The King And His Kingdom

Twenty or thirty years after Jesus had gone back to heaven, a Jewish disciple named Matthew was inspired by the Spirit of God to write a book. The finished product is what we know today as "The Gospel According to Matthew." Nowhere in the four Gospels do we find a single recorded word that Matthew spoke. Yet in his Gospel, he gives us the words and works of Jesus Christ, "the Son of David, the Son of Abraham" (Matt 1:1). Matthew did not write to tell us about himself. But let's get acquainted with him and the book he wrote. Then we can learn all that he wanted us to know about Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit used Matthew to accomplish three important tasks in the writing of his Gospel.

The Bridge-Builder: He Introduced a New Book

That book was the New Testament If a Bible reader were to jump from Malachi into Mark, or Acts, or Romans, he would be bewildered. Matthew's Gospel is the bridge that leads us out of the Old Testament and into the New Testament. The theme of the Old Testament is given in Gen 5:1: "This is the book of the generations of Adam." The Old Testament gives the history of "the Adam family," and it is a sad history indeed. God created man in His own image, but man sinned - thus defiling and deforming that image. Then man brought forth children "in his own likeness, after his image" (Gen 5:3). These children proved themselves to be sinners like their parents. No matter where you read in the Old Testament, you meet sin and sinners.
But the New Testament is, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ" (Matt 1:1). Jesus is the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45), and He came to earth to save the "generations of Adam." (This includes you and me, by the way.) Through no choice of our own, we were born into the generations of Adam, and this made us sinners. But by a choice of faith, we can be born into the generation of Jesus Christ and become the children of God! When you read the genealogy in Gen 5, the repeated phrase and he died sounds like the tolling of a funeral bell. The Old Testament illustrates the truth that "the wages of sin is death" (Rom 6:23). But when you turn to the New Testament that first genealogy emphasizes birth and not death! The message of the New Testament is that "the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 6:23).

The Old Testament is a book of promise, while the New Testament is a book of fulfillment. (To be sure, there are many precious promises in the New Testament But I am referring to the emphasis of each half of the Bible.) Beginning with Gen 3:15, God promised a Redeemer, and Jesus Christ fulfilled that promise. Fulfilled is one of the key words in the Gospel of Matthew, used about fifteen times. One purpose of this Gospel is to show that Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Testament promises concerning the Messiah. His birth at Bethlehem fulfilled Isa 7:14 (Matt 1:22-23). Jesus was taken to Egypt for safety, and this fulfilled Hos 11:1 (Matt 2:14-15). When Joseph and the family returned and decided to settle in Nazareth, this fulfilled several Old Testament prophecies (Matt 2:22-23). Matthew used at least 129 quotations or allusions to the Old Testament in this Gospel. He wrote primarily for Jewish readers to show them that Jesus Christ was indeed their promised Messiah.

The Biographer: He Introduced a New King

None of the four Gospels is a biography in the modern sense of the word. In fact, the Apostle John doubted that a complete biography of Jesus could ever be written (John 21:25). There are many details about the earthly life of Jesus that are not given in any of the Gospels. Each of the four Gospels has its own emphasis. Matthew's book is called, "the Gospel of the King." It was written primarily for Jewish readers. Mark's book the Gospel of the Servant, was written to instruct Roman readers. Luke wrote mainly to the Greeks and presented Christ as the perfect "Son of man." John's appeal is universal, and his message was, "This is the Son of God." No one Gospel is able to tell the whole story as God wants us to see it. But when we put these four Gospel accounts together, we have a composite picture of the person and work of our Lord.
Being accustomed to keeping systematic records, Matthew gives us a beautifully organized account of our Lord's life and ministry. The book can be divided into ten sections in which "doing" and "teaching" alternate. Each teaching section ends with, "When Jesus had ended these sayings" or a similar transitional statement. The chapters can be divided like this:

