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Sunday 2 December 2012

Colossians 3:1-4 - Created in His Image

Many of Paul's letters follow a similar pattern. They begin with a presentation of what Christ has done for us, of what has been achieved on the cross. Then there are the practical implications on our own lives. We are utterly and completely dependent upon what Christ has done for us. However, this is no way whatsoever means that we do nothing. 
God created us in His image, this means that we have a measure of independence. Look at like this. Consider a laptop computer. It maybe plugged into the mains, but it can of course operate without being plugged in to the main for a couple of hours or so. But suppose the laptop says to itself "I don't need the mains, I can live on my own strength" so it unplugs itself from the mains. For a couple of hours everything will be fine, but then it will start to run into trouble as its battery runs down, and because it has divorced itself form the mains it cannot get recharged. The laptop can operate independently, but only if it maintains regular contact with the mains. So it is with us. We are completely dependent upon Christ, but He created us and He has saved us so that we can be independent as well. It is when we give God His proper place that we gain true freedom.
So we are to set our minds on things above, on Christ and the position He has been given. This is not so that we "so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good", but so that we are fed by the Spirit, that we become the most useful and influential people on earth.

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