Apostle Paul as a pastor

July 19, 2013 Romans 11:11-36
As the rejection of the Jews is not total, so neither is it final. First, God did not design to cast away His people entirely, but, by their rejection, in the first place, to facilitate the progress of the gospel among the Gentiles, and ultimately to make the conversion of the Gentiles the means of converting the Jews (v 11). The latter event is in itself desirable and probable. (1) Because if the rejection of the Jews has been a source of blessing, much more will be their restoration by means of good news (vv12, 15). Verses 13 and 14 , are a passing remark on the motive which influenced the apostle in preaching to the Gentiles. (2) Because it was included and contemplated in the original election of the Jewish nation. If the root be holy, so are the branches, (v 16).
The breaking off and rejection of some of the original branches, and the introduction of others of different origin, is not inconsistent with this doctrine; and should lead the Gentles to exercise humility and fear, and not boasting or exultation, (vv 17-22). As the rejection of the Jews was a punishment of their unbelief, and not the expression of God’s ultimate purpose respecting them, it is, as imitated in verse 16, more probable that God should restore the Jews, than that He would have called the Gentiles, (vv 23-24).
This event, thus desirable and probable, God has determined to accomplish, (vv 25-26). The restoration of the Jews to the privileges of God’s people is included in the ancient predictions and promises made respecting them, (vv 26-27). Though now, therefore, they are treated as enemies, they shall hereafter be treated as friends, (v 26). For the purposes of God do not alter; as His covenant contemplated the calling of the Gentiles, the temporary rejection and final restoration of the Jews, (vv 30-32)
How adorable the wisdom of God manifested in the plan and conduct of the work of redemption! Of Him, through Him, and to Him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (v 33-36).
We will look at this section in some detail next time.

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July 31, 2013
Verse 17, The teaching is plain, some of the Jews were broken off and rejected; the Gentiles, though apparently little susceptible of such a blessing, were introduced into the church, and made to partake of all its particular and precious privileges. The Jewish church is compared to the olive tree, one of the most durable, productive, and valuable trees. The Gentiles are compared to the wild olive, one of the most worthless trees. This comparison ought not to be pushed too far. The idea may be simply this, ‘As the scion of one tree is engrafted into another, and has no independent life, but derives its vigor from the root, so the Gentiles are introduced among the people of God, not to confer but to receive good. ‘ It is certain that Paul does not mean to say that the graft imparts life and vigor to the root, but the very reverse. The Gentiles are saved by their introduction into that church of which the patriarchs are the root. He is saying, it is the same tree, some of the branches only being changed.
Verse 18. The verse reminds the Gentiles that they had been brought into fellowship with the patriarchs, not the patriarchs with them. Salvation was from the Jews.
Verse 19. Here the apostle guards against a further ground of self-complacency on the part of the Gentiles. Although forced to admit that the root bore him, and not he the root, yet he might pride himself on the fact that the branches were broken off, and he put in their place. To this it is answered, that the Gentiles are not authorized to infer, from the fact that the Jews were rejected, and they chosen, that this occurred on the ground of their being in themselves better than the Jews. The reason for this happening is stated in the next verse.
Verse 20. The fact that they were broken off is admitted, but the inference drawn by the Gentiles is denied. It was not for any personal considerations that the one was rejected and the other chosen. The Jews were rejected because they rejected the Savior, and the only basis upon which the advantages of a covenant relationship to God can be retained is faith. The Gentiles will not be secure, because Gentiles, any more than the Jews were safe, because they were Jews. Instead, therefore, of being high-minded, they should fear.
Verse 21. The Gentile has even more reason to fear than the Jews had. It was more probable that God would spare a people so long connected to Him in a most peculiar manner, than that He should spare those who had no such claim on His mercy. The idea intended to be expressed by this verse probably is that the Jews, from their relation to God, were more likely to be spared than the Gentiles, inasmuch as God is accustomed to bear long with the recipients of His mercy before He cast them off; even as a father bears long with a son, before he discards him and adopts another.
Verse 22. This verse tells us that our security does not depend upon our now enjoying the blessings of the church, but is dependent upon our continuing in the divine goodness and favor (Rom. 2:4; Titus 3:4); that is on doing nothing to forfeit that favor.
There is nothing in this language inconsistent with the doctrine of the final perseverance of believers, even supposing that the passage refers to individuals; for it is very common to speak thus hypothetically, and say that an event cannot or will not come to pass, unless the requisite means are employed, when the occurrence of the event had been rendered certain by the previous purpose and promise of God; see Acts 27:31.
Verse 23. The principle that the apostle had just stated as applicable to the Gentiles, is applicable also to the Jews. Neither one or the other, simply because Jew or Gentile, is either retained in the church or expelled from it.
Verse 24. The connection “for” is not with the preceding clause, God is able to graft them in again etc, because what follows does not prove the power of God to restore the Jews to their ancient privileges, but that their restoration is a probable event. The connection is with the main idea in the context, as expressed in V. 23, “They shall be grafted in.” This may be expected, he says, for….” However there is no reference to any natural fitness on the part of the Jews, as a race, for true religion, in opposition to the unfitness of the Gentiles. According to Scripture, there is no difference between the races of men, since all have sinned. The simple meaning therefore, of this verse is, that the future restoration of the Jews is, in itself, a more probable event that the introduction of the Gentiles into the church of God. Both events happened or will happen! Have you had enough of Hodge and Romans 9-11????

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August 3, 2013 Back to Colossians!! Nathan, are you still with us??
Striving for the Saints (Colossians 1:28-2:3)

We have met Paul the preacher, sharing the Gospel and Paul the prisoner, suffering for the Gentiles. Now we meet Paul the prayer warrior, striving in prayer for the individual saints that they might mature in the faith. The word “striving” (1:29) and “conflict” (2:1) are athletic terms. They refer to the strenuous effort put forth by the runner to win the race. Our English word “agony” comes from the same Greek word.
Paul has reminded the Colossians of the world-wide scope of Christ’s lordship (1:15-20) and the way Christ’s redemptive work has come to bear on their lives (1:21-23). Now he turns to his own role in God’s redemptive plan and the relationship he hopes to establish between himself and the Colossian believers, most of whom he had never met, in order to woo them from the influence of the so-called “philosophy” in their midst (2:8).

