Word-nerd alert!
This week we’re following Paul into the second half of Colossians. We’re moving from learning about who Jesus is and what He’s done for us into lessons about how these truths are meant to impact our lives at very practical levels.1 We know we’ve died to our old selves and that we’ve been raised with Christ into new life. Now we’re going to get into the details of how that looks and works.
Paul likens this change from the old self to clothing. On this journey with Jesus, we’re meant to be taking off all the ill-fitting, worn-out, dirty attire from our closets and laundry baskets – and throwing them out – so that, in Christ, we can take hold of the new clothes He offers. It’s a full wardrobe transformation, yet just as we buy one outfit at a time to convert our actual wardrobes, so too does Jesus ask us to change.
For as long as we walk with Him here on earth, our interactions with Him will include those inner workings of our hearts, minds, and souls. Those hidden, unseen works of the Spirit in us happen one ‘change’ at a time. But, to be sure, this entire process of transformation – of changing the old for the new – requires something of us.
Work
As Christians we’ve been trained to push back, perhaps even avoid, the idea of spiritual ‘work’ because it’s so easy to slip into ‘works righteousness’ when it comes to ‘earning’ Jesus’ favor and love.
Word-nerd note #1 – The moment we make the decision to follow Jesus is termed ‘justification’; it’s that singular instant when we choose to follow Jesus and trust Him as our Savior. And it’s grace that opens the door to this new life with Christ. There’s no earning justifying grace.
Word-nerd note #2 – The minute we say ‘yes’ to Jesus, “we are meant to put ourselves, by whatever means possible, in the path of transformation.”2 John Wesley makes sure to let us know that grace covers it all – justification and sanctification.3 One (justification) initiates the lifelong journey of becoming like Christ (sanctification).2 One (justification) cannot be earned or bought or worked for while the other (sanctification) requires effort.
The great Dallas Willard said it like this, “Grace is opposed to earning, but not to effort.”4
So, I suppose – even though they are both part-and-parcel ‘salvation’ – we could say that the difference between justification and sanctification is work.
When Paul says, “You have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self,” he’s talking about the work of transformation (Colossians 3:9-10). Sanctifying grace works with us and in us in such a way that we are able to shed the old clothes and put on the new.
Sanctification is both discipleship and spiritual formation. When we dive into the rhythms and practices that help us to know God and His Word more fully, they become “the catalyst for our renewal in the image of our Creator.”1 They motivate us to want to become more like Jesus (v.10).
These rhythms and practices are means to an end – not the end themselves. We need them. They’re tools given to us so that we can change, but we still need grace as we put them to use. I love how Jen Pollock Michel compares grace to rain showers that pour down “the tools for growing a life deep in Christ.”4 Yet, grace “will not spare us the effort of picking them up.”4
Word-nerd note #3 – God’s grace is always sufficient. And like the manna that God’s grace so perfectly provided the Israelites in the wilderness, we still have to go out and do something so that what ‘rained down’ can do its work in us.
Clothes
Christ’s life is now our life, so our clothes ought to reflect this truth!1 And Paul gives us a list of what ‘clothes’ need to be taken off – sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry; anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language from your lips, and lying (Colossians 3:5, 8-9). Then he lists what needs to be put on – compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; forgiveness and love (vv.12-14). Paul is ready to help us change our old wardrobes for new ones.
But, it’s a bit overwhelming – in fact, impossible – to change out everything in our closet all at once. Jesus, in His grace, leads us into transformation one ill-fitting suit at a time.
This sanctification process deepens as we mature in Christ. So, what He might ask us to remove in that first year of walking with Him will look a bit different to what He asks of us thirty years down the road.
John Mark Comer adds that in our ever-transforming spiritual lives, we come to desire the changes. We start to have a ‘willingness’ to enter into the work required to rid the deeply rooted stuff – like anger or lying.5 But willingness, as good as it is, is not adequate in and of itself.
Anger was actually one of the first ‘jackets’ God and I worked on shedding together. I had a willingness to leave it behind, but my willpower was not enough. Trust me, I’d tried in my own strength to walk away from the overheated outbursts that had become my norm.
The work that I entered into with the Lord was quite hidden. And slow. My desire to be rid of anger was great, but it was also a deeply rooted habit. So, I began with small steps – things that I could will myself to do.4 First, it was daily time in His Word – something I’d never done. I bought a Women’s Devotional Bible and did a pretty good job that first year of reading a devotion everyday. I gave space for God’s Word to do a work in me.
I also got involved in my new church home. My husband and I joined a young married couples class, and I hopped into a women’s group with both feet. Relationships developed. And learning was happening on a high curve. I was coming to truly love Jesus. I was becoming much more compassionate toward others – and myself.
