/
RSS Feed
“The Apostate’s Corroding Effect Upon the Church’s Witness and Worship” Jude vv. 8-11
“The Apostate’s Corroding Effect Upon the Church’s Witness and Worship” Jude vv. 8-11
“Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing”
A Sermon Series in Jude
“The Apostate’s Corroding Effect Upon the Church’s Witness and Worship”
Jude vv. 8-11
Introduction
The book of Jude is a warning to every church, and he is warning them of dangerous people who come into the church disguised as angels of light (2 Cor. 11:14) or wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15) – apostates are difficult to identify. So, Jude encourages the church to “contend for the faith,” because these hidden false teachers will constantly work to corrode the foundation of the church (like termites) until it collapses. So they have to be recognized and exposed.
“Jude prophesied that during the last days apostates will do two things. First, they will pollute the witness of the church through immorality, insubordination, and irreverence. Second, he wrote that they will pervert the worship of Christ in mode, motive, and manner. Apostates pollute the witness of the church and pervert the worship of Christ.”[1]
Apostates pollute the witness of the church (vv. 8-10)
(v. 8) Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.
(v. 8) “Yet in like manner,” – this is a reference to what had just come before referring to Sodom and Gomorrah in verse 7, “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” These cities were consumed with lust and pursued an immorality they should not have, here they, “relying on their dreams, defile (their own) the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.” Remember, apostates are those who have “secretly crept in” and turned the “grace of God into a license to sin. (v. 4)”
“relying on their dreams,” – these are phony visionaries. The word Jude uses for dreams is also used in Acts 2. “In that passage, Peter (preaching on the day of Pentecost) declared, 2:16-17 “But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;”
There will come a time in the last days when these revelatory prophecies, visions, and dreams will return. So false teachers claim dreams to be a source of “new truths” and they act as a substitute for the authoritative Word of God. The OT often uses the word “dreamer” as a substitute for false prophet.[2]
They “defile their flesh” (similar to Sodom and Gomorrah) in that they are given over to it. The word used for flesh (sarx) refers to the physical body. And defile is from a word meaning to dye or stain something, such as clothing or glass. When they are put together it is a moral corruption of the body – to defile. The apostate is morally corrupt, and does not seek to control their impulses.
But this does not mean that everyone who has a sexual sin is an apostate. John 8:7 is the story of the woman caught in adultery, “And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” Jesus stands ready to forgive our sin, he says to the woman, “go and sin no more.” Apostates do not seek forgiveness. They justify their behavior by using the grace of God as a license for their immorality. How many people doing that in the church does it take for the witness of the church to be tarnished?
The apostate “reject authority,” they like to be in places of authority, but they don’t like someone having authority over them. They want to rule their own lives and want to be free from the lordship of Jesus Christ, (v. 4 “. . . and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.)
Ultimately, all authority comes from God. Authority in the home, in the church, in government, all come from God. The apostate rejects every authority that God has established. The ultimate rejection of authority is God’s Word itself. The Word of God is our sole source of authority for faith and life.
“Apostates are ignorant people who do not know what they are speaking. They live in a dream world, having accepted the lie of Satan has used since the garden of Eden when he said to the woman, “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5).”[3]
“blaspheme the glorious ones,” – The glorious ones is a reference to the created order, even going to the angelic host (glorious because of their appearance), who carry out the will of God in their duties. But it is also a reference to those who God places in positions of leadership and authority. So how does the apostate, the false teacher, blaspheme these glorious ones? By speaking evil of, undermining, and resisting what god has established.
Apostates undermine the established authority in the Church.
9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
This passage is a little difficult to work through because there is no other reference to this event. Jewish tradition claims that since Moses was a murderer that Satan is saying that the body belonged to him.[4] We do know what Deuteronomy 34:5-6 tells us, God showed Moses the land that his ancestors would inherit and then, “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, 6 and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this day.” So at Moses’ death the devil and the archangel Michael dispute over Moses’ body.
