Resurrection, Identity, and Colossians 3

some thoughts on my unconventional take on Colossians 3:1-17

On Sunday mornings in our Bible study, I’ve been leading the class through an expedited study of Colossians. We’re really just doing this for filler since our quarters are about to change, so we’re just looking at a section of each chapter to get a good overview of the book before we get into our next extended study.

I’ve taken a casual approach to this study and have let the conversation in the class carry the discussion instead of preparing lecture notes, handouts, or anything like that.

It’s been a lot of fun.

Given my recent focus on identity, authenticity, and self-actualization, I read Colossians 3 in a way I never have before, and I thought I’d share it with you.

Whether or not it’s the “correct” interpretation is up for debate, but it sure is helpful to me.

It might be a good idea for you to read this text yourself before reading my commentary on it. If you skip through and read all of the block quotes at the start of the sections, then that oughta be good.

Notes on Colossians 3

The Setup—Colossians 3:1-4

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are 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 your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. Colossians 3:1–4

Three Dichotomies

In our class, my friend Josh pointed out that there’s three dichotomies in this passage: above verses on earth, death versus life, and hidden versus revealed.

He starts by saying that “if” they have been raised, which is a callback to Colossians 2:13-14 in which they were resurrected through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That is, just as the Spirit raised Christ from the dead, they were joined with Christ in his death, forgiven of their sins, and made alive in the Spirit.

Since that has happened, they need to set their affections on “things that are above.” That is, they are to put their mind on Christ who rules in the heavenly realm. If they set their mind on things “on earth,” then that will cause continual division and strife among their congregations. They would be putting emphasis on the shadow instead of the one who casts the shadow (Colossians 2:16-19).

They “died” to those things, and now they have come to life in Christ, so they need to focus on things that make for peace.

As of now, though, their life is hidden (why?), but it will be revealed.

Already, But Not Yet

In this passage we get the sense that something has happened, is happening, and will happen. They have come to life, they are coming to life, but their life will be revealed.

This is a common theme throughout the New Testament, but this is also a common theme in our lives, right?

We know who we are, we are coming into who we truly are, and who we really are will hopefully be revealed—self-actualization.

As we learn to live integrated lives and take off the masks, then who we actually are will become more apparent.

So the “already, but not yet” isn’t just a technical expression in eschatology; it’s a description of how we live as individuals and communities.

Christ is Revealed?

Now, when we read that Christ would be revealed, we may first think this refers to the second coming of Christ, and it very well may.

However…

It might not be.

This word is translated as “disclosed” (Mark 4:22), “appeared” (Mark 16:12), “revealed” (John 2:11), clearly “seen” (John 3:22), “show”—as in revealing a secret (John 7:4), and “made plain” (Romans 1:19).

What this passage could be saying is “to the degree that you body forth the image of Christ, not only will Jesus be more clearly seen in the world, but your true self will also be disclosed.”¹

Bear with me through the next few passages and judge for yourself.

And the argument could always be made that this is a “both/ and” situation, or I may just be completely wrong, and that’s okay too.

The Crucifixion of the False Self—Colossians 3:5-9

Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices Colossians 3:5–9

A Little Something on the Sins

Okay, so anytime Paul lists a bunch of sins, people freak out, and that is understandable. Lists like these have been weaponized against others since the very beginning, but pay attention to what Paul is doing here. He lists two different kinds of sins side by side: (1) outward, “obvious” sins and (2) inward things everyone struggles with.

So instead of giving us ammunition to target everyone else, Paul is inviting us to critique ourselves. In fact, he specifically says to put these things to death within ourselves, not in everyone else.

If you use this passage to critique anyone besides yourself, then you’ve missed the whole point of the passage.

We are called to crucify ourselves with Christ, not our neighbors.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s actually pay attention to what Paul is saying here.

Things Below, Things Above

Paul’s entire purpose here is community building. Notice how he says “do not lie to one another…” When we set our minds on things below, we move towards competition and violence.

We’ll compare ourselves with everyone else.

We’ll see others as something instead of someone.

The first group of sins might be seen as sins of objectification. We may objectify another human as someone to be used sexually and not loved. We may see money as a way to gain power, friends, or influence instead of as a tool to help those in need.

The second group of sins might be seen as what happens when we other our neighbors. Since we’ve moved from cooperation and family to competition and teams, we become angry, bitter, and talk bad about everyone all the time. We have no problem lying because life becomes a zero-sum game, so we must “win” no matter the cost.

In this system, every issue, every disagreement becomes a matter of life and death.

The Old Self

This entire way of living is called “the old self.” We might know it as the “false self” or even the “compartmentalized self.” We compartmentalize because there isn’t a place for our integrated self to exist because we have been trained to see the world in a certain way. It’s another way of “lying to one another” to maintain peace, but this is a false kind of peace.

And so Paul says that we have “stripped off” the old self like clothes.

The other day, the kids were playing outside and they got so dirty that my mom had to wash their clothes and give them baths. Later that day, Cayden wanted to go back outside and play more before bed, but we had to make him stay inside because he had just had a bath and put on his freshly washed clothes.

Going back to the world of competition and masks and mimetic rivalry is like putting on dirty clothes after having a bath.

Resurrection and the Elimination of Competition—Colossians 3:10-12

and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all! Colossians 3:10–11

The Revelation of Christ

Saying that Christ is all and in all is another way of saying that Christ is resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:28). But how is Christ revealed? Remember from the previous sections that as long as our life is hidden with Christ in God, then Christ is hidden. When Christ is revealed, we are revealed.

