Colossians 2:6-7 - Embracing the Gospel Over Time

It is an honor to open God’s Word with you this morning. Just as a reminder, we are currently in our “Foundations” series, where we are walking through eight foundational practices that Scripture teaches us about what it’s like to actually walk with Jesus.

Last week, Josh did an incredible job of laying out the gospel. As I came up at the end of that service, I was just so overwhelmed by how refreshing it was to hear the gospel preached—to realize that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that, because of the price He paid, we can be reconciled to God. That is an incredible truth. But if we left it there, it would be an incomplete gospel. If we left it with just the justification side of things—which, unfortunately, is where a lot of people leave it—it would be unfinished.

This week, we’re going to talk about what it looks like to embrace the gospel over time. If you’re looking for a place to camp in your Bibles, we’re going to be in Colossians. We’ll jump off in chapter one, spend a little time in chapter two, and then walk slowly through Colossians chapter three.

The Prayer for Progress

In Colossians 1, Paul prays that the Colossians would embrace the gospel over time. This is his heart’s desire for them. Starting in verse nine, he says:

Colossians 1:9-12 (NASB)

For this reason also, since the day we heard [of it], we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please [Him] in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

Then, in chapter two—which is our anchor text for both last week and this week—Paul calls the Colossians to this ongoing embrace of the gospel. He writes:

Colossians 2:6-7 (NASB)

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk in Him, having been firmly rooted [and now] being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, [and] overflowing with gratitude.

In these two verses, there is a clear cause-and-effect relationship. The cause is found in verse six: “As you have received Christ Jesus.” Last week’s message is the cause of everything you’re going to hear today. Receiving Christ as your Lord and Savior is the root cause. If you are here and you haven’t yet put your faith in Christ, might I suggest you do that before I continue? Everything we’re talking about is founded on that relationship.

The cause is having received Christ; the effect is “so walk in Him.” I love the beauty of the “process language” Paul uses here. It’s a consistent walk, not a sprint. You’re going to hear one word a lot today: change. I know change can be scary, but it’s not all at once. It’s not overwhelming. It’s a change that happens over a lifetime. If you look at those verses, words like “walk,” “being built up,” “established,” and “overflowing” are present and future tense. It’s an ongoing process, and it’s a beautiful thing.

In Colossians 3, Paul shows us how to embrace the gospel over time. He points to three specific shifts: embracing our new identity, our new values, and our new perspective.

Embracing Our New Identity

Starting in verse one of chapter three, Paul writes:

Colossians 3:1-4 (NASB)

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

After we receive Christ, our identity changes. We were once without Christ; now we are with Him. This new identity changes everything—how we see ourselves and how we see the world. It changes the very eyes we use to look at our kids, our spouses, and our jobs. God literally puts a new heart and a new mind inside His followers.

We are now intertwined with Christ. I know we like to compartmentalize. We think, “I can be a Christian on Sunday, and then Monday through Saturday I can do whatever I want as long as I’m in church on Sunday.” We think that if we worship with our hands up on Sunday, we’re intertwined, but if we miss a week, we somehow lose that spiritual power. But the word “Christian” means “little Christ.” You can’t separate your identity from Him.

Paul says this new identity is defined by three things. First, our motives change. We “seek things above,” meaning we aren’t concerned with worldly success but with Kingdom success. Second, our hopes change. We “set our minds on things above.” Our hope isn’t in promotions or financial security; it’s in the fact that we will be revealed with Him in glory. Finally, our priorities change. We die to ourselves. It’s no longer about our desires or our dreams; it’s about what the Creator of the universe wants for us.

Jesus paints a picture of this in John 15 with the vine and the branches. Think about the vines growing all around Fresno and Clovis. The branches are completely intertwined with the vine. The branch can’t just say, “Hey, today I’m not going to be connected,” because we call those branches trash. The branch gets its very nutrients from the vine. That is our new identity.

Embracing Our New Values

As we embrace this new identity, Paul tells us in verse five that we must also embrace a change in values—a change in what we care about and what we do.

Colossians 3:5-9 (NASB)

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, [and] abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its [evil] practices,

Because you have been raised with Christ, Paul says to “put off” the old self. He isn’t giving you a bunch of checkboxes or rules to earn your way. He’s saying, “Stop living out of who you used to be.”

Think about those of you here who have adopted children. How silly—how heartbreaking—would it be if your son or daughter woke up one day and said, “Mom, Dad, I’m ready to earn my way into this family”? You would look at them and say, “You’re already part of the family! You don’t need to earn anything. Just live out your new last name.” Paul is saying the same thing to us: Live out your new name, Christian.

