I was sitting in church this Sunday listening to Pastor Hal. Two things he said struck me in particular. First, he asked where our focus was. Are we focused on Jesus, or on the world? Second, he pointed out the response of Israel to God's presence on the mountain. They wanted Moses to experience God for them, and communicate to Him in their place. I haven't been able to get these two ideas out of my head since. They may not seem related at first. Let me explain.
First, let's talk about our approach to God. Paul deals with this in Colossians chapter 2. Here's Col 2:20-23:
If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!" (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)-in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
The church Paul is addressing here is dealing with a specific issue regarding their past. There were several cults in the area that existed before the area was reached by the gospel. Clearly then, many of the converts to Christianity in this area would have come from these cults. The belief of these cults that Paul is attacking in this passage is the way they approached worship and communication with their deity. They believed that once you were initiated into their religion, you had to work your way through certain rites and rituals on the way towards experiencing god. They didn't actually get to interact with their god in any way until all these rituals were complete, and that could actually take a lifetime. That's what Paul is referring to with “decrees, such as Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” He's saying, your relationship with Christ exists already. You don't have to perform specific rites or rituals to work your way into a relationship with Him. While this actions may seem to be wise, they aren't actually getting you closer to Jesus. Why not? Because you are in Christ. Your relationship with Christ began at the moment of salvation. You were grafted in (Rom 11:17). You were far off, but you have been brought near (Eph 2:13).
Now lets talk about our focus. Directly after this passage, Paul follows his discouragement with a grand encouragement. In Col 3:1-4 we see:
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
So, if we realize who we are in Christ, then our focus in life will reflect that. He encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus. This is not an uncommon request in scripture (Heb 12:2). I knew a man once who used to preach. When he stopped, he explained by saying he was “so heavenly minded, I was no earthly good.” Clearly he never fully understood what Paul is trying to say here. To be heavenly minded is to be earthly good. To be earthly minded is to be no good at all (Rom 8:8).
So what does this have to do with the Israelites and Moses? The Israelites wanted someone to experience God and interact with God in their place. This attitude is not unique to them. Christians today rely on their pastors and preachers to interpret scripture. We rely on ministers to pray for us. This comes across in our language. When we refer to worship, we say we're “coming into God's presence”. On Sunday, we say we're “going to church”. In reality, we are always in God's presence, and we exist as the church. We still want Moses to stand in our place, but we don't realize that we can't distance ourselves from God. He is everywhere. We can't cower from His presence, and ask someone else to brave it for us. God has expanded His Holy mountaintop, and it is all encompassing.
Some people seem to be content with ignoring the reality of God's presence. They are content with living off of other people's experiences. This may actually work for them. It may be enough for them to survive spiritually. The problem is someone may need to lean on them. The distance that we try to force into our experience with God is noticeable. People can pick up on it. Theology is not taught as much as it is perceived. My challenge to you is that you would not be like the Israelites. Be thankful for the reality that Paul has illustrated for us. Worship your God in every place and every way as often as you can. You don't have to work your way into this relationship, you only have to maintain it. And you are just as close to God as anyone else. Make these truths a reality in your life and people around you will be set free. You aren't responsible for how other people behave, but you will stand before God and account for your own behavior. Paul summed this reality up enigmatically as follows:
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ...for each one should carry his own load. (Gal 6:2,5)
Our focus should be on the risen Christ, who purchased our salvation with his blood. When we see Him and his actions in the proper light, our response should be somber gratitude as well as unbridled joy. This is because such a great God has gone to such great lengths to bring the mountaintop to us, because we could not reach it's summit on our own.
-Ryan Lytton
First, let's talk about our approach to God. Paul deals with this in Colossians chapter 2. Here's Col 2:20-23:
If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!" (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)-in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
The church Paul is addressing here is dealing with a specific issue regarding their past. There were several cults in the area that existed before the area was reached by the gospel. Clearly then, many of the converts to Christianity in this area would have come from these cults. The belief of these cults that Paul is attacking in this passage is the way they approached worship and communication with their deity. They believed that once you were initiated into their religion, you had to work your way through certain rites and rituals on the way towards experiencing god. They didn't actually get to interact with their god in any way until all these rituals were complete, and that could actually take a lifetime. That's what Paul is referring to with “decrees, such as Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” He's saying, your relationship with Christ exists already. You don't have to perform specific rites or rituals to work your way into a relationship with Him. While this actions may seem to be wise, they aren't actually getting you closer to Jesus. Why not? Because you are in Christ. Your relationship with Christ began at the moment of salvation. You were grafted in (Rom 11:17). You were far off, but you have been brought near (Eph 2:13).
Now lets talk about our focus. Directly after this passage, Paul follows his discouragement with a grand encouragement. In Col 3:1-4 we see:
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
So, if we realize who we are in Christ, then our focus in life will reflect that. He encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus. This is not an uncommon request in scripture (Heb 12:2). I knew a man once who used to preach. When he stopped, he explained by saying he was “so heavenly minded, I was no earthly good.” Clearly he never fully understood what Paul is trying to say here. To be heavenly minded is to be earthly good. To be earthly minded is to be no good at all (Rom 8:8).
So what does this have to do with the Israelites and Moses? The Israelites wanted someone to experience God and interact with God in their place. This attitude is not unique to them. Christians today rely on their pastors and preachers to interpret scripture. We rely on ministers to pray for us. This comes across in our language. When we refer to worship, we say we're “coming into God's presence”. On Sunday, we say we're “going to church”. In reality, we are always in God's presence, and we exist as the church. We still want Moses to stand in our place, but we don't realize that we can't distance ourselves from God. He is everywhere. We can't cower from His presence, and ask someone else to brave it for us. God has expanded His Holy mountaintop, and it is all encompassing.
Some people seem to be content with ignoring the reality of God's presence. They are content with living off of other people's experiences. This may actually work for them. It may be enough for them to survive spiritually. The problem is someone may need to lean on them. The distance that we try to force into our experience with God is noticeable. People can pick up on it. Theology is not taught as much as it is perceived. My challenge to you is that you would not be like the Israelites. Be thankful for the reality that Paul has illustrated for us. Worship your God in every place and every way as often as you can. You don't have to work your way into this relationship, you only have to maintain it. And you are just as close to God as anyone else. Make these truths a reality in your life and people around you will be set free. You aren't responsible for how other people behave, but you will stand before God and account for your own behavior. Paul summed this reality up enigmatically as follows:
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ...for each one should carry his own load. (Gal 6:2,5)
Our focus should be on the risen Christ, who purchased our salvation with his blood. When we see Him and his actions in the proper light, our response should be somber gratitude as well as unbridled joy. This is because such a great God has gone to such great lengths to bring the mountaintop to us, because we could not reach it's summit on our own.
-Ryan Lytton
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