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How should we understand the words, “in him all things were created” in Col 1.16? Although commonly taken to mean Christ created the universe, this view has contextual, structural, and exegetical problems. In what follows I’ll name six problems with old-creation readings before laying out why a new creation approach makes sense. I presented this talk at the 2025 Unitarian Christian Alliance (UCA) conference in Uxbridge, England. Scroll down to see the full-length paper. For those listening to the audio, here’s a quick reference to Colossians 1.15-20 Strophe 1 (Col 1.15-18a) 15a      who is (the) image of the invisible God, 15b      firstborn of all creation 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him 17a      and he is before all things 17b      and all things hold together in him 18a      and he is the head of the body of the Church,[12] Strophe 2 (Col 1.18b-20) 18b      who is (the) beginning, 18c      firstborn from the dead, 18d                  in order that he may be first in all things, 19        for in him was pleased all the fulness to dwell 20a      and through him to reconcile all things in him, 20b      making peace through the blood of his cross 20c                  whether the things upon the earth 20d                  or the things in the heavens Here’s Randy Leedy’s New Testament Diagram Here are the slides in the original PowerPoint format Download [13.82 MB] Here are the slides converted to PDF Loading... Taking too long? Reload document | Open in new tab Download [3.16 MB] To read the paper, simply scroll down or read it on Academia.edu.   Listen on Spotify   Listen on Apple Podcasts —— Links —— Check out these other papers by Sean Finnegan Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Finnegan on X @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play it out on the air Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here Get Finnegan’s book, Kingdom Journey to learn about God’s kingdom coming on earth as well as the story of how Christianity lost this pearl of great price. Get the transcript of this episode Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Below is the paper presented on July 25, 2025 in Uxbridge, England at the 2nd annual UCA UK Conference. Access this paper on Academia.edu to get the pdf. Full text is below, including bibliography and end notes. Colossians 1.16: Old Creation or New Creation? by Sean P. Finnegan Abstract  How should we understand the words, “in him all things were created” in Col 1.16? Although commonly taken to mean Christ created the universe, this view has contextual, structural, and exegetical problems. In what follows, I will explain the difficulties with the various old creation readings of Col 1.16 along with five reasons for a new creation approach. Then I'll provide a new creation reading of Col 1.16 before summarizing my findings in the conclusion. Introduction  Colossians 1.15-20 is a fascinating text of great importance for Christology. Commonly understood to be a hymn, it is fascinating in its cosmic scope and elevated Christology. Although many commentators interpret Paul[1] to say that Christ created the universe in his pre-existent state in Col 1.16, not all scholars see it that way. For example, Edward Schillebeeckx writes, “There is no mention in this text of pre-existence in the Trinitarian sense.”[2] Rather he sees “an eschatological pre-existence, characteristic of wisdom and apocalyptic.”[3] G. B. Caird agreed that Paul's focus in Col. 1.15-20 was not pre-existence (contra Lightfoot), rather, “The main thread of Paul's thought, then, is the manhood of Christ.”[4] In other words, “All that has been said in vv. 15-18 can be said of the historical Jesus.”[5] James Dunn also denied that Paul saw Christ as God's agent in creation in Col 1.15-20, claiming that such an interpretation was “to read imaginative metaphor in a pedantically literal way.”[6] James McGrath argued that “Jesus is the one through whom God's new creation takes place.” [7] Andrew Perriman likewise noted, “There is no reference to the creation of heaven and earth, light and darkness, sea and dry land, lights in the heavens, vegetation, or living creatures,”[8] also preferring a new creation approach.[9] To understand why such a broad range of scholars diverge from the old creation interpretation of Col 1.16, we will examine several contextual, structural, and exegetical problems. While explaining these, I'll also put forward four reasons to interpret Col 1.16 as new creation. Then I'll provide a fifth before giving a new creation reading of Col 1.15-20. But before going any further, let's familiarize ourselves with the text and structure. The Form of Col 1.15-20  To get our bearings, let me begin by providing a translation,[10] carefully structured to show the two strophes.[11] Strophe 1 (Col 1.15-18a) 15a      who is (the) image of the invisible God, 15b      firstborn of all creation 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him 17a      and he is before all things 17b      and all things hold together in him 18a      and he is the head of the body of the Church,[12] Strophe 2 (Col 1.18b-20) 18b      who is (the) beginning, 18c      firstborn from the dead, 18d                  in order that he may be first in all things, 19        for in him was pleased all the fulness to dwell 20a      and through him to reconcile all things in him, 20b      making peace through the blood of his cross 20c                  whether the things upon the earth 20d                  or the things in the heavens Here I've followed the two-strophe structure (1.15-18a and 18b-20) noted more than a century ago by the classical philologist Eduard Norden[13] and repeated by James Robinson,[14] Edward Lohse,[15] Edward Schweizer,[16] James Dunn,[17] Ben Witherington III,[18] and William Lane[19] among others. By lining up the parallel lines of the two strophes, we can clearly see the poetic form. Strophe 1 15a who is (the) image… 15b firstborn of all creation 16a for in him were created all things… 16e  all things have been created through him… Strophe 2 18b who is (the) beginning, 18c firstborn from the dead … 19 for in him was pleased all… 20a and through him to reconcile all things in him… Such striking repeated language between the two strophes means that we should be careful to maintain the parallels between them and not take a grammatical or exegetical position on a word or phrase that would disconnect it from the parallel line in the other strophe. Some scholars, including F. F. Bruce,[20] Michael Bird,[21] David Pao,[22] among others proposed vv. 17-18a as an independent transitional link between the two strophes. Lohse explained the motivation for this unlikely innovation as follows. Above all, it is curious that at the end of the first, cosmologically oriented strophe, Christ is suddenly referred to as the “head of the body, the church” (1:18a κεφαλή τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας). Considering its content, this statement would have to be connected with the second strophe which is characterized by soteriological statements. The structure of the hymn, however, places it in the first strophe.[23] For interpreters who prefer to think of the first strophe as cosmogony and the second as soteriology, a line about Christ's headship over the church doesn't fit very well. They restructure the form based on their interpretation of the content. Such a policy reverses the order of operations. One should determine the form and then interpret the content in light of structure. Lohse was right to reject the addition of a new transitional bridge between the two strophes. He called it “out of the question” since vv. 17-18a underscore “all things” and “serve as a summary that brings the first strophe to a conclusion.”[24] Now that we've oriented ourselves to some degree, let's consider old creation readings of Col 1.16 and the problems that arise when reading it that way. Old Creation Readings  Within the old creation paradigm for Col 1.16 we can discern three groups: those who see (A) Christ as the agent by whom God created, (B) Wisdom as the agent, and (C) Christ as the purpose of creation. Although space won't allow me to interact with each of these in detail, I will offer a brief critique of these three approaches. As a reminder, here is our text in both Greek and English. Colossians 1.16 16a      ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα 16b                  ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, 16c                  τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, 16d                  εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· 16e      τὰ πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται· 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him 1. Christ as the Agent of Creation Scot McKnight is representative in his claim that “The emphasis of the first stanza is Christ as the agent of creation … and the second is Christ as the agent of redemption.”[25] This view sees the phrase “in him were created all things” as Christ creating the universe in the beginning. However, this position has six problems with it. Firstly, the context of the poem—both before (vv. 13-14) and after (vv. 21-22)—is clearly soteriological not cosmogonical.[26] By inserting vv. 15-20 into the text after vv. 13-14, Paul connected the two together.[27] V. 15 begins with ὅς ἐστιν (who is), which makes it grammatically dependent on vv. 13-14. “It is widely accepted,” wrote Dunn, “that this passage is a pre-Pauline hymn interpolated and interpreted to greater or less extent by Paul.”[28] By placing the poem into a redemptive frame, Paul indicated how he interpreted it. The fact that God “rescued us from the authority of darkness and transferred (us) into the kingdom of his beloved son” is the controlling context (v. 13).[29] As I will show below, I believe vv. 15-20 are ecclesiology not protology, since ecclesiology naturally flows from soteriology. Rather than remaining in the old domain of darkness, vulnerable to malevolent spiritual powers of this age, Colossian Christians are transferred into the new domain of Christ. The context makes it more natural to interpret the creation language of vv. 15-16 in light of Christ's redemptive work—as references to new creation rather than old creation. Doing so retains the contextual frame rather than jumping back to the beginning of time. A second problem arises when we consider the phrase “image of the invisible God” in v. 15. Although some see a Stoic or Wisdom reference here, I agree with F. F. Bruce who said, “No reader conversant with the OT scriptures, on reading these words of Paul, could fail to be reminded of the statement in Gen. 1:26f., that man was created by God ‘in his own image.'”[30] Immediately after making humanity in his own image, God blessed us with dominion over the earth. Philo also connected humanity's image of God with “the rulership over the earthly realms.”[31] But if the Christ of v. 15 is the pre-existent son prior to his incarnation, as the old creation model posits, “How can he be the ‘image of God,'” asked Eduard Schweizer, since “the one who is thus described here is not the earthly Jesus?”[32] It is precisely by virtue of his humanity that Jesus is the image of God not his pre-existence.[33] Thus, image-of-God language points us to the creation of a new humanity. A third problem is that “firstborn of all creation” prima facia implies that Christ is a member of creation (a partitive genitive). This is how Paul thought about Christ as firstborn in Rom 8.29 when he called Christ “firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Clearly he saw Christ as a member of the “ἀδελφοῖς” (brothers and sisters). Furthermore, “πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως” (firstborn of all creation) in v. 15 parallels “πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν” (firstborn from the dead) v. 18. Although the former (v. 15) can be taken as a genitive of subordination (firstborn over creation) or as a partitive genitive (firstborn of creation), the latter (v. 18) is unambiguously partitive. Because v. 18 includes the word ἐκ (from/out of), instead of a multivalent genitive, it must mean that Jesus was himself a member of the dead prior to his resurrection. Likewise, he was the firstborn member of creation. To take v. 15 as a genitive of subordination and v. 18 in a partitive sense allows theology to drive exegesis over against the clear structural link between v. 15b and v. 18c. In fact, as the BDAG noted, Christ is “the firstborn of a new humanity.”[34] He is chronologically born first and, by virtue of that, also preeminent.[35] Fourthly, the phrase, “ἐν αὐτῷ” (in him), implies soteriology not protology as it does throughout the Pauline corpus. The prepositional phrases “in Christ,” “in the Lord,” “in him,” and others that are similar occur more than a hundred times in Paul's epistles. McKnight elucidated the sense nicely: “This expression, then, is the inaugurated eschatological reality into which the Christian has been placed, and it also evokes the new-creation realities that a person discovers.”[36] Creation in Christ is not likely to refer to Genesis creation. In fact, apart from Col 1.16, there is no text within Paul or the rest of the Bible that speaks of the origin of the universe as something created “in Christ.”[37] Sadly translators routinely obscure this fact by translating “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “by him.”[38] Amazingly, the NASB and ESV render “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “in him” in every other usage apart from Col 1.16![39] For the sake of consistency, it makes better sense to render “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “in him” and let the reader decide how to interpret it. Fifthly, the line, “and he is the head of the body, the Church” (v. 18a) clearly roots the first strophe in redemptive history not creation. Our English translations follow Robert Estienne's verse divisions, which confusingly combine the last line of the first strophe (v. 18a) and the first line of the second (v. 18b), obscuring the native poetic structure. As I made the case above, the structure of the text breaks into two strophes with v. 18a included in the first one. As I mentioned earlier, vv. 15-20 are a pre-existing poem that Paul has modified and incorporated into the text of Colossians. Ralph Martin pointed out that the poem contains “no less than five hapax legomena” and “about ten non-Pauline expressions.”[40] Additionally, there appear to be awkward additions that disrupt the symmetry. These additions are the most explicitly Christian material. It is likely that the original said, “and he is the head of the body” to which Paul appended “the church.” Edward Schillebeeckx commented on this. In Hellenistic terms this must primarily mean that he gives life and existence to the cosmos. Here, however, Colossians drastically corrects the ideas … The correction made by Colossians is to understand ‘body' as a reference to the church, and not the cosmos. This alters the whole perspective of the cultural and religious setting … The cosmic background is reinterpreted in terms of salvation history and ecclesiology. In fact Christ is already exercising his lordship over the world now … however, he is doing this only as the head of the church, his body, to which he gives life and strength. Thus Colossians claims that the church alone, rather than the cosmos, is the body of Christ.[41] If this is true, it shows Paul's careful concern to disallow a strictly old creation or protological reading of the first strophe. For by inserting “of the church,” he has limited the context of the first strophe to the Christ event. “The addition of ‘the church,'” wrote Dunn, “indicates that for Paul at any rate the two strophes were not dealing with two clearly distinct subjects (cosmology and soteriology).”[42] Karl-Joseph Kuschel wrote, “The answer would seem to be he wanted to ‘disturb' a possible cosmological-protological fancy in the confession of Christ … to prevent Christ from becoming a purely mythical heavenly being.”[43] Thus Paul's addition shows us he interpreted the creation of v16 as new creation. Lastly, theological concerns arise when taking Col 1.16 as old creation. The most obvious is that given the partitive genitive of v. 15, we are left affirming the so-called Arian position that God created Christ as the firstborn who, in turn, created everything else. Another thorn in the side of this view is God's insistence elsewhere to be the solo creator (Isa 44.24; cf. 45.18). On the strength of this fact, modalism comes forward to save the day while leaving new problems in its wake. However, recognizing Col 1.15-20 as new creation avoids such theological conundrums. 2. Wisdom as the Agent of Creation Dustin Smith noted, “The christological hymn contains no less than nine characteristics of the wisdom of God (e.g., “image,” “firstborn,” agent of creation, preceding all things, holding all things together) that are reapplied to the figure of Jesus.”[44] Some suggest that Col 1.15-20 is actually a hymn to Wisdom that Paul Christianized.[45] The idea is that God created the universe through his divine Wisdom, which is now embodied or incarnate in Christ. Dunn explained it as follows. If then Christ is what God's power/wisdom came to be recognized as, of Christ it can be said what was said first of wisdom—that ‘in him (the divine wisdom now embodied in Christ) were created all things.' In other words the language may be used here to indicate the continuity between God's creative power and Christ without the implication being intended that Christ himself was active in creation.[46] Before pointing out some problems, I must admit much of this perspective is quite noncontroversial. That Jewish literature identified Wisdom as God's creative agent, that there are linguistic parallels between Col 1.15-20 and Wisdom, and that the historical Jesus uniquely embodied Wisdom to an unprecedented degree are not up for debate. Did Paul expect his readers to pick up on the linguistic parallels? Afterall, he could have just said “in her were created all things” in v. 16, clearly making the connection with the grammatically feminine σοφία (Wisdom). Better yet, he could have said, “in Wisdom were created all things.” Even if the poem was originally to Wisdom, Paul has thoroughly Christianized it, applying to Christ what had been said of Wisdom. However, the most significant defeater for this view is that applying Wisdom vocabulary to Christ only works one way. Wisdom has found her home in Christ. This doesn't mean we can attribute to Christ what Wisdom did before she indwelt him any more than we can attribute to the living descendants of Nazis the horrific deeds of their ancestors. Perriman's critique is correct: “The point is not that the act of creation was Christlike, rather the reverse: recent events have been creation-like. The death and resurrection of Jesus are represented as the profoundly creative event in which the wisdom of God is again dynamically engaged, by which a new world order has come about.”[47] Once again a new creation approach makes better sense of the text. 3. Christ as the Purpose of Creation Another approach is to take ἐν αὐτῷ (in him) in a telic sense. Martha King, a linguist with SIL, said the phrase can mean “in association with Christ everything was created” or “in connection with Christ all things were created.”[48] Lexicographer, Joseph Thayer, sharpened the sense with the translation, “[I]n him resides the cause why all things were originally created.”[49] William MacDonald's translation brought this out even more with the phrase, “because for him everything … was created.”[50] The idea is that God's act of creation in the beginning was with Christ in view. As Eric Chang noted, “Christ is the reason God created all things.”[51] G. B. Caird said, “He is the embodiment of that purpose of God which underlies the whole creation.”[52] The idea is one of predestination not agency.[53] Christ was the goal for which God created all things. A weakness of this view is that purpose is better expressed using εἰς or δία with an accusative than ἐν. Secondly, the parallel line in the second strophe (v. 19) employs “ἐν αὐτῷ” in a clearly locative sense: “in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell.” So even though “ἐν αὐτῷ” could imply purpose, in this context it much more likely refers to location. Lastly, Paul mentioned the sense of purpose at the end of v. 16 with “εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται” (for him has been created), so it would be repetitive to take “ἐν αὐτῷ” that way as well. To sum up, the three positions that see Col 1.16 as a reference to old creation all have significant problems. With these in mind, let us turn our attention to consider a fourth possibility: that Paul has in mind new creation. Reasons for a New Creation Reading I've already provided four reasons why Col 1.15-20 refers to new creation: (1) calling Christ the image of God points to the new humanity begun in Christ as the last Adam;[54] (2) since the firstborn of the old creation was Adam (or, perhaps, Seth), Jesus must be the firstborn of the new creation; (3) saying Jesus is the head of the church, limits the focus for the first strophe to the time following the Christ event; (4) the context of the poem, both before (vv. 13-14) and after (vv. 21-22) is soteriological, making an old creation paradigm awkward, while a new creation view fits perfectly. The Catholic priest and professor, Franz Zeilinger, summarized the situation nicely: “Christ is (through his resurrection from the realm of death) Lord over the possession granted to him, of which he is the ἀρχή (beginning) and archetype, … and head and beginning of the eschatological new creation!”[55] Additionally, a new creation paradigm fits best with Paul's elaboration of what visible and invisible things in heaven and on earth he has in mind. Once again, here's our text. 16a      for in him were created all things 16b                  in the heavens and upon the earth, 16c                  the visible and the invisible, 16d                  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities 16e      all things have been created through him and for him By specifying thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities, we discern Paul's train of thought. Form critics are quick to point out that v. 16d is Paul's addition to the poem. Without it, the reader may have thought of sky, land, and animals—old creation. However, with v. 16d present, we direct our attention to political realities not God's creative power or engineering genius. Martha King noted the two possible meanings for εἴτε: (1) specifying the “invisible things” or (2) giving examples of “all things.” Taking the second view, we read “in him were created all things, including thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities.”[56] Randy Leedy also presented this position in his sentence diagrams, identifying v. 16d as equivalent to v. 16c and v. 16b, all of which modify τὰ πάντα (all things) at the end of v. 16a. (See Appendix for Leedy's diagram.) Perriman pressed home the point when he wrote: The fact is that any interpretation that takes verse 16 to be a reference to the original creation has to account for the narrow range of created things explicitly listed. … The Colossians verse mentions only the creation of political entities—thrones, lordships, rulers and authorities, visible and invisible—either in the already existing heaven or on the already existing and, presumably, populated earth. What this speaks of is a new governmental order consisting of both invisible-heavenly and visibly-earthly entities.”[57] Understanding v. 16d as equivalent to “all things” in v. 16a nicely coheres with a new-creation paradigm. However, taken the other way—as an elaboration of only the invisible created realities—v. 16d introduces an asymmetrical and clumsy appendix. A New Creation Reading of Col 1.16 Now that we've considered some problems with old creation views and some reasons to read Col 1.16 from a new creation perspective, let's consider how a new creation reading works. New creation is all about the new breaking into the old, the future into the present. G. F. Wessels said, “Paul made clear that there is a present realized aspect of salvation, as well as a future, still outstanding aspect, which will only be realized at the eschaton.”[58] New creation, likewise, has future and present realities. Exiting Old Creation Before becoming part of the new creation, one must exit the old creation. “Our old humanity was co-crucified“ (Rom 6.6). “With Christ you died to the elemental principles of the world” (Col 2.20). “As many as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into his death” (Rom 6.3). We were “co-buried with him through baptism into the death … having been united with the likeness of his death” (Rom 6.4-5). Our death with him through baptism kills our allegiance and submission to the old powers and the old way of life “in which you formerly walked according to the zeitgeist of this world, according to the rule of the authority of the air, the spirit which now works in the children of disobedience” (Eph 2.2). Entering New Creation As death is the only way out of the old creation, so resurrection is the only way into the new creation. “You have been co-raised with Christ” (Col 3.1). God “co-made-alive us together with him” (Col 2.13).[59] By virtue of our union with Christ, we ourselves are already “co-raised and co-seated us in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2.6). The result of this is that “we also may walk in newness of life” (Rom 6.4). For those who are “in Christ, (there is) a new creation; the old has passed away, behold (the) new has come into existence” (2 Cor 5.17). “They have been ‘transported,'” wrote Schillebeeckx, “they already dwell above in Christ's heavenly sphere of influence (Col 1.13)—the soma Christou … that is the church!”[60] Community For the people of God, “neither circumcision is anything nor uncircumcision but a new creation” is what matters (Gal 6.15). Those who “are clothed with the new” are “being renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created, where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, (or) free, but Christ (is) all and in all” (Col 3.10-11). Through Christ God has nullified the law “in order that he might create the two into one new humanity in him” (Eph 2.14-15). Thus, within new creation, ethnic identity still exists, but it is relativized, our identity in Christ taking priority ahead of other affiliations and duties. Lifestyle When the lost become saved through faith, they become his creation (ποίημα), “created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Eph 2.10). This means we are to “lay aside the former way of life, the old humanity corrupted according to deceitful desires” and instead be clothed with “the new humanity created according to God in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Eph 4.22-24). Rather than lying to one another, we must “strip off the old humanity with its way of acting” and “be clothed with the new (humanity), renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it” (Col 3.9-10). “The ones who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts” and instead “walk by the spirit” (Gal 5.24-25). Ultimately, All Creation Although new creation is currently limited to those who voluntarily recognize Jesus as Lord, all “creation is waiting with eager expectation for the unveiling of the children of God” (Rom 8.19). Because of the Christ event, the created order eagerly awaits the day when it will escape “the enslavement of corruption” and gain “the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (v. 21). Like a bone out of joint, creation does not function properly. Once Christ sets it right, it will return to its proper order and operation under humanity's wise and capable rulership in the eschaton. Eschatology God predetermined that those who believe will be “conformed to the image of his son, that he be firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Rom 8.29). Thus, the resurrected Christ is the prototype, “the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15.20). Whereas “in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (v. 22). We await Christ's return to “transform the body of our humble station (that it be) shaped to his glorious body according to the energy which makes him able to also to subject all things to himself.” (Phil 3.21). This is the end goal of new creation: resurrected subjects of God's kingdom joyfully living in a renewed world without mourning, crying, and pain forevermore (Isa 65.17-25; Rev 21-22). The Powers Taking Col 1.16 as a new creation text adds key information about the present governing powers to this richly textured picture. In Christ God created thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities. He made these through Christ and for Christ with the result that Christ himself is before all things, and in Christ all things hold together (Col 1.17). He is the head of the body, the Church (Col 1.18). We find very similar language repeated in Ephesians in the context of Christ's exaltation.