Renewed in knowledge…

This semester I (Brett) have had a weekly Bible study with a friend who’s studying at the science and engineering campus of the university. We have gone through Colossians together and have now moved on to Acts. I just wanted to share a few thoughts from what we have talked about in Colossians.

There is a common verse that is quoted often, Col. 3:10, “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (NIV). I have often, if not always, associated this to mean that somehow the new self becomes more knowledgeable. My first impression of the word ‘knowledge’ has to do with the scientific knowledge in my brain, my ability to know facts, how something functions, comprehend God, etc. But as Magnus and I slowed down to really look at this verse in English and Norwegian, I became interested in the original Greek word too.

The common Greek word “Gnosis” in fact is closely connected with my first impression of the English word “knowledge.” But the word used in Col. 3:10 is not gnosis, but “epignosis,” which can be translated as recognition, full discernment, or acknowledgement. Actually the KJV of this verse uses ‘acknowledgement’ instead of “knowledge,” so this really interests me.

As we studied the surrounding verses to understand Paul’s original intent, this really opened up a new and deeper meaning for me. The paragraph where this verse is found (3:5-11), Paul is communicating to the recipients to put to death a list of things that cause harm to the individual committing it, but perhaps even more so to the object of this action—another person. Apparently there is “anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language” (v. 8) present in this community; all of which have a direct consequence between two different people no matter how internalized they may be. So when Paul continues to say, “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” he is going way beyond one person’s mental capacity to know things and is directly speaking to how they treat and relate with one another. This is in fact much more penetrating to the heart and requires serious attention in each of our lives.

Let’s go a little farther if you’re still with me. :) “Renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” If you are renewed in your recognition or acknowledgement of the image of Creator God, then you can ask what is the image of the Creator? This is a reference to Genesis when God created man and women in His image. If all people are created in the image of God, then every person is worthy of honor and respect. Paul is clearly pointing out to the Colossians their lack of recognition of God’s image in each person surrounding them.

We are called to acknowledge each person we meet as though they are created in the image of God, because that is what we are. Paul continues on to one of my favourite passages in the Bible when he uses the imagery of clothing, “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience…And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (3:12,14).

As a follower of Jesus, my new self has been put on, and it is (or should be) an extremely visible existence like the clothes I wear. It is not a magical event of receiving more knowledge in my brain, but a transformed life in how I see and love those around me. May you and I continually be renewed in acknowledgement of the image of God in each person we relate to today.