December 20th
Fourth Sunday of Advent: Love
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things – anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another...
Colossian 3:5-9a
Yesterday, Paul began the practical application to the deeply theological teachings of chapters one and two. Practical application answers the following question: Given who we are in Christ, how do we live? Paul begins with a seeming list of “don’ts,” something that often does not sit well with us. In fact, didn’t we just say that the Christian faith does not include a list of “do’s and don’ts?”
Yes! The Holy Spirit differentiates us as Christ followers, a people not following a list of “do’s or don’t,” but a people in relationship with Jesus. Our external actions authentically change as we are internally transformed by God’s Spirit. “But what comes out of the mouth gets its start in the heart” (Matthew 15:17 The Message). Our external actions reflect our heart.
Paul exhorts the Colossians to put to death earthly sin: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, greed anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Why? Why is this so important? What happens when someone in a community or in a family engages in these sins? Brokenness…. Broken families. Broken churches. Broken lives.
Certain attitudes and actions shatter community life rather than sustain it, and make life together unhappy and sometimes dangerous. When we engage in betrayal, deception, grumbling, envy, or exclusion, we violate connections between us.
Christine D. Pohl
Living into Community: Cultivating Practices that Sustain Us
In Christ, Paul invites the Christian church to live as a healthy community by putting to death earthly sins. This occurs as we experience transformation in the Spirit. Through the Spirit, Jesus invites us to love one another.
During this last week of Advent, let us reflect on love. Let us reflect on God’s tremendous love for us. And let us respond by loving God and love others.
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:13-14
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