Hello Friends!
Welcome back! This week we’ll continue to work our way through the
powerful
book written by the Apostle Paul to the Colossians as we consider the PERSON and WORK of “Jesus Christ” as decreed throughout this excellent
Epistle – “The Supremacy of Jesus
Christ!”
This
week we will begin our reading of verses 18-25
in chapter 3 as
we consider our Christian Conduct IN Jesus
Christ…
Colossians: The Supremacy of Jesus
Christ! (Chapter 3:18-25)
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: This particular
section of Colossians is very similar
and is almost verbatim when compared with chapter
5 and chapter 6 of the
book to the Ephesians. The parallel
is unmistakable
and contains MANY of the identical
precepts that appear throughout the New Testament itself concerning “Christian” directives as we LIVE our LIVES
among other people – Christian Conduct!
Up
to this point in his excellent epistle, the Apostle Paul has been discussing
the CHARACTER of the individual “Christian” and now he addresses the CONDUCT of the individual “Christian” as the NEW
spirit “man” takes up a NEW found “home”
in our LIVES before a “lost” and WATCHING
world. The inability of “sinful”
man to get along with his fellow citizen seems to be the number ONE problem in our society and throughout
our world. Everything ranging from so-called “sibling rivalry” to the eerie “evils” of International war… Folks just
can't seem to get along with each other. And therefore, Biblical
Christianity seeks to assess this VERY
serious – SIN
problem!
QUIZZING QUESTIONS: What occurs when a “sinful” person becomes made NEW in “Jesus
Christ” our Lord? What kind of a “husband”
and “father” does HE
become? What kind of a “wife”
and “mother” does SHE
become? What kind of “children”
do THEY become? And what kind of “servants” and “masters”
will THEY become? We ALL
become BRAND NEW in Him! All of
a sudden, our “heart” is dramatically changed
as our “Christian” influence
spreads. WHY? Because “Jesus Christ” has ENTERED
our “lives” and thus WE
will – Affectionately AFFECT our society!
The NEW Man Makes a NEW Home!
The
precipice of these very important questions becomes Paul's diligent
discussion here in these poignant passages as he addresses the NEW creation IN
the Savior “Jesus Christ” regarding our RELATIONSHIPS to other people.
Therefore, Paul begins with NEW
godly “wives” and “husbands” within a context of the “home” structure:
Wives, submit yourselves unto
your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be
not bitter against them – Colossians 3:18-19
Absolutely
NOWHERE should the social aspect of
the “new man” be more evident than in
the HOME front. WHY?
Because it is the basic foundation of our society! Therefore,
Paul along with the Apostle Peter share DIRECT
demands with precise words as they target the PRIMARY aspect of human-to-human relationships
of which is often a serious SORE SPOT
in many
families today…
Submitting yourselves one to
another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as
unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the
head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church
is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in
everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church,
and gave himself for it – Ephesians 5:21-25
Likewise,
ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the
word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives…
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour
unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the
grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered – 1 Peter 3:1 & 7
Before
“Jesus Christ” the “only
Begotten Son” of God INCARNATE
arrived on earth, people didn't have this marvelous and mindful
model of COMMANDS such as “wives,” “submit”
to “your own husbands” and “husbands” must “love
your wives” to OBEY
and FOLLOW in life. However, today
in the “church” during this “dispensation” of God’s great “grace” we DO
indeed! Therefore, Paul and Peter are both imploring the “wives” to “submit”
to her OWN God-given “husband” in the home. WHY?
Because “it is fit in the Lord” as this
is the “man” she OWNS as her PERSONAL
possession in the Lord! And she is not simply “submitting”
to a detached authority source. NO WAY!
She possess
him AND he possess her in true
LOVING Biblical INTIMACY! However, due to our “sinfulness”
and “stubbornness” of “heart,”
our MARRIAGES are thus perhaps the most DIFFICULT of all human relationships
to navigate within our “Christian”
lives... Can YOU relate? – Beloved, I sure DO!
POINGNANT POINT: Please note that the emphasis
here in these poignant passages is NOT
based on the idea of the “wives”
beguiling and blind “obedience”
or “subjection”
to the “husband” as an ungodly authoritative,
overbearing,
browbeating
relationship. Nor does it in ANY
way make the “wife” somehow INFERIOR to the “husband”
just as “Jesus Christ” is NOT at all INFERIOR
to “God the Father” Himself. Rather, it is the
God-given ROLE of “submission” to the Lord’s authority
structure and order in the home. It must be
further noted that God’s mandated life of “obedience” here in our passage to the “Colossians” is SPECIFICALLY
reserved for “children” and “servants” alone – Consistent
Context!