1. Paul’s Instruction (1:28a) The one Paul wants to make known to the saints is of course Jesus Christ. Paul did not preach in order to make himself known (2 Cor. 4:5). The false teachers exalted themselves and their great “spiritual” attainments. They preached a system of teaching, while Paul preached a person. The false prophets had lists of rules and regulations (Col. 2:16, 20-21), but Paul presented Christ. What a difference in ministries!
Paul not only preached (the word means “to announce with authority”), but he also “warned”. While it is good to proclaim positive truth, it is also necessary to warn God’s people against the lies of the enemy (Acts 20:31). In fact, God’s people should be alert to warn one another ( admonish as in Col. 3:16). Paul considered himself a spiritual father to the local churches, and it was his duty to warn his children (1 Cor. 4:14).
But Paul was also a teacher of the truth. It is not enough to warn people, we must also teach them the positive truths of the Word of God. How far would we get in our travels if the highway signs told us where the road we were on was not going? Not very far! It is good to win a person to Christ, and then to warn them about the dangers that lie ahead; but it is also important to teach that convert the basic truths of the Christian life.
Paul not only preached Christ, he also “taught Christ,” for in Christ are “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). It was not necessary to introduce any new teaching, for all that a believer needs to know is related to Jesus Christ. “Teaching every man in all wisdom” was Paul’s concern (Col. 1:28). The false prophets promised to give people a “hidden wisdom” that would make them “spiritually elite.” But all true spiritual wisdom is found only in Christ.

2. Paul’s Intent (1:28b). He wanted to present every believer “perfect in Christ.” The word “perfect” was a favorite of the Gnostic teachers. It described the disciple who was no longer a novice, but had matured and was fully instructed in the secrets of the religion. Paul used it to mean “complete, mature in Christ.” This should be the goal of all preaching, warning, and teaching. The evidences of this maturity Paul will describe next (Col. 2:2).
A. Encouragement – “that their heart might be comforted.” Our English word “encourage” means “with heart.” To encourage people is to give them a new heart. Shallow sympathy usually makes people feel worse, but true spiritual encouragement makes them feel better. It brings out the best in them.
B. Endearment -“being knit together in love.” The mature Christian loves the brethren and seeks to be a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. He is a part of the spiritual unity in the church. An immature person is selfish and causes division.
C. Enrichment – “unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding.” Paul mentioned the riches of Christ earlier (Col. 1:27). Too many Christians are living like paupers when they should be living like kings. Mature Christians do not complain about what they don’t have. Rather, they make use of the vast resources that they have in Jesus Christ.
D. Enlightenment – “full measure of understanding.” The mature believer has assurance in his heart that he is a child of God. The spiritual knowledge that he has in Christ constantly enlightens him and directs him daily. Those who lack assurance will invariably neglect God’s Word and live in a measure of ignorance.
God wants His children to have “understanding” and “wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 22-3). The word translated “understanding” literally means “to place together.” It is the ability to assess things. “Wisdom” implies the ability to defend what we understand. “Knowledge” suggests the ability to grasp truth. All of these terms were used by the Gnostics.

3. Paul’s Intercession (Col. 1:29-2:1). “for this I labor to the point of exhaustion, agonizing” is a literal translation of the first part of Colossians 1:29. What a picture of prayer! Much of our praying is calm and comfortable, and yet Paul exerted his spiritual muscles in the way a runner would exert himself in a race. He also taught Apaphras to pray the same way (Col. 4:12).
This does not mean that our prayers are more effective if we exert all kinds of fleshly energy. Nor does it mean that we must “wrestle with God” and wear Him out before He will meet our needs. What Paul was describing was a spiritual striving: it was God’s power at work in his life. True prayer is directed to the Father (Matt. 6:9), through the Son (in His name, John 14:13-14), in the power of the Holy Spirit (Jude 20). When the Spirit is at work in our lives, then we can pray mightily in the will of God.
How does the Spirit assist us in our praying? For one thing, the Spirit teaches us the Word and shows us the will of God (John 16:13-15). Prayer is not our trying to change God’s mind. It is learning what is the mind of God and asking accordingly (I John 5:14-15). That should remind us of the Catechism for Young Children which asks, “What is prayer,” and then answers, “Prayer is asking God for thing He has promised to give.” The Holy Spirit constantly intercedes for us even though we do not hear His voice (Rom. 8:26-27). He knows the Father’s will and helps us to pray in that will.
There are time when we do not feel like praying – and that is when must pray the most. The Spirit gives us divine energy for prayer, in spite of the way we feel. The resurrection power of Christ is made available to us (Eph. 3:20-21).
In these verses Paul explained his ministry, and in so doing, he silenced the accusations of the enemy. He also stirred the affections of the believers as they realized how much Paul had done for them.
We are not all called to be Paul, but each one of us does have a God-given ministry. We can share the Gospel and be soul-winners. We can suffer for Christ and fulfill the ministry God has given us. We can strive in prayer for God’s people and encourage them to mature. Paul took the time to minister to individuals, note the repetition of the phrase “every man” in Colossians 1:28. If we minister to only a few believers, we are helping the whole church. Are we fulfilling the ministry that God has given us?