In Zechariah 3:2 he has a vision of Joshua the high priest (who led the first group of Jews back from Babylonia captivity), was standing in heaven before the Angel of the Lord. The devil was at the right hand of Joshua accusing Joshua and the nation of Israel, “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan!
Satan was arguing that based on Israel’s breaking the covenant promises they should be condemned. Joshua is wearing filthy clothes symbolizing the nation’s sin. In response, the Angel of the Lord (preincarnate Christ) defended Israel by deferring to God the Father and asking Him to rebuke Satan (1 John 2:1). The Father honored the Son – and God reaffirmed His commitment to Israel’s future justification, promising to forgive Israel’s sin and clothe her with garments of righteousness (Zech. 3:3-5). Jesus as the Son of God could have pronounced judgement, but instead deferred to God the Father.
When Michael contended for the body of Moses, he did just what the Angel of the Lord did. The Son submitted to the authority of the Father. Jude wants us to recognize that the archangel Michael submitted to the order of creation – Michael did not see it as his place to pronounce judgement (that was God’s job.) Even though he was a high-ranking angel, he still did not outrank God’s created order and plan for the universe. So, if (Jesus as the Son of God didn’t and) an angel didn’t (who is much higher on the food chain than us) didn’t do it, we surely should not do it.
Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” Jude says, “But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand,” – apostates speak evil of their leaders, God’s plan in the church, because they don’t know and they do not understand the things of God.
God buried Moses (through Michael), and no one knows where he was buried. Jude is about to transition into how apostates affect worship, but the devil has always fought to be worshipped, and when that doesn’t work, he tries to corrupt worship within the church. He constantly offers a counterfeit. If people knew where Moses was buried, they would gather at the site, and it would be worshipped as a relic.
Apostates don’t understand the things of God,
yet they fight against what is good in the church.
10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
Here Jude contrasts the archangel Michael with the apostates in the church in two ways. First, they “blaspheme all that they do not understand,” this refers at least to angelic beings, but probably extends to other spiritual matters. They don’t understand spiritual things, the things of God – so they revile them and slander them. They do not understand “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”
Secondly, the false teachers are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals do – by going against God’s Word and His church there are consequences of their own destruction which they can’t see as being their fault. They are governed by their own natural fallen instincts, and that immorality leads to their destruction.
Apostates pervert the worship of Christ (vv. 11)
11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Jude pronounces three cases of woe, and all three relate to worship. Let’s first go back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They both ate of the forbidden fruit and sin entered into the world. They tried to cover their sin by the work of their own hands which God rejected. God killed an animal (shed its’ blood) and used the hides to cover their nakedness. This was the God given way of dealing with sin, blood had to be shed. Hebrews 9:22 “. . . without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
The Way of Cain
(v. 11) “For they walked in the way of Cain is a reference to Genesis 4:3-7, the first recorded worship service in history, “In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
First off Cain was religious (he went to church), but he wanted religion on his terms. Cain offers a sacrifice based on the work of his hands. He worked hard, went out into the field, planted the seeds, harvested the crop, brought a portion of his hard work as a sin offering – and God does not accept our works as a means to cover our sin.
Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.” Abel’s act of worship was by faith in the shedding of blood to cover his sins. Apostates corrupt the worship of God by taking it away from faith and moving it toward works. Cain rejected the way of substitutionary atonement.
Those that follow the way of Cain say, “Joe is hard-working, he is nice to other people, see how he provided for his family. God should accept him into heaven, he’s a good guy.” No. “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – all need the shed blood of Jesus.” Salvation is by God’s grace, through faith, in Jesus’ bloody sacrifice upon the cross.
Balaam’s Error
“abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error” – His story is found in Numbers 22-24. A Moabite king named Balak wanted to hire a prophet of the Lord, named Balaam to curse the Israelite army.