[61] Ephesians 1.20-23 20 Which [power] he energized in Christ having raised him from the dead and seated (him) on his right (hand) in the heavenlies 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name named, not only in this age but also in the one to come; 22 and he subjected all things under his feet and gave him (as) head over all things in the Church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in all. The parallels are striking. Both speak of Christ's resurrection, Christ's exalted position of authority over all the powers, Christ's role as head of the church, and both mention the fullness. It's easy to miss the connection between these two passages since most think of Eph 1.20-22 as ascension theology and Col 1.15-20 as creation theology. But, if we adjust our thinking to regard Col 1.16 as new creation, we see how the two fit together. In Ephesians we see Christ's ascension to God's right hand as the reason for a cosmic reordering of authorities with the result that all rule, authority, power, and dominion are subjected to him. (Though we may be accustomed to reading these powers in Eph 1.21 as only malevolent owing to Eph 2.2 and 6.12, the list here must be mixed, since only benevolent powers will survive the final judgement and continue into the age to come.) Instead of exaltation, in Colossians Paul employed the language of creation to describe Christ's relation to the powers. Perhaps lesser terms like reassign, reorder, or establish were just too small to adequately express the magnitude of how the Christ event has changed the world—both in heaven and on earth. The only term big enough to convey the new situation was “creation”—the very same word he routinely used elsewhere with the meaning of new creation.[62] We can gain more insight by considering what the powers of Eph 1.21 and Col 1.16 mean. McKnight saw them “as earthly, systemic manifestations of (perhaps fallen) angelic powers—hence, the systemic worldly, sociopolitical manifestations of cosmic/angelic rebellion against God.”[63] I partially agree with McKnight here. He's right to see the powers as both heavenly and earthly, or better, as the heavenly component of the earthly sociopolitical realities, but he has not made room for the new authority structures created in Christ. John Schoenheit helpfully explained it this way: Not only did Jesus create his Church out of Jew and Gentile, he had to create the structure and positions that would allow it to function, both in the spiritual world (positions for the angels that would minister to the Church—see Rev. 1:1, “his angel”) and in the physical world (positions and ministries here on earth—see Rom. 12:4-8; Eph. 4:7-11).[64] We must never forget that Paul has an apocalyptic worldview—a perspective that seeks to unveil the heavenly reality behind the earthly. He believed in powers of darkness and powers of light. In Christ were created thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities (Col 1.16). He is “the head of all rule and authority” (Col 2.10). These new creation realities make progress against the old powers that still hold sway in the world outside the Church. Although the old powers are still at work, those who are in Christ enjoy his protection. With respect to the Church, he has already “disarmed the rulers and authorities” (Col 2.15). We can don “the armor of God that we be able to stand against the methods of the devil” (Eph 6.11) and “subduing everything, to stand” (v. 13). We find glimpses of this heavenly reality scattered in other places in the Bible. Peter mentioned how Christ “is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and power having been subjected to him” (1 Pet 3.22). In John's Revelation, he addressed each of the seven letters to the angels of their respective churches.[65] Although it's hard for us to get details on precisely what happened at Christ's ascension, something major occurred, not just on earth, but also in the spiritual realm. Jesus's last recorded words in Matthew are: “all authority in heaven and upon earth was given to me” (Mat 28.18-20). Presumably such a statement implies that prior to his resurrection Jesus did not have all authority in heaven and earth. It didn't exist until it was created. Similarly, because of his death, resurrection, and ascension, Christ has “become so much better than the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to them” (Heb 1.4). Once again, the text implies that Christ was not already superior to the angels, but “after making purification of the sins, he sat on the right hand of the majesty on high” at which time he became preeminent (Heb 1.3). Perhaps this also explains something about why Christ “proclaimed to the spirits in prison” (1 Pet 3.19). Another possibility is that Christ's ascension (Rev 12.5) triggered a war in heaven (v. 7) with the result that the dragon and his angels suffered defeat (v. 8) and were thrown out of heaven down to the earth (v. 9). Sadly, for most of the history of the church we have missed this Jewish apocalyptic approach that was obvious to Paul, limiting salvation to individual sins and improved morality.[66] Only in the twentieth century did interpreters begin to see the cosmic aspect of new creation. Margaret Thrall wrote the following. The Christ-event is the turning-point of the whole world … This Christ ‘in whom' the believer lives is the last Adam, the inaugurator of the new eschatological humanity. … Paul is saying that if anyone exists ‘in Christ', that person is a newly-created being. … In principle, through the Christ-event and in the person of Christ, the new world and the new age are already objective realities.[67] New creation is, in the words of J. Louis Martyn “categorically cosmic and emphatically apocalyptic.”[68] In fact, “The advent of the Son and of his Spirit is thus the cosmic apocalyptic event.”[69] In Christ is the beginning of a whole new creation, an intersecting community of angelic and human beings spanning heaven and earth. The interlocking of earthly (visible) and heavenly (invisible) authority structures points to Paul's apocalyptic holism. The Church was not on her own to face the ravages of Rome's mad love affair with violence and power. In Christ, people were no longer susceptible to the whims of the gods that have wreaked so much havoc from time immemorial.[70] No, the Church is Christ's body under his direct supervision and protection. As a result, the Church is the eschatological cosmic community. It is not merely a social club; it has prophetic and cosmic dimensions. Prophetically, the Church points to the eschaton when all of humanity will behave then how the Church already strives to live now—by the spirit instead of the flesh (Gal 5.16-25). Cosmically, the Church is not confined to the earth. There is a heavenly dimension with authority structures instantiated under Christ to partner with the earthly assemblies. God's “plan for the fulness of the times” is “to head up all thing in the Christ, the things upon the heavens and the things upon the earth in him” (Eph 1.10). Although this is his eschatological vision, Zeilinger pointed out that it is already happening. [T]he eschatological world given in Christ is realized within the still-existing earthly creation through the inclusion of the human being in Christ, the exalted one, by means of the proclamation of salvation and baptism. The eschaton spreads throughout the world in the kerygma and becomes reality, in that the human being, through baptism, becomes part of Christ—that is, in unity with him, dies to the claim of the στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου (2.20) and is raised with him to receive his eschatological life. The people thus incorporated into the exalted Christ thereby form, in him and with him, the new creation of the eschaton within the old! The body of Christ is thus recognizable as the expanding Church. In it, heavenly and earthly space form, in a certain sense, a unity.[71] The Church is a counter society, and embassy of the future kingdom shining the light of the age to come into the present in the power of the spirit with the protection of Christ and his heavenly powers over against the powers of darkness, who/which are still quite active—especially in the political realities of our present evil age (Gal 1.4). We bend the knee to the cosmic Christ now in anticipation of the day when “every knee may bend: heavenly and earthly and subterranean” (Phil 2.10) and “every tongue may confess that Jesus Christ (is) Lord” (v. 11). Christ's destiny is to fulfil the original Adamic mandate to multiply, fill, and have dominion over the earth (Gen 1.28). He has already received all authority in heaven and earth (Mat 28.18). God has given him “dominion over the works of your hands and put all things under his feet” as the quintessential man (Ps 8.6). Even so, “Now we do not yet see all things subjected to him” (Heb 2.8), but when he comes “he will reign into the ages of the ages” (Rev 11.15). Until then, he calls the Church to recognize his preeminence and give him total allegiance both in word and deed. Conclusion We began by establishing that the structure of the poetic unit in Col 1.15-20 breaks into two strophes (15-18a and 18b-20). We noted that Paul likely incorporated pre-existing material into Colossians, editing it as he saw fit. Then we considered the problems with the three old creation readings: (A) Christ as the agent of creation, (B) Wisdom as the agent of creation, and (C) Christ as the purpose of creation. In the course of critiquing (A), which is by far most popular, we observed several reasons to think Col 1.16 pertained to new creation, including (1) the image of God language in v. 15a, (2) the firstborn of all creation language in v. 15b, (3) the head of the Church language in v. 18a, and (4) the soteriological context (frame) of the poem (vv. 13-14, 21-22). To this I added a fifth syntactical reason that 16d as an elaboration of “τἀ πάντα” (all things) of 16a. Next, we explored the idea of new creation, especially within Paul's epistles, to find a deep and richly textured paradigm for interpreting God's redemptive and expanding sphere of influence (in Christ) breaking into the hostile world. We saw that new Christians die and rise with Christ, ending their association with the old and beginning again as a part of the new—a community where old racial, legal, and status divisions no longer matter, where members put off the old way of living and instead become clothed with the new humanity, where people look forward to and live in light of the ultimate transformation to be brought about at the coming of Christ. Rather than limiting new creation to the salvation of individuals, or even the sanctifying experience of the community, we saw that it also includes spiritual powers both “in the heavens and upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities” (Col 1.16). Reading Col 1.15-20 along with Eph 1.20-23 we connected God's creation of the powers in Christ with his exaltation of Christ to his right hand “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Eph 1.21). The point from both texts is clear: as “the head of the body, the Church” (Col 1.18; Eph 1.22), Christ is “before all things” (Col 1.17), “first in all things” (Col 1.18), and “far above all” (Eph 1.21), since God has “subjected all things under his feet” (Eph 1.22). Christ is preeminent as the firstborn of all new creation, “the new Adam … the starting point where new creation took place.”[72] Although the old powers still hold sway in the world, those in the interlocked heaven-and-earth new creation domain where Christ is the head, enjoy his protection if they remain “in the faith established and steadfast and not shifting away from the hope of the gospel” (Col 1.23). This interpretation has several significant advantages. It fits into Paul's apocalyptic way of thinking about Christ's advent and exaltation. It also holds together the first strophe of the poem as a unit. Additionally, it makes better sense of the context. (The ecclesiology of Col 1.15-18a follows logically from the soteriological context of vv. 13-14.) Lastly, it is compatible with a wide range of Christological options. Appendix Here is Col 1.16 from Leedy's sentence diagrams.[73] Of note is how he equates the τὰ πάντα of 16a with 16c and 16d rather than seeing 16d as an elaboration of τά ὁρατά. Bibliography Bauer, Walter, Frederick William  Danker, William F. Arndt, F. Gingrich, Kurt Aland, Barbara Aland, and Viktor Reichmann. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000. Bird, Michael F. Colossians and Philemon. A New Covenant Commentary. Cambridge, England: The Lutterworth Press, 2009. Brown, Anna Shoffner. “Nothing ‘Mere’ About a Man in the Image of God.” Paper presented at the Unitarian Christian Alliance, Springfield, OH, Oct 14, 2022. Bruce, E. K. Simpson and F. F. The Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament, edited by Ned B. Stonehouse. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1957. Buzzard, Anthony F. Jesus Was Not a Trinitarian. Morrow, GA: Restoration Fellowship, 2007. Caird, G. B. New Testament Theology. Edited by L. D. Hurst. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 2002. Caird, G. B. Paul’s Letters from Prison. New Clarendon Bible, edited by H. F. D. Sparks. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1976. Carden, Robert. One God: The Unfinished Reformation. Revised ed. Naperville, IL: Grace Christian Press, 2016. Chang, Eric H. H. The Only Perfect Man. Edited by Bentley C. F. Chang. 2nd ed. Montreal, QC: Christian Disciples Church Publishers, 2017. Deuble, Jeff. Christ before Creeds. Latham, NY: Living Hope International Ministries, 2021. Dunn, James D. G. Christology in the Making. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996. Dunn, James D. G. The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon. New International Greek Testament Commentary, edited by Gasque Marshall, Hagner. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996. Heiser, Michael S. The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019. King, Martha. An Exegetical Summary of Colossians. Dallas, TX: SIL International, 1992. Kuschel, Karl-Joseph. Born before All Time? Translated by John Bowden. New York, NY: Crossroad, 1992. Originally published as Beforen vor aller Zeit? Lane, William L. The New Testament Page by Page. Open Your Bible Commentary, edited by Martin Manser. Bath, UK: Creative 4 International, 2013. Leedy, Randy A. The Greek New Testament Sentence Diagrams. Norfolk, VA: Bible Works, 2006. Lohse, Edward. Colossians and Philemon. Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1971. MacDonald, William Graham. The Idiomatic Translation of the New Testament. Norfolk, VA: Bibleworks, 2012. Mark H. Graeser, John A. Lynn, John W. Schoenheit. One God & One Lord. 4th ed. Martinsville, IN: Spirit & Truth Fellowship International, 2010. Martin, Ralph. “An Early Christian Hymn (Col. 1:15-20).” The Evangelical Quarterly 36, no. 4 (1964): 195–205. Martyn, J. Louis. Theological Issues in the Letters of Paul. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997. McGrath, James F. The Only True God: Early Christian Monotheism in Its Jewish Context. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2009. McKnight, Scot. The Letter to the Colossians. New International Commentary on the New Testament, edited by Joel B. Green. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2018. Norden, Eduard. Agnostos Theos: Untersuchungen Zur Formengeschichte Religiöser Rede. 4th ed. Stuttgart, Germany: B. G. Teubner, 1956. Originally published as 1913. Pao, David. Colossians and Philemon. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament, edited by Clinton E. Arnold. Grand Rapid, MI: Zondervan, 2012. Perriman, Andrew. In the Form of a God. Studies in Early Christology, edited by David Capes Michael Bird, and Scott Harrower. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2022. Philo. The Works of Philo. The Norwegian Philo Concordance Project. Edited by Kåre Fuglseth Peder Borgen, Roald Skarsten. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2005. Robinson, James M. “A Formal Analysis of Colossians 1:15-20.” Journal of Biblical Literature 76, no. 4 (1957): 270–87. Schillebeeckx, Eduard. Christ: The Experience of Jesus as Lord. Translated by John Bowden. New York, NY: The Seabury Press, 1977. Schoberg, Gerry. Perspectives of Jesus in the Writings of Paul. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2013. Schweizer, Eduard. The Letter to the Colossians. Translated by Andrew Chester. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1982. Smith, Dustin R. Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2024. Snedeker, Donald R. Our Heavenly Father Has No Equals. Bethesda, MD: International Scholars Publications, 1998. Thayer, Joseph Henry. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996. Thrall, Margaret. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians. Vol. 1. The International Critical Commentary, edited by C. E. B. Cranfield J. A. Emerton, G. N. Stanton. Edinburgh, Scotland: T&T Clark, 1994. Wachtel, William M. “Colossians 1:15-20–Preexistence or Preeminence?” Paper presented at the 14th Theological Conference, McDonough, GA, 2005. Wessels, G. F. “The Eschatology of Colossians and Ephesians.” Neotestamentica 21, no. 2 (1987): 183–202. Witherington III, Ben The Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary of the Captivity Epistles. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007. Yates, Roy. The Epistle to the Colossians. London: Epworth Press, 1993. Zeilinger, Franz. Der Erstgeborene Der Schöpfung. Wien, Österreich: Herder, 1974. Footnotes [1] Since the nineteenth century biblical scholars have been divided over whether Paul wrote Colossians. One of the major reasons for thinking Paul didn't write Colossians is his exalted Christology—the very conclusion this paper seeks to undermine. A second major factor to argue against Pauline authorship is the difference in vocabulary, but this is explainable if Paul used a different amanuensis. The theologically more cosmic emphasis (also evident in Ephesians) is likely due to Paul's time in prison to reflect and expand his understanding of the Christ event. Lastly, the proto-Gnostic hints in Colossians do not require dating the epistle outside of Paul's time. Although Gnosticism flourished at the beginning of the second century, it was likely already beginning to incubate in Paul's time. [2] Eduard Schillebeeckx, Christ: The Experience of Jesus as Lord, trans. John Bowden (New York, NY: The Seabury Press, 1977), 185. [3] Schillebeeckx, 185. [4] G. B. Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, New Clarendon Bible, ed. H. F. D. Sparks (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1976), 177. [5] Caird, 181. [6] James D. G. Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, New International Greek Testament Commentary, ed. Gasque Marshall, Hagner (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996), 91. “[W]hat at first reads as a straightforward assertion of Christ's pre-existenct activity in creation becomes on closer analysis an assertion which is rather more profound—not of Christ as such present with God in the beginning, nor of Christ as identified with a pre-existent hypostasis or divine being (Wisdom) beside God, but of Christ as embodying and expressing (and defining) that power of God which is the manifestation of God in and to his creation.” (Italics in original.) James D. G. Dunn, Christology in the Making, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996), 194. [7] James F. McGrath, The Only True God: Early Christian Monotheism in Its Jewish Context (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2009), 46. [8] Andrew Perriman, In the Form of a God, Studies in Early Christology, ed. David Capes Michael Bird, and Scott Harrower (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2022), 200. [9] In addition, biblical unitarians routinely interpret Col 1.16 as new creation. See Anthony F. Buzzard, Jesus Was Not a Trinitarian (Morrow, GA: Restoration Fellowship, 2007), 189–90, Robert Carden, One God: The Unfinished Reformation, Revised ed. (Naperville, IL: Grace Christian Press, 2016), 197–200, Eric H. H. Chang, The Only Perfect Man, ed. Bentley C. F. Chang, 2nd ed. (Montreal, QC: Christian Disciples Church Publishers, 2017), 151–52, Jeff Deuble, Christ before Creeds (Latham, NY: Living Hope International Ministries, 2021), 163–66, John A. Lynn Mark H. Graeser, John W. Schoenheit, One God & One Lord, 4th ed. (Martinsville, IN: Spirit & Truth Fellowship International, 2010), 493–94, Donald R. Snedeker, Our Heavenly Father Has No Equals (Bethesda, MD: International Scholars Publications, 1998), 291–92, William M. Wachtel, “Colossians 1:15-20–Preexistence or Preeminence?” (paper presented at the 14th Theological Conference, McDonough, GA, 2005), 4. [10] All translations are my own. [11] Stophes are structural divisions drawn from Greek odes akin to stanzas in poetry or verses in music. [12] Throughout I will capitalize Church since that reflects the idea of all Christians collectively not just those in a particular local assembly. [13] Eduard Norden, Agnostos Theos: Untersuchungen Zur Formengeschichte Religiöser Rede, 4th ed. (Stuttgart, Germany: B. G. Teubner, 1956), 250–54. [14] James M. Robinson, “A Formal Analysis of Colossians 1:15-20,” Journal of Biblical Literature 76, no. 4 (1957): 272–73. [15] Edward Lohse, Colossians and Philemon, Hermeneia (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1971), 44. [16] Eduard Schweizer, The Letter to the Colossians, trans. Andrew Chester (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1982), 57. [17] Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, 84. [18] Ben  Witherington III, The Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary of the Captivity Epistles (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007), 129. [19] William L. Lane, The New Testament Page by Page, Open Your Bible Commentary, ed. Martin Manser (Bath, UK: Creative 4 International, 2013), 765. [20] E. K. Simpson and F. F. Bruce, The Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Ned B. Stonehouse (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1957), 65. [21] Michael F. Bird, Colossians and Philemon, A New Covenant Commentary (Cambridge, England: The Lutterworth Press, 2009), 50. [22] David Pao, Colossians and Philemon, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament, ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapid, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 87. [23] Lohse, 42. [24] Lohse, 43–44. [25] Scot McKnight, The Letter to the Colossians, New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Joel B. Green (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2018), 144. [26] Col 1.13-14: “who rescued us from the authority of darkness and transferred (us) into the kingdom of his beloved son in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of the sins.” Col 1.21-22: “And you being formerly alienated and hostile in thought in the evil deeds, but now he reconciled (you) in his body of the flesh through the death to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him.” [27] In fact, we can easily skip from vv. 13-14 to vv. 21-22. [28] Dunn, Christology in the Making, 187–88. [29] Sadly, most translations erroneously insert a paragraph between vv. 14 and 15. This produces the visual effect that v. 15 is a new thought unit. [30] Bruce, 193. [31] Moses 2.65: “τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τῶν περιγείων” in Philo, The Works of Philo, The Norwegian Philo Concordance Project (Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2005). See also Sirach 17.3. [32] Schweizer, 64. [33] For a helpful treatment of how the image of God relates to Christology, see Anna Shoffner Brown, “Nothing ‘Mere’ About a Man in the Image of God” (paper presented at the Unitarian Christian Alliance, Springfield, OH, Oct 14, 2022). [34] Walter Bauer et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000), s.v. “πρωτότοκος,” 2.a. [35] Franz Zeilnger wrote, “Christ is temporally the first of a series that essentially proceeds from him, and at the same time its lord and head.” Franz Zeilinger, Der Erstgeborene Der Schöpfung (Wien, Österreich: Herder, 1974), 182. Original: “als “Wurzel” ist Christus zeitlich der erste einer Reihe, die wesentlich aus ihm hervorgeht, und zugleich ihr Herr und Haupt.” [36] McKnight, 85–86. [37] The closest parallels are 1 Cor 8.6; Heb 1.2; and John 1.3, which employ the preposition δια (through). Upon close examination these three don't teach Christ created the universe either. [38] ESV, CSB, NASB, etc. Notably the NET diverges from the other evangelical translations. Roman Catholic, mainline, and unitarian translations all tend to straightforwardly render “ἐν αὐτῷ” as “in him” in Col 1.16; cf. NABRE, NRSVUE, OGFOMMT, etc. [39] Chang, 150. [40] Ralph Martin, “An Early Christian Hymn (Col. 1:15-20),” The Evangelical Quarterly 36, no. 4 (1964): 198. [41] Schillebeeckx, 186. [42] Dunn, Christology in the Making, 191. [43] Karl-Joseph Kuschel, Born before All Time?, trans. John Bowden (New York, NY: Crossroad, 1992), 336. [44] Dustin R. Smith, Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2024), 5–6. For more on wisdom Christology in Col 1.16 see Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, 89, Roy Yates, The Epistle to the Colossians (London: Epworth Press, 1993), 18–19, 23, G. B. Caird, New Testament Theology, ed. L. D. Hurst (Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 2002), 46, McGrath, 44, 46. [45] See Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, 89. See also Yates, 18–19, 23. [46] Dunn, Christology in the Making, 190. [47] Perriman, 199. [48] Martha King, An Exegetical Summary of Colossians (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 1992), 53. [49] Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), s.v. “ἐν,” 1722. He recognized the cause was both instrumental and final. [50] William Graham MacDonald, The Idiomatic Translation of the New Testament (Norfolk, VA: Bibleworks, 2012). [51] Chang, 147. Similarly James McGrath wrote, “[I]f all things were intended by God to find their fulfillment in Christ, then they must have been created “in him” in the very beginning in some undefined sense, since it was axiomatic that the eschatological climax of history would be a restoration of its perfect, original state.” McGrath, 46. [52] Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, 172. [53] “God so designed the universe that it was to achieve its proper meaning and unity only under the authority of man (Gen. 128; Ps. 86). But this purpose was not to be implemented at once; it was ‘to be put into effect when the time was ripe' (Eph. 110), when Christ had lived a human life as God intended it, and had become God's image in a measure which was never true of Adam. Only in unity with ‘the proper man' could the universe be brought to its destined coherence. For one who believes in predestination it is but a small step from this to saying that the universe was created in him.” Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, 178. [54] See also Paul's Adam Christology in Rom 5.12-21; 1 Cor 15.21-22, 45-49. [55] “Christus ist (durch seine Auferstehung aus dem Todesbereich) Herr über den ihm verliehenen Besitz, dessen ἀρχή und Urbild er ist, … und Haupt und Anfang der eschatologischen Neuschöpfung!” Zeilinger, 188. [56] King, 54. [57] Perriman, 200. [58] G. F. Wessels, “The Eschatology of Colossians and Ephesians,” Neotestamentica 21, no. 2 (1987): 187. [59] I realize my translation is awkward, but I prioritized closely mirroring the Greek over presenting smooth English. The original reads, “συνεζωοποίησεν ὑμᾶς σὺν αὐτῷ.” [60] Schillebeeckx, 187. [61] Scholars who make this connection include Caird, New Testament Theology, 216, Caird, Paul’s Letters from Prison, 177, McGrath, 44, Perriman, 201. [62] In fact, only two of the texts I cited above explicitly say “new creation” (2 Cor 5.17 and Gal 6.15). In all the others, Paul blithely employed creation language, expecting his readers to understand that he was not talking about the creation of the universe, but the creation of the new humanity in Christ—the Church. [63] McKnight, 152. [64] Mark H. Graeser, 493. [65] Rev 2.1, 8, 12, 18; 3.1, 7, 14. [66] See Gerry Schoberg, Perspectives of Jesus in the Writings of Paul (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2013), 280–81, 83. [67] Margaret Thrall, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, vol. 1, The International Critical Commentary, ed. C. E. B. Cranfield J. A. Emerton, G. N. Stanton (Edinburgh, Scotland: T&T Clark, 1994), 423, 26–28. [68] J. Louis Martyn, Theological Issues in the Letters of Paul (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997), 122. [69] Martyn, 121. [70] Whether the old gods actually existed or not is a topic beyond the scope of this paper. Interested readers should consult Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019). [71] “[D]ie in Christus gegebene echatologische Welt verwirkliche sich innerhalb der weiterhin existenten irdischen Schöpfung durch die Einbeziehung des Menschen in Christus, den Erhöhten, mittles Heilsverkündigung und Taufe. Das Eschaton setzt sic him Kerygma wetweit durch und wird Wirklichkeit, indem der Mensch durch die Taufe Christi Teil wird, d. h. in Einheit mit ihm dem Anspruch der στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου stirbt (2, 20) und mit ihm auferweckt sein eschatologisches Leben erhält. Die so dem erhöhten Christus eingegliederten Menschen bilden somit in ihm und mit ihm die neue Schöpfung der Eschata innerhalb der alten! Der Christusleib ist somit als sich weitende Kirche erkennbar. In ihr bildet himmlischer und irdischer Raum gewissermaßen eine Einheit.” Zeilinger, 179. [72] “Der neue Adam … Ausgangsort, in dem sich Neuschöpfung ereignete,” Zeilinger, 199. [73] Randy A. Leedy, The Greek New Testament Sentence Diagrams (Norfolk, VA: Bible Works, 2006). This is now available in Logos Bible Software.