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August 23, 2013 – We have looked at Paul the preacher, sharing the Gospel, Paul the prisoner, suffering for the Gentiles, and Paul the prayer warrior, striving in prayer for the saints that they might mature in their faith. Now Paul the pastor, encourages the saints at Colossae to;
“Keep Making Spiritual Progress: (Col. 2:4-7).
A. The Need for Progress (2:4) Satan is deceptive. He wants to lead believers astray, and to do this, he uses deceptive words (plausible arguments, fine sounding arguments). The Greek term used here describes the persuasive arguments of a lawyer. Satan is a liar (John 8:44) and by his lies he leads believers into the wrong path.Therefore it is important that we exercise spiritual discernment, and that we continue to grow in our knowledge of spiritual truth.
The problem that Paul was combating in the Colossian church was similar to Gnosticism (from the Greek word knowledge). This heresy (a teaching contrary to Biblical doctrine) undermined Christianity in several basic ways: (1) It insisted that important secret knowledge was hidden from most believers; Paul however, said that Christ provides all the knowledge that we need. (2) It taught that the body was evil; Paul countered that God Himself lived in a body – that is He was embodied in Jesus Christ. (3) I contended that Christ only seemed to be human, but was not; Paul insisted that Jesus is fully human and fully God.
Gnosticism became fashionable in the 2nd century. Even in Paul’s day, these ideas sounded attractive to many, and exposure to such teachings could easily seduce a church that did not know Christian doctrine well. Similar teachings still pose significant problems for many in the church today. We combat heresy by becoming thoroughly acquainted with God’s Word through personal study and sound Bible preaching.
B. The Nature of Progress (2:5-7). In order to emphasize his admonition, Paul used several vivid pictures to illustrate spiritual progress.
(1) The Army (v. 5). The words “order” and “steadfastness” are military terms. They describe an army that is solidly united against the enemy. “Order” describes the arrangement (good discipline) of the army in ranks, with each soldier in his proper place. Not everyone can be a fire-star general, but the general could never fight the battle alone. “Steadfastness” pictures the soldiers in battle formation, presenting a solid front to the enemy. Christians ought to make progress in discipline and obedience, just as soldiers on the battlefield.
(2) The Pilgrim (v. 6). The Christian life is compared to a pilgrimage, and believers must learn to walk. Paul had already encouraged his readers to “walk worthy if the Lord (1:10), and later he uses the image again (3:7; 4:5). In the Book of Ephesians, the companion letter to the Book of Colossians, Paul used the image at least seven times (Eph. 2:3, 10; 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15).
We are to walk in Christ the same way we originally received Him – by faith. The Gnostic teachers wanted to introduce some “new truths” to produce Christian maturity, but Paul denounced them. He says, you started with Christ and you must continue with Christ. That is the only way to make spiritual progress.
(3) The Tree (v. 7a). “Rooted” is an agriculture word. The tense of the Greek word means “once and for all having been rooted.” Christian are not to be tumbleweeds that have no roots and are blown about by “every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14). Nor are they to be “transplants” that are repeatedly moved from soil to soil. Once they are rooted by faith in Christ, there is no need to change the soil! The roots draw up the nourishment so that the tree can grow. The roots also give strength and stability.
(4) The Building (v. 7b). “Built up” is an architectural term. It is in the present tense: “being built up.” When we trust Christ to save us, we are put on the foundation; from then on, we grow in grace. The word “edify” that is often found in Paul’s letters simply means “to build up.” To make spiritual progress means to keep adding to the temple the glory of God.
(5) The School (v. 7c). “Instructed” is a word that applies to the class room. It is the Word of God that builds and strengthens the Christian. Epaphras had faithfully taught the Colossian believers the truth of the Word (1:7). But the false teachers were undermining it. Today, Christians who study the Word become established in the faith and Satan has a difficult time deceiving those schooled in the Bible.
(6) The River (v. 7d). “Abounding or overflowing” is often used by Paul and it suggests the picture of a river overflowing its banks. Our first experience in the Lord is that of drinking the water of life by faith, and then God puts within us and artesian well that becomes a “river of living water” (John 7:37-39) that grows deeper and deeper. The river flowing from the sanctuary (Ezek. 47) getting deeper as it flows, probably is what Paul had in mind.
Paul ends with the word “gratitude or thanksgiving” which he has used before (1:3, 12). When a believer is abounding in thanksgiving, he is really making progress.
By reviewing these pictures of spiritual progress we see how the growing Christian can easily defeat the enemy and not be led astray. If his spiritual roots are deep in Christ, he will not want another soil. If Christ is his sure foundation, he has no need to move. If he is studying and growing in the Word, he will not be easily enticed by false doctrine. And if his heart is overflowing with thanksgiving, he will not even consider turning from the fullness he has in Christ. A grounded, growing, grateful believer will not be led astray.

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9:20 I AM BACK

So Paul gave the true and lasting antidote to all false teaching: “All fullness is in Christ, and you have been made full in Him. Why, then, would you need anything else? (See Col. 2:9-10).

We have seen the word “fullness” (pleroma) before (1:19). It means “the sum total of all that God is, all of His being and attributes.” This word was used by the Gnostics, but they did not give it the same meaning as Paul did. To them, the “pleroma” was the source of all the “emanations” through which men could come to God. The highest point in Gnostic religious experience was to share in the “pleroma.”

Of course there are no emanations from God. The gulf between heaven and earth was bridged in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. He is declared to be “Emmanuel, God with us” (Matt. 1:23). Jesus Christ is the fullness of God, and the fullness dwells continually and permanently in Him “bodily.” Once again, Paul refuted the Gnostic doctrine that matter was evil and that Christ did not have a true human body.

When Jesus ascended to heaven, He went in a human body. It was a glorified body, to be sure, but it was real. After His resurrection, our Lord was careful to assure His disciples that He was the same Person in the same body; He was not a ghost or a spirit. (See John 20:19-29). There is a glorified Man in heaven! The God-Man, Jesus Christ, embodies the fullness of God!

Now, the remarkable thing is this: “every believer shares this fullness!” “And you are complete in Him” (Col 2:10). The tense of the Greek verb indicates that this is a permanent experience. Kenneth Wuest’s expanded translation put it this way: “And you are in Him, having been completely filled full with the present result that you are in a state of fullness.”

When a person is born again into the family of God, he is born complete in Christ. His spiritual growth is not by addition, but by nutrition. He grows from the inside out. Nothing needs to be added to Christ because He is already the very fullness of God. As the believer draws on Christ’s fullness, he is filled unto all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19). What more does he need?

Indeed there are spiritual perils that the Christian faces. The fundamental test of any religious teaching is, “Where does it put Jesus Christ – His Person and His work? Does it rob Him of His fullness? Does it deny either His deity or His humanity? Does it affirm that the believer must have some “new experience” to supplement his experience with Christ? If so, then that teaching is wrong and dangerous.

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I am sorry the contrast between Jewish circumcision and the spiritual circumcision of believers did not hold wen it was printed. I typed it in two side by side columns. I hope you can figure it out.

