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Before we begin today's episode of Renewing youg Mind, we invite you to stay with us through the end of the program to hear how you can request today's featured resource from Ligonier Ministries.
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We are not what we do, and God doesn't see us through our accomplishments. God sees us through the bloody lens of His Son's blood. And who we are is defined by our belongingness to Christ Jesus. And I think sometimes that's our biggest struggle because we see God as someone who sees us according to what we do, how we perform, and what we accomplish. But Colossians is a reminder to us that Jesus is everything. He's the beginning, he's the end. He, as Scripture says, is the one who holds all things together.
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Hello and welcome to Renewing youg Mind. Well, let me begin by asking this question. How would you define yourself? Would it be by what you do for a living? Your accomplishments, your experiences in life? In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul reminds us as believers that our identity is in Christ. He is not merely part of our life. He's everything. At Ligonier's national conference, I sat down with our teaching fellow, Reverend Joel Kim, to discuss his series Everything in Christ. We began by considering why Paul's message to the Colossian Church remains so important for Christians today.
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It's hard to say that a particular book in the Bible is necessarily better or more lovable than anything else, but I have been teaching on campus at Westminster Seminary, California for about 20 plus years and one of the courses I do teach is the Pauline Epistles. And in particular, while there are so many things one can gain from each and every single book, Colossians is unlike the others in terms of how it tackles some of the challenges and joys when it comes to following Jesus Christ in the environment in which we find ourselves. So there is a particular, I think, touch points here that affect me in terms of how I understand my own faith and practice of faith and how, I hope not just the teaching series, but the book itself may be remembered and taught by others as well.
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You point out early on that it's not clearly evident, at least on the surface, what was going on in the church at Colossae that caused Paul to write this letter. But can we deduce it?
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Yeah. You know, reading letters like this is getting on a phone call on just one side and hearing one side of the story. Many of our audiences may remember there was a time where there were only landlines at home. And one of the things that I loved to do when my older sister got on the phone was to quietly and carefully get on the other line. The second line at the home where you push down, you mute it and you listen to it. You get the full picture of what she is saying and what the other person is saying. But letters are not like that, letters. You only get one side of the story, and you could deduce what's being said and what thought process is taking place, but it's incomplete. So much so that when you look at the Colossian scholarly literature over the years, I think someone counted and said there's minimally 40 different theological or philosophical oppositions in mind that almost seems disparate from one another, whether it be asceticism or mysticism or secular religions, even deviations from some of the Jewish teachings that you have. When you count all these things, there are quite a few things that can potentially be the opposition that Paul has in mind. However, I think many are coalescing around the notion that the issue seems to be here, what people refer to as folk religion in terms of those things that are popular in the culture, that are built into the culture that many people have struggles with. And as someone who grew up in South Korea, that kind of cultural religiosity that sees the whole world and the kind of presence of divinity in everything is something that we see as a commonality, even with the first century, despite the fact that we're in the 21st.
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Can that be true of us here in the United States as well?
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I think so too. I think as a whole, even our nation is quite religious. And if you see all the surveys during the 60s and 70s, you might have had an uptick in people who might say that they're atheistic. But I think most people would now refer to themselves as either agnostic or. Or spiritual, but not belonging to any kind of institutional religious setting. People are very spiritual, but oftentimes it's hard to define exactly what they believe in. And I think the word that we often use, and not as an offense to anyone, but simply to describe what's going on, it's syncretistic. That is to say, you're taking parts of various philosophies and religions and bringing them together as one and believing your own created as well as curated religious beliefs and convictions and thinking that that defines God and that defines your religiosity. So idolatry is not uncommon in 21st century as it was in the first century. The difference being in the first century, it was usually seen, it was made of wood or stone or otherwise. Now, much of the idolatry is unseen, but just as powerful in the way it affects our thinking in terms of what we believe to be our satisfaction and security in life. Usually not God is the way to put it. And that's as much idolatry as anything else.
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So I'm wondering if that's why the apostle Paul begins with a very important point. Jesus is Lord. Why is that so important?
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You know, it's interesting because one of the tendencies that early church had was there are many, especially in the church in Colossae, which was a small, fledgling church.
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And.