Balaam originally sent them away, but the more he thought about it the greedier his heart became. Balaam then returned to the king and said something like, “I can’t curse them (God had told him not to do it), but I have a plan which will cause God to curse them for you (for a fee of course). So, Balaam arranges for women to invite Israelite men to a big sensual feast. Fornification took over and the curse of God came upon His people, resulting in 24,000 Israelites being judged and killed.[5] Balaam used his spiritual insight to obtain material gain. He was involved in religion for what he could gain from it.
2 Peter 2:15-16 says, “They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.” Balaam’s error was that he used his position as a prophet “for the sake of gain” so it leads us to ask the question, “What is our motive for worshipping? Is our motive to obtain or to see what we can get out of it? Or do we gather to give God glory?
Korah’s Rebellion
“perished in Korah’s rebellion,” – We find the story of Korah (a cousin of Moses) in Numbers 16, who was a Levite, but he was not chosen to serve as a priest. He was angry because he was not chosen and lured by pride formed a conspiracy with three other men and led two hundred of Israel’s elders in a rebellion against Moses (God’s prophet) and Aaron (God’s priest). God had appointed Moses and Aaron, and Korah was too blind to see that it was God who had appointed them, so when he opposed them, he was opposing God. Korah didn’t like Moses and did not want to submit to his leadership – so he formed a rebellion.
Korah did not like having Moses being over them as a leader, Numbers 16:3 “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” We have just as much right to lead, as you do, “we are all holy.”
Numbers 16:32-35 “And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. 33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!” 35 And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.”
This form of apostacy is the person or group who is divisive and brings dissension into the church. But look at Moses’ reaction to this rebellion, Numbers 16:4 “When Moses heard it, he fell on his face,” because he understood something the rebellious group led by Korah did not – Moses did not take their attack personal. The rebellious group were going against what God had established – God was with Moses and not with them, and they didn’t even know it. He left the issue in God’s hands.
“The experience of Korah is recorded for all posterity as an example of a man who, in his own quest for power and recognition, defied God’s legitimate authority over the people of God.”[6]
“Cain ignored the word of God, Balaam opposed the Word of God, and Korah rebelled against the word of God. This is the progression of the apostate. He begins simply ignoring what the Bible says then progresses into opposing the Bible by trying to say that it is not the Word of God but simply contains the Word of God. Once they are at this point, it will not be long before they openly rebel against God and His holy Word.”[7]
Apostates undermine and corrupt genuine worship. How?
They want the church to be focused on a false gospel (Cain), personal gain (Balaam), and a rejection of authority (Korah).
_____________________
[1] O.S. Hawkins, In Sheep’s Clothing, Jude’s Urgent Warning about Apostacy in the Church (Neptune, New Jersey; Loizeaux Publishing, 1994) 52-53.
[2] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 2 Peter & Jude (Chicago, Illinois; Moddy Publishing, 2005) 172.
[3] Hawkins, 53.
[4] Matthew S. Harmen, Expository Commentary, Volume XII, Hebrews-Revelation (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2018) 513.
[5] Numbers 25:1-9, 31:15-16.
[6] O.S. Osborne, 70.
[7] O.S. Osborne, 68.
“The Trinity Helps Us Understand Difficulty” John 16:4b-15
The Trinity; Father, Son, & Holy Spirit
A Sermon Series
“The Trinity Helps Us Understand Difficulty”
John 16:4b-15
Introduction
“Jesus’ departure from his earthly ministry to return to his Father is now at hand, and this is why he is telling his followers of the difficult days that lie ahead. They need to know not just of all the troubles that will soon fall on them but also of the help God (the Father) will send them to enable them to rise above the struggles. This help consists of the Spirit of Jesus as the presence of the Lord among them. He has just told them of the trials soon to arrive (15:18-16:4a), and now he wants to make them know of the coming Paraclete, who will empower them so they can be victorious.”[1]
Prayer
The Disciple’s Mission (vv. 4b-7)
“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
And in all of the time that Jesus has been with them all of the animosity and anger has been directed at Jesus (because He was there among them). He is going away, and He wants to prepare them for all the difficulty that is coming. Jesus confirms again that He was sent from the Father, and “now I am going to him who sent me.”
