Privilege and Responsibility

Privilege and Responsibility

 

Telling an introvert to shelter-in-place is not all that traumatizing. Especially an introvert who already homeschools her children, and for whom reading a book in the living room with her husband by her side is a hot date.

I’m pretty sure I’ve talked – via phone or text – with more people in the last month than I did before we were sequestered in our homes. Between checking in on family members and friends, I’ve socialized more with a ban on activity than with what had been normal.

Things are weird.

Frankly, the amazing speed with which our government has been able to shut down churches, close businesses, and legislate the distribution of vast amounts of money scares me more than this disturbing virus.

Not being a prophet of Biblical definition, I have no idea what’s going to happen next. Not that I really did before we descended into the world of COVID-19, but things were certainly more familiar in the world that was.

Thankfully, who we are in the Lord doesn’t change with circumstances or disease.

Continuing with my foray into Colossians, we are going to look at our privilege and responsibility in the Lord.

 

Privilege

 

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved (Colossians 3:12a, NASB),

Those three terms: chosen, holy, and beloved are terms that have been used for God’s chosen people, the Israelites, but with the first advent of our Lord Jesus the status quo changed.

Now those terms belong to those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ for their salvation. We are His people.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1Peter 2:9-10 NASB).

If we are saved, we have been chosen by God, set apart (holy) for Him, and beloved – He chose to set His love on us (Ephesians 1:4-6). This has nothing to do with anything good in us or anything we could possible do to earn that position. It’s all His love, mercy, grace, and sovereign will.

That is a privilege for which we should be abundantly thankful.

 

Responsibility

 

“With great power comes great responsibility,” said Spiderman’s Uncle Ben. Stan Lee’s profound statement applies here as well – overwhelming privilege results in an expectation of gratitude and change of heart.

put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you (Colossians 3:12b-13, NASB).

“Put on” refers to wrapping yourself up in or putting on new clothes after bathing. “The heart” here signifies our inner man – who we are. This is a list of characteristics that will distinguish a chosen, holy, and beloved follower of Jesus Christ.

All these characteristics reveal how we are to deal with other people. Christianity is not a solitary sport. On one hand it’s a personal relationship between us and our Creator, but on the other hand it is manifested in how we treat our fellow man.

Christianity is community. It has on its divine side the amazing gift of peace with God, and on its human side the triumphant solution of the problem of living together. ~ William Barclay

It is noticeable that this list alternates between a mindset and how that mindset is carried out through our actions.

Compassion (mindset) – this is a loving mercy – empathy, it is literally “pity”. We can allow no room for indifference to the suffering of others.

Kindness (action) – This is the action that goes with compassion – seeing someone else’s good as just as important as your own and acting on their behalf.

Humility (mindset) – This is knowing who you are in Christ – it’s being aware of your worth and your unworthiness – it’s not thinking more highly of yourself than you should, but having sound judgment (Romans 12:3). It’s seeing others on an equal plane – not above or beneath you.

Gentleness (action) – it is the behavior of the humble, not subservience, but power under control. (It) is being self-controlled, because of being God-controlled... Such a person has at one time and the same time the strength and sweetness of true gentleness (William Barclay).

Patience (mindset) – this is the ability to not get irritated with people’s foolishness – it’s not a surprise that folks are foolish or selfish or mean, now is it? It’s remembering what we are like and giving grace to others who act like we do.

Human patience is a reflection of the divine patience which tolerates all our sinning and never casts us off. ~ William Barclay

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance (Romans 2:4, NASB)?

Bearing with one another (action) – “to endure, to hold out in spite of persecution, threats, injury, indifference, or complaints and not retaliate.”

Let us not lose heart in doing good for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary (Galatians 6:9, NASB).

Forgiving each other (mindset), whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you –  forgive here is literally to be gracious – to remember all you have been and are being forgiven for and do likewise.

Christians forbear and forgive; and they do so because those who have been forgiven must always be forgiving. As God forgave them, so they must forgive others, for only the forgiving can be forgiven. ~ William Barclay

 

Putting on

 

That’s quite the list.

Pardon me while I go lay down now and eat chocolate.

But no, it’s not like we can do all that in our own strength. We do it in the strength God supplies – and we get better at it over time.

We practice.

Each day, we put it on as best we are able lifting up our inadequacies to the only One who can make us adequate (2 Corinthians 3:5, NASB).

It is good to know what a chosen, holy, and beloved follower of Jesus Christ looks like – it gives us something to shoot for, someone to emulate, and something to cooperate with God on our sojourn here.

Barclay, William. "Garments of Christian Grace." The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, Louisville, Westminister John Knox Press, 2017, pp. 182-184.

MacArthur, John. "Putting on the New Man." The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Colossians & Philemon, Chicago, Moody Publishers, 1992, pp. 153-157.

YouTube. "My Worth in Not in What I Own." Keith & Kristyn Getty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfFrJHuptUQ