The Need For Renewal
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The other day I was watching a video of a man who was color blind. He had never seen color correctly for his entire life. Just recently they came out with these glasses that fixes the way color blind people see color. The glasses allow them to see color just like you and I see color. And it is incredible to see a man, who for all of his life has been seeing the world through flawed eyes. It is emotional to watch him put on those glasses and see the deep dark green of a pine tree for the first time in his life. He puts on the glasses, he looks at the tree, and he bursts into tears at seeing color the way his eyes were meant to see color for the first time.
This is what Paul is dealing with in our passage in Colossians. We have been living in sin our whole lives, we have been living a flawed life. Now that we are IN CHRIST. Now that the power of sin has been broken in our lives, Paul is concerned that we would live renewed lives, that we would be restored back into the image of God, that we would live our lives they way God intended us to live them all along.
Paul gave two commands to the Colossian believers back in chapter two that he has been expounding ever since. Paul commanded these believers to be on the look out so that no one takes them captive through empty deceptive philosophy. Don’t be deceived into trying to attain spiritual growth through anything that is not centered on Christ. Paul, also positively commanded these believers to instead seek to grow spiritual through the same dependent faith that enabled them to receive Christ as their Lord- with that same kind of faith IN CHRIST walk in Christ- live your life with a faith in Christ is is rooted and built up IN HIM and established in the faith and abounding in thanksgiving.
Two weeks we began a discussion of exactly how we do that. How do we practically walk in Christ? How do we grow spiritual through a dependent faith in Christ? What does that look like in our life?
I. You must reorient your heart and your mind IN CHRIST (3:1-4)
I. You must reorient your heart and your mind IN CHRIST (3:1-4)
You must seek after Christ- He must be the treasure of your heart.
You must delight your mind in Christ
You must embrace your identity in Christ
II. You must kill everything that is mundane and carnal in your being (3:5-9)
II. You must kill everything that is mundane and carnal in your being (3:5-9)
This is not an external command- we cannot simply put rules and regulations in place in our lives to do this- this must go all the way deep down to our hearts. The process of killing carnality means I kill all idolatrous loves in my heart. I actually stop being an idolater of the heart, how? Through a relationship with Christ. I must love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength.
How do we practically walk in Christ? How do we grow spiritual through a dependent faith in Christ? What does that look like in our life?
III. You must constantly grow in your knowledge of Christ (3:9-11)
III. You must constantly grow in your knowledge of Christ (3:9-11)
Why? Why do we need to constantly grow in knowledge?
A. Because you have put off your old self, and you have put on your new self (3:9b-10a)
A. Because you have put off your old self, and you have put on your new self (3:9b-10a)
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Old Man v.s. New Man?
What is our old man? What is our new man?
View #1- Old man = old sinful nature; New man = new Christlike nature
In this view, a believer has both and old man nature and a new man nature inside them at the same time. And these two natures war inside of us. If we surrender to our old man we sin, if we surrender to our new man we act righteously.
I do not think that is what Paul is teaching here in Col 3.
View #2- Old man = old self, what you were like before Christ, you unregenerate self. New man = new self, what you are like now that you are in Christ, your regenerate self.
Paul commands- Do not lie to one another, connected to this is the truth that as a believer you have put off the old man. So the theology behind why you should not lie is that those who are in Christ have put off (like a dirty garment) the old man or the old self. And it is not just lying that Paul has in view here, both of the lists that we find in v. 5 and 8 are in view. In other words, kill off sexual immorality, and covetousness, and idolatry, and anger, and filthy communication, and slander, and lying- why? Because you believer have put off your old self.
The verb “put off” (as we talked about last week) means to take off as in a dirty garment or clothes.
The verb for “put off” is in the aorist tense. This indicates past action. This is something that has occured already in the past. I would argue at the moment of salvation your old self was put off. If believers still had inside of them an old man / or an old sinful nature- you would expect Paul to use a present tense verb. Keep on putting off your old man. But instead He makes a statement of fact- Stop doing all of these sins- why? Seeing that you have already put off your old self.
The same thing is true in v.10 with the verb “put on.” This verb also indicates past action- so again Paul is stating a fact- He is stating your position IN CHRIST. You have already put off your old self, and you have already put on your new self.
I want us to look at two other passages of Scripture this morning that teach us about our old self and our new self.
Turn with me to Eph 4.
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
The second passage I want us to consider is Rom 6
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
You say, pastor that sounds great and all, but I have a big problem. I still sin. If my old self is dead then why do I still sin?
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Members- Bodies c.f. Col 3
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Every time Paul talks about the war that wages in us because of sin- Paul makes mention of our flesh, or our members, or our bodies.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Why do we need to constantly grow in knowledge?
B. Because you are in need of renewal (3.10b)
B. Because you are in need of renewal (3.10b)
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
You believer, have already put on your new self (your new position in Christ, you are regenerate, you have been freed from the power of sin in your life), but your new self is in need of something. Your new self needs to be renewed in knowledge.
Renewed- to become reestablished in a like-new and often improved manner.
This verb is is the present tense which indicates continuous action. So you need to constantly be renewed. It is also a passive verb. So you do not do the renewing, something outside of you is acting upon you to accomplish the renewal. In this context, God is the one renewing you. So you have already put on the new self (past action), but your new self is constantly being renewed (by God).
Now what does it mean that our new self is being renewed?
If you understand New Man as New Christlike Nature then I really struggle to understand how our Christlike nature needs to be renewed. That implies that it is imperfect, but that doesn’t make sense- how can our Christlike nature be imperfect? How can it be renewed?
If you understand New Man as you new self or your regenerated self, then I think it makes good sense in saying we are in need of renewal.
How is that?
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The purpose of God is for us to be conformed back into the image of His Son. When God created Adam and Eve He created them perfectly in His image. That image was marred by sin. And it was deeply marred! Think about you, humanity was created to be in the very image of God, yet because of sin look at how deeply that image has been destroyed. Sexual immorality, evil lusts, coveteousness, idolatry, anger, wrath, filthy speech, slander, lying- this is a perversion of God’s image. God has been working ever since to restore His image in us. The biggest problem is the problem of sin. God needed to solve the sin problem. That happened in Christ. We participated in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and the power of sin the dominion of sin was forever broken. Before Christ, our old self was enslaved to sin, and it was impossible for the image of God to be renewed in us. After Christ, our new self, has been set free from the power of sin. However, the presence of sin still remains. We are not yet perfectly conformed to the image of Christ. So we need to be renewed, we need to practically get back to how God created mankind in the first place. We need to practically become like Christ. How do we do that? How do we continuously become renewed?
Last part of v. 10
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
We are constantly being renewed back into the image of God in knowledge (what kind of knowledge?) knowledge after or according to the image of our creator. Who is our creator? The Lord Jesus Christ (John 1.3- All things were made by Him (Christ) and without him was not anything made that was made).
Big question- how do we practically grow spiritually? How do we become like Christ. We do that by our new selves being continuously renewed in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
It is interesting how frequently Paul brings the topic of Spiritual growth back to the area of our mind. Remember the false teachers claimed that they had access to special knowledge, visions, that helped them to become super Christians. Paul is saying, you don’t need any of that. You have already put on your new self IN CHRIST, and now as you seek to grow in your knowledge of your creator, your image is being renewed according to the knowledge of Christ.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Folks what delights your thinking? What do you set your mind on? Are you in the process of renewing the image of God in your practical everyday lives by filling your mind with the knowledge of Christ? If you had to be honest with yourself how often did the Word of Christ dwell in your minds this week? I am not talking about just reading your devotions- that is only part of it- I am talking about a mind that delights in Scripture. So, when you are driving in your car and your mind is allowed to wander- what occupies your thinking? Does Christ ever delight your thoughts during those times?
Pastor Jon, that sounds great, how do I do that?
I will be honest, it is going to take some effort on your part. It will take some labor and hard work. I have found for me that the best way to delight my thinking in Christ is to slow down and actually study the Word, to actually think through a passage of Scripture. How do I do that? Let me give you a challenge this week.
I want you to read the Scripture Tranformatively this week:
This week I want you to read the same chapter of Scripture for the entire week- all seven days. What passage? How about Colossians 3. Read Colossians 3 all week long. Live in the passage, dwell in the passage for seven days- each day laboring to mine out a truth about your relationship with Christ. And as you go through your week purpose in you mind to mull that passage over and over. Ask what does Paul really mean in this passage, and how can I put that into practice in my life. Spend time praying through the passage! Remember the renewing in you is passive, it is God that does it. You have to put in the work, but God is the one who uses His Word to renew your image.