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September 25, 2013 BELIEVER BEWARE (Continued)

B. Do Not Let Anyone Disqualify You For The Prize (2:18-19)

The KJV says, “Let no man beguile you of your reward.” The word translated “beguile” means to declare unworthy of a prize.” It is an athletic term, as when the umpire disqualifies a contestant because he has not obeyed the rules. The contestant does not cease to be a citizen of the land, but he forfeits the honor of winning a prize. A Christian who fails to obey God’s directions does not lose his salvation. But he does lose the approval of his Lord and the rewards He has promised to those who are faithful (I Cor. 3:8).

It is a gracious act of God that He promised rewards to those who serve Him. Certainly He does not owe us anything! We ought to be so grateful that He has saved us from judgment that we would serve Him whether or not we received a reward. Most of God’s servants probably obey Him out of love and devotion and never think about rewards. Just as there are degrees of punishment in hell (Matt. 23:14), so there will be degrees of glory in heaven – even though all believers will be like Christ in their glorified bodies. The old Puritan Thomas Watson said it perfectly: “Though every vessel of mercy shall be full (in heaven), yet one may hold more than another.”

There is, then, the danger that our lives today will rob us of reward and glory tomorrow. The particular peril Paul had in mind here was “mysticism,” the belief that a person can have an immediate experience with the spiritual world, completely apart from the Word of God or the Holy Spirit. The false teachers at Colossae had visions and made contact with angels. In bypassing the Word of God and the Spirit of God, they were opening themselves to all kinds of demonic activity – because Satan knows how to give counterfeit experiences to people (2 Cor. 11:13-15).

“Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen.” The KJV says,”intruding into those things.” The word “intruding” was a technical term used by the mystical religions of that day. It meant “to set foot in the inner shrine, to be fully initiated into the mysteries of the religion.”No Christian has to go through any initiation ceremony to get into the presence of God. We may have “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus (Heb. 10:19). We may come boldly unto the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16). And as for worshiping angels, they are our servants! The angels are “all ministering spirits, sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Heb. 1:14).

Of course, all of this mystical ceremony was wrapped up in a false humility that was actually an expression of pride. “I am not good enough to come directly to God,” the Gnostic would say, “so I will start with one of the angels.”

Trying to reach God the Father through anyone or anything other than His Son, Jesus Christ, is idolatry. Jesus Christ is the one and only Mediator between God and man (I Tim. 2:5; John 14:6). The person who worships through angels or saints now in heaven does not prove his humility, for he is not submitting to the authority of God’s Word. Actually, he reveals a subtle kind of pride that substitutes man-made traditions for the Word of God. “His unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.

True worship always humbles a person. The mind is awed by the greatness of God; the heart is filled with love for God; and the will is submitted to the purpose God has for the life. The Gnostics however, were interested primarily in “deeper spiritual knowledge,” and ignored God’s truth. Their “inner secrets” gave them a big head, but not a burning heart, or a submissive will. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (I Cor. 8:1).

It is worth noting that a true spiritual experience with God leads to submission and service. When Job met the Lord he said, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6). Peter fell down before his Lord and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8).

The cheap familiarity with which some people approach God in prayer, or talk about Him in testimony or conversation, sometimes borders on blasphemy. The saintly Bishop Westcott of Great Britain, author of many scholarly commentaries on books of the Bible, once wrote: “Every year makes me tremble at the daring with which people speak of spiritual things.”

Tragically, this “vain religion of the puffed-up fleshly mind” is but a mere substitute for true spiritual nourishment from Jesus Christ, the Head of the body, His church. This is one of several passages in the New Testament that pictures the church as the body of Christ. (See Rom.12:4ff; I Cor. 12-14; Eph. 4:4-16; Col. 1:18, 24). All of us believers are members of the spiritual body, the church, because of the work of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 12:12-13). As Christians, we minister to one another in that body just as the various parts of the human body minister to each other (I Cor. 12:14ff).

But if a believer does not draw on the spiritual nourishment that comes from Christ and other Christians, he becomes weak. The false teachers were not holding to the Head, and therefore they were spiritually undernourished; but they thought they were spiritual experts. Imagine thinking yourself a giant when in reality you are a pygmy!

The false teachers were anxious to win converts to their cause; but the spiritual body grows by “nutrition,” not by “addition.” Every member of Christ’s body, including the “ligaments and sinews” (joints and bands), is important to the health and growth of the body. No matter what your spiritual gift may be, you are important to the church. In fact, some people who may not have spectacular public ministries are probably just as important behind the scenes as those out in the public eye.

It is through worship, prayer, and the Word that we draw on the spiritual resources of Christ. All of us must be part of a local church where we can exercise our own spiritual gifts (Eph. 4:11-17). “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (I Cor. 12:7). The New Testament says nothing of “isolated saints” outside of the local church.

But it is possible to be in a local church and not draw on the Head and the nourishment of the spiritual body. The false teachers in Colossae sought to introduce their teachings into the local assembly; and if they had succeeded, they would have caused the spiritual nourishment to “decrease” instead of “increase.” Unless the members of the local assembly abide in Christ, yield to the Spirit, and obey the Word, they cannot experience the life of the Head, Jesus Christ.

There is a fascination with “religious mysticism” that attracts people. Learning mysteries, being initiated into the “inner secrets,” and having contact with the spirit world would all seem exciting (more like scary). But these practices are soundly condemned by God. The true Christian gloried in Christ, not in his own experiences. He follows the Word, led by the Holy Spirit; and as he abides in Christ, he experiences blessings and fruitfulness. He seeks no experience other than that which relates him to the Head, Jesus Christ.

NEXT C. “LET NO ONE ENSLAVE YOU (Col. 2:20-23)

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October 12, 2013 HEAVEN ON EARTH (Col. 3:1-11)

2. Slay the Earthly (Col, 3:5-9) We turn now from the positive to the negative. There are some people who do not like the negative. “Give us the positive doctrines!” they say. “Forget about negative warnings and admonitions!” But the negative warning and commands grow out of the positive truths of Christian doctrine. This is why Paul wrote, “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead…” (v. 5) Other translations use the term “mortify,” No amount of talk about health will cure a ruptured appendix. The doctor will have to “get negative” and remove the appendix. No amount of lecturing on beauty will produce will produce a flower garden. The gardener has to pull the weeds! The positive and the negative go together, and one without the other leads to imbalance.

