Through the fall of man, certain negative things have come in to interfere with Christ being for the church. These negative things include Satan, sin, and the world. It is rather easy to realize that such things are a frustration to God’s purpose. But something else that is very subtle stands in the way of Christ and the church; this subtle opposing element is culture. Although the word culture is not found in the New Testament, it is nonetheless a fact that culture is a frustration to God’s purpose.
In 1 Corinthians Paul deals with various negative things such as fornication and division. These fleshly things were keeping the believers in Corinth from the proper enjoyment of Christ. In Galatians Paul deals with the law and the ordinances of Judaism, which were frustrating the believers in Galatia from enjoying Christ. In the book of Colossians what keeps the believers from the enjoyment of Christ is culture.
The main elements of the culture in Colosse at the time of Paul were Jewish religion and Greek philosophy. Hebrew culture and Greek culture came together in Asia Minor and formed a mixture. Certain Jews and Greeks in Colosse were brought into the church. When they came into the church life, they brought their different cultural backgrounds with them. To say that we have different backgrounds actually means that we have different cultures. The Jewish believers in Colosse had a background of Jewish culture, and the Greek believers had a background of Greek culture. We know from our own experience that to come into the church life does not necessarily mean that we give up our cultural background. Like the Jewish and Greek believers in Colosse, we may seek to bring into the church life certain aspects of our culture that we consider important and valuable.
We know that we are still under the influence of our cultural background by the way we react when others speak either critically or favorably about our background. For ex ample, if I speak positively about Jewish culture, the Jewish believers will be happy. But if I speak negatively about their culture, they may be displeased. In the same principle, if I encourage the Chinese saints not to go to Chinatown, they may be unhappy. But if I say a good word about Chinese culture, they will be glad.
Our culture includes not only our nationality, but even our special feeling toward a certain region of the country. The New Englanders favor New England, and the Texans are proud of Texas. These illustrations show how prevailing is the influence of culture and how difficult it is for us to drop our background.
At Colosse Jewish and Greek culture invaded the church life and permeated it. The church life, however, should be absolutely in Christ, with Christ, of Christ, by Christ, and for Christ. But when culture pervades the church, the church is no longer for Christ. Instead, it is for man’s culture. Then, instead of being the church of Christ, it becomes the church of some kind of culture.
Recently, I saw a sign in Chinese characters advertising Taiwan Christianity in Orange County. I was greatly surprised to see such a sign in southern California. The term “Taiwan Christianity” illustrates how culture pervades and shapes the church. After the church is raised up in a certain country, it is easy for the culture of that country to invade the church. As a result, the church is no longer purely in Christ, of Christ, with Christ, by Christ, and for Christ. The book of Colossians was written because the church in Colosse had been pervaded with culture. Philosophy, the elements of the world, and the worship of angels were all aspects of the culture which had invaded the church in that locality.
In dealing with the culture which had pervaded the church in Colosse, Paul points out in 1:15 that Christ is the image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation. In the following verse Paul goes on to say, “Because in Him were all things created in the heavens and on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or lordships or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and unto Him.” In verse 17 he continues, “And He is before all things, and all things subsist together in Him.” We need to consider these verses against the background of Greek philosophy and Gnosticism. Gnosticism borrowed from a variety of sources, combining pagan, Jewish, and, later, Christian teachings and practices. It explored the mysteries which lay behind the outward forms of heathen religions. It taught the existence of two gods or principles—light and darkness, good and evil. It was related to Greek philosophy. According to Gnosticism, man’s physical body and the entire material world are evil. Under the influence of this philosophical concept, some of the believers in Colosse thought that the heavens, the earth, and all things related to the material world were evil. Instead of living by Christ, they lived according to this philosophy. Paul argued with them by pointing out that the Christ in whom they believed was the firstborn of all things of the material creation. Paul said that all things, including all material things, were created in Christ, through Christ, and for Christ. Furthermore, all these things subsist together in Christ. This was a serious blow to Gnostic philosophy. Because all things were created in Christ, through Christ, and unto Christ and because they subsist in Christ, we should have a positive view of them. In contrast to the Gnostics, we must not regard them as intrinsically evil.
Christ is the firstborn of all creation in order to express God. We have pointed out that Christ is the image of God. God is invisible. But if we look at God’s creation, we shall see that, far from being evil, creation is the expression of the invisible God. In creation we see the expression of God’s power and nature. In the words of Romans 1:20, “The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world, being apprehended by the things made, are clearly seen, both His eternal power and divine nature.” Christ is the image of God expressed in creation. If we see this, we shall not have a low view of creation. We shall realize that all material things were created in Christ, through Christ, and unto Christ and that they all subsist in Christ for the purpose that God may be expressed.
In this Epistle it seems as if Paul was saying to the Colossians, “Christ is all-inclusive. You should believe in Him, not in your philosophy. According to your philosophy, material things are evil. But according to Christ, all these things are good. Do not say that material things are evil and dark. Rather, you need to see that Christ is the firstborn among all created things. When you look at the heavens, you should be reminded of Christ. When you consider the earth, you should think of Christ. You should be mindful of Christ even when you look at yourselves.” Every aspect of God’s creation was created in Christ, through Christ, and unto Christ. All these things continue to subsist in Christ for the expression of God. This expression of God in creation is Christ as God’s image.