Similarly,
the word “obedient” in regards to the “wives” is reserved for the “young women” of whom are SUBMITTED unto God. HOW?
Paul further
addresses this IMPORTANT issue for the
young shepherd Titus found in the third
letter of the Pastoral Epistle bearing his
name:
That they may teach the young
women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be
discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that
the word of God be not blasphemed – Titus 2:4-5
This
PERFECT plan of God in the “home” is NOT
simply a CULTURAL issue of Paul’s
day as many of today’s ungodly liberals, chauvinists
and feminists
purport. Rather, this caring COMMAND
correlates to individual CHARACTER traits! Therefore, Paul tells
us here that this passage is to be OBEYED
by the “young women” in regards to “their own husbands” within God’s family
structure. WHY? So that the “word of God be not blasphemed” in the eyes
of an on-looking “lost” society – A WATCHING world!
And
to makes matters much worse concerning this topic,
there are MANY compromising “pastors” in our country today of whom have
omitted
the words "submit" and "obey" from their wedding
ceremonies. WHY? This is most likely done to
acquiesce God’s TRUTH through “sinful” fleshly COMPROMISE
and an unholy “fear of man” concerning God’s
CREATION MANDATE regarding the “husband” and “wife”
relationship as the FOUNDATION of God’s PERFECT plan for the family – The WORD and WILL of God!
The
next determined dimension of Paul’s exposition concerning the HOME relates to the “children”
and “parents” within the family structure:
Children, obey your parents in
all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your
children to anger, lest they be discouraged – Colossians
3:20-21
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: The Greek word for “children” is a general term for anyone
who is under parental guidance and thus are to “obey”
them accordingly, of which is “well pleasing”
unto the Lord! And they will eventually cease being a “child”
from a Biblical perspective when they “leave”
their “parents” home to establish
their personal independence in life. Therefore, as long as the “children” are living IN
the “home” and thus being provided for, the
“parents” are RESPONSIBLE
for them – Financially!
In
fact, here are just a FEW
other passages of the MANY
throughout the Bible that support Paul’s admonition
to the “child”/”parent” relationship:
Children, obey your parents in
the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother;
which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and
thou mayest live long on the earth – Ephesians 6:1-3
Honour
thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee – Exodus
20:12
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the
law of thy mother – Proverbs
1:8
My son,
keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother – Proverbs 6:20
And we as “parents” are NEVER to
require our “children” to “disobey” or “sin” against
God. Nor are we to “provoke” them “to
anger” lest they become “discouraged” by our
harsh words, attitudes or actions.
However, up until adulthood, they are indeed under our LOVING parental
leadership
and control.
Therefore, it is indeed “well pleasing” unto the Lord that our “children” heed His “commandment” with an accompanying “promise” from Him concerning “all
things” during their young
lives while they are IN the home – OBEY!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: The “home” structure in New
Testament times also included family “servants”
and these “Christians” needed to “know” God’s plan for LABOR
and how they should be RELATING
to their “masters” in the Lord. Incidentally,
these “servants” were not employees.
They were SLAVES and therefore the
actual PROPERTY of their “masters” given “charge”
over
them. And these are Biblical principles that also apply to
employee/employer
working RELATIONSHIPS throughout
human history – Slaves and Servants of God!
Therefore,
Paul lovingly instructs the “servants”
as well:
Servants, obey in all things
your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but
in singleness of heart, fearing God – Colossians 3:22
Paul’s
poignant point here is very simple: If you are an employee, you are
to “obey” your boss in “all things” required of you to perform
your job
duties. And notice Paul says “not with
eyeservice” only when the boss is watching, as if to simply “please” only him. Rather, do so with a “singleness of heart” attitude. WHY? Because you “fear”
and SERVE God with a deep DESIRE to be wholly – Pleasing unto HIM!
This
was a tremendously important point in the “home”
of the first century! In fact, the “servants”
were to realize that they were to be SUBMISSIVE
as “Christians” in God’s Kingdom “according to the flesh” through their DAILY work. WHY?
Because their “masters” ruled them in a “fleshly” way. However, they were NOT to be ruled OVER
in SUPERIORITY either intellectually, spiritually,
morally
or any OTHER way. They were
simply placed in a PURPOSEFUL position to “obey” as they should – Good STEWARDS of God!
