Exploring the Scripture
Today is the Sunday of the “Reign of Christ.” Community of Christ affirms that Jesus Christ was fully human and Divine, a mystery beyond our rational understanding. Today’s lection upholds the divinity of Christ in stressing God’s revelation in Christ and his reign over Earth.
The passage opens with a blessing that asks and suggests strength, endurance, and patience “while joyfully giving thanks to the Father” (v. 11). God strengthens followers to receive the blessings and promises given to “the saints in the light” (v. 12)—prior Christian leaders, followers, and martyrs.
Paul reminds the church people of their lives before knowing Christ, when they were in bondage to the “power of darkness” (v. 13). The language of light and dark uses symbols common to Gnosticism, a group of ideas that reduced Christ to one spirit among many. Gnosticism was founded on a supposed secret knowledge and taught that all material creation is evil, but everything spiritual was good. But Paul leaves his listeners in no doubt about the true foundation: Christ. God has rescued them from the darkness and transferred them into a new worldview of redemption and forgiveness.
Entering Christ’s peaceable reign is transformative. Old rules, pressures, norms, and expectations are left behind. Christ’s followers are new creatures, exploring a new way to live within the reign of Christ. Verses 15–20 form a hymn, celebrating Christ’s centrality, power, role in the creation, and supreme victory in restoring all people to God. All people. No exceptions.
Jesus is the image of the invisible God. Humans, too, were created in God’s image, and God’s Spirit lives in each one, giving worth to all. But Christ was unique, the “firstborn” (v. 18), supreme over all. The hymn affirms that through Christ, everything was created, physical and spiritual. Contrary to Gnostic belief, Christ helped create any spirits or powers that might exist and therefore is superior to them. They serve him, and they are under his rule (v. 16).
In Christ, “all things hold together” (v. 17) in an organized unity and harmony that would not exist without him. Believers are called to strive for the wholeness present in Christ and adopt a counter-cultural worldview aligned with the gospel.
The Reign of Christ extends to the church, where he is the head of the body of believers and has “first place in everything” (v. 18). The entire fullness of God lives in him, not just a portion, as the Gnostics taught. Because of his willing sacrifice on the cross, Christ restores humans to God and God to humans, creating peace for all.
Believers are to extend hospitality, peace, and love to all people, regardless of differences. Believers are called to the task of reconciling the powers and systems of the world to Godly principles and goals.
Celebrating the Reign of Christ arrives one week before Advent, with an emphasis on his birth in Bethlehem. This King was once a human baby. The infant Jesus also was the Son of God and Redeemer of the world. As we move toward nativity, we carry with us the image of Christ crucified and Christ the King—fully divine, fully human. The reference to Christ’s death on the cross is a reminder that he also was fully human, subject to injustice, torture, and death.
Faith Unfiltered Podcast
Hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith consider how this week's scripture connects to our lives today.
Central Ideas
- The Reign of Christ Sunday highlights God’s revelation in Christ and his reign over all Earth.
- Entering Christ’s kingdom of redemption and forgiveness is transformative.
- Christ reconciles all people to God—no exceptions.
- Believers are called to extend hospitality, peace, and love to all people and reconcile the powers and systems of the world to Godly principles and goals.
- Jesus Christ was fully Divine and fully human.
Questions to Consider
- What contemporary vocabulary would you use to explore the divine nature of Christ?
- When has life transformed you as a disciple?
- What does it mean to be reconciled to God?
- What does it mean to help reconcile the powers and systems of our world to God?