Lessons From Colossians – Lesson 6
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
And then we are told how to do that. We do not have to wonder about it. We are to put off uncleanness, inordinate affection, which is irregular, immoderate, excessive affection that is not within the bounds set. We are to put off lust and covetousness and anger and wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, and lying.
There is nothing good in that list that we are to put off. Every one of them is bad. Bad for us and bad for others.
I don’t know if you noticed but there are a lot of things I have heard preached that we are to put off that is not in that list. I remember I got in trouble one time with a preacher because I drank a Virgil root beer. There is nothing wrong with root beer. What was his issue then? I made the mistake of buying it in a bottle. I guess it looked too much like a beer bottle.
There are plenty of things in this world that it is ok to enjoy. God does not ask us to put off enjoying His creation as long as it is not promoting wickedness. We need to walk in the light. Everything in this list to put off is clearly bad.
And then we are to put on: Mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forgiveness, and above all things put on charity. And we are to put on letting God’s peace rule in our hearts. And everything that God asks us to put on is good and moral and helpful. And when you put them on they all have a good positive effect upon your heart. Putting on this list does a lot to change you and to set your affections on things above. If you put on this list then a natural result is that the love and goodness of God flowing thru you makes it easy to put your affection on things above.
Paul has shown over and over that he cares for these people, he is for them and wants to see them do well in their walk with the Lord. He has taught many great truths about Jesus. Who He is and what He has done for them. He has countered some false teaching and then encouraged them to set their affections on things above and then taught how you do that in a real practical way. Put off the wrong things and put on the good things.
Paul is now going to give some instructions in your most important human relationships. Understanding and applying these foundational truths about these relationships will have a huge impact upon them. Paul wants these people to do well. His desire is that they have a great relationship with God and also with their neighbor and with the people they interact with every day.
The first relationship that he deals with is husband and wife.
Col 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
This is important, as it is fit in the Lord. Some men abuse this and only want the first part of that verse, they really need to concentrate on the end part of that verse. A Husband should never ask anything of the wife that would not be pleasing to the Lord.
God created men. God knows what man’s greatest need is. And it is not food, and it is not sex. A man’s greatest need is actually respect. Wives are supposed to give the man what he needs the most. She is to respect him. A man who has a wife that respects him can do more, and he will be a better man. It really helps him be all he can be.
Men who do not get the right respect from their wives have trouble. Many fall into depression. Some will fall into temptations. They have issues fulfilling the role that God wants them to fill.
Col 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
A man’s greatest need is respect. The woman’s greatest need is different. Her greatest need is love. Unconditional, stable, faithful love and yes sacrificial love. The husband is to love his wife like Christ loves the church and gave Himself for it. We all mess up and Christ still loves us. He does so much for us and we at times will wander off walking in something that we have no business in. And when we do Jesus is there waiting for us to come back with His arms open wide.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
When we come back, Jesus is not bitter against us. A husband is to love that way.
Col 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
A wife from time to time is going to do something that upsets the husband. When that happens the Husband needs to not be bitter against her. Instead he needs to still love her with the same faithful, unconditional love that Jesus has for us.
So in the first relationship we see that it is a two way street. Both have their own role to fulfill. It is not a one sided responsibility. The two roles are different but equal in importance.
And the two roles complement and help each other. A man who has a wife that respects him will have an easier time loving her the way he is supposed to.
And a wife who has a husband who loves her that way, will have an easier time respecting him. Things work best the way God wants, the way He designed things to work, if both people in the marriage take their role seriously and fulfill it then it is a beautiful thing.
In the next relationship that is covered we see that both parties in the relationship also have responsibilities. This relationship is also not a one way street.
Col 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Children are to obey their parents in all things. And this is pleasing to the Lord. So when a child obeys they are pleasing the Lord. Of course I think it is obvious that the commands being talked about here are all commands that are godly and correct and moral.
If a wicked dad tells a kid to go rob a store or shoot someone, and if the kid obeys, that is not well pleasing to the Lord.
Parents are to raise kids in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and the commands they give are to be done accordingly. And Fathers are not to take things too far.
Col 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
I have known fathers who just push and push and push. The kid is never good enough. There is a balance that needs to kept. Don’t push and provoke. This discourages the kid from pleasing the Lord with obeying.
The third relationship is that between employer and employee.
In those days, if you were a terrible farmer you could sell yourself into service for 7 years.
I want to make it clear God is against slavery. Slavery is against 2 of the Ten Commandments. Stealing and Coveting.
Lev 25:39 And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:
Lev 25:40 But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile:
Once the 7th year came your term as a hired servant was over.
The lost civilizations around them had evil slavery. And God’s people were instructed to not go along with that.
Deu 23:15 Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee:
Deu 23:16 He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him.
If a runaway slave came to you, then you were not to return him. You were to let him live where he wanted and were not to oppress him.
And God put capital punishment on those who would abduct a man for slavery.
Deu 24:7 If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.
God right here calls slavery evil. There are a lot of terrible things that happen in the world that would not happen if people would just read the Bible and get right with God.
So in Colossians where it talks about servants and masters it is not talking about oppressive slavery. It is talking about the hired servant. In our day and age the closest relationship to what is discussed would be between an employer and employee. It is not exactly the same, but the application for us today would be between an employer and an employee.