We often have this misconception that once we accept Christ, everything is suddenly perfect. If that were true, Paul wouldn’t have had to write these verses. He gives us a list that serves as a bit of a gut punch: immorality, impurity, greed, anger, slander, lying. I’m guessing as I read that, there’s at least one you’ve struggled with today. Maybe someone cut you off on the way to church and some “wrath” came out of your mouth. Maybe the kids woke you up early and there was some anger.

We relate to this because while we have put on Christ, we still wrestle with the flesh. I went through ReGen about a year ago. I wish I could tell you that after a year of recovery, I don’t struggle with anything. My wife would love that! But my issues are self-idolatry and control. I wrestle with the flesh today, just as I did twenty years ago when I first put my faith in Christ. Even Paul said in Romans 7 that the willing is present, but the doing of the good is not. That is the flesh in all of us.

But a change in value isn’t just what we take off; it’s what we put on.

Colossians 3:10-14 (NASB)

and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him– [a renewal] in which there is no [distinction between] Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things [put on] love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Paul uses the illustration of changing clothes. If I don’t change my clothes every day, I get stinky. My wife won’t let me around her! I spent years in youth ministry, and I can tell you there is a big difference between high schoolers and middle schoolers at camp. High schoolers shower three times a day. Middle schoolers have a competition to see who can go the longest without changing. You parents know—you open their bag after camp and five shirts are still folded.

If we don’t take off the old self and put on the new self daily, we start to reek of our sin. Just like clothes, we have to take off the flesh and put on the Spirit every single day—and for most of us, multiple times a day. We take off the filthy sin and put on compassion, kindness, and love.

Embracing Our New Perspective

Finally, Paul shows us that walking in Christ means embracing a new perspective of gratitude.

Colossians 3:15-17 (NASB)

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Paul basically says: “As you experience peace, give thanks. As you connect through the Word, give thanks. You know what? Just whatever you do, give thanks!” He can’t even list all the reasons; he just says to be thankful.

We struggle with what I call the “tyranny of the negatives.” We can have a million blessings—and every person in this room has blessings upon blessings—yet one negative thing, however big it is, can overshadow everything else. I want to encourage you: what would it look like if you became an expert on just how good God has been to you?

Instead of dwelling on negatives out of your control, dwell on the positives. Ask, “How good has God been to me?” It will change how you weather the storms. It will change your worship and your daily living.

The Tension of the Walk

So, who is responsible for this? Is it God or is it us? The answer is: Yes.

You might be unhappy with that answer, but Scripture is clear that we both have a role. In Philippians 1, Paul says:

Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

[For I am] confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

That means God is at work in you over time to mature you. But then, one chapter later, he says:

Philippians 2:12-13 (NASB)

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for [His] good pleasure.

Because of your salvation, there is work to be done. The cause is receiving Christ; the effect is working it out. It is not enough to end the gospel at justification. We have to admit we have a fleshly tension and daily choose to put on the Spirit.

As we wrap up, we need to understand what gospel transformation isn’t. It isn’t linear growth. Christian growth looks more like a roller coaster than a ski slope. It’s messy. When people tell me they are struggling with a sin, I say, “Good!” Because if you’re struggling, you aren’t accepting it. You’re allowing God to speak into it.

Transformation also isn’t perfection. We aren’t calling you to be perfect; we are calling you to a perfect Christ. If you’ve stopped walking, just start walking again. Paul said it best about himself:

Philippians 3:12-14 (NASB)

Not that I have already obtained [it] or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of [it] yet; but one thing [I do]: forgetting what [lies] behind and reaching forward to what [lies] ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Perfection isn’t the goal for the Christian life—pressing on is. Maybe you found yourself in sin last night. Forget what lies behind and reach forward. Press on.

A Community in Process

Dave Lomas, a pastor, once said that people have an easier time trusting God for eternity than they do for today. It’s easy to use faith as a way to pave your way into heaven, but it’s harder to walk with Him daily. But that is the call: to trust God for today. And tomorrow, you wake up and trust Him for that today.

I want to do something a little different to close. Embracing the gospel over time is messy, but it’s beautiful when God’s people admit they are imperfect. In a moment, I’m going to ask you to stand. I’m not asking you to stand if you’re perfect. I’m not even asking you to stand if today was better than yesterday.

I’m asking you to stand if you are willing to admit that you are a work in progress, but that you are committed to walking out your faith and centering your life on Christ daily. If you’re willing to say, “I’m imperfect, but I’m in progress,” would you stand?

This is a beautiful thing. This is the body of Christ taking on His perfection, not our own. Understanding that you are in process is the very basis of accepting Christ in the first place.

Let’s pray.

God, we are a people in process—imperfect, but in love with You. We are so grateful that You are at work in us. As we stand together, we commit to the work as well. We won’t just let You work; we will walk in You. We will abide in You. Change our identity, our values, and our perspectives daily. As we leave this place, let us be experts in how good You have been to us. In Jesus’ name, amen.