That hidden work with anger never came up in those settings. In fact, I didn’t even recognize in myself that the deliberate steps I was taking to be with God were working with the Spirit to pull that coat off a little at a time. Till one day I realized I wasn’t over-reacting in similar situations as I once had. My anger was being swapped out for the Jesus-jackets of love and kindness.
As incredible as it was to lay down that old anger and pick up the new clothes, the work wasn’t over. Since then I’ve lived thirty more years packed full of closet clean-outs. It turns out I have had several outfits called ‘pride’ hanging around. Who knew? 😉 Fear has been lurking in the corners of the closet for forever, and with each clean out, fear is getting swept away. I could go on, but I think you understand. Replacing our wardrobes happens over time – by God’s grace, the Spirit’s power, and our willingness to do the inner work with Jesus.
Others
It’s quite easy to get hyper-focused on ourselves as we think about cleaning out our closets, replacing the old for the new. But we need to recall that this letter to the Colossians was intended for the Church, of which we’re all members.
When Paul calls us to put on all the ‘new’, notice how relational his words are:
“Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ. So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”
Colossians 3:10-14 MSG
The NIV ends verse fourteen with, “over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Yes, we work on ourselves – but for the good of the whole. For the good of the Church. For the good of the world.
“When we come to understand the truth that we are all valuable, each of us chosen, set apart and dearly loved by Him, it changes how we think about each other.”1 We become willing to love and serve and celebrate one another.1 And that willingness is what opens the door to inner transformation.
I just watched episode one of season two on The Chosen – again. 😉 I watched through tears as Jesus taught brothers, James and John, a really hard lesson. A lesson that addressed deeply rooted biases and prejudices. A lesson that needs reteaching in every era, in every human.
James and John grew up in a world where Jews and Samaritans had equal hate toward each other. It was so ingrained in them that they outwardly displayed their disdain – even to Jesus – when He chose to take them into Samaria. They resented that Jesus had ‘tricked’ them into plowing a rock-hard field for a Samaritan. They wanted to call down rains of fire to burn up the whole town after a group of Samaritans cursed and spat upon them.
Jesus held His ground and helped them begin to recognize how their prejudices tainted their ability to see the Samaritans as people – people Jesus loved. People who were responding with joy to Jesus’ messages. Jesus told the ‘sons of thunder’ that they were not ready for the work Jesus had come to do, and that got their attention. They repented and began the journey we’ve been describing, of entering into the hard work of sanctification.
The scene brought me right back to this passage of Paul, who understood Jesus’ purposes. Paul grasped that Jesus came for all people – even the ones we can’t stand. And, that’s why Paul teaches us to put. on. love. It’s the basic, all-purpose garment. It unifies.
Friends, the world around us says quite the opposite as Jesus. If we fail to immerse ourselves in His Word and presence regularly, our discipleship will not be to Him. We are being formed every single moment – the question is what has our attention? Whatever the answer, that is forming us.
So, as we consider all the lofty ideas of justification and sanctification, it’s important not to split hairs over vocabulary because when we do, we miss the point. Jesus calls us – each of us – to follow Him. And that requires something of us. Our willingness and effort are needed to enter into the transformational process so that we can be more like Jesus. And with grace and Jesus’ power, it is all possible. One outfit at a time, we’re gonna get a whole new wardrobe. We’ll trade the old self for the new.
Heavenly Father, open my eyes that I might see how great You are and how complete Your provision is for this day. I am thankful that the victory the Lord Jesus Christ won for me on the Cross and in His Resurrection has been given to me and that I am seated with the Lord Jesus Christ in the heavenlies. I take my place with Him in the heavenlies and recognize by faith that all wicked spirits and Satan himself are under my feet. I declare, therefore, that Satan and his wicked spirits are subject to me in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
By faith and in dependence upon You I put off the old self and stand into all the victory of the Crucifixion where the Lord Jesus Christ provided cleansing from the old nature. I put on the new self and stand into all the victory of the Resurrection and the provision He has made for me to live above sin.
Therefore, today I put off the old nature with its selfishness, and I put on the new nature with its love. I put off the old nature with its fear, and I put on the new nature with its courage. I put off the old nature with its weakness, and I put on the new nature with its strength. I put off the old nature with all its deceitful lusts, and I put on the new nature with its righteousness, purity, and honesty.
In every way I stand into the victory of the ascension and glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby all the principalities and powers were made subject to Him. I claim my place in Christ as victorious with Him over all the enemies of my soul. Blessed Holy Spirit, I pray that You would fill me. Come into my life, break down every idol and cast out every foe.