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And the pressures from the outside the church were immense. And the pressures were such that though you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, the push forward in saying, yes, I believe in Jesus, plus whatever. That plus whatever, fill in the blank can be anything, another religiosity or philosophies or beliefs and convictions. And for us it's the same as well. We say we believe in Jesus, but we also believe our academic letters behind our name. We believe in X, Y and Z to fulfill us, make us satisfied, secure. Maybe the zeros in our bank, maybe the zip code in which we live, maybe the degrees that we have, but the positions that we hold. And the list can go on in terms of all those things, we add on top of our at least professed belief in Jesus, and to trust and rely upon them as much as you think you do upon Jesus. Where are, I think, best practical theologians? And practical theology is a category in seminaries where you're trying to bring together the teachings of scripture and theology into application in life. We're usually our best practical theologians at about 3 o' clock in the morning, when things that kept you up during the day in terms of worries and focus brings you up at night and you're sweating. And instead of turning straight to the Lord in prayer and dependence, you often think through different options or people that you could employ in order to resolve the situation that is before you. This is not to minimize the severity and the depth with which we sometimes worry and are concerned. But oftentimes that's an indication of where your heart is and where your dependence is.
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Well, you're touching on a practical application. So appreciate the fact in each of these lessons you drive home what that practical application of these theological realities are. Let's listen to the practical application that you point out in this reality that Jesus indeed is Lord.
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This Christ, Jesus, the Lord is your God and your Savior. When wars and rumors of war fill our minds, when rates, markets, inflation and prices make us insecure, when candidates, debates and politics fill our us with worries, remember that Christ Jesus is our Lord. When news of pastors wanting to leave ministries, of those who fall from grace, or of believers seemingly leaving churches, even their faith in large numbers, overwhelm you, remember that Christ Jesus is our Lord. When impossible exams, endless papers, sick children, uncertain ministry prospects and empty accounts keep us up at night, remember that Christ Jesus is our Lord. Nothing reveals our practical theology like our sleepless nights, when our worries, concerns and burdens keep us awake at night. But this is where the Colossian message is so important to us. But friends, our God is wise, good and powerful, and Christ is your Lord.
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Colossians, declares the apostle Paul, talks about being rooted in Christ, our union with Christ being built up in him. Why is that important? As we walk with Christ in our daily lives?
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Colossians begins, interestingly enough, because it fronts what it believes to be the central theological concept that you and I need to understand and apply to our lives as well. And it begins in verse two, in chapter one, by saying to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae. Now, in English, the preposition changes. In Christ at Colossae, two locations is what they're understanding. But here in the original, it has in Christ and in Colossae. And what makes it even more interesting is that in the original, those two prepositions are separated, enveloping the whole sentence, that is, you are in Christ and you are in Colossae. Now, colossae can be taken out. You can actually include any location. You could even say Orlando. That is to say, at the beginning, he points out, how are those individuals who belong to Jesus Christ live at the very same time in the various locations in this particular letter, Colossae, where the Lord has placed them. And the central understanding there is that we belong to Christ Jesus. A particular point that Paul has been making throughout. By his living, his dying, and his resurrecting, he rose in power for us. That for us part is such an important part of what Paul teaches now belonging to him. We no longer live. Paul says in Galatians, but Christ lives in me, that our eyes, while one eye here on this side of glory, until the Lord returns. This is what we refer to as the already and the not yet of our existence. But one eye already in heaven, belonging where Christ is seated. This is why Colossians, interestingly enough, though Paul is sitting in prison, the reference to heaven is repeated over and over again, reminding us what he says later on in chapter three of Colossians, though our bodies are here, we are hidden with Christ Jesus seated at the right hand of God. That our priorities and where we belong and who we are in terms of our identity are founded in Him.
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Him.
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Because it's not I who live, but Christ who lives in me. When we are reminded, when we actually do believe, and when we apply those things to our lives, that is what Scripture, especially Colossians, reminds us of. Even if the world says your value is determined by certain things that the world sees as priority, here Scripture reminds us that you are valuable simply because you belong to Jesus Christ and are loved by Him. That fundamental truth of who we are before the Lord becomes the basis for all the applications we see in Colossians.
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And how does that impact our prayer life?
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Well, it impacts our prayer life in the sense that in many ways, prayer is not about our ability to put coin in a machine to get the results we want outback. It's not like purchasing your own drink somewhere and saying, God, I'm going to say these things. I'm going to bring it before you, as if you're aligning God to your wishes and priorities. Prayers are communications with the Lord, your Father in heaven. The very fact that we can begin our prayer with the words our Father in heaven, that fact is a privilege only possible because of Jesus Christ has died for you. And we belong to Jesus Christ and for us to communicate to the Lord where we are, who we are and how we are. But in prayer, what takes place is not the alignment of God's providence and his history to our wishes and desires. It's the realignment of our hearts and our minds to the wishes and priorities of the Lord. Over time, when you engage and here you come with the conviction that that not only our Father hears, but he's not someone with power who's detached from us, but that he cares. And what happens is not what we wish, but what he wishes for us. And the trust is though we don't know, but God knows, as one pastor said, and that's good enough for all of us. And prayer allows us to express with honesty our convictions and our concerns to the Lord. And then he, by His Spirit, realigns us to see his.
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We have the privilege of visiting with Reverend Joel Kim, who is president of Westminster Seminary California and Ligonier's newest teaching fellow. Reverend Kim's first teaching series for Ligonier Ministries is titled Everything in Christ. It's a comprehensive look at the Apostle Paul's letter to the Colossians. And I really appreciate Reverend Kim, how you weave personal stories into your messages. And I'd like for the audience to hear one of those personal stories.
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As I mentioned in a previous lesson, I grew up in a pastor's family, and we often would get together for evening family worship. I'm one of five kids, so there are lots of people in the room, even if it's just my family. And we would sing a song, usually a hymn. And oftentimes the requirement was not about the tune nor the beat, but as loud as you can, you must sing, was the unwritten rule in our family. And so we found ourselves singing together a lot. Not a von Trapp family by any means, but at the same time enjoying the singing, the gift that Lord has given to us. There was one time we were driving into a national park called the Zion national park, and seeing these rock mountains, my mom and dad started singing O Lord my God. When I an awesome wonder. I wonder if you sometimes feel like that when you understand something anew, understand the depth and richness of something, you cannot help but to sing how great Thou Art.
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And it's a reminder of what permeates all of Paul's letters, that sound theology always leads to doxology, right?
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Oh, it does. He teaches theology that sings. I think we might have titled that section because we're talking particularly about. As he gets deeply into theological teachings, he cannot help himself. If you see throughout his writings, oftentimes he pauses. He pauses in the middle of his teaching to actually preach, because preachers cannot help but to preach, but also to sing. And so we have so many of the doxological recordings of Paul. Good theology leads to worship, what we call doxology. And doxology without good theology is emptiness. And here they must go hand in hand, they are together, inseparable. That as we come to understand our God more, we cannot help but to prostrate ourselves. And to be honest, hearing this particular story that I told, one of the blessings that we had as children growing up in a covenant family, especially a pastor's family, we certainly did not have a lot of means. There are lots of babysitting that took place we really hated. And then of course, countless number of people who came through the doors and seemingly as a young person eating food from our tables, those are all memories that you have. You wonder, was that the best? But that's all what pastors kids usually think about. But in hindsight you come to realize what a blessing that was. Parents who love the Lord, parents who in their best efforts, though they would be the first ones to admit that they had shortcomings. Love the Word and to sing the Word. Those are just wonderful memories that children have, though unintended. And I do wonder, as a parent myself, what a wonderful responsibility that the Lord has given to us with the promise that he will carry. Because many of the things that we saw and learned then, I think, still affect and challenge me even to this day.
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You mentioned growing up in a pastor's home. You're a pastor yourself. How is the Book of Colossians of great benefit to pastors?
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Colossians in many ways reminds us that one of the things that pastors have struggles with, I do, is that what we do defines who we are. And that's probably true of many of us as well. The number in the pews, perhaps, the opportunities. I have an amazing opportunity to be able to serve the Lord in different ways. And so I don't want this to sound like a false kind of way of dealing with it. These are not things that were sought, but these are ways that we are able to serve. But those things don't define who we are. What we do is not who we are. And here it's a reminder, constant reminder to all of us, not only pastors, not only to pastor's kids, but everyone else. We are not what we do. And God doesn't see us through our accomplishments. God sees us through the bloody lens of His Son's blood. And who we are is defined by our belongingness to Christ Jesus. And I think sometimes that's our biggest struggle, because we see God as someone who sees us according to what we do, how we perform, and what we accomplish. But Colossians is a reminder to us that Jesus is everything. He's the beginning, he's the end. He, as Scripture says, is the one who holds all things together. He who created you is the one who redeemed you, and he loves you because of Christ Jesus. And we are told that that's good enough.
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And in all this, we view Christ as preeminent. I love that verse early on in Colossians.
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I do as well. I mean, I have a nephew who is now all grown up, has a child of his own told so many times that Jesus Christ lives in his heart that he said as a toddler, so, mommy, if somebody cuts my heart, would Jesus pop out? Is the question he asked. I know it's a childish question, and I recognize it's not theologically the most sophisticated, but I love that. That the recognition, even as an early young child, that Jesus Is all in all, as Colossians says.
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The Apostle Paul cares very much about the Christian household, doesn't he? He talks about it in chapter three of Colossians, but there's almost a parallel passage in Ephesians. Are there some things that he wants to stress to the church in Colossae that he doesn't to the church at Ephesus?