I am Mary. This is my story.The sermon today is titled "What Mary Knew." It is the second installment in our series "I Was There." The Scripture reading is from Luke 1:26-38 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on December 15, 2024. All lessons fit under one of 5 broad categories: Begin, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under BEGIN: A Loving Christ.Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, NICNT.Luke Timothy Johnson, The Gospel of Luke, Sacra Pagina.Joseph Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth, Vol 3: The Infancy Narratives (New York: Image, 2012).Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew.N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God.Beautiful artwork of Mary and the nativity.I'd love to connect with you!Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide and even kids notes on the sermon notes page.Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)Subscribe to my email newsletter on substack.

We are...the angels. Could it be? Could it be that we were chosen to witness the arrival of God in the world?The sermon today is titled "Why Angels Sing." It is the first installment in our series "I Was There." The Scripture reading is from Luke 2:8-15 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on December 8, 2024. All lessons fit under one of 5 broad categories: Begin, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under BEGIN: A Loving Christ. Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):Cheree Hayes & the Bible Project Team, “What Does the Bible Say about Angels and Cherubim?” Bible Project, Dec 8, 2022.Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, NICNT.Luke Timothy Johnson, The Gospel of Luke, Sacra Pagina.Joseph Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth, Vol 3: The Infancy Narratives (New York: Image, 2012).Beautiful artwork of Shepherds and Angels.I'd love to connect with you!Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide and even kids notes on the sermon notes page.Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)Subscribe to my email newsletter on substack.