The word “mortify” (put to death) is a good word to use, because if we are believers, we have already died with Christ (v.3). Therefore we have the power to slay the earthly, fleshly desires that want to control us. Paul called this “reckoning” ourselves to be dead to sin but alive in Christ (Rom. 6:11). Our Lord used the same idea when He said, “And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out” (Matt. 5:29-30).

Obviously, neither Paul or Jesus was talking about literal surgery. Sin does not come from the eye, hand, or foot; it comes from the heart controlled by sin. Physical surgery can never change the heart.

Not only was Paul negative in this paragraph, but he also named sins; and some people do not like that. These sins belong to the old life and have no place in our new life in Christ. Furthermore, God’s judgment falls on those who practice these sins; and God is no respecter of persons. God’s wrath fell on the Gentile world because of these sins (Rom. 1:18ff), and His wrath will fall again. “For it is on account of these things (things mentioned) that the wrath of God will come” (v. 6).

“Fornication” refers to sexual immorality in general. “uncleanness”means lustful impurity that is connected with luxury and loose living. “inordinate affection” describes a state of mind that excites sexual impurity. The person who cultivates this kind of appetite can always find opportunity to satisfy it. “Evil concupiscence” means base, evil desires. It is clear that desires lead to deeds, appetites lead to action. If we would purify our actions, then we must first purify our minds and hearts. (The sensual sins in quotation marks are KJV words, Look at other versions to see how they are translated.)

What we desire usually determine what we do. If our desire is for “junk food,” we will find ourselves eating “junk food,” Too much of that will make is overweight and unhealthy. If we would be healthy we need to change our eating habits. Likewise we must take care how we feed our minds. “Create in me a clean heart, O God…” (Ps. 51:10), should be our prayer, for it is out of the heart that these evil desires come (Mark 7:21-23).

After he had named these sensual sins, Paul added “greed” (covetousness) which amounts to idolatry. Covetousness is the sin of always wanting more, whether it be more things or more pleasures. The covetous person is never satisfied with what he has, and he is usually envious of what others have. This is idolatry, for covetousness put things in the place of God (Ex. 2:17). Yet this sin can cause us to break all of the other nine commandments. A covetous person will dishonor God, take His Name in vain, lie, steal, and commit every other sin in order to satisfy his sinful desires.

Do believers commit such sins? Unfortunately, they do. Each of the New Testament epistles sent to local churches makes mention of these sins and warns against them. These sins in the life of a believer are worse than they are in an unbeliever.

After warning us against the sensual sins, Paul then points to the dangers of the social sins (Col. 3:8-9). Dr. G. Campbell Morgan called these “the sins in good standing.” We are so accustomed to anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech among believers that we are no longer upset or convicted about these sins. We would be shocked to see a church member commit some sensual sin, but we will watch him lose his temper in a business meeting and call it “righteous indignation.”

The picture here is that of a person changing clothes: “put off”…..”put on” (vv. 9-10). This relates to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (v. 1); for when He arose from the dead Jesus Christ left His grave clothes behind (John 20:1-10). He had entered into His glorious resurrection life and had no need for grave clothes.

The grave clothes represent the old life with its sinful deeds. Now that we have new life in Christ, we must walk “in newness of life” by putting off the old deeds and desires (Rom. 6:4). We do this by practicing our position in Christ, by reckoning ourselves to be dead to the old and alive to the new.

Paul began with anger, wrath, and, malice – sins of bad attitude toward others. The word “anger” is the same as the word wrath (Col. 3:6), referring there to the wrath of God. The word “anger” describes habitual attitudes, while “wrath” refers to the sudden outburst of anger. God has a right to be angry at sin and to judge it, because He is holy and just. In fact, there is there is a righteous anger that ought to characterize the saints (Eph. 4:26). But none of us have a right to “play God” and pass final judgment on others by our attitudes. “Malice” is an attitude of ill will toward person. If we have malice toward a person, we are sad when he is successful, and we rejoice when he is in trouble; this is sinful.

“Blasphemy” describes speech that slanders others and tears them down. Often among Christians this kind of malicious gossip masquerades as a spiritual concern: “I would never tell you what I know about her (him), except I know you will want to pray about it.” Evil speaking is caused by malice (I Peter 2:1). If you have deep-seated ill will toward a person, you will use every opportunity to say something bad about him (her).

“Filthy communication” is just that: foul speech, course humor, obscene language. For some reason, some Christians think it is manly or contemporary to use this kind of speech. Low humor sometimes creeps into conversations. If you hear someone say, “Now, take this with a grain of salt!: “you can remind them of Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt,” Salt is a symbol of purity, and grace and purity go together,

The final sin Paul named was lying *v. 9). He wrote this same warning to the believers in Ephesus (Eph. 4:25). Satan is the liar (John 8:44), while the Holy Spirit is the author of truth (John 14:17); 15:26). When a Christian lies, he is cooperating with Satan; when he speaks the truth in love (Eph. 4:15_, he is cooperating with the Spirit of God.

A lie is any misrepresentation of the truth, even if the words are accurate. The tone of voice, the look on the face, or the gesture of the hand can alter the meaning of a sentence. So can the motive of the heart. If my watch is wrong and I give a friend the wrong time, that is not a lie. Lying involves the intent to deceive for the purpose of personal gain. There is an old proverb that says, “Half a fact is a whole lie.”

A preacher once preached about the lies of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts5), and asked the congregation: “If God still struck people dead for lying, where would I be?” The congregation snickered a bit, but the smiles disappeared when he shouted, “I’d be right here – preaching to an empty church!”

3, STRENGTHEN THE CHRISTLY (Col. 3:10-11).