Col 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Col 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Col 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
Do right on the job. Do your job heartily as to the Lord. The Lord is watching. You are paid to work so work. Work as if you are working for the Lord.
This relationship is also not a one way street.
Col 4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
If you are a boss, don’t be a bad boss. Do your job as boss knowing that the Lord is watching.
If people would handle these three relationships according to these instructions. Our world would be a much better place.
The home would function better and be stable and a good place to be. A sanctuary from this hard world. And the work place would also function better and would also be a good productive place to be.
Now comes some final advice.
Col 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Continue in prayer. It has been well said that prayer moves the hand of God. God is pleased with the asking and He is glorified in the answering. God wants us to care enough about something to pray about it. Prayer also has a way of changing us. It affects our hearts. Prayer has a part in increasing our faith and keeping us in close fellowship with God. Prayer is very important for more reasons than I can list. And we are to watch in prayer with thanksgiving. We are to be thankful people and we are to express that to God by being thankful in prayer.
Paul asks for prayer for the work.
Col 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
Col 4:4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
We often pray together for God to do a work with all of those tracts that we mail and put in driveways. Prayer is very important to the work of getting the gospel out.
Col 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Biblical wisdom is making correct choices based upon knowledge given in the Bible. Toward them that are without, is referring to those that are outside the faith. Walk is referring to how you live your life. How you act. How you behave. The things you do. So make the correct choices. Make the decisions that God wants you to make in relation to the lost all around you.
What would that include? For one I think that would be actually live your faith. Don’t live a bad testimony for Jesus. Live so others can see that you are a Christian. I think it would also include getting people the gospel. Wisdom would say they are going to hell and would want to do something about that.
The verse ends with redeeming the time. First everyone has an appointed time to meet eternity, and no one knows when that is. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. So there is an urgency to getting the gospel out.
Second we don’t know how much time we have. Time is precious. You cannot purchase more of it. Once spent it is gone. So make the time you have count. Use your time well to make a difference in the eternal destination of people.
And be careful of what you say and how you say it.
Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Always with grace. Grace is unmerited favor. Let your speech be always with grace. Always.
Don’t be mean. Don’t fight with people. Don’t argue and antagonize. Don’t witness to the lost like they are stupid. Speak with grace.
And notice that your speech should also be seasoned with salt. Salt is a preservative. A little salt is good for a person. A little salt is healthy. A little salt makes things better. Too much salt can kill. Too much salt on you meal and you cannot bear to eat it. You can’t stomach it.
Don’t come on too strong. Have enough salt in your speech to plant seeds and water seeds. Don’t have so much salt that you kill the seed.
And the verse finishes with that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. So each situation is different. Some people need more softness, sometimes they need more facts, and sometimes they need a little challenge. And the same person can need different things at different times in their lives.
So be wise. Be sensitive to the situation. Pray for God’s direction. And always speak with grace that is only seasoned with salt.
Final Greetings
Col 4:7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
Col 4:8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
Col 4:9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
Paul is sending this letter with two people. But not only to deliver the letter, but also to comfort their hearts and to inform them of what is going on in Rome. Again you see the great care for these people.
Col 4:10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)
Col 4:11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
What about Luke. Luke is still there, but you see that Luke had a different purpose. Luke would be used by God to write the book of Luke and also the book of Acts. And Luke was a physician who took care of Paul. Luke was used by God in a support role. Luke was not used as a preacher. God does call and use different people for different purposes. Luke was not out of the will of God, it just was not God’s will that Luke be a fellow worker unto the kingdom of God in the same way as Justus.
Epaphras was not mentioned as a fellow worker unto the kingdom but he was a servant of Christ. Again just not a preacher. He was not a soul winner. He was a prayer warrior.
Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
Col 4:13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
Epaphras’ role was just as important, just different than Justus’ role. There is this wrong idea today that everyone needs to serve God the same way. If you feel that you are called to serve God, they will tell you that you need to go to Bible college and become a preacher.
Hold on. Put a pause on that please. Read your Bible and you will find that God calls and uses different people in different ways. Maybe God is calling a person to serve God in a support role, or maybe God is calling a person to serve fervently in prayers.
Col 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
Luke is still there. And notice Paul is not saying backsliding Luke. No it is the beloved physician. Luke is not out of the will of God because he is not preaching.
Col 4:15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
House churches was how it was done for centuries and in many ways there are advantages to a house church.
Col 4:16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
Here we have the instruction in scripture to share your scripture with others. So the Colossians would have got busy making copies and sending them out. When the Galatians got their letter they would have done the same thing.
Here we also learn that Laodicea also received a letter. And that the letter to the Laodiceans was also to be copied and read in Colossae.
So why do we not have that letter? For whatever reason God wanted that letter to be delivered at that time in history but God did not want it preserved in the book we hold in our hand.
One possible reason would be, and we have no way of knowing the reason or all of the reasons God did not preserve it, but one reason could be that it was so similar to another book like Ephesians that there was no need for us to have it today.
Col 4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
Col 4:18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. Written from Rome to Colossians by Tychicus and Onesimus.