Why should you be baptized? To respond to the gospel call of Jesus as your brothers and sisters have in the stream of church history, as the book of Acts indicates.The sermon today is titled "Swim With The Stream." It is the third installment in our series "Washed Anew: The Power & Promise of Baptism." The Scripture reading is from Acts 2:36-41 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on Sunday, April 28, 2024. All lessons fit under one of 5 broad categories: Begin, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under BEGIN: A Joyful Response.Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.Sources of Inspiration for the Lesson Used in Today's Podcast:Peter Leithart, Baptism: A Guide From Life To Death (Lexham Press).G. R. Beasley-Murray, Baptism in the New Testament (1962)Charalambos Bakirtzis, “Paul and Philippi: The Archaeological Evidence,” in Philippi at the Time of Paul and after His Death.Craig Keener, Acts, Volume 1.H. Wayne House, “An Evangelical Response to Baird & Weatherly,” in Evangelicalism and the Stone-Campbell Movement, p. 188.Robert H. Stein, “Baptism and Becoming a Christian in the New Testament,” Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 2.1. (1998), pp. 6-17.I. Howard Marshall, Acts, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries.Joel B. Green, “From ‘John's Baptism' to ‘Baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus': The Significance of Baptism in Luke-Acts,” in Baptism, the New Testament and the Church: Historical and Contemporary Studies in Honour of R. E. O. White, p. 161.E. O. White, The Biblical Doctrine of Initiation (London: Hodder & Stoughton), 1960.M. J. Walker, “Baptist Worship in the Twentieth Century,” in Baptists in the Twentieth Century, ed. K. W. Clements (London: Baptist Histoical Society, 1983), pp. 24-25.David Wenham, “Paradigms and Possibilities in the Study of John's Gospel,” Challenging Perspectives on the Gospel of John, ed. John Lierman,  pp. 8-9.Robert H. Stein, “Baptism and Becoming A Christian in the New Testament,” The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 2/1 (Spring 1998): 6-17.William S. Kurz, Acts of the Apostles

