Our Church's One Distinctive

Our Church's One Distinctive (Col 1:15-2:23)
Intro: What does our church stand for?
"It is possible for a man to win quite a reputation as the manager of a delicatessen for reformed gourmets, producing theological rarities which are unobtainable elsewhere" (E. Donnelly, "Baxter: a Corrective"). Our one distinguishing doctrine: See 1:17-18.

Exposition

1. "Colossian Heresy?" (2:4-23)
   Paul condemns anything which moves us away from faith & practice which are ours in Christ

2. Christ's Sufficiency (1:15-2:3)
   Is there anything you need that you haven't already received from Christ? Why look elsewhere for these buzzwords: fullness, completeness, maturity, mystery, wisdom, philosophy?

Application:

• No self-imposed religion, doctrines & commandments of men (2:8-23)
• Practical holiness (3:1-9)
• Social, racial, economic unity (3:10-11)
• Love, kindness, applying Christ in relationships (3:12-15)
• Biblical worship, esp. in the Psalms we sing (3:16)
• Expressly Christian vs interfaith ministry (3:17)
• Wives submitting to husbands, children noticeably obedient to parents. Family-integrated church (3:18-20)
• "Reformed world-&-life view" about our labor in the world (3:21-4:1)
• Corporate prayer (4:2-3)
• Clear & full proclamation of gospel of Christ w/o omiting critical parts like judgment & repentance (4:4)
• Walking wisely, speaking graciously to those outside (4:5-6)
• Ministering in, for, thru visible church vs parachurch discipling & evangelistic ministries (4:7-17)