In Tune With Christ

In Tune With Christ for paper                  Rev. Terry Goerz, Redeemer Lutheran Church

If you own a musical instrument you know how important it is to be in tune. It is very difficult in a band when one instrument is of tune. Someone must play a single note, say middle C, repeatedly to get the out of tune instrument back in tune.

Staying in tune was also a dire need of the early Christians, their “middle C” being “Christ.” The thing is, staying in tune with “Christ” can, as we all know, be difficult, given constant opposition from the old evil foe, the world around us, and our own sinful flesh. In the case of the Colossian Christians, it was increasingly so. The apostle Paul had become aware of their struggle with false teachers, whose opposition was growing ever stronger. They were promoting dabbling with cosmic beings, initiations, asceticism (that is rigorous abstention from self-indulgence), and things of this world. St. Paul writes: “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.” Colossians 2:20- 22

In the first two chapters of this letter, Paul had already warned all who would read it—including the Colossians and all of us today—of “human precepts and teachings” that “have indeed an appearance of wisdom” but are always seriously out of tune and contrary to the teachings the Colossians had received and the teachings of our “middle C,” Christ.

Today, the distractions have for the most part changed, asceticism and worship of angels having been long since replaced by such human precepts and teachings as rationalism, modernism, socialism, evolutionism, postmodernism, progressivism, globalism, and transgenderism. Also to be included are, wokeness, abortion, LGBTQ, euthanasia and the like. All of these and more belong to what Paul called “an appearance of wisdom” seen so readily and accepted all around us in our day: “Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” Colossians 2:23  

Paul therefore instructs and exhorts the Colossian Christians and us to stay in tune with Christ: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Colossians 3:5, 8-10

And he says instead: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12 – 14  

This is what it is to be in tune with Christ, our “middle C.” Paul also includes some really good news in chapter 3: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” Colossians 3:1–4

We are confident that this is coming: “When Christ who is your life appears” at the end of this world’s limited time, “then you also will appear with him in glory”. This is our happy ending, bar none. This is the really good news for all who are baptized, thereby having already died and been raised with Christ. Our life is now “hidden with Christ in God”, so that “when Christ who is your life appears” on this earth’s final day, “then you also will appear with him in glory” to participate in the culmination or our sure hope, the one that will have no ending, when we will be numbered with all the saints, who, having lived and died on earth with “Christ” at the center of their lives, will forever from their earthly labors rest.

Of course, we are assured of this, but most of its marvelous details have yet to be made manifest. We truly have much to look forward to.

Blessings