In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I completely surrender myself to You, Heavenly Father, as a living sacrifice. I choose not to be conformed to this world. I choose to be transformed by the renewing of my mind, and I pray that You would show me Your will and enable me to walk in all the fullness of Your will today. In Jesus’ name, amen
(prayer taken from “The Believer’s Warfare Prayer” by Victor Matthews)6
All I have to do is look out my window to see changes happening! Green sprouts poke up through the dormant grass. Buds on my sleeping oak tree emerge. And, my beloved Texas bluebonnets are beginning to grace the landscape. Spring is springing! The old, dead looks of winter are being replaced by new life. As one who has only ever lived in the northern hemisphere, I cannot imagine Easter being any other time than spring — because like the dead of winter, the dark tomb issued forth Jesus…full of new life! Wherever you may live, know that Lent is not only a season of preparation and reflection, but one of transformation. As we contemplate all that Jesus accomplished through His teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection, we can allow these truths to draw us closer to our Savior — and make us new.
Resources: I love sharing with you the books, podcasts, articles, and anything else that has inspired, encouraged, or taught me. These are humble with no expectations.
- 1 – Aimee Walker’s Enough study on Colossians, pages 60-61, 66
- 2 – This article unpacks Wesley’s ideas of spiritual formation and discipleship.
- 3 – This Seedbed Seven Minute Seminary video does a great job of explaining and differentiating justification and sanctification.
- 4 — Jen Pollock Michel’s book Surprised by Paradox^ quotes, pages 139-140.
- 5 – John Mark Comer’s interview with Annie F. Downs on the That Sounds Fun podcast, episode 854. A GREAT interview, by the way!!
- 6 – Victor Matthew’s “Believer’s Warfare Prayer” came into my life a few years ago and will never leave it. I wish I could say I pray it everyday or even every week, but I do pray it ‘regularly’ enough that it’s doing a work in my heart, mind, and soul. I love how much of the language in these particular paragraphs pulls in Paul’s language of Colossians!! You can download a free copy of the entire prayer here.
- Psalm 42 in The Message opens with these words:
“A white-tailed deer drinks
from the creek;
I want to drink God,
deep drafts of God.
I’m thirsty for God-alive.
I wonder, “Will I ever make it—
arrive and drink in God’s presence?”
Tori Kelly’s song, “Psalm 42” carries out that theme — “Jesus, fill us up again! With your presence flowing deep within, new life begins.” When we align with Christ — hearts, minds, souls — we’re putting ourselves in His presence and take in all we need to keep receiving new life and becoming our new selves. You’ll find Tori’s song on our Hidden in Christ playlist, as well as the hymn version of “As the Deer.” Let’s drink deeply, friends. - Every week I post, what I call, a “Teacup Video” — because in the videos I invite viewers to sit down and have a cup of tea with me while we “hear some words and give them space to do a work in us.” I always tie the video into the blog post of the week, so it becomes an extension of what we do here. You can find all the videos on my Facebook Author Page and Instagram.
- The first week of every month, I send out The Abiding Life newsletter. It’s also an extension of what we do here — a space where I can expand on thoughts, offer further resources, and give some arrows (as Emily P Freeman calls them) to continue pointing us forward in the abiding life. You can subscribe for future issues here!
Rhythms: As my newsletter’s title infers, we seek to develop an abiding life in this space — a place where we can get informed but also be transformed as we learn to abide in God’s presence throughout our days. I like to think that developing rhythms is what aids us in our desire to become more Christlike.
- Much of what Paul teaches when he calls us to take off the old self and put on the new self is a “spiritual posture: the posture of kneeling under God’s great big sky and admitting that mystery is inherent to the nature of God. As soon as we think we have God figured out, we will have ceased to worship him as he is.”4 There are so many reasons that we are wired to WORSHIP, and one of them is to keep ourselves in this spiritual posture of humility, receptivity, and willingness to do the work it takes to change — to become more like Christ. We can’t go into this sanctifying journey assuming we know all there is about God and ourselves. This week, let’s make it a priority to hit our knees and look up to our God who is, at the same time, beyond our ability to grasp fully and right here with us ready to join us in the work of transformation.
- Finally, as a community, let us not neglect sharing God’s story with others! And, don’t be shy to tell your God-stories, too.
- Lent is a great time to invite a friend to walk through this series with us. Share this site. We don’t want anyone walking through this life alone, lost, or over-burdened and without hope. We can all get ‘hidden’ in Christ together!
Featured Photo by Anita Jankovic on Unsplash. “All the Bits and Pieces” photo by Aleksandra Sapozhnikova on Unsplash.
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