Pastor Jon, that sounds like a lot of work, that sounds difficult, it might take me a lot of time to do that. Yes it will. But if you really want to grow spiritually, if you really want to become more like Christ, then you, your image needs to be renewed to become like the image of your Creator according to the knowledge of Christ.
You can do that anywhere. You can do that in the shower, or in the car, or on a bike ride. Delight you mind in Christ, be renewed into the image of Christ through growing in your knowledge of your Creator.
Illustration: Restoring old cars- example Pastor Stevens Chevy. When he got that car years ago, it was rusty and dented and falling apart. Over the last few years he has been going through the process of restoring the car back to its original glory. He has been sanding an welding and priming and painting and you name it. And, yes it is a lot of hard work and the going is slow, but little by little that old car is being brought back to its original state. He is renewing that car back into its former image. So you believer have some work to do. Putting your faith in Christ and becoming something completely new in Christ is just the first step. God wants to restore you He wants to renew you back into His image. And He does that primarily through the knowledge of His Word. Pastor’s car isn’t perfect yet, but it is a whole lot more like it’s original state than it was 2 years ago. How about you? How far have you come in you renewal process? No you are not perfectly in the image of God yet, but are you more like Christ now than you were a year ago? How much time have you spent laboring in the Word renewing your image back into the image of Christ?
Why do we need to constantly grow in knowledge?
C. Because earthly distinctions are of no value in spiritual growth (3:11)
C. Because earthly distinctions are of no value in spiritual growth (3:11)
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
First question- where is the where? The first word of v. 11 is the word “where” we could translate it “here”- here there is neither Greek nor Jew. What does this word refer back to?
I think it refers back to the new man. So, I think Paul is stating that “here” in the realm of the new self earthly distinctions are of no value in your renewal process. In other words as you are reading Scripture transformatively- seeking to be renewed into the very image of your Creator, it will make absolutely no difference in your renewal process what earthly category you fall into.
So whether you are a Gentile or a Jew, that earthly category is not what will renew you into God’s image.
Whether you are circumcised or uncircumcised- that will not aid you.
Whether you are a barbarian- this is a derogatory term used of someone who was a non-Greek, someone who was cultural inferior. “Red Neck” “Hick” It didn’t matter if you were thought of as inferior, that is not what brings about spiritual renewal.
Or whether you are a Scythian- Scythian refers to a person who lives in Scythia, a region just north of the Black Sea. The evidence we have from ancient sources suggests that the Scythian was generally thought to be the “epitome of unrefinement and savagery”- the most backwater red neck you can think of.
If you were a slave or if you were free, it didn’t matter. These earthly identities are no longer important- what is important then?
Look at the end of v.11- But Chris is all and in all. In other words. In your new self- in the process of being renewed back into the image of your Creator through growing in knowledge. What matters is Christ. That is why you need to constantly grow in knowledge- because Christ is all- you cannot grow without Christ, you cannot be renewed without Christ. It is only in your relationship with Christ that spiritual growth is possible.
You here so much today in our culture about racial or ethnic or social distinctions- that all goes away in Christ. Black, white, rich, poor, democrat, republican- what matters in our process of spiritual growth is Christ- He is all. I am nothing, but a sinner being renewed back into the image of my Savior through the power of God.
This is most likely a rebuke against the false teachers in Colossae. They considered themselves superior in their earthly positions, but Paul says no- Christ is all and in all.
How about you? Do you trust in your earthly distinctions for spiritual growth? Do you put stock in the fact that you are an American, or that you are fundamental Baptist, or that you are a highly educated individual? What matters in your process of being renewed into the image of Christ is your relationship with Christ. What matters is being renewed according to the knowledge of your Savior. Earthly distinctions are of no value in spiritual growth.
How do we practically walk in Christ? How do we grow spiritual through a dependent faith in Christ? What does that look like in our life?
Today we look at one answer to that question- you walk in dependent faith in Christ by:constantly grow in your knowledge of Christ (3:9-11)
Where are you at in growing in knowledge? Are you delighting you mind in Scripture regularly? Are you reading God’s Word transformatively? Do you see yourself being progressively renewed into the image of your Creator?