Narative	Teaching	Transition
1-4	5-7	7:8
8:1-9:34	9:35-10:42	11:1
11:2-12:50	13:1-52	13:53
13:53-17:27	18:1-35	19:1
19:1-23:39	24:1-25:46	26:1
26:1-28:20

Matthew described Jesus as the Doer and the Teacher. He recorded at least twenty specific miracles and six major messages: the Sermon on the Mount (chaps. - 5-7), the charge to the apostles (chap. 10), the parables of the kingdom (chap. 13), the lesson on forgiveness (chap. 18), the denunciation of the Pharisees (chap. 23), and the prophetic discourse on the Mount of Olives (chaps. 24-25). At least 60 percent of this book focuses on the teachings of Jesus. Remember, Matthew focuses on the kingdom. In the Old Testament the Jewish nation was God's kingdom on earth. "And you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation" (Ex 19:6). Many people in Jesus' day were looking for the God-sent Deliverer who would release them from Roman bondage and reestablish the glorious kingdom of Israel.
The message of the kingdom of heaven was first preached by John the Baptist (Matt 3:1-2). The Lord Jesus also preached this message from the very beginning of His ministry (Matt 4:23). He sent out the 12 Apostles with the same proclamation (Matt 10:1-7). However, the Good News of the kingdom required a moral and spiritual response from the people, and not simply the acceptance of a ruler. John the Baptist called for repentance. Likewise, Jesus made it clear that He had not come to overcome Rome, but to transform the hearts and lives of those who trusted Him. Before He could enter into the glory of the kingdom, Jesus endured the suffering of the cross. One further word about this Gospel. Matthew arranged his material in a topical order, rather than chronological. He grouped ten miracles together in chapters 8-9 instead of putting them into their historical sequence in the Gospel's narrative. Certain other events are totally omitted By consulting a good harmony of the Gospels, you will see that, while Matthew does not contradict the other three Gospel writers, he does follow his own Pattern.
Matthew was not only a bridge-builder who introduced a new book, the New Testament; and a biographer who introduced a new King, Jesus Christ; but he also accomplished a third task when he wrote his book.

The Believer: He Introduced a New People

Tins new people, of course, was the church. Matthew is the only Gospel writer to use the word church (Matt 16:18; 18:17). The Greek word translated church means "a called-out assembly." In the New Testament for the most part, this word refers to a local assembly of believers. In the Old, Testament, Israel was God's called-out people, beginning with the call of Abraham (Gen 12:1 ff; Deut 7:6-8). In fact, Stephen called the nation of Israel "the church [assembly] in the wilderness" (Acts 7:38), for they were God's called-out people. But the New Testament church is a different people, for it is composed of both Jews and Gentiles. In this church there were no racial distinctions (Gal 3:28) liven though Matthew wrote primarily for the Jews, he has a "universal" element in his book that includes the Gentiles. For example, Gentile leaders came to worship the Infant Jesus (Matt 2:1-12). Jesus performed miracles for Gentiles and even commended them for their faith (Matt 8:5-13; 15:21-28). The Gentile Queen of Sheba was praised for her willingness to make a long journey to hear God's wisdom (Matt 12:42). At a crisis hour in Jesus' ministry He turned to a prophecy about the Gentiles (Matt 12:14-21) liven in the parables, Jesus indicated that the blessings which Israel refused would be shared with the Gentiles (Matt 22:8-10; 21:40-46). The Olivet Discourse stated that the message would go "unto all nations" (Matt 24:14); and the Lord's commission involves all nations (Matt 28:19-20).
There were only believing Jews and believing Jewish proselytes in the church at the beginning (Acts 2-7). When the Gospel went to Samaria (Acts 8), people who were part Jewish and part Gentile came into the church. When Peter went to the household of Cornelius (Acts 10), the Gentiles became fully accepted in the church. The Conference at Jerusalem (Acts 15), settled the decision that a Gentile did not have to become a Jew before he could become a Christian. But Matthew anticipated an of this. And when his book was read by members of the early church, both Jews and Gentiles, it helped to settle differences and create unity. Matthew made it clear that this new people, the church, must not maintain a racial or social exclusiveness. Faith in Jesus Christ makes believers "all one" in the body of Christ, the church. Matthew's own experience with the Lord is recorded in Matt 9:9-17; and it is a beautiful example of the grace of God. His old name was Levi, the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14). "Matthew" means "the gift of God." Apparently, the name was given to commemorate his conversion and his call to be a disciple.
Remember that tax collectors were among the most hated people in Jewish society. To begin with, they were traitors to their own nation because they "sold themselves" to the Romans to work for the government Each tax collector purchased from Rome the right to gather taxes; and the more he gathered, the more he could keep. They were considered thieves as well as traitors; and their constant contacts with Gentiles made them religiously suspect if not unclean. Jesus reflected the popular view of the publicans when He classified them with harlots and other sinners (Matt 5:46-47; 18:17); but it was obvious that He was the "friend of publicans and sinners" (Matt 11:19; 21:31-32). Matthew opened his heart to Jesus Christ and became a new person. This was not an easy decision for him to make. He was a native of Capernaum, and Capernaum had rejected the Lord (Matt 11:23). Matthew was a well-known businessman in the city, and his old friends probably persecuted him. Certainly Matthew lost a good deal of income when he left all to follow Christ.Matthew not only opened his heart, but he also opened his home. He knew that most if not all, of his old friends Would drop him when he began to follow Jesus Christ, so Matthew took advantage of the situation and invited them to meet Jesus. He gave a great feast and invited all the other tax collectors (some of whom Could have been Gentiles), and the Jewish people who were not keeping the Law ("sinners").