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You know, I'm not sure if I can sit here and make the distinctions in terms of Peter has one as well. Household codes is what we're calling them and oftentimes what the end game result seems to be in terms of striking through these things to end up where we are is a reminder to us that indeed God is the Master of all, is the ultimate teaching that is to be provided. Yes, we're parents, but even as parents we are temporary caretakers. My daughter and son, I have two kids, both belong to the Lord and they don't belong to me. I'm not their master. There is a master to whom they should bow and worship. And the constant reminder is the very teaching that Colossians seems to emphasize for us even in the most practical things in life. Jesus preeminence that he is the Lord overall and that we live both in terms of our awe and worship of him and dependence upon him are the things that we have to constantly learn and grow in as we learn to serve him well.
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I'm struck by how many doctrines, Christian doctrines are contained in this relatively short letter, particularly the deity of Christ. The doctrine of Christ is specifically the deity of Christ. There are so many other Christian doctrines that we can learn in this short letter. Right?
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It's interesting because there was during the 19th century New Testament scholarship in particular, the conclusion was that Colossians was not authentically Pauline. There are certain books that are written by Paul and there are others that are written by later Pauline community is what they used to say. So people were convinced for a long time Colossians was not written by Paul. Part of that had to do with stylistic things. Part of that had to do with circumstantial things. In terms of historical look, part of that had to do with theology, that is that a lot of people said those that are authentically Paul seem to focus on particular theological ideas. So for instance, like justification by faith alone, Romans and Galatians and others. But Colossians seems less to be like that. It focuses on things like this Christology, that is doctrines about who Christ is, that is simply Jesus Christ is God. And one of the things that in the 20th century later in particular, one comes to realize is that there are a lot of reasons to now believe with conviction that Colossians is Pauline. Certainly in our quarter and network, that has never been doubted. But the shared commonality with Philemon that no one doubts indicates to us that they should be taken as one and recognize that Colossians is authentic as is Philemon. But the other side is you recognize that there are different theological emphases that Paul makes based upon the kind of circumstances that the church is facing. Paul was first and foremost a pastor, and as he pastors people, he recognizes the needs that they have. This is why you see in second Corinthians, he begins with our God of comfort and emphasizes the God of comfort that we rely upon God, who is powerful and almighty in all he does. And so we rely upon Him. Here the pressing issue was is Jesus Christ? Even for those who believe in the Hebrew scriptures, here we come to recognize the fullness of God as three persons in one. But is Jesus really all that? Was the question that many were raising, especially in Colossian church. Paul had never visited Colossae. There were bigger churches nearby, as you see toward the end of Colossians, he says, share this letter with those churches that are nearby, but yet recognizing their struggles that they have, especially the conviction that Jesus could be all, which is a point of doubt for some. He highlights, emphasizes, underlines, hyperlinks, everything he can so that that point cannot be lost by the people who are hearing. I think it's the particular needs of the people that Paul is addressing that
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ties into to my last question.
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Sure.
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R.C. sproul loved to remind us that we worship a God to place for keeps. How does Colossians help us with that?
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To bring in another book from the Bible, Joshua 24. As Joshua leading the Israelites into the promised land, recognized the compromise that many Israelites were making despite the fact that God had displayed for decades his power and his care for his people. And it's that scene. A covenantal renewal is what we call it. Many of you might remember where he simply says, you can follow the gods that you saw on the other side. But as for me and my household is where he begins by saying, I will serve the Lord. It's a similar moment for Paul. In the same way that is here. It's clear that they have come to hear the message of Christ Jesus. And many have come to believe in Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior. But in pain, practice, sometimes in their hearts and their minds filled with doubt and questions and compromise about how this is done and that can be seen even in our day as well, where even our time and efforts here, the priorities are misplaced. I was reading a book on my flight out here from California about worship itself and post Covid discussions about people who say Sunday worship seems to be an option. Meeting the Lord face to face seems to be an option. Where it's not that they're saying they don't believe in Jesus anymore, but in practice they live as if Jesus is not present and Lord overall to them Colossians declares without equivocation and once and for all for us to hear Jesus Jesus Christ is everything and there is nothing else that should stand in that way.
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That was my conversation with Ligonier Teaching fellow Joel Kim about his teaching series Everything in Christ A Study Through Paul's Letter to the Colossians. When you give a donation today at renewingyourmind.org or when you call us at 800-435-4343, we will send you this teaching series on DVD and provide lifetime digital access to the series and the study guide in the free Ligonier app. Your financial support, along with your prayers, help make this daily outreach possible, reaching listeners around the world with trusted biblical teaching. So thank you for your generosity. Tomorrow, Reverend Kim looks at why believers can stand firm in Christ even with the pressures and competing voices in the world around us. I hope you'll join us Tuesday here on Renewing youg Mind. Sam.