Reframing Relationships: Living as New Creation in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Original Design—Equality and Partnership in Creation

From the very beginning, God created men and women together in His image, charging both to rule and reign over creation as equal partners. There was no hierarchy or domination; instead, both were called to reflect God’s goodness side by side, embodying the fullness of what it means to be human. This original intent was for mutual dignity, shared responsibility, and partnership, a vision that stands in stark contrast to the brokenness and power struggles that later entered the world. As you consider your relationships, remember that God’s design is for unity and shared purpose, not competition or control. [41:13]

Genesis 1:26-28 (ESV)
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Reflection: In what relationship in your life do you need to intentionally seek partnership and mutual respect, rather than falling into patterns of control or competition?

Day 2: The Fracture of Sin—Brokenness and Power Struggles

Sin shattered the harmony of God’s creation, introducing a power struggle between men and women and distorting relationships with God and each other. Instead of working together, humanity began to experience division, domination, and the desire to control, which has echoed through history and shaped societal norms. This brokenness is not God’s intent, but a result of turning away from Him, and it continues to affect our relationships today. Recognizing this helps us understand the roots of conflict and the need for God’s grace to restore what was lost. [43:38]

Genesis 3:16 (ESV)
To the woman he said,
“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,
but he shall rule over you.”

Reflection: Where do you see the effects of brokenness and power struggles in your relationships, and how can you invite God’s healing into those places today?

Day 3: New Creation Relationships—Mutual Love, Dignity, and Service

In Christ, relationships are radically reshaped from the patterns of domination and hierarchy that the world accepts as normal. Paul’s teaching in Colossians calls for mutual love, dignity, and service—wives are given the dignity of voluntary submission, husbands are called to sacrificial love, children are recognized as moral agents, and even slaves are addressed with worth and value. Every relationship is reframed under the lordship of Jesus, pointing us back to God’s original intent and inviting us to live as new creation people marked by love and partnership. [54:17]

Colossians 3:18–4:1 (ESV)
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Reflection: How can you intentionally practice mutual love, dignity, and service in one specific relationship this week, reflecting Christ’s new creation vision?

Day 4: Jesus Is Lord Over Every Relationship

When Jesus is truly Lord, every relationship—marriage, family, work, and community—is transformed. No longer do we operate out of self-interest, power, or old patterns, but we submit our words, actions, and attitudes to Christ, seeking to honor Him in all things. This means asking hard questions about whether our relationships reflect His love, humility, and justice, and being willing to let Him reshape our hearts and habits. Living under the lordship of Jesus is not just a belief, but a daily practice that changes how we treat others and how we see ourselves. [01:02:38]

Philippians 2:3-5 (ESV)
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: What is one practical way you can submit a relationship or interaction to the lordship of Jesus today, allowing Him to guide your words and actions?

Day 5: Living as New Creation—Hope, Baptism, and Community

Baptism is a powerful sign of dying to the old self and rising to new life in Christ, symbolizing that we are made new and that Jesus is Lord over every part of our lives. This new creation life is not lived alone, but in the context of community, where we encourage one another, celebrate steps of faith, and walk together in obedience. As we embrace our identity as new creations, we are called to let Christ’s presence shape our relationships, our choices, and our daily living, trusting that His Spirit empowers us to live differently in a broken world. [01:07:28]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to embrace your identity as a new creation in Christ, and how can you step forward in faith and community this week?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered as a community to worship, to give, and to celebrate the sacraments of communion and baptism—reminders of God’s grace and the new life we have in Christ. We grieved together the loss of a beloved member, Jim Hemberry, and prayed for his family, trusting in the hope of resurrection and the nearness of God to the brokenhearted. In the midst of our ordinary and extraordinary moments, we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, especially to those who are hurting.

Turning to Scripture, we explored God’s original intent for human relationships, beginning in Genesis. There, men and women are created together in God’s image, charged equally to steward creation. This partnership is fractured by sin, introducing hierarchy, domination, and power struggles into relationships—a pattern that has echoed through history and shaped societal norms, including the Greco-Roman household codes of Paul’s day. These codes, as articulated by Aristotle, established rigid hierarchies: men over women, parents over children, masters over slaves, with dignity and agency reserved for the few.