We are going to see that Jesus is the standard of righteousness but how do we know that Jesus’ teachings are right, and the world’s teachings are wrong? Because, “But now I am going to him who sent me,” As the resurrected King of Kings, Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, ruling and reigning over all of creation. His pattern of righteousness and the standard He set was accepted by God the Father – because He raised Him from the dead.
When Jesus says, “none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’” seems out of place because Peter had asked, “Lord where are you going,” and Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going.” But the verse is given in the present tense, “None of you asks me.” They had stopped asking him about the future, and seem to be overwhelmed with what is going on right then. They can’t see a way to continue forward without Jesus being with them.
They are filled with confusion, grief, and despair. But they are not considering what Jesus’ departure means for the mission that He is sending them on. He has been preparing them to continue His work, He wants them to stay focused on that mission (in spite of fear, grief, and despair).
(v.7) “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth,” – Jesus is saying that the only way for God’s plan to be completed is for the Son to return to heaven, and the Spirit is sent to take His place on earth.[2] “But his saving reign of God cannot be fully inaugurated until Jesus has died, risen from the dead, and been exalted to this Father’s right hand, returned to the glory he enjoyed with the Father before the world began.”[3] Why does the Holy Spirit have to wait until Jesus’ departure? It is because of where Jesus goes when He leaves, John 7:39 “Now this he (Jesus) said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
That plan also involves them being filled with the Holy Spirit, and telling others about Jesus (who now has completed His mission and sits at the right hand of the Father).
God’s plan for the salvation of the world
could not be completed If Jesus had stayed on earth.
Earlier in John, the word for the Helper (paraclete) was used as “one who comes and stands beside” as in Comforter, Advocate or Helper. But here the standing beside is still there, but it carries a judicial tone. The Holy Spirit is the Prosecutor – convicting sinful men of being in the wrong.[4]
(v. 7) Jesus says that “it is to your advantage that I go away,” – Earlier in John 11 the high priest Caiaphas uses this same word, “advantage, expedient” “So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better (expedient) for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”
The Holy Spirit’s Ministry (vv. 8-15)
The Spirit will have a two-fold ministry, convicting the world of sin (vv. 8-11), and strengthening the Church (vv. 12-15).
Convicting the World of Sin (vv. 8-11)
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
“Whenever sin and righteousness meet, there is judgement.”[5]
9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
(v. 8) “he will convict the world,” This is a word meaning “convicting by proof” by “missing the mark,” and how they have wronged God and other people. Without the working of the Holy Spirit men will not believe in Jesus because they will not understand the depth of their sin. In order to follow Jesus, you have to repent of your sin, ask Him to forgive you of your sin, to trust in His gift of sacrificial death on the cross and how that covers your sin. People have to understand sin, before they can understand who Jesus is.
10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
Righteousness is the opposite of sin, and after we are convicted of sin, we seek after this opposite. The Holy Spirit guides us to seeking after righteousness. “In order to define sin there must be a standard. There can be no transgression where there is no law, no darkness where there is no light, no sin where there is no holiness.”[6]
When Jesus was present, simply His presence would convict men of sin, and they could see perfect righteousness before them. John 1:4-5 describes it like this, “In him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
In Luke 5:7-8 the men who eventually would become Jesus’ disciples are fishing and Jesus performs a miracle so that their nets are ripping because they are so full of fish, “They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Also, think of all the times the religious leaders in Jesus’ day thought that they were righteous because of their keeping the OT law (which they really were not). For the entire 23rd chapter of Matthew Jesus blasts the religious leaders, he says, “woe to you scribes and pharisees,” . . . vv. 1-5 “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,1 and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others . . .” The Holy Spirit shows us righteousness only comes through Jesus – not by works. So every time we start down that road of being self-righteous the Holy Spirit points us back to Jesus and His righteousness.