So, what is this “new self” that Paul is talking about? Let’s let Paul offer some commentary on this…

As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:27–29; cf. Romans 6:1-11

When the Holy Spirit places us into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), then we are clothed with Christ. The “new self” then could be understood as Christ, which might make the “old self” Adam, which is what Paul calls life “below” or “in the flesh.”

So when we put on the new self, we are really putting on Christ. That is, we are imaging Christ for the rest of the world.

Then something cool happens. When Christ is disclosed in the world through the Spirt that works within us, our true self is disclosed. God made us to be the image of God. We are truly ourselves when we are that image.

As long as we are the image of the world below, we aren’t being our true selves. This has huge implications for how we interact with each other.

No More Fighting

When we become our true selves, we move from dualism, which breeds rivalry and competition, to non-dual thinking.

That is Paul’s “there is no longer” in 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:27-29, and here in Colossians 3.

We stop worrying about whether or not someone is Jew or Greek, barbarian or civilized, or fits within specific religious or cultural expectations.

All that matters at this point is that each person is loved, made in the image of God, and welcomed to the table.

It’s not that we start playing a different game; it’s that there is no game. There is just victory for all because Jesus “disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in [the cross and resurrection]” (Colossians 2:15). That is, Jesus disarmed the very ones who came up with the categories that divide us.

To judge another, then, is to live under the illusion that the rulers and authorities still have power.

Or to put it in a more convicting way…

To judge, repress, or otherwise mask the unique, wonderful work of art that is you is to also pretend that the rulers and authorities have any power.

We need you as God made you, not the you that pretends to be someone else to fit into a space in which the real you wouldn’t be welcome.

We need the you that is made in the image of God because that is where our true identity lies.

The Integrated Self

We think our identity lies in the old self. But really the “sins” Paul mentions are all expressions of the false self, the self isolated from Divine community. We think that wearing the masks give us the community we need, but I think we all know that isolating parts of ourselves is far lonelier than being our true self, even if the masks give us friends.

The problem with these kinds of friends is that they stop being friends if we are truly ourselves, and what kind of community is that?

When we body forth the Christ, then we are transformed into his image, and when we are transformed into this image then are we truly ourselves—all in all. Because this is what God designed us to be.

When we move beyond the labels imposed on us by society based on categories ordered according to “things below” or “things on the earth,” then we become truly ourselves where the only category that matters is Imago Dei—image of God. This is true non-dual existence. This is resurrection.

What this Looks Like—Colossians 3:12-17

Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:12–17

Our New Clothes

Paul’s description of our new clothes looks very similar to the fruit of the Spirt. Imagine if everyone who claimed to be a Christian prioritized compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, love, and peace?

Yet, I think we all witness those other things more often than we do these: greed, anger, malice, and abusive language—to name a few. Unfortunately, because Christianity is most often represented in the media by billionaires and politicians, it seems that Christianity is becoming more synonymous with the qualities of the false self than with the picture of Jesus.

We shouldn’t quote verses, sell Bibles, and talk about religious freedom while being angry, hurling abusive language, and loving money.

All that does is breed division and animosity. Christ cannot be revealed in people like that.

We must clothe ourselves in love, prioritize peace, and learn to bear with each other in our differences. If the body of Christ dissolves the barriers that divide us, we must refuse to prop them up. We must submit to the work of the Holy Sprit within us and actually be “one body.”

Expressions of Love

Towards the end of this passage, Paul says that this manifests itself in thankfulness and song. To me, there is nothing more precious than singing with others. During one night of my graduate school residency, a few of us got together in a side room to pray for a girl in the foster care system. My friend Anni and I took turns on the cajon, a box drum, while my friend Jordan led us in worship on the guitar. It was such a sacred moment and indicative of the welcoming and kind environment that would mark the whole week.

Our True Worship

Verse 17 truly captures what this kind of integrated life looks like:

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

Everything we do becomes worship (cf. Romans 12:1-2). Some traditions call this contemplation. Every action, every thought, every intention is baptized in gratitude.

Don’t treat this as a “never sin again” sort of thing. That would ruin it.

Instead, think of it like “maturity” or “completion.” We might think of the Greek word “telos.” Like when Jesus said, “Be teleios, therefore, as your heavenly Father is teleios” (Matthew 5:48). When we learn to love our enemies, which is the embodiment of non-duality, then we are mature, grown up, and complete.

This is the aim of Colossians 3:1-17.

Now, for my Church of Christ friends, why would we take Colossians 3:16-17 out of this awesome, unifying, love-filled context and throw it on a tract about correct worship, biblical authority, and pattern theology? Doesn’t that do exactly the opposite of what Paul is doing here?

What I Take Away From it All

Here’s what I take away from all this:

Christ is revealed to the world when we learn to live as we were designed to live. When we walk in love, peace, compassion, and kindness, we are living as our true selves. When we live in these life-giving, resurrected ways, then we body forth Christ to everyone around us. This reveals both Christ and us. Our true self is disclosed when we find our true identity in God.

Jesus did not come to lead us away from ourselves; he came to lead us away from our false selves into our mature/ complete/ teleios self that is made in the image of God.

The rulers and authorities try desperately to keep us living in our old self, our compartmentalized self, our false self because that self maintains an inferior social imaginary. We have to realize that Jesus has stripped them of their power, so we are safe to be who we were designed to be. No more masks, no more hiding, no more saying “no” to who God made us to be.

Let’s emerge from ourselves and live lives of love and gratitude. Insofar as Christ is revealed in us, let’s live true to ourselves so others realize that “all of you is welcome here.”

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1. “Body forth” comes from Samuel Balentine’s commentary on Leviticus. It means to put flesh and blood on a concept, to live it out.