Unique - Inalienable (Col 1:15-23)

I read a lot of diverse theology books, with the occasional murder mystery thrown in for good measure. I enjoy reading different points of view, different opinions or interpretations. This allows me to stretch my understanding of God and look at things from another angle. Sometimes the fallacies of the author are staggering and I entrench myself into my staid orthodoxy. Other times I read something which makes me put the book aside, furrow my brow, and think long and hard.

The last couple of months I've been reading a book written in the 1970s by a German theologian. Four decades later his references to current events are rather dated, but his observations about Christianity and world religions are still spot on. Although I don't accept his interpretation of Christianity hook, line and sinker, I appreciate the prodding he's provided.

This brings me to the question for today: “What distinguishes Christianity from other religions?”A s Beth can testify, I've recently asked a few people this question and heard a number of standard responses. I've heard adjectives and adverbs such as true, good, beautiful, human, showing sincere faith, genuine conviction, good will, opposition to inhumanity. They all describe aspects of the Christian religion but none touches on the defining singularity which differentiates us from other religions.

The simple answer, understated, and often pushed aside, is Jesus. He is God, man, creator, orchestrator, all rolled into one person, the focus and definition of our faith. All of the previously listed attributes, which are applicable to many religions, become Christian when the explicit positive reference is to Jesus Christ. All those who believe these characteristics can be called Christians only when Jesus Christ becomes ultimately decisive in both life and death. Christianity only exists where the memory of Jesus Christ is activated in theory and practice. (Kueng Hans, Quinn, Edward, Translator, On Being a Christian, Image Books, New York, 1974, pg. 126)

One of several heresies infecting the Colossian church was a direct attack on Jesus sufficiency. In contrast to the convoluted human theories; Paul explicitly described the sufficiency of Jesus from creation to today.

There was a false teaching that matter was evil including the physical body. This resulted in a false belief that Jesus didn't have a real, physical, body. This further developed into either asceticism or unbridled sin within the church. If the body is evil you either enslave it or enjoy it. Thus Paul begins describing Jesus' relationship to physical creation. Let's begin looking in chapter 1 verse 15.

(15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (16) For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.(NIV unless otherwise stated)

First we see who Jesus is in relation to God. He is God! I'm not going to attempt to define and exegete the concept of the trinity. That'd take too long. Just remember God is God. Jesus is God. The Holy Spirit is God. They are intertwined in a way I trust but cannot fully fathom. Jesus is the firstborn over all creation. He is not the first creation, as some proclaim, but of first importance, like the firstborn son of a family. This is an image the ancient world would easily comprehend. The Greek word used here is PROTOTOKOS (πρωτότοκος). This word, from which we get the word prototype, expresses Jesus as before creation as well as, in verse 16, producer of creation.

As creator of all – Jesus is uncreated. Jesus is firstborn, or prime significance of all creation because he created everything. We read here that all things, heavenly, earthly, visible, invisible, everything is createdbyHim, andforHim. Why would we be amazed at the obedience of nature to our Lord. Of course the winds and waves obey Him. He created them and they continue to existinHim.

We have an awesome God. Jesus is the image we see reflecting an invisible awesome God.

In verse 17 we read:(17) He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

As we look around we may wonder how the universe continues to exist and stay together day after day. Starting before Jesus' incarnation and continuing to the present; our understanding in the realm of physical science has increased exponentially. What centuries ago was considered the work of spirits is now seen as the interaction of specific particles in a mathematically defined discernible order. Planets are held in position by gravitational forces dissected to the microscopic orbital patterns of electrons around the nucleic protons of atoms. Still, in all this technological mumbo-jumbo our human explanations run dry and leave us at the mercy of not understanding the real nature of existence. In the distinguishing person of Jesus we find the answer. Not only is He the creator of everything, not only is He the power of existence for everything, He's also the head of the church. Jesus is the distinguishing feature of our faith.

Verse 18 tells us, “ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”

Jesus, the one we are to emulate in our life, is the one who provided us the prototype of creation. He demonstrated, personally, the plan of resurrection to eternity. He is more than just a wise leader. Jesus is the ultimate, the peak, the supreme aspect of our faith which is our focal point. This was the plan of the Godhead from the beginning. It is the plan which opens the way of redemption from sin to become children of God, with a hope of eternity.

(19) “ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,(20)and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

There is no deviation from God's plan. It is through one person, one name, one prototypical incarnation, we find our salvation. There is no room in our faith to equate the person of Jesus with any other religion's image. Buddha is not Jesus. Confucius is not Jesus. Mohammad is not Jesus. Peter made this clear before the Sanhedrin when he proclaimed, “ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:2) We must not water down the single distinguishing center of our faith for the sake of unity. If we do, we lose our savior in the concepts of human wisdom. Jesus is the only way of salvation from sin into God's kingdom and he is sufficient in all ways.