11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
“The word ‘judgement’ means an ethical decision; approbation of such qualities or acts as may be deemed good, and simultaneous pf such qualities or acts as may deemed evil. The vindication of Christ by the resurrection as the incarnate righteousness of God was at the same time God’s rejection of the prince of this world as the personification of evil.”[7] The Holy Spirit makes the world aware of this judgement by God.
Why does the Holy Spirit convict people of the coming judgment? Because “the ruler of this world is judged, or “now stands condemned.” If the world continues to follow this defeated foe of God, it too will have the same fate. Satan lost, Jesus won – sin and death have been defeated. Sin is shown as being evil, and righteousness shown as the good.
“The anti-Christian point-of-view (or anti-biblical), the principles which govern the actions of worldy men, have been once and for all discredited and condemned (12:31, 1 Cor. 2:8, Col. 2:15). The work of the Spirit manifested in the history of Christianity verifies the judgement that by Christ’s death evil has been condemned utterly; the Devil is fighting a losing battle.”[8]
There are many worldviews – but only one is from God.
Jesus proved it by His death, burial and resurrection.
It is the Holy Spirit’s ministry to convict people of sin in their lives (as defined by God),[9] He guides them toward righteousness and godly behavior, and there is a final judgment between good and evil. But sin, righteousness, and God’s judgement ultimately deals with an acceptance or rejection of Jesus.
Matthew 21:42 Jesus is talking to the crowd but He is aiming His comments to the religious leaders, “Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” The cornerstone was used to determine true vertical and horizontal lines for a building, so that it would be level and plumb. Jesus is the measure of truth, The Holy Spirit confirms this truth, and to reject it is to face the judgement of God.
Matthew 12:22-32 “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.”
Strengthening the Church (vv. 12-15)
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
(v. 12) Jesus has more to say about future judgment and how His death burial and resurrection all show the enemies defeat, but they just can’t handle any more right then, “you cannot bear them now.” They are so devastated by Jesus going away, they can’t take any more information in. It could also mean that as Christians there is information that they could know, but it is only with the guidance of the Holy Spirit that they could bear the implications of what it means. Jesus didn’t tell the disciples about the cross until well into His ministry with them. He teaches us, as we are able to bear it.
There is a weight that comes with certain knowledge,
that the Holy Spirit helps to carry.
But when the Holy Spirit comes, in spite of all the trauma and difficulty, John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” The Holy Spirit will make sure that they know and remember what they need in order to complete Jesus’ work.
(v. 13) “he will guide you into all the truth,” When you have a guide that assumes a couple of things 1) you are on an adventure, a pilgrimage, you are going somewhere. 2) There is someone who knows the way that is leading (guiding) the way. As you are following God, He will reveal the truths of Scripture to you. There is an Old Testament background for the Spirit guiding believers in truth, Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!” The Spirit continues the ministry of Jesus by explaining the Word of God.
“for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak,” – Jesus often used this same wordage; Jesus would say, what the Father told Him to say.[10] And now the Holy Spirit will say what Jesus has said, and will reveal new things (by Jesus) of what is to come in the future. “The disciples receive these truths on a trinitarian path from the Father to the Son to Spirit to them and likewise pass them on in their own teaching and preaching (2 Tim. 2:2).”[11]
2 Timothy 2:1-2 “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” There is a chain of truth that begins with God the Father, then the Son, then the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:2), then the apostles, then to faithful men, and on down through the generations (always guided by the Holy Spirit). So what you share is the Word of God, Spoken through the Son, and guided by the Holy Spirit.
__________________
[1] Grant R. Osborne, John Verse by Verse, Osborne New Testament Commentary (Bellingham, Washington; Lexham Press, 2018) 373.
[2] John 7:39 “Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
[3] D. A. Carson, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1991) 534.
[4] Leon Morris, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971) 695.