Paul, writing to new believers in Colossae, enters this context not to reinforce the brokenness of the fall, but to reframe relationships under the lordship of Jesus. He does not simply dismantle the structures of his time, but subverts them from within. Wives are called to voluntary submission, not blind obedience; husbands to sacrificial, Christ-like love. Children are given moral agency, and fathers are held accountable for nurturing rather than discouraging. Slaves are addressed with dignity, and masters are reminded of their own accountability before God. In every relationship, Paul insists that Christ is Lord, and that mutual love, dignity, and service are to mark the new creation.

This vision is not just for ancient households, but for us today. We are invited to examine our marriages, our parenting, our workplaces, and our communities. Are we living out the new creation, or are we perpetuating the old patterns of domination and hierarchy? The call is to submit every relationship to Jesus, to embody his love, humility, and justice, and to be a people who reflect God’s original intent for humanity—side by side, bearing his image together.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s original design for humanity is partnership, not hierarchy. In Genesis, men and women are created together in God’s image, charged equally to steward creation. The power struggles and domination that mark so many relationships are not God’s intent, but the result of sin and the fall. Recognizing this invites us to pursue relationships marked by mutual respect and shared purpose, reflecting God’s image more fully. [41:13]
2. The patterns of hierarchy and domination are deeply ingrained, but not inevitable. The Greco-Roman household codes, as articulated by Aristotle, reflect the brokenness of the fall—assuming that some are born to rule and others to obey. Paul’s teaching does not accept this as natural or good, but subtly undermines it by insisting on dignity, agency, and accountability for all. We are called to resist the world’s patterns and instead live as new creation, even when it challenges cultural norms. [51:24]
3. In Christ, every relationship is reframed under his lordship. Paul’s instructions to households are not about reinforcing power structures, but about mutual submission, sacrificial love, and shared dignity. Wives are invited to voluntary submission, husbands to Christ-like love, children to moral agency, and parents to nurturing care. Even those with little social power are addressed with dignity and worth, and those with authority are reminded of their accountability to God. [54:17]
4. Living as new creation means examining our own relationships for patterns of control, domination, or neglect. Whether in marriage, parenting, the workplace, or community life, we are called to ask hard questions: Are we building others up or seeking to win? Are we nurturing or discouraging? Are we treating others as image-bearers or as means to an end? The lordship of Jesus calls us to humility, service, and love in every sphere of life. [62:38]
5. The hope of the gospel is that we are not bound to the old patterns of sin and brokenness. Through Christ, we are made new—invited to live out God’s original intent for humanity here and now. Baptism is a sign of this new life: dying to the old self and rising to walk in the newness of Christ, with every relationship, every choice, and every moment submitted to his transforming love. [67:28]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Worship Through Giving
[02:00] - Announcements and Potluck Invitation
[04:30] - Marriage Course Introduction
[07:00] - Children’s Church Update
[15:40] - Children’s Ministry Changes
[20:31] - Communion Invitation and Prayer
[22:44] - Confession and Assurance
[24:14] - The Lord’s Supper
[30:26] - Communion Reflection and Dismissal
[34:58] - Remembering Jim Hemberry and Praying for the Grieving
[37:08] - Context for Colossians: Household Codes
[39:07] - God’s Original Design in Genesis
[41:13] - The Fracturing of Relationships in the Fall
[45:46] - Aristotle and Greco-Roman Household Codes
[52:47] - Paul’s Radical Reframing in Colossians
[54:17] - Dignity and Mutuality in Christian Relationships
[59:56] - Living as New Creation in Our Relationships
[64:38] - Moment of Silence and Prayer
[67:28] - Baptism: Sign of New Creation
[71:10] - Closing and Dismissal

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Genesis 1:26-28 (ESV) — > Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
> So God created man in his own image,
> in the image of God he created him;
> male and female he created them.
> And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Genesis 3:16 (ESV) — > To the woman he said,
> “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
> in pain you shall bring forth children.
> Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,
> but he shall rule over you.”