Reply

October 25, 2013 Andrea, I am glad for your interest in reading the series on Colossians. Thank you for your comments. Now on to 3:12-17

All Dressed Up ans Someplace to Go (Colossians 3:12-17)

This section completes Paul’s exhortation to the Christian to live a holy life. It continues the illustration of garments: “Put off…put on” (vv 8-10) He exhorted his readers to put off the grave clothes of sin and the old life, and to put on the “grace clothes” of holiness and the new life in Christ.

The emphasis in this section is on motives. Why should we put off the old deeds and put on the qualities of the new life? Paul explained four motives that ought to encourage us to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).

1. The Grace of Christ (Col. 3:12-14).
2. The Peace of Christ (Col. 3:15).
3. The Word of Christ (Col. 3:16
4. The Name of Christ (Col. 3:17).

1. The Grace of Christ (Co. 3:12-14). Grace is God’s favor to undeserving sinners. Paul reminded the Colossians of what God’s grace had done for them.

a. God Chose them (3:12a). The word elect means chosen of God. God’s words to Israel through Moses help us to understand the meaning of salvation by grace: “The Lord did not set His love you nor chose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all people, but because the Lord loved you…” (Deut. 7:7-8a).

The miracle of divine election did not depend on anything that we are or that we have done; for God chose us in Christ “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). If God saved a sinner on the basis of merit or works, nobody would be saved. It is accomplished through God’s grace that it might all bring glory to God.

Of course, election is a “sacred secret” that belongs to God’s children. It is not a doctrine we believers explain to the unsaved. “The Lord knows those who are His” (2 Tim. 2:19), so we must leave the working out of His eternal purposes with Him. Our task is to share the good news of the Gospel with the lost world.

b. God set them apart (3:12). That is the meaning of the word “holy.” Because we have trusted Christ, we have been set apart from the world; reserved for the Lord. We are not our own; we belong completely Him (I Cor. 6:19-20). Just as the marriage ceremony sets apart a man and a woman for each other exclusively, so salvation sets the believer apart exclusively for Jesus Christ. Would it not be a horrible thing, at the end of a wedding, to see the groom run off with the maid of honor? It is just as horrible to contemplate the Christian, living for the world and the flesh.

c. God loves them (3:12). When an unbeliever sins, he is a creature breaking the laws of the holy Creator and Judge. But when a Christian sins, he is a child of God breaking the loving heart of his Father. Love is the strongest motivating power in the world. As the believer grows in his love for God, he will grow in his desire to obey Him and walk in the newness of life he has in Christ.

d. God forgave them (3:13). See Col. 2:13. God’s forgiveness is complete and final; it is not conditional or partial. How is a holy God able to forgive us guilty sinners? He is able only because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. God has forgiven us for the sake of Jesus Christ and not our own sake.

Chosen by God, set apart for God, loved by God, and forgiven by God. These statements all add up to grace! Now, because of these gracious blessings, the Christian has some solemn responsibilities before God. He must “put on” the beautiful graces of the Christian life. Paul named eight graces.

1). Put on… a heart of compassion (NAS; KJV bowels of mercy). The Greek term uses the term “bowels of compassion,” because the Greek people located the deeper emotions in the intestine area, while we locate them in the heart. As believers, we need to display tender feelings of compassion toward one anther. (See Phil. 2:1ff.) This is not something that we turn on and off, like a water faucet. It is to be a constant attitude of the heart that makes us easy to live with.

2). Put on…kindness (3:12). We have been saved because of God’s kindness towards us through Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:7; Titus 3:4). We, in turn ought too show kindness toward others. “Be kind to one another” (Eph. 4:32) is God’s command.

One of the most beautiful pictures of kindness in the Bible is King David’s treatment of the crippled prince, Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 9). David’s desire was to show the kindness of God to King Saul’s family because of his own love for Saul’s son Jonathan. If David had acted according to justice, he would have condemned Mehibosheth, because he belonged to the family of an enemy. But David acted on the basis of love and grace.

David sought Mephibosheth and assured him not to be afraid, He invited him to live in the palace as a member of his family and to eat at his table. This is what the kindness of God has done for us. We are His children and shall live with Him in heaven forever.

3). Put on … humility (3:12) (KJV humbleness of mind). The pagan world of Paul’s day did not admire humility. Instead, they admired pride and domination. Jesus Christ is the greatest example of humbleness of mind (Phil. 2:1ff.). Humility is not thinking poorly of oneself. Rather it is having a proper estimate of oneself in the will of God (Rom. 12:3). The person who shows humility thinks of others first and not himself.

4). Put on … gentleness (3:12) (KJV meekness). Meekness is not weakness;it is power under control. This word can describe a soothing wind, a healing medicine, and a colt that has been broken. In each case, there is power, a wind can become a storm, too much medicine can kill, and a horse can break loose. But this power is under control. The meek or gentle person does not fly off the handle because he has everything under control.

5). Put on … patience (3:12) (KJV long-suffering) This word is literally “long-temper.” The short-tempered person speaks and acts impulsively and lacks self-control. When a person is long-suffering he can put-up with provoking people or circumstances without retaliating, hence patient. It is good to get angry, for this is a sign of holy character. But it is wrong to get angry quickly at the wrong things and for the wrong reasons.

6). Put on … bearing with one another (3:13) (KJV forbearing one another). This word literally means “to hold up” or “to hold back.” That is what God does in the face of sinners (Rom. 2:4; 3:25). Gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another all go together.

7). Put on …forgiveness (3:13). This is then logical result of all that Paul has written so far in this section. It is not enough that Christians must endure grief and provocation, and refuse to retaliate, they must also forgive the troublemaker. If they do not, then feeling of malice will develop in the heart; and these can lead to greater sins.

It is Christlike to forgive (Eph.4:32), and forgiveness opens the heart to the fullness of the love of God.. The instant we have a complaint against another person, we should forgive him in our hearts. See Matt. 18:15-35.

8). Put on … love (3:14). This is the mist important of the Christian virtues, and it acts like a “girdle” that surrounds and ties the other virtues together. All of the spiritual qualities Paul has named are aspects of true Christian love, as a reading of I Corinthians 13 will reveal. Love is the first of the fruit of the Spirit and the other virtues follow (Gal. 5:22-23).

When love rules in our lives, it unites all these spiritual virtues so that there is beauty and harmony, indicating spiritual maturity. This harmony and maturity keep the life balanced and growing. The Gnostic system could never do this .