Sermon on the Mount E13 – In Matthew 5:31-32, Jesus offers a quote from the Torah about when it is lawful to divorce, and then he shares his perspective. But what is the context of these words, and how would Jesus' original audience have heard them? It's easy for modern readers to miss, but Jesus is entering a longstanding debate concerning a passage about divorce in Deuteronomy 24—and his take is surprising. In this episode, Jon, Tim, and special guest Jeannine Brown discuss the story surrounding divorce in ancient Israel, the Bible's ideal of covenant loyalty, and the wisdom we can find in Scripture to navigate divorce in our culture today.View more resources on our website →Timestamps Chapter 1: The Context of Jesus' Words on Divorce (00:00-11:51)Chapter 2: Divorce in Ancient Jewish Culture (11:51-23:06)Chapter 3: Divorce Compared to the Genesis 1-2 Ideal (23:06-42:49)Referenced ResourcesDictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series) by Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown, Nicholas PerrinThe Gospel of Matthew (New International Commentary on the New Testament) by R.T. FranceThe Gospel of Matthew (New International Greek Testament Commentary) by John Nolland Check out Tim's library here.You can experience our entire library of resources in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.Show Music Original Sermon on the Mount music by Richie Kohen BibleProject theme song by TENTSShow CreditsJon Collins is the Creative Producer for today's show. Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer; Cooper Peltz, managing producer; Colin Wilson, producer; and Stephanie Tam, consultant and editor. Tyler Bailey, Frank Garza, and Aaron Olse are our audio editors. Tyler Bailey is also our audio engineer, and he provided our sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Special thanks to Jeannine Brown. Today's hosts are Jon Collins and Michelle Jones.Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

In a world marked by division, isolation, and loneliness, we are a people in desperate need of radical love and connection in the ordinary parts of our lives and world. Join us at Midtown for our new teaching series entitled Won't You Be My Neighbor?: Radically Ordinary Hospitality, as we go on a spiritual journey of exploration, mining the riches of Jesus' life and teaching to explore the radical practice of neighboring and examining the ways that this ancient and timeless practice can get us caught up in the present work of the Kingdom of God in our own time. Together we'll challenge the prevalent culture of division by emphasizing the importance of building authentic relationships across societal boundaries, provide practical guidance on fostering a sense of community in our homes and world, examine how to break down walls of hostility that isolate and divide, and ultimately combat the epidemic of loneliness through intentional acts of kindness and inclusion, that all people might come to a knowledge of their identities as beloved children of God and might experience His love and grace in their own lives. Sermon Resources: 1. Rosaria Butterfield Testimony: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/january-february/my-train-wreck-conversion.html 2. “Whether the issue is marriage and sexuality or morality and care for the poor...the data suggests that in many crucial areas evangelicals are not living any differently than their unbelieving neighbors.” -Ron Sider, "The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience" 3. “In Luke's Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal.” -Robert Karris, "Eating Your Way Through Luke's Gospel" 4. “It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of table fellowship for the cultures of the Mediterranean basin in the first century. Mealtimes were far more than occasions for individuals to consume nourishment. Being welcomed at a table for the purpose of eating food with another person had become a ceremony richly symbolic of friendship, intimacy, and unity. ” -Scott Bartchy, "Table Fellowship" 5. “Jesus addresses her with words usually reserved for the conclusion of miracles of healing: “your faith has made you whole;” and he sends her away “in peace” (shalom). Such language cannot be limited to “spiritual” well-being or even to “physical” vitality, but speaks of a restoration to wholeness, including restoration to the full social intercourse from which she has been excluded.” -Joel B. Green, NICNT on Luke 5. “It's hard to convince people that a God they can't see loves them when a church they can see doesn't even seem to like them.” -John Alan Turner 6. “The word sinner...is not a word that places humans somewhere on a continuum ranging from angel to ape, assessing them as relatively “good” or “bad.” It designates humans in relation to God and sees them separated from God. Sinner means something is awry between humans and God.” -Eugene Peterson, "The Contemplative Pastor" 7. “Touched with a sensible regret (notice, not morbid or shameful, but sensible, true, accurate), I confess to Him and ask His forgiveness, I abandon myself in His hands that He may do what He pleases with me. The King, full of mercy and goodness, far from chastising me, embraces me with love, makes me eat at His table, serves me with His own hands, gives me the key of His treasures; He converses and delights Himself with me incessantly, in a thousand and a thousand ways, and treats me in all respects as His favorite.” -Brother Lawrence, "Practicing The Presence of God"