Of course, the Pharisees criticized Jesus for daring to eat with such a defiled group of people. They even tried to get the disciples of John the Baptist to create a disagreement (Luke 5:33). The Lord explained why He was fellowshipping with "publicans and sinners": They were spiritually sick and needed a physician. He had not come to call the righteous because there were no righteous people He came to call sinners, and that included the Pharisees. Of course, His critics did not consider themselves "spiritually sick" but they were just the same. Matthew not only opened his heart and home, but he also opened his hands and worked for Christ Alexander Whyte of Edinburgh once said that, when Matthew left his job to follow Christ, he brought his pen with him! Little did this ex-publican realize that the Holy Spirit would one day use him to write the first of the four Gospels in the New Testament. According to tradition, Matthew ministered in Palestine for several years after the Lord's return to heaven, and then made missionary journeys to the Jews who were dispersed among the Gentiles. His work is associated with Persia, Ethiopia, and Syria, and some traditions associate him with Greece. The New Testament is silent on his life, but this we do know: Wherever the Scriptures travel in this world, the Gospel written by Matthew continues to minister to hearts.

Next chapter

Heaven On Earth (Col 3:1-11)

We must keep in mind that the pagan religions of Paul's day said little or nothing about personal morality. A worshiper could bow before an idol, put his offering on the altar, and go back to live the same old life of sin. What a person believed had no direct relationship with how he behaved, and no one would condemn a person for his behavior. But the Christian faith brought a whole new concept into pagan society: what we believe has a very definite connection with how we behave! After all, faith in Christ means being united to Christ; and if we share His life, we must follow His example. He cannot live in us by His Spirit and permit us to live in sin. Paul connected doctrine with duty in this section by giving his readers three instructions.