[5] Merrill C. Tenney, John, The Gospel of Belief, An Analytical Study of the Text (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982) 236.
[6] Tenney, 236.
[7] Tenney, 237.
[8] G.H.C. Maccgregor, The Gospel of John (Harper and Brothers Publishing, 1928) 298.
[9] Prevenient grace – “God’s grace given to all humans indiscriminately. It is seen in God’s sending the sunshine and the rain upon all. . . Since mankind is hopelessly dead in trespasses and sins and can do nothing to obtain salvation, God graciously restores to all men sufficient ability to make a choice in the matter of submission to Him. . . . Since God has given this grace to all, everyone is capable of accepting the offer of salvation . . .” Millard Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Academic, 2007) 932.
[10] John 3:34-35; 5:19; 7:16-17; 8:26, 28; 12:49-50; 14:10; 15:15.
[11] Osborne, 378.
“Seek The Things That Are Above” Colossians 3:1-17
“The Supreme Life”
A Sermon Series in Colossians
“Seek The Things That Are Above”
Colossians 3:1-17
Introduction
My grandfather’s brother owned a hog farm and he lived less than a mile up the road from our family home. If the wind was blowing in the right direction you could smell the pig farm and man did it stink! Carlyle had a routine that when he finished his day of pig farming, he would strip down at his back door and go directly to the shower. Tootsie (his wife) would not let him come in unless he stripped down, and his clothes went right into the wash. He had to have a routine of taking off his stinky dirty clothes and taking a shower, then putting on clean clothes. Can you imagine coming in with pig stuff all over your clothes and sitting on the couch, lying in the bed, hugging his wife – we would say nope.
Today Paul is going to call Christians to take off the sin in our lives and put on righteous behavior because this is the process of living the life God has called us to. Living a godly life does not just happen – believers must make a concerted effort and be intentional about how we live our lives.
Prayer
Living the Christian Life Must be Intentional (vv. 1-4)
If (Since) then you have been raised with Christ (coresurrected), seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Up until this point in the book Paul has been warning the church about false teachers and for them not to allow themselves to be carried off with man’s traditions, teachings about elemental spirits and things that would corrupt the gospel (angel worship, works like being circumcised, etc.) Now Paul turns to what they should be doing, and he phrases it two ways, “seek the things that are above,” and “Set your minds on things that are above,” – Jesus says it this way Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness . . .”
“Believers “seek the things above” (keep on seeking, continuous) by deliberately and daily committing themselves to the values of the heavenly kingdom and living out of those values.”[1] It is an intentional orientation of the will. Also notice that there is a break between “where Christ is, (comma) and “seated at the right hand of God.” Jesus is in heaven, so we should focus our minds on where Christ is.
Paul gives four reasons why you should seek and think about the things that are above:
- Because You Are “In Christ.” There are several places where Paul just a few verses earlier combines the believer with Jesus. Colossians 2:11-15 “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Here is 3:1 he says, “you have been raised with Christ” – Jesus rose from the dead overcoming sin and death, and now sits at the right hand of the Father. And in some way we go with Christ into eternity, as Paul describes as, “your life is hidden with Christ in God.” – It is hidden now because you are still alive, but when you pass from here to glory the secret will be told, you will be with Him in reality (not just in promise). If God hides you away, no thief can break in and steal you – you are well hidden by God until the proper time.
2) Because Your Previous Sin Led to Death – “you have died,” –
3) Because Christ Returns You Will Be With Him In Glory – “and your life is hidden with Christ in God,” and “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory,” –
Living the Christian Life Requires Putting Things Off (vv. 5-11)
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.[2] 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Paul has told the church that they are to have a heavenly mindset, so they should then be eager to get rid of things that don’t reflect that heavenly mindset. “Put to death,” – mortify, “to treat something like it is dead.”[3] (v. 7) describes them as once “walking in them” and “living in them.” You are either living in an action or you are treating it like its dead. (v. 9) Paul says, “now you must put them all away.”
