WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN TO DO?
Colossians 2:13-3:2
INTRODUCTION:
A. Life in this country can be pretty confusing, let me illustrate:
1. Try Shopping for health care? Read about ObamaCare? What does it all mean?
2. Listen to the news. One moment the President is godlike, the next he is Satan’s right hand man – in the liberal press!
3. Are we are in a recession – not in a recession, we are coming out of a recession, we are going to be in a recession for a number of years more. Which is it?
4. Gas prices were high because the price of oil was high in a bad enonomy: yet oil prices go down and the price goes up (that is because the economy is getting better, so we are told) and no matter which, the oil companies are making a fortune!
5. Talk about confusing.
B. It would also seem that it is confusing to be a Christian, as well.
1. So many different denominations – different beliefs, which is right?
2. Should we worship on Saturday, Sunday or any other day of the week?
3. Should a Christian drink, or not drink, or drink just a little?
4. Baptism: by submersion or sprinkling or necessary at all?
5. Do we build a pretty ornate building or a functional building?
6. Music: Organ or piano or both: guitars and drums, or complete orchestra?
7. Do we live with little or much – does it matter?
8. So much, so many; What is a Christian to do?
C. I must confess, I have my opinions on the first list of confusing issues in our country, but no real concrete answers or fixes.
1. The second list, however can be researched and answers given
2. The problem here is that often, rather than biblical answers, we find religious ones.
3. And as you know religious answers can often be diametrically apposed to the biblical ones as seen in the life of the Pharisees which Jesus encountered in His day.
4. As we look into the scriptures this morning we will see Paul helping the Christians at Colosse know what is the right thing to do.
5. Paul has already told them,
a. They are complete in Christ, in verse 10
b. And then follows this up with these words found in Col. 2:13-15 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
6. This leads to his exhortation for this morning and can be broken down into two parts:
a. Don’ts - of which there are three
b. Dos - of which there are two
7. May God remove the confusion and show us how to live for him.
PRAY
This morning, in trying to help us answer the question, “What is a Christian to do?” we will being by bring up, what some would call the negative side first. We begin with
I. DON’T, Col 2:16-23
A. Most people do not like Don’ts.
1. They believe it is an attempt to keep them from doing something that they want to do – thinking it is good for them or will provide them with some pleasure.
- Classic example: Eve’s partaking of the fruit God had said don’t do.
2. But as you will see, and I like this, the don’ts of which Paul speaks to are actually providing freedom – Paul is telling these young Christians not to let others coerce them into doing something that is not necessary.
3. He said as much to the Galatians, Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1
B. So What Are These Don’ts?
1. First, Don’t Live in Legalism - Col. 2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
a. Two areas are mentioned: Diet & Days
1) Possibly the dietary laws of Judaism, yet remember Paul told Timothy …every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 1 Tim. 4:4
2) Days: Special days, speaking directly to the day of worship and festivals of worship
b. The errorists were trying to say that these things had to be done if you wanted to be spiritual.
c. Yet for all its outward manifestations legalism cannot make us spiritual, instead it is
1) Intrinsically joyless – do it because you have too, it proves you are religious
2) Demands uniformity – everyone is to be the same: dress, speech, posture, manners – denying that we are one of a kind created by God.
3) Produces surface faith – the doing comes to be the substitute of faith.
d. Paul said these things were just shadows – not the real thing, but were a picture cast by the real thing, who was Christ – who having come did away with the shadow!
e. Those who live by legalism are just casting a shadow of the real.
2. Second, Don’t live in Mysticism - Col. 2:18-19 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
a. The idea of higher knowledge gained from visions or further revelation
b. All pressed forward with a fake humility – in actual pride: vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind!
c. The idea being that we bow to angels because we are not worthy to come directly to God, yet God said, “Come boldly to the throne of grace. (Heb 4:16)
d. Paul said they did this because they did not have the right view of the Head – Jesus Christ.
3. Third, Don’t live in Asceticism: Col. 2:20-23 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
a. Extreme asceticism rejects everything of the world – these are those who take vows of poverty or beat their bodies; those of a lesser extreme would say I can’t touch that, eat that or handle that – it would make me impure.
b. These practices become the way to righteousness and ultimately to pleasing God and a way to get to heaven.
c. These are the rudiments of the world and the ordinances of man
d. And they, according to the NIV …are of no value against fleshly indulgences!
C. So what is Paul telling these young Christians and us this morning?
1. Don’t let men put you in bondage – you have been freed!
2. Stick to Christ and His word
3. Yes, we traditionally worship on Sunday, but we are not commanded to and any day we gather together to worship is good.
4. Yes, traditionally we have used organ and piano – but we are not commanded to use just these – in fact in the O.T. there were drums, cymbals, trumpets, etc.
5. Some would denounce Christians participating in Christmas or playing cards, as if staying away from it makes them better in God’s eyes, but Paul said to Titus – Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. Titus 1:15
6. The key is Jesus Christ and His word – stick with them and you can’t go wrong
This brings us to the
II. DO’S: Col. 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
A. The thing which stands us apart from everyone else is our standing with Christ!
1. If you are risen with Christ!
2. Do you remember Col. 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
3. Paul again makes the proclamation that it is “in Christ” that makes us acceptable to God – NOTHING else!
B. This being the case he states two Dos – Set and Seek.
1. We sill begin with Set – for what you set your affections upon you will seek
2. God wants the best for us, that is to glorify Him, and He has stated in His word this morning that we are to Set our affections on things above and then Seek them.
3. This word “set” means to think or judge what one’s opinion is
- In other words I determine my goals to be of Christ’s kingdom
4. The word “seek” comes from a Greek word which means to strive after, to crave, to demand – it’s a strong word and it is not passive.
- It is pursuing, with all that is in us the set goal, like a runner determined to make the Olympics
5. If we are going to live for the Lord it will only happen as we set Him and His kingdom first and then put all we have into seeking out how to do His will.
C. Set and Seek – how it relates to us
1. Paul said Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.
a. When we start seeking the approval of men (as in the case of the Colossians) or our own desires we have set our affections on them.
b. Ultimately this was the very root of their problem and ours
c. Where is our affection set? What or who do we love above all?
2. Do we really want the answer to this question, then look at what we are seeking.
a. What is it we are after, consciously, day by day?
b. Is it to glorify God or gain for self?
c. Is it to see our family living for Christ, or living in and by the world?
d. Where do we spend you money? Do we give more to have your kids in sports and activities or for us to belong to gym than to the Lord’s work, for example.
3. Paul is not asking us to do this, set and seek are imperatives, they are commands – to be a Christian is to set our affections on Christ and seek after Him.
4. So Let’s Do them!
CONCLUSION:
A. Paul makes it clear that we have been set free from the law and now have the privilege to serve Christ
1. We do not have to live legalistically, mystically or ascetically.
2. We are free, in Christ, to pursue godly goals and kingdom purposes.
3. This is what a Christian is to do!
B. Are we living in such a manner?
