Colossians 3:10-11

Colossians 3:10-11

… and after clothing oneself in the new thing that is being made new into knowledge of the image of the one who created, where there is no Greek and Jew, nor circumcision and uncirumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free.  But Christ is all and in all.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Yesterday we were told to strip off the old mankind.  We were told to take away the nasty and sinful side of humanity.  Paul doesn’t leave us unclothed!  Paul tells us what to put on as soon as we take off our old self: Christ.  We are to put on a new self that is being made in the image of the creator.  We have been told what to leave behind.  We have been told not to simply be content walking away from sinfulness.  We are to walk towards God.  We are to look like Him!

How do you put on Christ?  Where in your life do you resemble God and His Son?

Second Thought:

Furthermore, we are also reminded that there are not to be distinctions among us.  We’re not to argue about our lineage or heritage.  We’re not to argue about our application of religious traditions.  We’re not to argue about our level of freedom.  The reason for this is really quite simple when you think about it.  If we have truly cast off the old self and are truly putting on a new self that is made in the image of Christ, then what do we have to argue about?  If I am putting on Christ and you are putting on Christ, are we not drawing closer to being the same and not different?  When we emphasize the difference in lineage, genealogy, traditions, and things like these all that we are really doing is showing our inability to truly cast off the old self and put on the new self.

Where do you continue to make distinctions in your life?  Why do we tend to focus on our differences even though we know we should be focusing on Christ?

Third Thought:

Finally, we end with a neat expression.  Christ is all things and in all things.  There is no place that we can look and not find Christ at work.  That doesn’t mean that we can do anything we want and claim that Christ is with us and in it.  Certainly Christ is not in sin.  But even in the midst of sin Christ is there calling to us and beckoning us back into His presence.  Christ is truly in all things, calling us to God.

Where do you see Christ most clearly?  Where do you struggle to see God?

Passage for Tomorrow: Colossians 3:12-13