(v. 5) Paul says to put to death “what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” The word used for idolatry here points back to the previous list, and it is covetousness because you want more and more of these experiences. It is the increasing desire for more and more pleasure experiences that it then becomes an idol on their lives.
This is the progression of sin in our lives – it begins with something outside of God’s Word and plan for your life, because of this it leads to impurity in your life, then it creates within you a desire for it, which leads to wanting more and more of it, to the point to where you bow down to, it controls your life.
Seeking after earthly things leads to idolatry in your life
and judgement upon your church.
In v. 6 we have another reason (number 4) to be intentional about our walk with Jesus. 4) Just in case you think sin is not that big of a deal Paul adds, “On account of these the wrath of God is coming.” Our minds must be on the things above because the wrath of God is coming. Our lives, words, actions (within the church and without) all impact the world around us, and while we may be forgiven and have a place in eternity, those around us may not have chosen Christ yet.
“God’s true people are guaranteed deliverance from wrath (1 Thess. 5:9; Rom. 5:9), but at the same time, they are repeatedly warned that persistent sinful behavior will bring God’s judgement.”[4] And again this is given in the context of those that belong to the church. What you do in private (or maybe not even in private) affects the church as a whole. If you say, “My sin is private – it does not affect others” that is not true. And if you say, “Then I will hold on to my sin but not belong to the church because I don’t want it to affect others,” then it is idolatry and an offense to God.
(v. 8) “But now you must put them all away,” and “you have put off the old self,” – “This is a metaphor for clothing, replace the filthy rags (sexual immorality, passion, etc.) with “have put on the new self,”
(v. 8) “anger, wrath (rage), malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another,” All of these deal with speech, and what you say. These ways of using language should never be used by those who are walking a new life in Christ.[5] They are given as a group pointing to the same idea of how Christians are to communicate with other Christians. “obscene talk” – or filthy language, literally shameful words, in the context of referring to another person. The things that come out of your mouth come from your heart. Jesus explains it this way, Matthew 15:18, “ . . . what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart,”
You are not showing love and Christ likeness when you rage, in anger, and say things against someone with the intention to harm their reputation, or curse at them with vulgar words – cussing them out and then lying about it.
“which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” – At the beginning of time before the fall, humanity had a knowledge of God. Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” This knowledge of God was lost when sin came into the world. As the believer puts on a new self he will progress towards true knowledge of God.
It is through our relationship with Christ that we learn how to live in relationship with God and His creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Every human is made in the image of God, and everyone loses what that means because of sin. But when a person is saved, that knowledge is restored as they grow in their relationship with Him.
(vv. 9-10) We are not trying to put on the Greek or the Jew, it’s not about appearing circumcised or uncircumcised; we are not trying to be the ideal barbarian, or Scythian, slave or free – the image we want to put on is one of our Creator, we put on Christ. Our identity is Christ not where we are from, how much money we have, or our race. So racial distinctions disappear (no Greek or Jew), class distinctions disappear – in the church there were slaves, free, slave owners, freedmen all in the same church. It is our identity with Jesus that strips away any distinctions.
Living the Christian Life Requires Putting Things On (vv. 12-17)
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
(v. 12) “Put on then” – In order to have a change in your life, whatever a person takes off, needs to be replaced with something else, and Paul gives that which you should put on. Also, this list are virtues that will foster community and give the church cohesion (whereas the above list of vices causes division and splinters the church). This is a list of things the Christians is to put on, but it is not a list isolated from their relationship in the church – it is a list of how to live life out as a church. Here again is the assumption by the apostle that the Christian is associated and an important part of the local church.
“chosen ones, holy and beloved,” These three terms are standard ways of describing Israel in the Old Testament. But instead of choosing or electing His people from one nation, now God chooses them from the world (Jew and Gentile). Holy means to be set apart for God’s purpose, and beloved means greatly loved. So God has chosen you, set you apart for His purposes, and He greatly loves you – in light of these things consider your sin.