Seek the Heavenly (Col. 3:1-4)

The emphasis is on the believer's relationship with Christ.
We died with Christ (v. 3 a).
The fullest explanation of this wonderful truth is found in Rom 6-8. Christ not only died for us (substitution), but we died with Him (identification). Christ not only died for sin, bearing its penalty; but He died unto sin, breaking its power. Because we are "in Christ" through the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:13), we died with Christ. This means that we can have victory over the old sin nature that wants to control us. "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Rom 6:2)
We live in Christ (v. 4 a).
Christ is our life. Eternal life is not some heavenly substance that God imparts when we, as sinners, trust the Saviour. Eternal life is Jesus Christ Himself. "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:12). We are dead and alive at the same time - dead to sin and alive in Christ. Someone has said, "Life is what you are alive to." A child may come alive when you talk about a baseball game or an ice-cream cone. A teenager may come alive when you mention cars or dates. Paul wrote, "For to me to live is Christ" (Phil 1:21). Christ was Paul's life and he was alive to anything that related to Christ. So should it be with every believer. Years ago I heard a story about two sisters who enjoyed attending dances and wild parties. Then they were converted and found new life in Christ. They received an invitation to a party and sent their RSVP in these words: "We regret that we cannot attend because we recently died."
We are raised with Christ (v. 1 a).
It is possible to be alive and still live in the grave. During World War II, several Jewish refugees hid in a cemetery, and a baby was actually born in one of the graves. However, when Jesus gave us His life, He lifted us out of the grave and set us on the throne in heaven! Christ is seated at the right hand of God, and we are seated there "in Christ." The word if does not suggest that Paul's readers might not have been "risen with Christ"; for all of us, as believers, are identified with Christ in death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. The word since gives the truer meaning of the word. Our exalted position in Christ is not a hypothetical thing, or a goal for which we strive. It is an accomplished fact.
We are hidden in Christ (v. 3 b).
We no longer belong to the world, but to Christ, and the sources of life that we enjoy come only from Him. "Hidden in Christ" means security and satisfaction. The eminent Greek scholar, Dr. A.T. Robertson, comments on this: "So here we are in Christ who is in God, and no burglar, not even Satan himself, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:31-39)" (Paul and the Intellectuals, Broadman, p. 98). The Christian life is a "hidden life" as far as the world is concerned, because the world does not know Christ (see 1 John 4:1-6). Our sphere of life is not this earth, but heaven; and the things that attract us and excite us belong to heaven, not to earth. This does not mean that we should ignore our earthly responsibilities. Rather it means that our motives and our strength come from heaven, not earth.

We are glorified in Christ (v. 4 b).
Christ is now seated at the Father's right hand, but one day He will come to take His people home (1 Thess 4:13-18). When He does, we shall enter into eternal glory with Christ. When He is revealed in His glory, we shall also be revealed in glory. According to the Apostle Paul, we have already been glorified! (Rom 8:30) This glory simply has not yet been revealed. Christ has already given us His glory (John 17:22), but the full revelation of the glory awaits the return of the Saviour (Rom 8:17-25). Now, in view of our wonderful identification with Christ, we have a great responsibility: "Seek those things which are above" (Col 3:1). Through Christ's death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, we have been separated from the old life of this world, and we now belong to a new heavenly life. But how do we "seek those things which are above"? The secret is found in Col 3:2: "Habitually set your mind - your attention - on things above, not on things on the earth" (literal translation). Our feet must be on earth, but our minds must be in heaven. This is not to suggest that (as D.L. Moody used to say) we become "so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good." It means that the practical everyday affairs of life get their direction from Christ in heaven. It means further that we look at earth from heaven's point of view.
While attending a convention in Washington, D.C., I watched a Senate committee hearing over television. I believe they were considering a new ambassador to the United Nations. The late Senator Hubert Humphrey was making a comment as I turned on the television set: "You must remember that in politics, how you stand depends on where you sit." He was referring, of course, to the political party seating arrangement in the Senate, but I immediately applied it to my position in Christ. How I stand - and walk - depends on where I sit; and I am seated with Christ in the heavenlies! When the nation of Israel came to the border of the Promised Land, they refused to enter; and, because of their stubborn unbelief, they had to wander in the wilderness for forty years (see Num 13-14). That whole generation, starting with the twenty-year-olds, died in the wilderness, except for Caleb and Joshua, the only two spies who believed God. How were Caleb and Joshua able to "get the victory" during those forty difficult years in the wilderness? Their minds and hearts were in Canaan! They knew they had an inheritance coming, and they lived in the light of that inheritance. The Queen of England exercises certain powers and privileges because she sits on the throne. The President of the United States has privileges and powers because he sits behind the desk in the oval office of the White House. The believer is seated on the throne with Christ. We must constantly keep our affection and our attention fixed on the things of heaven, through the Word and prayer, as well as through worship and service. We can enjoy "days of heaven upon the earth" (Deut 11:21) if we will keep our hearts and minds in the heavenlies.