     When someone hurts me, I sometimes react and feel the need to seek revenge. That is, to take the matter into my own hands and hurt the other person so that I feel the scales of justice are balanced. Revenge starts with a mental attitude in which we seek to harm an offender for the injury or offence they caused, whether that injury or offense is real or imagined. The desire to retaliate against the offender is generally followed by action to hurt them, whether physically, psychologically, emotionally, socially, financially, or legally.      The desire for revenge can be coupled with very strong emotions that help inflame the injustice in our mind and to relive it over and over, which can eventuate in mental bondage as we keep recalling the hurt. Also, an injured person may feel helpless and victimized by an oppressor, so hurting the other person can make one feel empowered. It is true that personal revenge can offer a temporary sense of closure or satisfaction, but it can also establish a pattern of behavior that can be exhausting and endless, as we feel the need to retaliate against all perceived offenders. God's Word speaks to the issue of dealing with offenders who cause hurt, giving directions on how we are to respond.      First, there is the positive directive concerning how to treat offenders. Jesus said, “I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28). As Christians, we live in a fallen world and are surrounded by fallen people who, often unknowingly, help advance Satan's agenda. These fallen people are identified as our enemies who operate by the mental attitude of hatred, openly curse us, and will mistreat us if given the opportunity. Being an adversary who operates on hate, and who curses and mistreats us, are all things that do not rise to the level of dangerous harm. Even a slap on the cheek, or stealing our clothing (Luke 6:29) does not constitute a life-threatening situation that requires self-defense. Loving others does not mean: We expose ourselves to unnecessary harm. There were times when God's people hid from their enemies (1 Ki 18:13; Acts 9:23-25). Jesus faced hostile people, who at one time “picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:59). Paul was greatly hurt by a man named “Alexander the coppersmith,” whom he told Timothy, “did me much harm” (2 Tim 4:14a). Paul then warned Timothy, saying, “Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching” (2 Tim 4:15). We trust all people. Jesus loved everyone, but He did not entrust Himself to all people, even believers. John tells us there were many who “believed in His name” (John 2:23), but then tells us that “Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men” (John 2:24). We fail to rebuke others when needed. When Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem, He passed by a village of the Samaritans (Luke 9:51-52) whose residents “did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem” (Luke 9:53). Luke tells us, “When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?'” (Luke 9:54). But this was a wrong attitude, so Jesus “turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what kind of spirit you are of'” (Luke 9:55). We interact or befriend people who are hostile to God (Prov 13:20). Solomon said, “Do not associate with a man given to anger; or go with a hot-tempered man, or you will learn his ways and find a snare for yourself” (Prov 22:24-25). Scripture also states, “do not associate with a gossip” (Prov 20:19), and “do not associate with rebels” (Prov 24:21), for “Bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Cor 15:33; cf. 1 Cor 5:11). The apostle Paul, when writing to Timothy, described the sinful attitudes and actions of people committed to godlessness (2 Tim 3:1-5a), and told his friend to “avoid such men as these” (2 Tim 3:5). We forfeit the right to defend ourselves physically or legally when we come under attack. Paul, who at one time took a beating with rods (Acts 16:22-23), later used legal force by exercising his rights as a Roman citizen to protect himself from a flogging that might have killed him (Acts 22:25-29). And Paul eventually appealed to Caesar, hoping to gain a just trial (Acts 25:7-12).      By wisdom we come to know when to turn the other cheek and when to stand up and push back, as self-defense is valid if the injury rises to the level of great physical harm, is life-threatening, or threatens to harm or kill a loved one (see my article on Is Self-Defense Biblical?). Even though we may defend ourselves, we must never stoop to the place of hatred toward our enemies, but must always maintain love for them and be willing to forgive and help if/when possible.      As Jesus' disciples, we are to love (ἀγαπᾶτε) our enemies, do good (καλῶς ποιεῖτε) to those who hate us, bless (εὐλογεῖτε) those who curse us, and pray (προσεύχεσθε) for those who mistreat us. All four of Jesus' directives are in the imperative mood, which means they are commands to be understood and obeyed. To love our enemy means we care about them and seek God's best in their life. To do good to those who hate us means we are kind and giving when possible. To bless our enemy means we wish them well rather than harm. To pray for our enemy means we ask God to save and bless them, even though they seek to mistreat us. Love manifests itself by doing good, blessing, and praying for those who hate us. This is not mere passivity, but requires great discipline of the mind and will, which can be contrary to our emotions. Nor does such behavior imply weakness on our part. Jesus, the theanthropic person, possessed all power sufficient to destroy His enemies, yet He restrained His power for the sake of love and grace. Divine truth, not feelings, must be what guides our thoughts, words, and actions. According to Joel Green, “Love is expressed in doing good—that is, not by passivity in the face of opposition but in proactivity: doing good, blessing, praying, and offering the second cheek and the shirt along with the coat.”[1] Paul, when writing to Christians in Rome, used similar language, saying, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Rom 12:14). As Christians, when we think and act this way, we are like the “sons of the Most-High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men” (Luke 6:35). This is accomplished by faith and not feelings. Sproul is correct when he states, “We may not be able to control how we feel about them, but we certainly can control what we do about those feelings.”[2]      Second, there is a negative directive in which we are not to retaliate or seek personal revenge. The Lord said, “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD” (Lev 19:18). The apostle Paul said, “See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people” (1 Th 5:15). Peter wrote, “All of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing” (1 Pet 3:8-9). Solomon wrote, “He who returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house” (Prov 17:13). He also wrote, “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil;' wait for the LORD, and He will save you” (Prov 20:22). Concerning this verse, Allen Ross states, “Leave retribution to the Lord. Let him bring about a just deliverance…The righteous should not take vengeance on evil, for only God can repay evil justly (cf. Rom 12:19–20).”[3] Bruce Waltke says this verse “suggests that the Lord will help the disciple by compensating him justly for the wrong done to him. The Helper will both compensate the damage and punish the wrongdoer.”[4] And David Hubbard adds: "Vengeance is an activity too hot for any of us to handle. Its motivation is selfish; its execution is usually extreme; its result is to accelerate conflict not to slow it down. In short, vengeance is God's business not ours (Deut 32:35; Rom 12:19; Heb 10:30). All human sin is sin against Him, so He is the ultimate victim; only He can judge accurately the damage done; only He can distribute fairly the blame; only He can exact freely the proper penalty. We are not entitled to ‘play God' at any time."[5]      The challenge for us is to put the offense in God's hands, trusting He sees, and that He will dispense justice in His time and way. For this reason, Scripture states, “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God” (Rom 12:17-19a; cf. Deut 32:35; Heb 10:30). Again, this requires discipline of mind and will, and is executed by faith and not feelings.      Third, place the matter in the Lord's hands and let Him dispense justice in His time and way. The Bible teaches that God is the “Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25) and that He dispenses justice upon those whose who deserve it. Scripture reveals the Lord is a “God of vengeance” (Psa 94:1) and will punish the wicked. And Nahum tells us, “A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; the LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies” (Nah 1:2). God told the Israelites if they listen to His voice, “Then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries” (Ex 23:22). Paul, after instructing Christians not to seek their own revenge, explained that God will handle the matter, saying, “for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord” (Rom 12:19b; cf. Deut 32:35; Heb 10:30). And again, “It is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you” (2 Th 1:6). Even Paul did not seek his own revenge when hurt by Alexander the coppersmith, but said, “the Lord will repay him according to his deeds” (2 Tim 4:14). According to Warren Wiersbe, “The word vengeance must not be confused with revenge. The purpose of vengeance is to satisfy God's holy law; the purpose of revenge is to pacify a personal grudge.”[6]      It is true that God may extend grace to His enemies and those who hurt us, as He gives them time to repent and turn to Him for forgiveness. We must always remember that we were God's enemies and terrible sinners before we came to faith in Christ, and God waited patiently for us (see Rom 5:8-10), for God is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). But God's grace does not last forever. At death, all of life's decisions are fixed, and what the unbeliever does with Christ in time determines his eternal destiny. If a person goes his entire life rejecting God's grace, not believing in Christ as Savior (John 3:16; 1 Cor 15:3-4), then he will stand before God at the Great White Throne judgment and afterwards will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:11-15). It is at that time that God will deal out “retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Th 1:8-9). Wiersbe states, “Certainly, the wicked who persecute the godly do not always receive their just payment in this life. In fact, the apparent prosperity of the wicked and difficulty of the godly have posed a problem for many of God's people (see Psa 73; Jer 12:1; Hab 1). Why live a godly life if your only experience is that of suffering? As Christians, we must live for eternity and not just for the present.”[7]      Fourth, if we fail to follow the Lord's directives to love, do good, bless, and pray for our enemies, and instead decide to take matters into our own hands and seek revenge, then we are sinning against God and open ourselves up to divine discipline. The very punishment we may seek to inflict upon our enemies may be administered to us by the Lord, and this because we are walking by sinful values rather than being obedient-to-the-Word believers. However, if we put the matter in the Lord's hands and let Him dispense justice in His time and way, we can rest assured that He will bring it to pass, for He says, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (Rom 12:19b), and it is “just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you” (2 Th 1:6). Plus, when we learn and live God's Word by faith it frees us from the tyranny of hurt feelings which can be fatiguing to the mind and toxic to the soul. Summary      In closing, we are to obey the words of Jesus, who  tells us to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28). Assuming the hostility never rises to the level of requiring self-defense (which does not negate loving the attacker), we are to tolerate the hostility and abuse and respond in love by doing good, blessing, and praying for our enemies. It's ok to hurt, but not to hate. Operating from divine viewpoint, we walk by faith and trust God to handle the matter, knowing He is the “Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25) and that “it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you” (2 Th 1:6), as God states, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (Rom 12:19b). In this way, we will follow the example set by Jesus, who, “while being reviled, He did not revile in return; and while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet 2:23). If we live as God directs, abiding by the royal family honor code, then He will dispense justice upon our attackers in His time and way. The challenge for us is to discipline ourselves to learn God's Word and live by faith, not our hurt feelings or circumstances.     [1] Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 272. [2] R. C. Sproul, A Walk with God: An Exposition of Luke (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1999), 115–116. [3] Allen P. Ross, “Proverbs,” in The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991), 1046. [4] Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15–31, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005), 152. [5] David A. Hubbard and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Proverbs, vol. 15, The Preacher's Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1989), 308. [6] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 194. [7] Ibid., 194.

Join our mail list here for exclusive content here. Sign up for our Coaching here; https://abty.co.uk/coaching On episode 200 I am joined by Joel Green, former professional basketball player, entrepreneur, speaker and author. Joel Green is CEO of Pro Level Training, the National Director of Nike Sports Camps, a former professional basketball player, and a renowned motivational speaker. After retiring from his career in professional basketball, Joel Green founded Pro Level Training (PLT), which has become a 7-figure company. In addition to running PLT, Green is also the National Director for Nike Sports Camps as well as an accomplished speaker. He was honored to speak to thousands and deliver his own TED Talk. A thought leader in the motivational category, Joel Green has a B.A. in Psychology from Rider University, which has helped to fuel his ambition to inspire others. He has developed a reputation for personal excellence and motivational talks that contribute tangible advice for attaining desired goals. Many of the messages he has delivered on are conveyed in his first book, Filtering: The Way to Extract Strength from the Struggle, released inSeptember 2022. In this episode you will hear: 03:00 your life before your eyes 05:00 growing up on the streets of Philadelphia 09:30 remembering where you come from 12:00 the purposes of our pain 17:00 using the TED stage to speak on racial inequality 19:45 pro level training 22:30 the habits of a professional 25:00 weak men aren't willing to work 27:45 what it means to be a Good Father 33:30 there's another side to difficulty 38:30 holding ourselves accountable 44:00 self leadership 52:00 stop relying on validation 55:00 its not meant to be fixed I hope this interview inspires your heart-centred leadership. Please do subscribe, leave a little review, and share it with a leader you wish to inspire too. Always love Ryan Connect with Joel Green Website: https://www.joelbgreen.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/jaygreenplt/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-green-95340417/ Connect with Always Better than Yesterday Website: https://abty.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alwaysbetterthanyesterdayuk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abty_uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/abty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weareabty Thank you to our friends at Elevate OM, proud supporters of the Always Better than Yesterday Interview Sessions. Head to https://www.elevateom.com/ for Online Marketing & Web Design services that are affordable, bespoke & awesome. Please email your questions and comments to podcast@abty.co.uk

Rethinking Scripture PodcastEpisode 58: Acts 16-17 - What Must I Do to Be Saved?October 29, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory HallIn Acts 16-17 Paul and his traveling companions hit the road. These chapters record some of the events in his second missionary journey… and they are packed full of interesting topics. In this episode we discuss circumcision, baptism, a python spirit, and the very important question asked by a jailer, “What must I do to be saved?”Resources Referenced and/or Read:Moyer V. Hubbard, “Greek Religion,” in The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts, ed. Joel B. Green and Lee Martin McDonald (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 110.Deppe, Dean B. All Roads Lead to the Text: Eight Methods of Inquiry into the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2011. Print.Harwood, E. A Liberal Translation of the New Testament. Vol. I & II. London: T. Becket and P. A. de Hondt; J. Johnson; T. Cadell; J. Gore and J. Sibbald; T. Bancks, 1768.Show Music:Intro/Outro - "Growth" by Armani Delos SantosTransition Music - produced by Jacob A. HallPodcast Website:The All-America Listener Challenge Updates: https://rethinkingscripture.comMy New Podcast Studio... The Upper Room: https://rethinkingscripture.com/podcast-episodes/More information about The Homes and Help Initiative: https://rethinkingscripture.com/homes-help-initiative/Sister site: RethinkingRest.comRethinking Rest... the Book: Coming January 19, 2023!More information about the book: https://rethinkingrest.com/the-book/Social Media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RethinkingScripture Twitter: @RethinkingStuffInstagram: Rethinking_ScriptureYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6YCLg2UldJiA0dsg0KkvLAPowered and distributed by Simplecast.

What is the meaning behind Jesus’ death and resurrection? Christians believe that Jesus’ sacrifice reconciled the relationship between humankind and our creator, God. However, it is not quite that simple. Over thousands of years, theologians and followers of Jesus have tried to articulate this nuance through metaphors, emphasizing some aspects of Jesus’ sacrifice over others. In this conversation, we aim to dissect the different theories of atonement and bring clarity to the larger picture of the gospel. Notes: “Toxic forms of substitutionary atonement” in Love Wins, by Rob Bell Amazing Grace, Kathleen Norris The Bible Project podcast Movie: Ransom (1996) Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis Cur Deus Homo - Why God became man A Community Called Atonement, by Scott McKnight Atonement Theories Penal Substitutionary Atonement Moral Influence Theory, Augustine Ransom Theory Satisfaction Theory of Atonement, Saint Anselm of Canterbury Christus Victor Kaleidoscopic Perspective, by Joel B. Green in The Nature of Atonement Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis The Crucifixion, by Fleming Rutledge Passion of the Cross, by Ronald Rolheiser The Cross of Christ, by John Stott

This week on the show we talk to Dr. Mark D. Baker.Mark D. Baker (PhD, Duke University) is professor of mission and theology at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary in Fresno, California. He served as a missionary in Honduras for ten years and has written a number of books, including Ministering in Honor-Shame Cultures (with Jayson Georges) and Recovering the Scandal of the Cross (with Joel B. Green). Today we talk about his latest work, Centered-Set Church:  Discipleship and Community Without Judgmentalism.Find out more about Mark HEREBuy Centered-Set Church

"'Slow of heart' calls attention to their failure to orient themselves fully around Jesus' teaching, not to their need for remedial education. 'Heart' refers here... to the inner commitments, the dispositions and attitudes of the person that determines his or her life. Failure of insight comes from failure to embrace the ways of God." —Joel B. Green

What's going on in-between the Old and New Testaments? A whole lot! The events and culture of Second Temple Judaism richly shape the world that the New Testament enters. In this episode JC Schroeder looks at how these factors enhance our understanding of the message of the Bible.

In this “Last Lecture” address to Fuller’s Science, Theology, and Religion Student Group, Joel B. Green, professor of New Testament Interpretation and associate dean for the Center for Advanced Theological Studies, speaks about reading the Bible with a scientific perspective and the formative role of scripture.

