Nuggets from An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith by Dave Hunt - What Is "Therefore" There For?

Nuggets from An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith - What Is “Therefore” There For?

Colossians:3:5-17 [5] Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: [6] For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: [7] In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. [8] But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. [9] Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; [10] And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: [11] Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. [12] Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; [13] Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. [14] And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. [15] And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. [17] And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
See All...: “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornications, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, covetousness, which is idolatry…put off all these: anger, wrath, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”

[ Continued from June 15} There is a general failure to recognize the importance of one little word that occurs in both verses 5 and 12. It holds the answer to our dilemma. Paul does not say, “Mortify your members” and “Put on bowels of mercies, kindness….” That would impose a “do it yourself” religion of gritting one’s teeth in determination and struggling to live up to high moral standards – no different from the atheist’s or Buddhist’s attempt to do the same. That is not Christianity. Paul carefully and pointedly says, “Mortify therefore…Put on therefore…” Clearly therefore refers to something that Paul is convinced gives the Christian the motivation and power to do what he is commanding and lifts the Christian above the impossible struggle of flesh trying to live a godly life. It is, therefore, the Christian’s secret to a happy, fruitful, and holy life that is pleasing to God.

The mortifying of the old deeds and the putting on of the new is possible only because, as the previous verses declare, “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians:3:3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
See All...). Certainly the same thing could not be said of the followers of Buddha, Muhammad, Krishna, and others. Christianity is thus unique and separated from all religions. Herein lies the secret dynamic of the Christian life. Why, then, doesn’t every Christian experience this power in daily living? Sadly, many who call themselves Christians have a very superficial understanding of the gospel they claim to have embraced. “[How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day…” (1 Corinthians:15:3-4 [3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
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For many who believe that Christ died for their sins, this event is more mystical than historical. The horrible death of the cross is something that happened to Christ but has only a theoretical rather than a practical connection to them. Some may have such a faulty understanding of what Christ’s death means that they are not true Christians at all. They have imagined that the death of Christ in their place delivered them from their deserved eternal punishment in hell, so that, like Barabbas, they could live as they pleased. They have never desired what Paul rejoiced in: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians:2:20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
See All...).

Paul was not expressing an inspiring but empty platitude. For that great apostle, the cross was no mere religious symbol, but the place where he had died to life as he would have lived it, and had begun to experience the very life of Christ being lived in him. He knew that Christ gives resurrection life; therefore only those who have died in Christ can experience it. With wonder, amazement, and deep gratitude he realized that Christ had actually taken his place before a righteous, holy God – and that God had put Christ to death in payment for his (Paul’s) sins. Therefore, Paul was a dead man. Christ’s death in his place was literally his own death, and he rejoiced in that fact. If he was to experience life thereafter, it must be the resurrected Christ living in him. This is not mysticism, but it is to be our daily experience by faith.