Slay the Earthly (Col. 3:5-9)

We turn now from the positive to the negative. There are some people who do not like the negative. "Give us positive doctrines!" they say. "Forget about negative warnings and admonitions!" But the negative warnings and commands grow out of the positive truths of Christian doctrine. This is why Paul wrote, "Mortify therefore." No amount of positive talk about health will cure a ruptured appendix. The doctor will have to "get negative" and take out the appendix. No amount of lecturing on beauty will produce a garden. The gardener has to pull weeds! The positive and the negative go together, and one without the other leads to imbalance. The word mortify means "put to death." Because we have died with Christ (Col 3:3), we have the spiritual power to slay the earthly, fleshly desires that want to control us. Paul called this "reckoning" ourselves to be dead to sin but alive in Christ (Rom 6:11). Our Lord used the same idea when He said, "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out" (Matt 5:29-30). Obviously, neither Paul nor Jesus was talking about literal surgery. Sin does not come from the eye, hand, or foot; it comes from the heart, the evil desires within. Centuries ago in England, if a pickpocket was convicted, his right hand was cut off. If he was convicted a second time, his left hand was amputated. One pickpocket lost both hands and continued his "trade" by using His teeth! Physical surgery can never change the heart.
Not only was Paul negative in this paragraph, but he also named sins; and some people do not like that. These sins belong to the old life and have no place in our new life in Christ. Furthermore, God's judgment falls on those who practice these sins; and God is no respecter of persons. God's wrath fell on the Gentile world because of these sins (Rom 1:18 ff), and His wrath will fall again. "Because of these, the wrath of God is coming," Paul warned (Col 3:6, NIV).
Fornication refers to sexual immorality in general. Uncleanness means "lustful impurity that is connected with luxury and loose living." Inordinate affection describes a state of mind that excites sexual impurity. The person who cultivates this kind of appetite can always find opportunity to satisfy it. Evil concupiscence means "base, evil desires." It is clear that desires lead to deeds, appetites lead to actions. If we would purify our actions, then we must first purify our minds and hearts. What we desire usually determines what we do. If I create in my children an appetite for candy, then I must satisfy that appetite. If they become overweight and unhealthy, then I must change their appetites, and I must teach them how to enjoy foods other than sweets. "Create in me a clean heart, O God" (Ps 51:10) should be our prayer; for it is out of the heart that these evil desires come (Mark 7:21-23).
After he had named these sensual sins, Paul added, "and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Col 3:5 b). Covetousness is the sin of always wanting more, whether it be more things or more pleasures. The covetous person is never satisfied with what he has, and he is usually envious of what other people have. This is idolatry, for covetousness puts things in the place of God. "Thou shalt not covet" is the last of the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:17). Yet this sin can make us break all of the other nine! A covetous person will dishonor God, take God's name in vain, he, steal, and commit every other sin in order to satisfy his sinful desires. Do believers in local churches commit such sins? Unfortunately, they sometimes do. Each of the New Testament epistles sent to local churches makes mention of these sins and warns against them. I am reminded of a pastor who preached a series of sermons against the sins of the saints. A member of his congregation challenged him one day and said that it would be better if the pastor preached those messages to the lost. "After all," said the church member, "sin in the life of a Christian is different from sin in the lives of other people. "
"Yes" replied the pastor, "its worse!" After warning us against the sensual sins, Paul then pointed out the dangers of the social sins (Col 3:8-9). Dr. G. Campbell Morgan called these "the sins in good standing." We are so accustomed to anger, critical attitudes, lying, and coarse humor among believers that we are no longer upset or convicted about these sins. We would be shocked to see a church member commit some sensual sin, but we will watch him lose his temper in a business meeting and call it "righteous indignation. "