Joel and I chat about how the cross defies everything power stands for, the atonement of Jesus, and what the resurrections achieves. 4:30 Share a little of your faith journey with us.  When and how did you come to know Jesus? 7:17 As we approach Easter, many Christians are reading the gospels to reflect and proclaim again the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus that saved us from our sin. You co-authored a book Recovering the Scandal of the Cross. What is the scandal of the cross? "That language comes from Paul, from1 Corinthians 1where Paul says that he preaches Christ crucified, a scandal to Jews, and foolishness to the Gentiles." 9:36 What is it about the cross of Christ that defies everything power stands for? "If you look at that text 1 Corinthians 1, why is the cross a scandal to Jews for Paul? The answer is pretty clear, because Deuteronomy 21tells us that anyone who's hung on a cross, anyone who is hung on a tree is cursed by God. So you have this weird, paradoxical, oxymoronic, putting side by side of Christ, which means Anointed One, next to crucified, which by the first century, was read in terms of Deuteronomy 21. Anointed One, cursed one, it doesn't make any sense, right? And you know, Paul picks up on that in Galatians 3, when he talks about Jesus becoming a curse for us." 15:35 There are several theories of atonement, so in your personal study and understanding of Scripture how does the cross literally and effectively deal with sin? "When 1 Petersays that Jesus bore our sins on the tree, then there's the same kind of language being used... back in Leviticus that speaks to the effectiveness of sacrifice in terms of exchange and representation...[S]in and death are transferred to the sacrificial victim. In this case, Jesus, and his purity and his life are transferred to those who receive the benefits of the sacrifice." "The problem is not outside of us, the problem is inside of us. And so the cross is the means by which we are cleansed from sin, proceeding through death into life that opens up new life." SHOW NOTES cont.   --------------------------------------------------- Follow Joel B. Green on Twitter Follow Grace Enough Podcast on IG and FB ---------------------------------------------------------

View full show notes and images from this episode → Watch our video on the Tree of Life.Take our first class for free at classroom.bibleResourcesR. Riesner, “Archeology and Geography,” ed. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown, and Nicholas Perrin, Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Second Edition, 55.MusicDefender Instrumental: TentsScream Pilots: MobyAmbedo: Too NorthReminiscing: No SpiritChillhop daydreams 2Show produced by Dan Gummel.Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Sunday, February 2nd, 2020.   Sources: Joseph Blenkinsopp. Isaiah 1-39 (AB). New Haven: Yale, 2000. Joel B. Green. The Gospel of Luke (NICNT). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997. John Goldingay. Isaiah (UBCS). Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001. Richard B. Hays. Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels. Waco: Baylor, 2016. … Continue reading →

Pastor Ross preached from Luke 3:1-24 on John the Baptist's message of repentance. Repentance Is How God Breaks Through Repentance is How God Breaks Through Ross Tenneson / General Luke / Repentance; Baptism / Luke 3:1–14 Summary Exegetical Main Point: True children of God must repent and bear the fruit of loving other people with their possessions. Sermon Main Point: Repentance delivers us from death and brings us new life. Sticky: We must repent daily to get more of God. Sermon Me (Connection) Just the other night at dinner, I was out with my parents for my mother’s birthday. My cousin had come over for Christmas a few days earlier. Sometimes when we interact, I feel like she has some barbs and walls and won’t let me connect with her like I want to. I didn’t quite know it at the time, but our interactions had left me with a frosty heart. When I was talking with my parents at dinner, I blurted out something about her that completely lacked compassion toward her. My heart will crop up anytime and anywhere and the only option for the Christian is to repent in that moment. We (Tension) I’m going to get into this more in the sermon, but repentance is related to acknowledge your wrong and seek to restore the relationship you have damaged. Thankfully, by the grace of God, I was able to repent in this situation. Other times though, it is harder to admit you are wrong and seek to restore the relationship you have damaged. We find ourselves in the worst situation when the person we do not want to repent to is God, and yet we need to. Here are a few reasons we don’t: We may love our sin just too much and not want to let it go. We may dread facing him and it is easier to just keep running away. We may feel stuck and unable to return to him and don’t know why. The question I want to answer in this sermon is: What do I do when I need to repent but I don’t want to? And if you are not yet a follow of Jesus, I want to explain to you why repenting to God could be the most important thing you ever do in your life. God (Revelation) The Messenger (vv. 1-6) Now that we have walked through Jesus’ birth narrative and a story of his childhood, we fast forward several years. He is now a man of thirty and he is about to begin his three year ministry. These three years will be the most consequential in history. Let’s see how Luke introduces this part of the narrative. Luke begins in verse one by turning our attention back to the historical context. We are actually about to see a bunch of names listed one after the other. It may leave us wondering, “where is he going with this?” His slowing down is actually literary technique that is building a sense of tension toward a significant point.[1] He says in verses one and two, English Standard Version Chapter 3 3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. What do we see Luke is building up to? “the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.” This phrase is a call back to Old Testament prophets.[2] After over 400 years of silence toward his people, God has finally begun to speak again. Through this poor prophet in the wilderness, God beings expressing his authoritative revelation: an authority that surpasses that of the earthly political and religious leaders whom John contrasts in this text.[3] God gives his authoritative word to John in the wilderness. And he sends him into the region of the Jordan river. What would be first thing God would want to say to his people after all this time of distance and silence? Verse 3 tells us, English Standard Version Chapter 3 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. So John comes out of the wilderness after being there for many years, back into civilization and starts preaching sermons about how people need to come and receive a baptism from him and receive forgiveness from God for their sins. He is saying, “your biggest problem is not what you might think it is. It’s not the political system, or your financial situation, or your divorce, or your poverty. Your biggest problem is you need forgiveness of sins.” That’s true for all of us this evening: our biggest need is for God to forgive us of our wrongdoing. And he brings this beautiful picture along with him to accompany his message: baptism. In other words, “For anyone who receives forgiveness of sins, I want to accompany it with a beautiful picture: of lowering you down into the water and pulling you back out again.” The water symbolizes the washing away of guilt and shame and also of the new life as John would symbolically lower people into their grave and pull them back up out of it in a picture of new life. John then references Isaiah as foretelling his ministry and what he is accomplishing. Like so many other references in Luke, these verses come from Isaiah 40, English Standard Version Chapter 3 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ” These verses speak of a highway God is constructing to come to his people The king of highway you would construct for the arrival of a king.[4] It is not a literal highway, it is a figurative highway. God overcomes every obstacle to his coming, including sin and rebellion and unbelief.[5] God was about to come and be among his people. When he says, “all flesh shall see the salvation of God,” It adds into Luke the theme that people of all nationalities, not just ethnic Jews, will experience the salvation of God.[6] Essentially, we see God removing obstacles in order to come to his people. He is filling valleys and leveling mountains to get to them. When God sets his eyes on someone to save, he does so with unstoppable power. What obstacle could possibly stand in the way of God from coming to his people? The Message (vv. 7-9) We now get to see what the obstacle is and how God will remove it. Verse seven immediately reveals to us what it is. At this point, crowds of people had gathered to listen to John preach. Here is the beginning of his message to them: English Standard Version Chapter 3 7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Is this what you would expect a man of God to say? We might think he would come and say, “God loves you.” Or, “you’re special just the way you are.” Yet, that’s not what people need to hear. He’s not trying to hurt or demean the crowds of people: he is trying to show them something. Something they need to desperately see lest they will not be able to receive God when he comes and they will remain cut off from him. What is it that they need to see? That the greatest obstacle keeping them from God, above everything else, is their own sinful hearts. There’s nothing out there: no army, no mountain, no devil that is keeping them from God; it’s in here. That’s what’s the matter. This is what John means when he address the crowd as a “brood of vipers:” the imagery of snakes in the Bible image Satan and his rebellion against God. For them to be a brood of vipers means that the same rejection and rebellion against God is in their own hearts. John shows us that you don’t have to be a ruler to oppose or reject God, ordinary people do it all the time. And if we are all honest here, apart from the grace of God, we too have this same opposition and rejection to God in our hearts. John then asks them this question: “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” There was a whole slew of people there in the crowd. Some sinners with a poor reputation and some religious leaders of the day. Yet, John adjusts all of their expectations. He declares that they have hearts that oppose God and not only will it keep God from coming to them, they will eventually face his never-ending wrath in punishment. This crowd represents all of humanity: this is who we all are apart from the grace of God. Why is that? The biggest reason is the God that John is proclaiming is a holy God! Do you know what the word means? It means God is so pure, so spotless, so perfect, he is utterly beyond us in every way, unimaginably so. And when he comes into contact with our sin, his holiness compels him to judge us! Hence, since God is returning to the earth to be kind and each of us are sinners, wrath is coming! The Bible says even if we die, he will raise us up to face the judgement. John is not pulling any punches: he is being completely direct. Which is actually good for this crowd of people and is good for me and you also. One pastor puts it this way: “hard truths make soft people.” I think the most important question at this point is: is there any hope for these crowds of people who are under the wrath of God— these crowds of people who represent all of humanity, even us? In the beginning of verse 8, we see the alternative to living in opposition to God and his purposes. It says, English Standard Version Chapter 3 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. The one solution to the object in our heart cutting us off from God and bringing his wrath upon us is “repentance and the fruit that comes from it.” Well, in that case, we better well know what repentance is. This is a religious sounding word we throw around a lot. Think for a moment, how would you explain this to someone who didn’t know what it means. The Greek word means most directly a “change of Mind.”[7] At its most basic level: it is the turning away from sin and instead turning toward God. It is the renewal of the inward man that results in outward change in how you live.[8] Here is how the Apostle Paul puts it in Acts 26:20 English Standard Version Chapter 26 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. You might ask, “how can I flee from the coming wrath? How can I remove the obstacle in my heart so that God may come into my life and I may enjoy him?” (those who are not yet following Jesus, this question is for you) The answer in a word, is “repentance.” Acknowledge in your heart that you are indeed a sinner and have need for a savior, and then turn to Jesus as your savior in faith and hope and belief. Trust that his perfect life and death on the cross pays for your sins and removes them from you. While I’m talking mostly about repentance, I want us to know that faith in Jesus goes hand in hand with repentance. They are two sides of the same coin. To turn from you sins is repentance and alternatively to turn to Christ in trust is faith. Here is how the Apostle Paul explains John’s message in Acts 19:4 English Standard Version Chapter 19 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” You might ask, how do I know I have repented? John’s teaching here is very helpful. He does not say merely “repent,” but rather, “bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” Does anyone here like apples? They are so good! (unless they are rotten or sour!) Good apples come from good trees. It’s the image God uses to show us what repentance is like. Repentance is the process of the tree (or in our case our hearts) changing from being corrupted to being holy. The “fruit” is the new ways we love God and others that grow out of our changed hearts. The way you know if you have really repented is very simple. John is saying you know you have repented when your life changes and you don’t commit particular sins as much anymore— possibly some of them not at all anymore. There is an inward hatred of sin and remorse for the ways we have fallen short in repentance (Calvin). The way your life changes does not (and can never!) save you, it only shows that God has already saved you. God doesn’t save those who are righteous; he saves those who know they are not.[9] And just to be clear, repentance is not only for unbelievers. Martin Luther taught us, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent'' (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” If you are already walking with Jesus, the most relevant question to ask is not, “did I repent back when I accepted Jesus?; rather it’s, “have I repented afresh today?” I wake up needing to repent every day. The first thought on my heart in the morning is not, “only Jesus!” It’s usually much less holy than that. I need to turn immediately from the worries or the cravings I have and come to Jesus for help. Now I want to raise an important question: why do we not repent sometimes? John anticipates what is going on in the hearts of his listeners and what will keep them from turning from loving their sin to loving God. He warns them in the second part of verse 8, English Standard Version Chapter 3 And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. The Jewish audience who was listening to John thought they had no need of repentance. They thought that God was comfortable with their sin because of their connection to Abraham (the first Jew through whom God made the whole nation). They thought, “If I’m this guy’s descendent, then God will forgive me no matter what because he promised him spiritual descendents.” They thought they were aligned with God’s kingdom, but they were actually opposing God for no greater reason than they hadn’t repented. And the question at hand is: how will they respond to John’s stinging rebuke? After all, baptism at this time was a ritual washing for gentiles to join the Jewish people, and here is John telling Jews that they, the descendents of Abraham, also needed a washing and cleansing.[10] He said to them, “you are not God’s people like you think you are, you need to become God’s people through repentance. God actually doesn’t need you at all: he could make worshippers from these rocks, but if your turn from your wickedness, he will forgive you.” This kind of language could get him stoned or killed by the crowd. Before we see, let’s notice that John reveals in this verse one major thing that keeps us from repenting: we construct false understandings of ourselves in which we don’t see ourselves as in need of repenting. We think of all sorts of things that we use to convince ourselves that God is okay with us and we don’t need to renounce ourselves yet again and turn to him in fresh dependence. What are some of the one’s you come up with? Perhaps it’s some sacrifice or some good work that you have done, so God owes you. Perhaps it’s that your parents were Christians and you grew up in a Christian household, so God must be alright with you. Perhaps it’s that you pray a lot or read your Bible a lot. Perhaps it’s that you go to church or you were baptized. Perhaps it’s that your parents think you are a perfect child or you do everything you can to be the perfect parent. For me, it’s “I’m not really that bad” or “God knows all the sacrifices I make and all the ways I serve him, so he is alright with me.” And yet, whether or not you are a follower of Jesus yet, this is a need we all have each and every day: to repent. For the unbeliever, you need to repent so you can have your sins forgiven and for the believer we need to repent so that we can have more of Jesus today. This brings me to my main point: We must repent daily so that we can have more of God. In repenting, we both die and rise. When repenting, it will actually never feel pleasant because there is no repenting without renouncing yourself. At the level of your heart, you embrace that what you did fell short, and you part ways with your false identity that you are alright without God. Until we repent, we are all wearing a mask where we pretend everything is alright with us when it’s not. The mask the crowd was wearing is “descendent of Abraham.” The masks we wear are other ways we come up with the avoid the fact that we need God’s forgiveness for the particular sins in our lives. When we repent to God, the mask comes off and that false version of ourselves dies. It’s that moment where we just kind of cringe and think, “could this really be me?” And yet it is the same moment where God removes the obstacle that was keeping him from our hearts and he comes to us! Some of my sweetest moments of communion with Jesus have been after my hardest falls. That’s because those falls bring me to repentance and I stop pretending I’m alright and plead desperately to Christ and he answers! And then, our lives and behaviors change to become more like Jesus. If you repent, you get to be with and be like Jesus. What could be better than that? John is very clear. His command to repent is not a suggestion or something we should just ponder, but rather it is urgent! He says in verse 9, English Standard Version Chapter 3 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Judgment from a holy God who cannot tolerate any sin is coming imminently. We are always one heart beat away from eternity, and quite frankly we never know if the next moment will be the one Jesus comes back and judges the earth. So, quite frankly, judgment is as close to us as a sharpened axe, laying beside the tree it is about to fell. And John is clear that part of judgment will be an inspection of our lives. He says “every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” As repentance is an inward renewal of our hearts that has outward effects on how we act and live, God will inspect to see if we have repented by whether or not our lives have changed at all. I just want to be clear: the Bible does not teach that we earn it or that we have to do enough good works to get God’s love. It teaches that once we have it, the evidence of our having received it is how our lives change. God will save us as we are, but never leave us as we are. God can accept us as we are, even before we change at all, because of Jesus. Jesus hung on a tree and received the axe stroke of God’s wrath in our place already so we would never have to. The goodness of Jesus and all he has done is the reason we can lay down our false sense of our own righteousness and come to him in repentance and faith. I want to be clear here: changing your behavior does not put you in a right relationship with God. Your heart shifting from loving sin to loving Jesus and then placing your trust in Jesus to be your savior puts you in a relationship with God. Then, the way that inward renewal changes the way your live shows God has already saved you. Yet, we need to understand a critical warning here: if sin characterizes our lives and we are not turning from it, then the wrath of God still hangs over us. A true inward renewal will always show itself in outward transformation. I have a word that I want to speak to those who do not yet follow Jesus (although this also applies to you if you are a follower of Jesus). Each of us is either fleeing to God or fleeing from God. Unexpectedly, the way to flee from God’s wrath, is to flee to God as savior through Jesus Christ. Please, if you are not yet a believer in God, think that you can run away and escape from him somehow. Here is what one Bible teacher named John Calvin said, “For a good part of men, in order to escape the wrath of God, withdraw themselves from his guidance and authority. But all that the sinner gains by fleeing from God, is to provoke more and more the wrath of God against him.”[11] If may feel safer, and more comfortable to flee from God now and not face him in repentance and be right with him. But oh, you will have wish you had when you leave this earth when you still had a chance to flee from his wrath. This is actually a very scandalous message! The Jew’s message that God would save religious Pharisees is actually pretty tame. When John breaks down that notion and says repentance is the only way for God to save someone, it opens up the floodgates. Through repentance, any person can be saved! Were an Isis terrorist or a neo-Nazi to walk through the door and repent, they would be welcome into God’s people. How amazing how God has done it! The self-sufficient religious get left out, and the poor sinner who knows he needs a savior is welcome. Now we can see the answer to the dilemma: how can I repent when I don’t want to by putting together the last few verses: (1) We must see ourselves rightly as sinners in need of a savior. We have to take our masks off and forsake our false identities by reminding ourselves of the goodness of God. We hide from God when we don’t believe he is good and will receive us, yet come to God when he is good and know that he will forgive us. Romans 2:4 says, English Standard Version Chapter 2 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (2) Conversely, we need to remind ourselves regularly of how terrible God’s judgment is if we do not repent. John reminds us that the axe is laid by the tree and if we do not bear fruit, we will pass into the judgement of God. Rehearsing both of these truths: our need for a savior and the goodness of God, and the terrible judgement of God help bring us to repentance when we feel stuck. I remember when I was stuck in the habitual sin of pornography, it was reminding myself of the wrath of God that helped me get free. I remember telling myself, “Ross you will either break this habit and stop doing this, or you will keep doing it and go to hell— it’s your choice.” And God used that powerfully to help me. I want to talk about verses 12-14 on the midweek podcast and share with you a quote from Rosaria Butterfield about how powerful of an effect repentance could have in our community if we embraced it: Paul knows how deep real repentance goes— how it undoes a sinner and remakes him, and how it leaves him raw, vulnerable, and transparent. I imagine Paul— years after the Lord had made him an apostle, years after his days of slaughtering Christians for religious zeal— breaking bread with a fellow believer and recognizing something in the shape of an eye, the turning up of a nose, the tone of a laugh or cry. I also imagine the horror that could have seized him, stopped him, made him gasp for breath. I can feel the recognition: that eye, that nose, that voice, so similar to someone he had murdered. Paul may have found himself at table fellowship with the children of a faithful mother that he had killed in his Pharisaical zeal. Repentance changes everything. Through it, you become something you could never imagine. And repentance is a gift from God. It cannot be manufactured or faked. Repentance goes so deep and transforms us in such miraculous ways because it is a work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He gets all the credit when we repent and he gets all the glory for what happens when we repent. It is a sweet, wonderful gift that shows us what a wonderful savior we have. [1] Runge, S. E. (2010). Discourse Grammar of the Greek New Testament: A Practical Introduction for Teaching and Exegesis (p. 216). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. [2] Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 159–180. [3] Philip Graham Ryken, Luke, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, vol. 1, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2009), 114–125. [4] Morris, L. (1988). Luke: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 3, p. 112). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. [5] Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 252–254. [6] Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 252–254. [7] Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 640). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. [8] John Calvin, Harmony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, trans. David W. Rev. William Pringle, vol. 1, Calvin’s Commentaries 23 Volume Set (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2009), 190. [9] Tim Keller sermon, The Dangerous God, https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/the-dangerous-god-6278/. [10] [10] Tom Wright, Luke for Everyone (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004), 30–34. [11] John Calvin, Harmony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, trans. David W. Rev. William Pringle, vol. 1, Calvin’s Commentaries 23 Volume Set (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2009), 189.