Colossians 3:18–4:1 (ESV) — > Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
> Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.
> Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
> Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
> Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
> Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
> For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
> Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Observation Questions

According to Genesis 1, what was God’s original intent for men and women in creation? ([39:07])
What changes in human relationships are described as a result of the fall in Genesis 3? ([43:38])
How did the Greco-Roman household codes, as described by Aristotle, view the roles of men, women, children, and slaves? ([45:46])
In Colossians 3:18–4:1, what instructions does Paul give to each group: wives, husbands, children, fathers, slaves, and masters? ([52:47])

Interpretation Questions

Why does the sermon emphasize that hierarchy and domination in relationships are not part of God’s original design, but a result of sin? ([41:13])
How does Paul’s teaching in Colossians differ from the cultural norms of his day, especially regarding dignity and agency for all members of the household? ([54:17])
What does it mean for every relationship to be “reframed under the lordship of Jesus,” according to the sermon? ([59:56])
Why might Paul choose to subvert the household codes from within, rather than outright dismantle them? ([51:24])

Application Questions

In your closest relationships (marriage, family, friendships), are there patterns of control, domination, or neglect that you recognize? What would it look like to submit these relationships to Jesus and pursue mutual respect and service? ([01:02:38])
The sermon challenges us to examine whether we are building others up or trying to “win” in our relationships. Can you think of a recent situation where you tried to win or control instead of serve? How could you approach it differently next time? ([01:02:38])
For those who are parents or have influence over children, how can you nurture rather than discourage the children in your life? Are there specific words or actions you need to change? ([01:03:32])
In your workplace or community roles, do you see people as image-bearers of God or as means to an end? What is one practical way you can show dignity and fairness to someone you lead or work with this week? ([01:03:32])
The sermon points out that the patterns of hierarchy and domination are deeply ingrained but not inevitable. What cultural or family patterns have you inherited that you need to resist in order to live as new creation? ([51:24])
Baptism is described as a sign of dying to the old self and rising to new life in Christ. If you have been baptized, how does this truth shape the way you approach your daily relationships? If you haven’t, what questions or hesitations do you have about this step? ([01:07:28])
When someone in your community is hurting or grieving, like the Hemberry family, how can you be the hands and feet of Jesus to them? Is there a specific person or family you feel prompted to reach out to this week? ([34:58])

Sermon Clips

Paul isn't reinforcing Aristotle's hierarchy. He's reframing relationships under the lordship of Jesus, and pointing people back to God's good creation. Paul's pointing us back to God's original design, a partnership of dignity, of love, of mutual service in Christ. [01:00:27] (20 seconds) #LiveAsNewCreationInChrist

Paul takes the standard household code and reshapes it around the Messiah. Instead of reinforcing hierarchy, he quietly undermines it by insisting that all relationships are lived out in the Lord. All relationships lived out in the Lord. All people can come and submit to Jesus, and submit their relationships to Christ as well. [01:00:52] (28 seconds) #ChristLordOfMarriage

What are we in Christ? We are made new. We are new creation to live here and now in his kingdom. Paul isn't just giving a list of rules. He's inviting us to live as new creation under the lordship of Christ. And that having all our relationships marked by love and service, dignity, and partnership. He's pointing us back to the creation intent. [01:02:14] (29 seconds) #LeadWithChristlikeHumility

Do we remember that our children are not ours to control, but God's to nurture? That's a big one that I have to remind myself often. These children are not mine to use. They are God's to nurture. [01:03:21] (16 seconds) #SubmitToTransformRelationships

If you're in leadership, do you lead like Christ with fairness, justice, and humility? In our communities, do we play power games in politics, in church committees, sports leagues, even in our families? Do we live a Christ -like humility, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ? [01:03:57] (23 seconds) #ProclaimNewLifeInChrist

Thank you for the New Testament, the story of Scripture as a whole, the reality of the hope that we have to be made new, that there's something better than what sin and brokenness has to offer. I pray that we walk in that. [01:06:59] (24 seconds)

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