Christ-centered Living (sermon resource for 7/31/22)
This post exegetes Colossians 3:1-11 , drawing on multiple sources including commentary from Warren Wiersbe (Bible Expository Commentary) and Peter T. O’Brien (New Bible Commentary). Introduction The theology of Paul’s epistles centers fully on Jesus and the creation and outworking of the union that all humanity has with him. Our personal realization of and active participation in that union proceeds in three interrelated steps: 1. Belong. This is the declaration of what is true already of all humanity, namely, that in and through Christ (our Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer), God includes all humanity in his life and love. He has made us all his dearly loved children. And he has done this for us and to us, apart from any work or merit of our own. It’s thus his gift of pure grace. And now the Spirit brings us a choice: to believe or not. 2. Believe . This is the invitation to change our thinking about God and oneself in the light of this inclusion (this is repentance), and to bel