“Colossians 3:16, 17”

Monday, June 05, 2017

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Both verses should be familiar to most on this list, rather than segregate the two; I think they go well tied together.

IMMEDIATE CONTEXT: 3:12-17.
INTERMEDIATE CONTEXT: 3:1-17.
EXTENDED CONTEXT: 3:1-4:6.

Paul addresses practical Christianity and defines what it looks like when found in one’s life. The apostle addressed those who named the name of Christ and were born again through the obedient step of baptism, “If then you were raised with Christ…” (3:1, cf. 2:12). Christians are to center their minds on things above (3:1, 2). A mind set on heaven is living a life that is dead to sin with a view toward the life given when Christ comes again. This requires:

1. The mortification of sinful ambitions (3:5-9).
2. Living as a new man. It is not only refraining from sinful vices, but employing positive change. A Christian replaces the traits of the old man with tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, forgiveness, love, and thanksgiving (3:10-15).
3. Generous hospitality toward the word dwelling in us richly. His word is our honored guest to teach and admonish us. Christians should be the most teachable and compliable of all people (3:16).
4. Singing songs which honor God and admonishes one another (3:16).
5. Willful and thankful submission to His name (word or law; Jn. 16:6, 8). We remain thankful to God through Christ (3:17). Rather than being lawless, the Christian is grateful and law abiding.

Domestic applications are made from the points mentioned above (3:18-4:1).

1. The wife and her relationship with the husband.
2. The husband and his relationship with the wife.
3. The children and their relationship with the parents.
4. The father and his relationship with his children
5. The slave and his relationship to the master and vice-versa.

Other lessons:

1. The religion of Christ demands a complete makeover. God does not desire that we turn over a new leaf, but rather that we grow into a completely different tree (Col. 2:7; 3:3, 10ff). The Christian’s conversion has a marked death to one lifestyle and a marked birth of a completely new one.
2. The indwelling guest? The Spirit dwells in us (Rom. 8:11; 2 Tim. 1:14). The Spirit dwells in us through the medium of His Word (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:18, 19). The indwelling of the Word and Spirit is having the faith dwell in us (2 Tim. 1:5).
3. Can one be thankful for unscriptural worship? Can one be thankful in praising God with instrumental music? How can he, if he cannot prove such to be of the word/name of Christ (Col. 3:16, 17)?
4. Parenting: do not be your child’s buddy, but the parent (Col. 3:20, 21).
5. Work ethic: work in a way with the Lord in view and not men (Col. 3:23).
6. How do you think and speak of God’s ministers? Where the old man slanders, speaks evil, and lies about, the new man earnestly prays for and expresses thanksgiving of (4:2-4; contrast Col. 3:9; Eph. 4:31; 2 Cor. 6:8). The Christian who slanders is a Christian who died in sin and raised up the old man.

6. God’s dividing line: outside/inside. God has a dividing line for all humanity. One is either “inside” or “outside” the church (Col. 4:5; 1 Thess. 4:15; 1 Cor. 5:12, 13; Acts 2:47; Col. 1:18; Heb. 12:23). Have deep consideration of one’s example before outsiders (4:5, 6).

7. “Be thankful” (Col. 3:15, 17; 4:2). The open display of the attitude of gratitude is consistent with the mind of Christ (Lk. 10:21; Jn. 11:41).

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