Colossians 3:1-11 (NRSV)
Read Colossians 3:1-11 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 3So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Verse 2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, Verse 3for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Verse 4When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
Verse 5Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). Verse 6On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. Verse 7These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.
Verse 8But now you must get rid of all such things-anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Verse 9Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices Verse 10and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. Verse 11In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!
Devotion
I walked into a Vietnamese restaurant the other night and was greeted at the door by a small shrine of idols. I wondered if those idols were meaningful to the owner or if it was simply a display.
As Christians, we don’t consider ourselves idol worshippers. If we are even tempted to worship wood or stone, we call ourselves into account and stop it. That seems easy.
But often our idolatry is more insidious. It is our inner desires, our self-centeredness, our abuse of other people. To such idol worship Paul says, “Stop it!” Such selfishness is to be put to death so that a new person can live, a person centered in the risen Christ. In our new life in Christ, all are our sisters and brothers, with no class or distinction. “For Christ is all and in all.”
Prayer
God, give us the will to put to death whatever leads us away from you. Raise us up as new people in you. Amen.