Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #4 Speaking the truth

 

Chapter 4 – Speaking the truth

We have seen that the central exhortation of this Epistle is, as expressed in the words of Paul’s prayer
for the believers:

« 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 they mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ » (Col 1:2).

Being united together in a « full assurance of understanding », true brethren in Christ experience a joyous fellowship which greatly surpasses any friendship the world can offer. For the unity of the believers ought to mirror in measure, that perfect unity subsisting between the Father and Son. Thus the lord prayed:

« keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are … neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us … and the glory which thou hast given me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one » (Joh 17:11,21,22).

Being risen with Christ in the baptismal waters of a typical grave (Col 3:1), this is a powerful influence which irresistibly draws brethren together, irrespective of their personal differences. By contrast to the morass of humanity who seek only their own, whose only desire is to satisfy the grovelling instincts of the flesh, Christ’s brethren have no regard for the temporal advantages of this life. Rather, being One with him, and in him, they seek to set their affections

« on things above, not on things on the earth », (Col 3:2),

for ‘above’ is where their Master is, and is therefore where their hope of life is hid (3:3). They are elements of a New Creation (cp 2 Cor 5:17), formed in the image and likeness of their maker (Col 3:10) – the constituent parts of a « new man » (Col 3:10), formed by the living influence of the Word upon the tables of their heart. And as a new man – complete in Christ, having no need of further addition by way of the traditions of men and the Judaising influence of those who would have them believe in « another gospel » – they stand whole, with mutual regard one for the other,

« forbearing one another, and forgiving one another » (Col 3:13),

even as Christ forgave them.

 

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Preceding

1. Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #1 Separation from the world
2. Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #2 Completeness of the united Body of Christ
3. Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #3 Living the Truth
4. Participants bonded together into one body
5. Oneness with Christ is like glue that ought to hold us together
6. Baptised believers left in the world to use
7. Jesus high priestly prayer for unity

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Additional reading

1. Not about personal salvation but about a bigger Plan
2. Looking at what the Gospel of Thomas Teaches
3. The night before Jesus his execution
4. The Hater of Jesus and Jesus’ followers having become a speaker for him
5. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
6. A fact of History or just a fancy Story
7. Be Honest
8. Unity
9. Commitment to Christian unity
10. Being one in Jesus, Jesus in us and God in Jesus
11. Blindness in the Christian world
12. Not making a runner
13. Not bounded by labels but liberated in Christ
14. Today’s Thought: “Your life is hidden” (May 16)
15. Today’s Thought (August 10): Upon this I awaked
16. Today’s thought “Putting on the robe of compassion, kindness, humility and meekness” (November 15)
17. Taught by God to love one another
18. The Greatest of These is Love
19. Matthew 18:21-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Forgive 77 Times!
20. Forgiveness always possible
21. He who knows himself, is kind to others
22. Forgiveness
23. Tunnel under resentment
24. Today’s thought “Forgive … from your heart” (January 16)
25. Beautiful feet of those who announce the good news
26. The Ecclesia

Oneness with Christ is like glue that ought to hold us together

John 17:21-23

“That they may all be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us…”

One with Christ is to be in union with Christ. By faith, a continual action of believing and not just a one-time thing, this union holds us together for justification, sanctification, and glorification (Rom 8:29,30). This is the process of regeneration (Col 3:10), that conforms us to Christ’s moral likeness. Our oneness with Christ is like glue that ought to hold us together, and this is accomplished by filling the mind with the Word. Union with Christ is in and through the Word richly dwelling in us (John 15:1-11; Col 3:16).

To be one with Christ is to be one with God (John 17:20,21), united in the deepest possible and holy relationship. It is only through Christ that this is possible. We cannot have the one without the other because they are ONE. This is where the marriage analogy becomes such a beautiful lesson for us! But, there is a difference between the ability to describe our marital relationship and actually having that marital relationship. It is not the same thing. Our actions are the proof if our faith is real.

To be one with Christ is not just the physical aspect of being baptised into Christ, it is so much more. It follows with the application of the spiritual oneness (1Cor 6:11), which if disobeyed, we will fail. There is no “one-ness,” natural or spiritual. The two cannot be separated, and if they are, there is no oneness, Scripturally speaking.

It is beyond amazing how God so desires for us to be one with Him in the same relationship He has with His son, made possible only by actually being one with Christ! Being one is a beautiful concept when applied Scripturally, and to use it in any other way is to cheapen it.

When the Father looks at us, does He see Christ in us?

Our journey is to come to this realisation of how the Father sees us according to His truth. This is where Jesus comes in to guide us along this journey that our destination with him be also our destination with the Father.

Valerie Mello

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Preceding

1. Faithful to God are baptised
2. Baptised offering unity to the unbaptised
3. Jesus high priestly prayer for unity

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Additional reading

1. Being one in Jesus, Jesus in us and God in Jesus
2. Unity
3. Preparation for unity
4. Commitment to Christian unity
5. Being Religious and Spiritual 7 Transcendence to become one
6. Avoiding friction and distraction in the body of Christ
7. Thought for today (January 17): Walking not after the flesh, but after the spirit
8. Atonement And Fellowship 7/8
9. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
10. Call for prayer to help with unity crisis
11. Be Honest
12. The Ecclesia