Contemplative Bible Reading

Colossians 2:15 (New Living Translation)

15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Paul continues to write to the Christians in Colosse. Paul reminds them of how Jesus Christ died via execution on a cross.

The spiritual rulers of the earth had something on us all: we had sins charged to us. We weren’t free; we were criminals waiting and waiting to go to jail. We couldn’t do anything but wait for our punishment. Those spiritual rulers of the earth held this over us all the time. That was their weapon—the threat of jail.

Jesus died on the cross. Jesus nailed our sins to the cross and executed our sins. Poof. Gone. We were no longer criminals. The spiritual rulers of the earth no longer had anything on us. We weren’t waiting for jail. We could do anything because we weren’t waiting for punishment.

Thanks be to God. Thanks for freedom. Thanks for disarming these “rulers.”

1 Timothy 6:9-10 (New Living Translation)

9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

This translation uses different words from the King James. The King James has verse 10 stating the famous, “For the love of money is the root of all evil.” The translation shown above repeats “the love of money” phrase and then follows it with “craving money.” That is a powerful desire for money. Craving money has lead some people to wander from the true faith.

Yikes. Money. Can’t live with it; sure can’t live without it. Or something like that. I believe there is nothing wrong with money. It is a medium of exchange. I cannot trade my job for a house, but the money earned in a job can be exchanged for the use of a house. Something like that.

Money: earn it, use it for necessities, give away large amounts of it to people who need it. And give away large amounts of it to people who can then spend all day spreading the Gospel. Hoarding money? Not good. Craving money? Definitely not good.

How much is a “large” amount? Subjective answer. Now we argue and justify and all those things.

1 John 2:16 (New Living Translation)

16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

This is, or used to be, a well-known verse and often-taught theme. The older English translations used the word “lust.” I recently re-read this in the New Living Translation and the word used here is “craving.” That seems to fit us more today.

These three things have been called “threefold concupiscence” or the “unholy trinity.” I had to research this word as I had never heard it. Concupiscence generally refers to a strong, often excessive, desire, particularly of a sensual or sexual nature.

The world, our culture not planet earth, pulls us into this craving. We crave physical pleasure (feels great, must be good). We crave everything we see (isn’t that shiny!). We are so proud of our stuff. Look what I did! Look what I have! Don’t you wish you were like me and had all my stuff?

Different words to express something that has plagued mankind from the beginning. See, for example, the Garden and Eden and the fall of mankind. Lust and pride. Crave and pride. Same concept. How sinful are we? And God still accepts us through grace. Thanks be to God.

Colossians 2:14 (New Living Translation)

14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

Paul is writing to Christians at Colosse. In this sentence, Paul is reminding the Christians what Jesus Christ did for them. Jesus took the record of charges against them (and me), i.e., the record of all their (my) sins and canceled the record. Jesus hit the “Delete” key, the permanent “Delete” key, the one that deletes the record in all locations in the cloud, the backups, the smartphone, everywhere. Yes, even in that other place we forgot about, too.

The charges are gone. We are free. We are clean. All those things were nailed to that cross. Gosh. That cross had to be heavy. Gosh. That cross had to be crowded. Yet Jesus stayed on it and suffered. I struggle to imagine that. Yet, it is true. Thanks be to God and Jesus Christ.

2 John 1:5-6 (New Living Translation)

5 I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. 6 Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

John the Elder writes a letter to a church. Oh, here’s a reminder from John: we should love one another. Seems like you wouldn’t have to remind people in a church following God that this is what they should do. I mean, who would forget that? Me.

Okay, love one another. What does that mean? John explains: love means doing what God has commanded us to do. And, by the way, one of those commands is to love one another. Same old story. Everyone has been told that from the beginning. Let’s get with it and continue with it.

If followers of Jesus don’t love other followers of Jesus, what are we doing? Let’s do better. Please God, help me to do better.

Colossians 1:6 (New Living Translation)

6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.