1 Peter 2:19-20 puts it like this “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
1) compassionate hearts,
literally translated as bowels, the seat of emotion, be moved to the core of who you are towards people 2) kindness, goodness, gracious acts 3) humility, Philippians encourages us to show humility in that we view others value as being above our own, and looking out for the interest of others, 4) meekness, not being overly impressed with one’s sense of self-importance, 5) and patience, kindness refers to our basic approach to people, and patience refers to the kind of reaction we should display toward them.
6) 13 bearing with one another
Literally means “holding yourselves back from one another.”[6] Or “put up with one another.” This is the first step in establishing community within the church. We all have our ideocracies – so put up with the strange and annoying stuff we all do. Paul has also mentioned people from different religious backgrounds, people from different regions and socio-economic levels. These differences need to be overlooked for the bigger mission,
7) and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
One step further than just putting up with one another, we actually forgive each other. Jesus says it like this as part of the Lord’s prayer, “. . . and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors . . . For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:12, 14ff). God has forgiven our sins, so we should also (as we are in Christ), forgive others (specifically others within the church).
8) 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
If Paul is referring to putting on this list of things, around all of it is a belt. What holds it all together is love. Put on love – it is an intentional decision to choose love. When everyone puts on love, there is harmony.
9) 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.
The peace that we let rule in your hearts is the same idea as an umpire – when the ball moves across the plate he has to make a decision (strike or foul, inside or outside the line). When life comes your way, and you have to decide how to react, Paul says, “let the peace of Christ” decide – choose the peace of Christ (instead of anger, wrath, slander, etc.) Paul highlights “peace” as one of the key blessings of Christian experience.
“to which indeed you were called in one body” – God calls men to serve as pastors, but He also calls people to join churches. Those at Colossae were called into one body (the body of Christ), and together with all their challenges, putting up with one another, forgiving one another, together they were to reach their area of responsibility for Jesus. If you are a believer God is calling you to join a church, to get plugged in (to follow this list of virtues) and find your place of service. We are one unit – one body (where Jesus is the head, and the gospel is our mission).
10) And be thankful. There is peace that comes from knowing that in all of life’s struggles, you are where you are supposed to be, doing what God has called you to do. And in that place – be thankful. Thankful within the body of Christ.
11) 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
(v. 16) references when they gather for worship there was to be the teaching of God’s Word (let it live within you richly), and putting God’s Word to music, adding new music or songs of praise – and as you worship let your hearts be thankful. How can those who have not experienced the salvation of Jesus, and the life change that he brings – sing the songs of the Lord? They can sing the songs, but there is no thankfulness in their soul.
The reaction that drives the worship service is thankfulness to God. We must be careful not to try and drive our worship services with worldly methods.
12) 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Everything, including what we say and what we do, should be governed by the consideration of what it means to live in the realm of the risen Christ.
Conclusion
After serving a prison sentence, prisoners are released. They are set free from bondage since their time has been served. After they come out of jail, they take off their prison clothes and put on new clothes. These clothes suit the new life they have begun. The same is true for Christians we have been set free from the bondage of sin. We are no longer prisoners to it. We have started a new life. Therefore, we should once and for all throw out the old clothes of death and put on the new clothes of life. After Jesus rose from the dead, He had no use for His grave clothes so He left them in the tomb. He now lives in the garments of righteousness and life. Since believers have been raised from the dead we too should put on the clothes of righteousness. We should practice what we are in principle.
___________________
[1] Douglas J. Moo, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eermans Publishing Company, 2008) 246.
[2] See also Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:29-31.
[3] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume IV (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1931) 501.
[4] Moo, 259. See also Hebrews 12:5-6
[5] My comments on the importance of godly speech, click here
[6] Robertson, 504.
“The Two Circles” Philippians 3:1-4:1
/
RSS Feed
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 11
- Next Page »