At the center of our apprenticeship to Jesus is a symbol: the cross. We have lost the gravity and power of this image in our modern world. What it requires of us is lost or ignored in our culture. But, as we look at the invitation of Jesus to “deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me,” we have to wrestle with the call to self-denial in an age of self-fulfillment.Luke 9:18-24, Galatians 5:16-24, Luke 9:57-60, Luke 14:25-33, Matthew 13:44“Crucifixion was quintessentially a public affair. Naked and affixed to a stake, cross or tree, the victim was subjected to savage ridicule by frequent passersby’s, while the general populace was given a grim reminder of the fate of those who assert themselves against the authority of the state.”Joel B. Green“Self-Denial is the overall, settled condition of life in the kingdom of God, better described as ‘death to self.’ In this and this alone lies the key to the soul’s restoration. Christian spiritual formation rests on this indispensable foundation of death to self and cannot proceed except insofar as that foundation is being firmly laid and sustained.”Dallas Willard“My secret is that I want to be relevant and popular. I want my desires fulfilled and pain minimalized. I want a manageable relationship with an institution rather than messy relationships with real people. I want to be transformed into the image of Christ by showing up at entertaining events rather than through the hard work of discipline. I want to wear my faith on my sleeve and not look at the darkness in my heart. And above all, I want a controllable god. I want a divine commodity to do my will on earth well as in heaven.”Skye Jethani – The Divine Commodity“We subtly imbibe the implicit prosperity gospel through consumerism and advertising, but also through viewing the lives of other Christians who seem to lead amazing, meaningful, pleasure filled lives. We nly have to trawl through our Instagram feeds to find pastors, believing musicians, artists, authors, and activists who seem to live incredible lives. These people seem to have the best of both worlds: They follow Jesus and get to travel, live in cool neighborhoods, hang with really interesting people, have incredible marriages and rock the single life, and connect with the most amazing people.”“We do not recognize the way in which the implicit prosperity gospel affects us until our unspoken expectations are not met. We understand that God would ask people in the Two-Thirds World to give things – to sacrifice – but our heresy hidden under the surface is our belief that God would not ask Western people to deny themselves.”Mark Sayers – Disappearing Church“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”Jim Elliot“St. Ignatius of Loyola notes that, ‘Sin is unwillingness to trust that what God wants is our deepest happiness.’ Until I am absolutely convinced of this, I will do everything I can to keep my hands on the controls of mu life because I think I know better than God what I need for fulfillment.”David Benner

Thanks for checking out this episode of Art of the Sermon! Be sure to subscribe through iTunes, Google Play Music, or your favorite podcast app. If you enjoy this episode, leave a review on our podcast’s page in the iTunes store. This will help others discover the show! Guest: Rev. Chad Brooks – Pastor at Foundry in Monroe, LA; Host of The Productive Pastor Podcast and Co-Host of The Threshing Floor Podcast General Topic: Productivity and Preaching Introduction to Chad, his ministry, and his church plant (1:02) Philosophy and approach to worship and preaching (3:29) How preaching fits into the larger worship service (4:51) Focusing the sermon (6:30) Story behind The Productive Pastor Podcast (7:34) Secret to staying on top of the challenges and demands of ministry (9:19) Preaching productivity challenges and solutions (11:54) Chad’s sermon preparation process (14:30) Thoughts on delivery style and length (17:46) Using Evernote for collecting and organizing material (24:29) Chad’s toughest and favorite preaching experiences (27:37) Impactful preachers/communicators in Chad’s life (30:06) Influential Books (32:59) How to follow Chad (34:29) Links to things mentioned in the episode The Productive Pastor Podcast - Episode on Chad’s process for reading notes and cataloging The Threshing Floor Podcast Preaching Rocket Evernote TEDx Talk by Aaron Draplin (with use of slides as Chad describes) Nancy Duarte on Amazon Communicating for Change - Andy Stanley We Speak Because We Have First Been Spoken: A "Grammar" of the Preaching Life - Michael Pasquarello III Narrative Reading, Narrative Preaching: Reuniting New Testament Interpretation and Proclamation - Michael Pasquarello III and Joel B. Green (editors) Reaching out to our guest RevChadBrooks.com @revchadbrooks on Twitter RevChadBrooks on Facebook RevChadBrooks on Instagram WeAreFoundry.com Connect with the Show I would love to hear what you think about the show—especially this episode. You can connect with the show and send me your feedback through the following channels: Facebook - Facebook.com/ArtOfTheSermon Twitter- Twitter.com/ArtOfTheSermon Instagram- Instagram.com/ArtOfTheSermon Comment on the Show Notes post at ArtOfTheSermon.com Art of the Sermon is a project by Dan Wunderlich of Defining Grace. Learn more at DefiningGrace.com Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in these show notes may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Defining Grace is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.

Joel B. Green joins me to discuss the view of the soul known as “physicalism” and its implications when it comes to the nature of Jesus Christ. Music Richland Hills Church of Christ, The Day God Died from the album, … Continue reading →

Kevin and Steve discuss the rich array of interpretations of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross with Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Dr. Joel B. Green, of Asbury Theological Seminary (Methodist-Wesleyan), and why the reduction of this variety to a single, exclusive view of the atonement - "the "penal substitutionary model" - poses its own scandal, one that is foreign to the New Testament! Buckle up your seat belts!