The picture here is that of a person changing clothes: "Put off ... put on" (Col 3:9-10). This relates to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Col 3:1); for when He arose from the dead, Jesus Christ left the graveclothes behind (John 20:1-10). He had entered into a glorious resurrection life and had no need for the graveclothes. Likewise, when Lazarus was raised from the dead, Jesus instructed the people to "loose him, and let him go" (John 11:44). The graveclothes represent the old life with its sinful deeds. Now that we have new life in Christ, we must walk "in newness of life" by putting off the old deeds and desires (Rom 6:4). We do this by practicing our position in Christ, by reckoning ourselves to be dead to the old and alive to the new. Paul began with anger, wrath, and malicesins of bad attitude toward others. The word anger is the same as the word wrath (Col 3:6), referring there to the wrath of God. This word describes habitual attitudes, while wrath refers to the sudden outburst of anger. God has a right to be angry at sin and to judge it, because He is holy and just. In fact, there is a righteous anger against sin that ought to characterize the saints (Eph 4:26). But none of us have the right to "play God" and pass final judgment on others by our attitudes. Malice is an attitude of ill will toward a person. If we have malice toward a person, we are sad when he is successful, and we rejoice when he has trouble. This is sinful.
Blasphemy describes speech that slanders others and tears them down. Often among Christians this kind of malicious gossip masquerades as a spiritual concern: "I would never tell you what I know about her, except that I know you'll want to pray about it." Evil speaking is caused by malice (1 Peter 2:1). If you have deep-seated ill will toward a person, you will use every opportunity to say something bad about him. Filthy communication is just that: foul speech, coarse humor, obscene language. For some reason, some Christians think it is manly or contemporary to use this kind of speech. Low humor sometimes creeps into conversations. If someone says, "Now, take this with a grain of salt!" you can remind him of Col 4:6: "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt." Salt is a symbol of purity, and grace and purity go together. The final sin Paul named was lying (Col 3:9). He wrote this same warning to the believers in Ephesus (Eph 4:25). Satan is the liar (John 8:44), while the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17; 15:26). When a Christian lies he is cooperating with Satan; when he speaks the truth in love (Eph 4:15), he is cooperating with the Spirit of God. A he is any misrepresentation of the truth, even if the words are accurate. The tone of voice, the look on the face, or a gesture of the hand can alter the meaning of a sentence. So can the motive of the heart. If my watch is wrong and I give a friend the wrong time, that is not a he. Lying involves the intent to deceive for the purpose of personal gain. An old proverb says, "Half a fact is a whole he. "
Bishop Warren A. Candler was preaching about the lies of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5), and asked the congregation, "If God still struck people dead for lying, where would I be?" The congregation snickered a bit, but the smiles disappeared when the Bishop shouted, "I'd be right here - preaching to an empty church!"

Strengthen the Christly (Col. 3:10-11)

