Receive and Live

Academic dissertations often have the most incomprehensible titles. In an effort to help, one website encouraged scholars to sum up their work in one easily understood sentence. The results were quite comic. For example, one complex dissertation titled “Using Zinc Finger Nucleases to Characterize the Regulation of c-MYC Transcription” was summed up in this way: “If you delete pieces of DNA, bad things happen.”

In today’s reading, the message of Colossians is summarized in two verses. In verse 6, Paul urges the church, “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him.” Both halves of this verse are vital. Paul presents Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and the Lord of all. This is the truth that the Colossians “received.” The word receive as used here means to accept and commit to the apostolic teaching about Jesus. This is what they had received from Epaphras (1:7–8): that Jesus is fully God and fully human, that He died for our sin, rose on the third day, and is coming again.

The second half of the verse is the natural response. Having received Jesus, they should continue to live in Him. Later in the book, Paul will give some practical ideas on what this life will look like. One commentator summarizes Paul’s message in this way, “Let Christ—and no other! for He is Lord—establish your values, guide your thinking, direct your conduct.”

Committing every part of your life to Christ will lead to a life that is not only well-grounded but also one that exhibits a deep thankfulness for what Christ has done (v. 7). When we fully grasp the wonder of God’s love, mercy, and grace, gratitude is the most natural response.

Pray with Us

Today is Commencement at Moody Theological Seminary’s campus in Plymouth, Mich.! Dr. John Jelinek, vice president and dean of MTS, welcomes your prayers for the graduating students as they are stepping into new season of their ministry.

BY Ryan Cook

Dr. Ryan Cook has taught at Moody Bible Institute since 2012. He earned his bachelor of arts in Bible and Theology from Moody and his master of arts in Old Testament from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He has worked in Christian education and served as a pastor in Michigan for seven years. During his time as a professor at Moody, he earned his doctorate from Asbury Theological Seminary. He now lives with his wife, Ashley, and their three children in the Chicagoland area.