Clarity in a World of Insanity | Colossians 3:1-4
Have you ever drove a car that you couldn’t see out of the windshield? It’s not a good idea. Maybe your windshield wipers were old and worn out and it was raining so hard that you can’t see anything (or it is cracked or frosted over). One very important thing about driving is having the ability to see what is ahead of you. It is insanity to drive without seeing what is ahead of you. We are living in days of insanity: Cypress Hill sang we are “insane in the membrane and insane in the brain.” Moral insanity: where “evil is called good and good is called evil.” Our world is so in love with lies that truth sounds like hate. Political insanity: where are only choices for leadership are the bad, the terrible and the ugly. Theological insanity: 38% of evangelicals reject the deity of Christ; 46% believe people are good by nature and 22% believe that gender identity is a matter of personal choice 2. If there is a mist coming from the pulpit, there will be fog in the pews. Tozer: Too much of contemporary Christianity is borrowed from the philosophies of the world and even other religions. Phrases and mottos that on the surface look great but are not rooted in scripture or that mostly bolster one’s self-image. 3 Churches and pastors are too busy preaching the gospel of self that say “live your truth” rather than live the truth. Childers: The bestselling books, podcasts, and blogs by those who have left historic Christianity behind preach a “gospel” of self…to be authentic, I must belong to myself. To be happy, I must put myself first. To be fulfilled, I must be enough for myself. To be successful, I must control my own destiny. All these ideas build upon the starting point of self. Building your hope and life on you is like driving in the rain without being able to see out the windshield; you are destined to wreck. Clarity is the removal of ambiguity and understanding reality. Christian maturity moves at the speed of clarity around gospel identity and gospel priorities. (Who you are and where you are going.) Gospel Clarity is not everything, but it changes everything.
3:1-4 serve as a bridge text that ties chapters 1-2 with 3-4. Paul is writing to a group of believers who lived in a very confused culture. Colossae was famous for a buffet of temples and gods that met whatever need you felt you had: health, fertility, prosperity and protection. The religious custom of the people was to assemble whatever package of superstitions or rituals you wanted to fit your needs. (Build a Bear theology) The believers in Colossae struggled to not
adopt the pluralistic, syncretistic mentality and spirituality of their community and believe the lie that they needed something other than Jesus. Paul is teaching that clarity in a world of insanity is found only in Christ. Believers must set their hearts and minds on Jesus to find their gospel identity and priorities that will provide clarity in days of insanity.