since their life is the life of Christ.” So their interests must be his interests.
Interesting in another passage, Romans 6:2-4, the command to change is grounded on their past death with Jesus.
Second, we change because of what Jesus is doing now. What is Jesus doing now? In the world, Jesus is advancing his kingdom to call and invite people to enter his rule. Every Christian has a very important part in this work. In the church, Jesus is building, transforming and renewing his people. His mission is a “stain-free bride”, a “teleios” people. Again we have an important role in this process. We must include here the current work of Jesus as head and Lord of the church. His exaltation is the primary reason we want to change. We want to honor God and Jesus by committing ourselves to change.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
Third, we change because of what Jesus said He will do. Paul says, our life is hidden with Christ now.” The point is that there is a future aspect to our lives. The clause, ‘when Christ appears” clearly points to the second coming of Jesus. Jesus was exalted at the right hand of His Father, but one day He is going to come to rule, to bring justice to the world, and to correct every wrong in his creation. So we want to change to prepare for His coming – to be the spotless, wrinkle free, Christlike brdie!
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. [15] All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. [16] Only let us live up to what we have already attained. PHILIPPIANS 3:12-16 (NIV)
ii. WHAT DO WE NEED TO CHANGE?
So what do we need to change? Some Christians I know are quite passionate about this area: they want that Christians would stop doing certain things outright. You can’t smoke, swear, lie, drink alcohol, can’t join the public dance, can’t watch movies. Some even go beyond that: they want unconverted people to start changing.
An advice I receive as a young pastor helped me: “Don’t clean up a live fish before it is caught.” Back home we use to have big mudfish or hito. There is no way to clean these fish until they are caught. They’ll bite, sting, and fight back!
Paul tells us several things:
Heart Change – the heart which the center of one’s life has to be completely transformed. We need to be Christlike in our heart. A person whose core is to please others, has to be changed within. This person must be transformed in his heart, to value God over anything – to focus on pleasing God than people.
So the first change is an inner change. The inside must change. The heart must change. Our hearts must become like the heart of Jesus – loving, hating, valuing, caring, thinking like Jesus.
The verses Paul list in verses 4-9 points to inward conditions such as anger, rage, slander, filthy language, lying are all inner issues – heart issues. A heart full of rage requires that the rage be sipped out first, and then replaced with love and forgiveness.
“When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” COLOSSIANS 3:4-9 (NIV); Also Ephesians 5:3-7
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. [19] Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; [20] you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 CORINTHIANS 6:18-20
Mind change – My favorite Scripture for this type of change is Romans 1 12:1-2 where Paul states that we must be transformed with the renewing of our mind. The mind must be transformed. How we think must be changed. Even more important is what we think or believe. Good theology is required for genuine change.
Mind change requires an outward change. Our minds are changed as we study the Word of God, live by it, and be changed by the Word of God. So an outward change is also required. Actually these changes are inseparable: an inside change will overflow in an outward change.
Change also requires a decision as to who influences you. This is the point of the command that Paul issues in Ephesians 5:3-7 prohibiting Christians from being partners of sinners. Paul is not saying we must withdraw from sinners. Jesus prayed that the Father doesn’t his disciples out of this world, but to keep them while in the world. The point is to not follow the value system and worldview of the world which often stands against what God says.
Another passage that should be very helpful is 2 Corinthians 6:14. Sadly this has been applied exclusively to marriage with unbelievers. This command could be applied to marriage, but it also applies to life in the world for Christians. We live by the book, not on practical wisdom.
“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” PHILIPPIANS 2:14-15 (NIV)
III. HOW TO CHANGE
So do we change? Paul’s letters are filled with instructions on how followers of Christ change:
“Set” “Seek” (Greek zeteo) (Colossians 3:1-2). For Paul this term refers to a serious effort of directing one’s heart and will upward, to God, to his rule. The present imperative shows that a continuous ongoing effort s required, something that would not occur naturally. This means serious commitment to change is required. We must value our spiritual growth. We can’t leave it to chance.
“Put out (Get rid) -put on” (Colossians 3:10). The picture used by Paul is that of taking off one’s clothes and putting on a new (clean one).
Gouge your eye – cut off you hand
"You have heard that it was said, ’Do not commit adultery.’ [28] But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. [29] If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. [30] And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” MATTHEW 5:27-30
Put to Death Colossians 3:5; Romans 8:5-11
This command shows the seriousness of the effort. One pastor says that in dealing with our own sinfulness, we must face this issue with “Kill or be killed” attitude. We are to show no mercy to our sinfulness, rationalizing our sinful attitude.
How do you kill the sinful nature? You kill it gradually – not completely, but slowly. I remember reading a statement attributed to Martin Luther. He was asked how vigilant he is about his own sinfulness. His answer was “five minutes after I die.”
This should correct what some of our early Pentecostal teachers taught us: complete eradication of the sinful nature. What helped me reject this teaching came through an acquaintance who taught about Perfection. A few years later I learned that his wife divorced him because he has been beating her – “A perfect Christian who beats his wife”
The best we could do is to starve the enemy and feed your spirit. Feed your spirit with the word of God and kindness.
If you struggle with lust, you starve this enemy by not visiting certain sites, and by not ogling at certain types of magazines, or by learning to avoid the second look.
At the same time you feed your spirit through daily surrender, feeding on the word of God, intentional changing of your mind, heart, and eyes.
Accountability – Nothing changes until we make ourselves responsible for our own change. Making ourselves accountable with fellow believers is a time-tested way to change.
Conclusion: What Jesus did for us moves us change inside and outside by being serious about our own transformation into Christlikeness. In the next few weeks we are going to look into how this change affects our day to day lives.