Then
Paul continues expanding on this point by instructing the “servants” in that “whatsoever”
they “do” in life, they were to “do it heartily” and with a sincere “heart” for God:
And whatsoever ye do, do it
heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall
receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ – Colossians
3:23-24
Beloved,
you may not be getting your due now in THIS life. In fact, you may indeed be underpaid
and overworked.
However, some day God is going to equalize! We are “serving” the “Lord
Christ” and MUST
continue to fervently “serve”
Him with a full “heart” in an all-out TOTAL COMMITTMENT to Him. Therefore, they
too were to be TOTALLY COMITTED to “serve” their “masters”
enthusiastically as if SERVING
the “Lord Christ” Himself. And Paul says that
whatever inequities there are, we are NOT
to allow them to condition our behavior in a negative
way. WHY? Because “knowing”
that God Himself is going to PAY
us back with INTEREST through an ETERNAL excellent “reward
of the inheritance” in Heaven – PAY
DAY some DAY!
Every man's work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire;
and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work
abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward... – 1
Corinthians 3:13-14
However… If God’s “servants”
willfully FAIL to “obey” God’s “admonitions”
as a REBELLIOUS act of REFUSAL
in THIS temporal life, they “shall” indeed be punished for their
“wrong” doing:
But he that doeth wrong shall
receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons – Colossians
3:25
The
Lord will discipline His OWN
and He is impartial with “no respect of
persons” at all. In other words, we must NOT
ever “think” that just because
we’re a “Christian” and thus “know” the “Lord
Jesus Christ” in a unique RELATIONAL
realm, that we have any special favors! And God’s “servants” are NEVER
to presume
on their “Christianity” as a justification
for “disobedience” unto Him and therefore should
EXPECT His “chastening” through a “loving” rebuke:
For
whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth
– Hebrews 12:6
And
when the Apostle Paul was writing this letter to the Colossians he no doubt had on his marvelous “mind” the case of “Onesimus,” the run-away “slave” whom he sent back to “Philemon,” his “master”
and new “brother” in “Jesus Christ” to be RECEIVED
with the “love” of God and a NEW re-born “son” in Him:
I
beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to
thee and to me: whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine
own bowels… Not
now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but
how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? If thou count me
therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee
ought, put that on mine account – Philemon 10-12 & 16-18
Here we learn that even if the “slave”
has done wrong, he MUST
pay for the wrong. He's not exonerated simply because he's a “Christian” in “bonds” beheld. And just as “Onesimus” was RESTORED in right “fellowship”
to “Philemon” his “master”
according to Paul’s admonition… God is MUCH
more MERCIFUL and GRACIOUS
towards “us” as we REPENT unto Him and are thus RESTORED to our “fellowship”
with Him and with each other – God’s LOVING
correction!
In closing:
Theologian
Waldo Beech once said of SINFUL
hedonistic mankind:
"Man governs his good by pleasure!“ –
Christian Ethics: Random House USA Inc (December 31, 1988)
And
thus Mr. Beech believed ALL
people can be characterized by THREE
words:
WORD ONE: "Anomie"
= "No norm" ~ Without standards or rules!
WORD TWO: "Anonymity"
= “Who
am I” ~ No sense of being or meaning!
WORD THREE: "Alienation"
= “Separated”
~ Everyone is sinfully selfish!
In other
words, LOST man is immoral, empty
and lonely
at heart. WHY? Because APART from God, he sees NOTHING in the universe unto which he can
lovingly ATTACH himself. And when
a LOST man willingly “lives”
with “Anomie,” “Anonymity”
and “Alienation” he soon begins to “think” that EVERYONE
is against
him. He assumes the role of a VICTIM
and thus becomes DANGEROUSLY very anti-social
in nature. And sadly, the folks who DO NOT
get along with other people can create many SERIOUS problems – Especially
IN the church!
But
the marvelous TRUTH about being a “Christian” is that NONE
of those THREE words of Waldo need
to exist.
WHY? Because when we became a “Christian,” we immediately enjoy a
NEW standard of CONDUCT
in our “lives” lived out FOR God – Jesus
Christ IN us!
REAL REFLECTIONS: Beloved, may God give
US the courage
and boldness to “contend
earnestly for the faith” that was signed, sealed
and delivered some – 2000
years ago…
Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints – Jude 3
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
With
this information as a foundation for your personal studies, please read through verses 18-25 in the third of the excellent book to the Colossians.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