Because we are alive in Christ, we must seek the things that are above. And, because we died with Christ, we must put off the things that belong to the earthly life of past sin. The result is that we can become like Jesus Christ! God wants to renew us and make us into the image of His Son! The Greek verbs translated put off and put on (Col 3:9-10) indicate a once-for-all action. When we trust Christ, we put off the old life and put on the new. The old man has been buried, and the new man is now in control. But the verb translated "renewed" is a present participle - "who is constantly being renewed." The crisis of salvation leads to the process of sanctification, becoming more like Jesus Christ. The Greeks had two different words for new. The word
neos
meant "new in time." We use this word as an English prefix in such words as "neoorthodoxy" and "neoclassicism." The word
kainos
meant "new in quality, fresh." Sometimes the two words were used interchangeably in the New Testament, but there is still a fundamental difference. The believer has once and for all put on the "new man" (neos), and, as a consequence, he is being renewed (kainos). There is a change in quality, for he is becoming like Jesus Christ. The "new Man" is Jesus Christ, the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45), the Head of the new creation (2 Cor 5:17).
How does this renewal come about? Through knowledge. The word knowledge was one of the key terms in the vocabulary of the gnostics. But their so-called spiritual knowledge could never change a person's life to make him like Christ. The better he gets to know Christ, the more he becomes like Him (Phil 3:10). Man was created in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27). This involves man's personality (intellect, emotion, will) and man's spirituality (he is more than a body). When man sinned, this image of God was marred and rained. Adam's children were born in the image of their father (Gen 5:1,3). In spite of the ravages of sin, man still bears the image of God (Gen 9:6; James 3:9). We were formed in God's image, and deformed from God's image by sin. But through Jesus Christ, we can be transformed into God's image! We must be renewed in the spirit of our minds (Eph 4:23). As we grow in knowledge of the Word of God, we will be transformed by the Spirit of God to share in the glorious image of God (2 Cor 3:18). God transforms us by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2), and this involves the study of God's Word. It is the truth that sets us free from the old life (John 8:31-32). God's purpose for us is that we be "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom 8:29). This refers to character, the spiritual quality of the inner man. When we see Jesus Christ, we shall be like Him and have glorified bodies (1 John 3:1-3); but while we are waiting for Him to return, we can become like Him and share His holy image. This is a process of constant renewing as the Spirit of God uses the Word of God.

Human distinctions and differences should be no barrier to holy living in the church. In Jesus Christ, all human distinctions disappear (Col 3:11). In Christ, there are no nationalities ("neither Greek nor Jew"). There is no recognition of former religious differences ("circumcision nor uncircumcision"). The gnostics taught that circumcision was important to the spiritual life (Col 2:1 1 ff). But Paul made it clear that this traditional act of physical surgery gave no advantages in the spiritual life. There are also no cultural differences in Christ ("barbarian, Scythian"). The Greeks considered all non-Greeks to be barbarians; and the Scythians were the lowest barbarians of all! Yet, in Jesus Christ, a person's cultural status is no advantage or disadvantage. Nor is his economic or political status ("bond or free"). Paul made it clear that a slave should try to get his freedom (1 Cor 7:20-23), but he should not think he is handicapped spiritually because of his social position. All of these human distinctions belong to the "old man" and not the "new man." In his Letter to the Galatians, Paul added, "There is neither male nor female and thus erased even differences between the sexes. "Christ is all, and in all", was Paul's conclusion. "For ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28). It is wrong to build the fellowship of the church on anything other than Jesus Christ, His person and His work. Ministries that are built on human distinctions, such as race, color, or social standing, are not biblical. One of the evidences of spiritual growth and the renewing of the mind is this willingness to receive and love all who sincerely know Christ and seek to glorify Him. The gnostic "super saints" were trying to isolate the Colossian believers from the rest of the church, and this was wrong. Even though physically we do not lose our national heritage when we become Christians, we do not use that heritage as a test of what is spiritual.
"Christ is all and in all" is the emphasis in this letter. "That in all things He might have the preeminence" (Col 1:18). Because we are complete in Christ, we can look beyond the earthly differences that separate people and enjoy a spiritual unity in the Lord. The gnostic false teachers, like the false teachers today, tried to rob God's people of the richness of their oneness in Christ. Beware! We are alive in Christ; therefore, we should seek the heavenly. We are dead in Christ; therefore, we should slay the earthly. We can become like Christ; therefore, we must strengthen the Christly and permit the Spirit to renew our minds, making us more into the image of God.

Saints Alive

Here's Good News

Chapter 1