Reply

October 28, 2013 Andrea,I am glad to know that you are reading this.

2. The Peace of Christ (Col. 3:15)

In this verse Paul turns way from character to conduct. How can a Christian know when he is doing God’s will? One answer is: the peace of Christ in the heart. When a believer loses his inner peace, he knows that he as in some way disobeyed God.

The word translated “rule” is an athletic term. It means to preside at the games and distribute the prize. In the Greek games, there were judges (we would call them umpires) who rejected the contestants who were not qualified, and disqualified those who broke the rules.

The “peace of God” is the “Umpire” in our believing hearts. When we obey the will of God, we have peace within; but when we step out of His will (even unintentionally), we lose His peace.

We must beware, however, of a false peace in the heart. Jonah deliberately disobeyed God, yet he was able to sleep in the hold of the ship in a storm. To say, “I had peace about it!” is not sufficient evidence that we are in the will of God. We must pray, surrender to His will, and seek guidance in the Scriptures. Peace of heart alone is not always the peace of God.

Something else is involved: if we have peace in our hearts, we will be at peace with others in the church. We are called to one body, and our relationship in that body must be one of harmony and peace. If we are out of the will of God, we are certain to bring discord and disharmony to the church. Jonah thought he was at peace, when actually his sin created a storm!

When a Christian loses the peace of God, he begins to go off in directions that are out of the will of God. He turns to the things of the world and the flesh to compensate for his lack of peace within. He tries to escape, but he cannot escape “himself”! It is only when he confesses his sin, claims God’s forgiveness, and does God’s will that he experiences God’s peace within.

Further, when there is peace in the heart, there will be praise on the lips: “and be thankful! The Christian out of God’s will is never found giving sincere praise to God. When David covered his sins, he lost his peace with God. He had no joy, nor could he praise God until he confessed that sin (Psalm 32; 51).

3. The Word of Christ (Co. 3:16).

This means, of course, the Word of God. The false teachers came to Colossae with man-made traditions, religious rules, and human philosophies. They tried to harmonize God’s Word with their teachings, but they could not succeed. God’s Word always magnified Jesus Christ.

It was not the word of the false teachers that brought salvation to the Colossians; it was the Word of God (the gospel Col. 1:5). The same Word gives us life and sustains and strengthens us (I Peter 1:22-2:3).The Word will transform our lives if we but permit it to “dwell” in us richly. The word “dwell” means to “feel at home.” If we have experienced the grace and the peace of Christ, then the Word of Christ will “feel at home” in our hearts. We will discover how rich the Word is with spiritual treasures that give value to our lives.

However, we must not think that Paul wrote this only to individual Christians; for he directed it to the entire church body. “Let the Word of God dwell among you” is a possible translation. As it dwells richly in each member of the church, it will dwell richly in the church fellowship.

There is a danger today, as there was in Paul’s day, that local churches minimize the Word of God. In some groups there is more interest in movies, musical performances, and various entertainments than in the Word of God. Many saved people cannot honestly say that God’s Word dwells in their heats richly, because they do not take time to read, study, and memorize it.

There is (according to Paul) a definite relationship between our knowledge of the Bible and our expression of worship in song. One way we teach and encourage ourselves and others is through the singing of the Word of God. But if we do not know the Word of God and understand it, we cannot honestly sing it from our hearts.

Psalms were, of course, the songs taken from the Old Testament book by that name. For centuries, the churches of the English-speaking world sang only metrical versions of the Psalms. I am glad to see today a return to the singing of Scripture, especially the Psalms. Hymns are songs of praise to God by believers but not taken from the Psalms. The church today has a rich heritage of hymns, which I fear are being neglected by some. Spiritual songs are an expression of Biblical truth other than in the Psalms and hymns. When we sing a hymn, we address the Lord; when we sing spiritual songs we address each other.

Paul described a local church worship service (Col. 3:16; I Cor. 14:26). Note the believer sings to himself as well as to other believers; and he also sings to the Lord. Out singing must be from our hearts and not just our lips.But if the Word of God is not in our hearts, we cannot sing from our hearts. This shows how important it is to know the Word of God, for it enriches our public and private worship of God.

Our singing must be with grace. This does not mean singing in a gracious way, but singing because we have God’s grace in our hearts. It takes grace to sing when we are in pain, or when circumstances seem to be against us. It certainly took grace for Paul and Silas to sing in that Philippian prison (Acts 16:22-25) Our singing must not be a display of fleshly talent; it must be a demonstration of the grace of God in our hearts.

Someone has said that a successful Christian life involves attention to three books: God’s book, the pocketbook and the hymnbook. Though I can’t carry a tune worth anything, I often read the words of the hymnal for encouragement.

Before we leave this section, we should notice an important parallel with Ephesians 5:18-6:9. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul emphasized being filled with the Spirit; in his letter to the Colossians, he emphasized being filled with the Word of God. But the evidences of this spiritual fullness are the same. How can we tell if a believer is filled with the Spirit? He is joyful, thankful, and submissive (Eph. 5:19-21); all of this shows up in his relationships in the home and on the job (Eph. 5:22-6:9). How can we tell if a believer is filled with the Word of God? He is joyful, thankful, and submissive (Col. 3:16=4:1).

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November 4, 2013 A FAMILY AFFAIR Col. 3:18-4:1)

Faith in Jesus Christ not only changes individuals; it also changes homes. In this section, Paul addressed himself to family members: husbands, wives, children, and household servants. It seems clear that the persons being addressed were believers since the apostle appealed to all of them to live to please Jesus Christ.

The first institution God founded on earth was the home (Ge, 2:18-25; Matt. 19:1-6). As goes the home, so goes society and the nation (2 Tim. 3:1-5). Centuries ago Confucius said, “The strength of a nation is derived from the integrity of its homes.” One of the greatest things we can do as individuals is to build godly homes. Paul addressed the various members of the family and pointed out the ingredients that make for a strong and godly home.