Paul is writing to Christians in Colosse. Paul describes what happens when people hear the Good News or the Gospel. It “bears fruit” everywhere. How? The Good News is changing lives. It changed the lives of the people in Colosse and it is doing the same everywhere.

How does this news change lives? Well folks, back to basics. The good news is that we are free from the bondage of sin and death. God’s grace is a gift—not earned by super-human efforts. Just receive the gift with humility and thanksgiving.

Yes, back to basics. Let’s live changed lives. Let’s live like we understand the good news. Please God, help me in my unbelief.

Jude 1:24 (New Living Translation)

24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.

There is much in this short letter from a man named Jude. In this sentence, Jude praises God for some of God’s abilities. Listen to this one:

God is able to bring me into God’s presence without a single fault.

Me? Well, I’m a pretty good fella’, you know. I do lots of nice things for folks and so on. But, well, uh, I do have my faults. Just ask some people who know me. They’ll tell ya’.

God, however, takes away every one of my faults. Every single one. That includes that one over there that I don’t like to admit. And that includes that other one over in that other corner of my life. Every single one is taken way.

Faultless is the only way I can come into the presence of God. And this is what God does so I can come into God’s presence. How powerful is God? Move mountains? Conquer nations? Yes, all that, but requiring more power is to remove every single one of my faults. And God does that for me. Thank you God.

Philippians 2:13 (New Living Translation)

13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Paul and Timothy are writing to the Christians at Philippi. The writers are encouraging the Christians to do things that show they are Christians and to enjoy the blessings of Jesus Christ.

I believe God wants Christians in all places at all times to please God. Therefore, God gives Christians in all places at all times the desire to do so. What is more, God gives Christians the power to do so. God isn’t asking for something impossible. God makes it possible.

Wow! What a blessing. What a gift. Thank you God. Let’s go out and do it. God has given me the desire and the power. What more do I need?

Jude 1:22-23 (New Living Translation)

22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

Jude writes an open letter to all Christians and others, too. Sort of like a blog from way back then.

Show mercy. Rescue others. Can’t argue with those two things.

And with it comes: do so with great caution. Hate the sins that contaminate the lives of these others. Okay, show mercy to others while hating sinful acts. Much of my life I have heard this paraphrased as, “Love the sinner; hate the sin.” And much of that time I have heard people say, “Sinners hear this as, ‘hate the sin and hate the sinner, too.'”

Sigh. The best of intentions with bumbling actions. That’s me. Bumble along with good intentions and harm others. Come on. I can do better. I should be close enough to people who have sinful actions so that I can show them mercy. At the same time, I shouldn’t take on their sinful acts (I’ll show mercy by getting drunk and carousing about with you—NOPE). Who is influencing whom? More cliches and such I’ve hear much of my life. Shall I live by the cliches or by the words of Jude the ancient blogger?

Please God, help me in my unbelief.

1 Corinthians 5:10 (New Living Translation)

10 But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that.

Paul is writing to the Christians in the city of Corinth. Paul tells the Christians there are people with whom they should not associate. “Don’t even eat with such people,” is one thing Paul tells them.

In the middle of this, Paul reminds the readers of one caveat, “But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers.” Paul was talking about people who profess to believe in Jesus as savior and Lord, but engage in the usual list of ungodly things. Stay away from false believers.

Stay away from unbelievers? Well, to do that you would have to leave planet Earth and go somewhere else inhabited by only believers. Can’t do that.

Followers of Jesus live here on planet Earth. There are many unbelievers here on planet Earth. This is where we are and this is our situation. Live with it. Don’t imitate the unbelievers and don’t be surprised at how they live. Criticize the unbelievers daily? I don’t know about that one, but if that is what I did I wouldn’t have much time for anything else (including sleep).

This is where I live. God has blessed me with saving grace. God has blessed me with other believers and their examples of faith. Thanks be to God. The unbelievers? Yes, they are all around me. Perhaps I can show them the way of the believers. God, help me to do so.