The New Has Come

Paul wrote,

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. (Col 3:5-7)

"Therefore," he says. What for? Because "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" (Col 3:3-4). Okay, then. Those who "have died" in Christ ought to live differently. We ought to "consider the members of your earthly body as dead" to a variety of sin.

You can read the list. It's not controversial or obscure. We get it. But there is a question in it. At the end of the list Paul writes that it "amounts to idolatry." What amounts to idolatry? Most commentators link greed to idolatry. That's certainly interesting. The thinking is that when wanting more becomes a drive rather than a passing interest, it is because we have begun to worship "more." The word, translated "greed," refers more to selfishness grown to a passion, a grasping greed. That is idolatry.

I think that's true (of course), but I suspect that "greed" encompasses them all and, therefore, "idolatry" does, too. Greedy for sexual immorality. Greedy for impurity. Greedy for passions. Greedy for evil desires. Greedy for "what I want" and "I want it now." Idolatry. Maybe "what I want" is the idol or maybe I am the idol, demanding what I want as a matter of worship -- worship for me. Now, I know that we tend to think less of some sin than others, but we believers are all fairly certain that idolatry falls in among the worst sins. So this text should give us pause. Basically sins that are predicated on "my life" and "my pleasure" are contrary to "died with Christ" and replaces Christ in my life with the idol of me. That should give us pause.

Instead, Paul urges us to put away the old sins (Col 3:8-9) and "put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator" (Col 3:10). I guess we'd better get right on that if we are going to call ourselves followers of Christ.