Because of Jesus' sufficiency we, as believers, change our status. I'm a foreigner living in what is, at least to me, a foreign land. This is not my home. The USA is not my home. In fact, this world is not my home. We all have citizenship in some nation on earth. I hold a passport from the USA. But it is only a temporary citizenship. My true citizenship is in Heaven.

Writing to the Philippians; Paul reminded them, “ But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20-21)

On earth, to change my citizenship from one nation to another I must change my status from alien to resident. The government must process my papers, see my qualifications, and approve the change in status. Only with their stamp of approval can I call myself a citizen of another nation. The same is true between our earthly life and Heaven.

Many of you are refugees, or immigrants from another land to this beautiful country. Your desire is to establish a new home, a new citizenship here. You can fill out the papers, make political, personal, social statements of need and desire to the government. You may have past history which involves crime or other unacceptable behavior. These must be dealt with, explained, exonerated, before the process can be completed. But, until the government accepts you, until they put that stamp of approval on your application, you are still a foreigner. When that day of acceptance comes, you start a new life in a new land. You gain certain rights only available to the citizens of the nation. Your past record becomes history and you start a new record in your new land. So it is as we seek God's kingdom.

We can spend a lifetime doing goods works. We can be just, loving, righteous in the world. All of these are good things to do. We may look at our lives and see sin, blatant disregard for God, willful opposition to God. This must be dealt with, explained, exonerated, before we can hope to set foot in God's holy kingdom. Until God stamps those papers, approves our application, accepts us, we are still foreigners in his kingdom. When that day comes we start a new life as citizens of a new land. We gain certain rights only available to citizens of that eternal nation. Our past record is expunged and we begin with a clean slate. How do we do this?

It's only through the name of Jesus, through the saving grace presented in Jesus, that we find salvation, acceptance, the stamp of citizenship for eternity. Read with me verses 21 through 23.

(21) Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. (22) But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— (23) if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (Colossians 1:15-23 NIV)

Our evil behavior separates us from God. Whether we choose to accept it or not, when we think we are nice people, we are evil compared to the holiness of God. Remember, “ For all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) We may not be able to fully understand this imputed reality but it keeps us outside Heaven. And, to top it all off, nothing we can do, no good works, no acts of kindness, no moral lifestyle, will compensate for this to bridge the divide between our fallen sinfulness and God's holiness. It's outside our capabilities.

Just like trying to get a visa or passport. It's not our acts of reconciliation, it's not our proclaiming to be innocent that clears the way for our acceptance. It's only through the final act of the judge, the government official, which clears the way for our entry into a new citizenship. Only when this person accepts our claims of loyalty and sets aside our previous crimes can we expect to join a new nation.

God has taken that step for us! Because of the substitutionary death of Jesus our past sins are paid for on the cross. This not only clears our past record but changes our present state.

We are reconciled to God. This is a key word. APOKATALLASSO (ἀποκαταλάσω) is a complete change from one condition to another. It's such a change that all enmity is removed so nothing is left to interfere with our relationship of unity and peace. The evil we inherited is no longer there, we are changed.

We are made holy and unblemished. There is nothing left in us, at salvation,which is seen as a blemish before God. The details of Old Testament sacrifice required the animals presented to be unblemished and made holy by the priests. Any mark or imperfection would keep the dedicated item from entering into the temple or the tabernacle. God, through Jesus, the single distinguishing aspect of our faith, has removed our blemishes and made us holy to enter into his kingdom.

But, there is a caveat. There is a final note about our faith. It must continue. It must be established and firm. It must express our hope always. These statements may seem confusing. I find Scripture confirms the security of a believer. I don't believe someone can lose their salvation. Some do, but I don't. So how do I deal with this verse? I understand that Paul is telling the Colossians there is nowhere else to go for salvation. If they seek it elsewhere then they didn't believe in Christ and are not holy and unblemished in God's eyes. But if their faith is on the supreme, sufficient Christ, then, in God's eyes, they are reconciled, unblemished and holy.

What distinguishes Christianity from other religions? Our faith is in the one who can reconcile us, cleanse us and make us holy in God's sight. Our faith is in Jesus Christ. There is no other. He is not one of a number of people known by different names in different cultures. Jesus is the one who came to show me how to live. Jesus is the one who sacrificed himself to take away my sins. Jesus is the one who arose from death to give me hope for eternity. What do you believe in today? A better question is, “Who do you believe in today?”

Today is a good day to understand we, as people, are alienated from God. We can become inalienable and members of God's kingdom. We can become cleansed. We can be presented holy before the throne of Heaven. We can change our citizenship from earth to Heaven through Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.

Come to God today through the name, which is above every other name, the name through which man can be saved. Turn to God this morning and accept the salvation Jesus bought, for you and me, on the cross.

Papa Chick