A. Husbands and Wives: Love and Submission (Col. 3:18-19)
B. Parents and Children: Encouragement and Obedience (Col. 3:20-21)
C. Masters and Servants: Honesty and Devotion (Col. 4:22-4:1)

Paul did not address the wives first because they were the most needy! The gospel radically changed the position of women in the Roman world. It gave them a new freedom and stature that some of them were unable to handle and for this reason Paul admonished them. Similar admonitions are found in Ephesians 5:22ff and I Peter 3:1ff.

We must not think of submission as slavery. The word comes from the military vocabulary and simply means “to arrange under rank.” The fact that one soldier is a private and another a general does not mean that one man is necessarily “better” than the other. It only means that they have different ranks in the order of things.

God does all things “properly and in an orderly manner” (I Cor. 14:4o). If He did not have a chain of command in society, we would have chaos. The fact that the woman is to submit to her husband does not suggest that the man is better than the woman. It only means that the man has the responsibility of headship and is to be leader in the home.

Headship is not dictatorship or lordship. It is loving leadership. In fact, both the husband and the wife must be submission to the Lord and to each other (Eph. 5:21). It is a mutual respect under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

True spiritual submission is the secret of growth and fulfillment. When a Christian woman is submissive to the Lord and to her own husband, she experiences a release and fulfillment that she can have in no other way. This mutual love and submission creates an atmosphere of growth in the home that enables both the husband and the wife to become all that God want them to be.

The fact that the Christian wife is “in the Lord” is not an excuse for selfish independence. Just the opposite is true, for her salvation makes it important that she obey the Word and submit to her husband. While it is true in Jesus Christ “there is neither male nor female” (Gal. 3:28), it is also true that joyful submission is an evidence that the wife belongs to Jesus Christ.

However, the husband has the responsibility of loving his wife; the word for “love” used here is “agape” – the sacrificing, serving love that Christ shares with His church (Eph. 5:25). A marriage may begin with human romantic love, but it must grow deeper into spiritual “agape” love that comes only from God. Christ gave His all for His church. Christ willingly died for us! The measure of a man’s love for his wife is not seen only in gifts or words, but in acts of sacrifice and concern for her happiness and welfare.

Paul added a special word of warning for the husbands: “and be not embittered against them”(v. 19). Husbands must be careful not to harbor ill-will toward their wives because of something they did or did not do. A root of bitterness in a home can poison the marriage relationship and give Satan a foothold (Heb. 12:15; Eph. 4:31).

The Christian husband and wife must be open and honest with each other and not hide their feelings or lie to one another. “Speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15) is a good way to solve family differences. “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath” is a wise policy to follow if you want to have a happy home (Eph. 4:26).

A husband who truly loves his wife will not behave harshly or try to throw his weight around in the home. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs” (I Cor. 13:4-5 NIV).

A wife really has little difficulty submitting to a husband who loves her. She knows he seeks the very best for her, and that he will not do any thing to harm her. The husband’s love for his wife is seen in his sacrifice for her, and the wife’s love for her husband is seen in her submission to him.

A happy marriage does not come automatically; it is something that must be worked at all the time. As we walk with Christ in submission to Him, we have no problem submitting to one another and seeking to serve one another. But where there is selfishness, there will be conflict and division. If there is bitterness in the heart, there will eventually be trouble in the home.

Where do we get the power to love and to submit? It comes only from the Lord. If we are wearing the “grace clothes” descried earlier (Col 3:5-14), and if we have our hearts filled with the peace of Christ and the Word of Christ, then we will contribute to the joy and harmony of the home. If we live to please Christ first, others second, and ourselves last, we will build strong marriages and spiritual homes.

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November 9, 2013 Andrea, I appreciate your comments.

B. Parents and Children: Encouragement and Obedience (Col. 3:20-21).

There were children in these Christian homes, and Paul addressed part of his letter to them. The word for “children ” here means sons and daughters at least through adolescence. The same word is used in Galatians 4:1. The normal result of marriage is the bearing of children, and fortunate are those children who are born into Christian homes where there is love and submission. “To be fruitful and multiply” was God’s order to our first parents (Gen. 1:28), and this order was given as a creation ordinance. The marriage relationship and the bearing of children is not sinful; rather, they are part of God’s mandate to man. In the begetting and bearing children, the husband and wife share in the creative activity of God.

A great deal is being said about the rights of children today, and they do have rights. One of them is the right to be born . Another is the right to be born into a dedicated Christian home where they will be raised in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). They have the right to have godly parents who will teach them the Word of God and discipline them in love.

John H. Starkey was a violent British criminal. He murdered his own wife, then was convicted and executed. The officials asked General William Booth, founder to the Salvation Army, to conduct his funeral service. Booth faced as ugly and man crowd as he had ever seen in his life, but his first words stopped them and then he lad them: “John Starkey never had a praying mother!”

Children have rights, but they ask have responsibilities; and their foremost responsibility is to obey. The verb here is quite different from that in verse 18, where it is translated “to be subject to.” Here it is a command to listen and to accept submissively. They are to obey “in all things” and not simply in the things that please themselves. Will their parents ever ask them to do something that is wrong? Not if the parents are submissive to the Lord and to one another, not if they truly love their children.

The child that does not learn to obey his parents is not likely to grow up obeying any authority. He will defy his teachers, the police, his employers, and anyone who tries to exercise authority over him. The breakdown in authority in our society reflects the breakdown of authority in the home.

For the most part, children do not “create” problems; they “reveal” them. Parent, who cannot discipline themselves cannot discipline their children. If a father and mother are not under authority themselves, they cannot exercise authority over others. It is only as parents submit to each other and to the Lord that they can exercise priorly balanced spiritual and physical authority over their children.

The “measure” of the child’s obedience is “all things”; the “motive” is to please the Lord. It is possible to please the parents and not please the Lord, if the parents are not yielded to the Lord. The family that lives in an atmosphere own love and truth, that reads the Word of God, and that prays together, will have an easier time discovering God’s will and pleasing the Lord.

The word “fathers” in verse 21 could be translated “parents”, as in Hebrews 11:23. Paul made it clear that parents must make it easy as possible for children to obey. “…do not exasperate your children” (Col. 3:21) is a command to parents, and how it is disobeyed! To often, parents automatically say no when their children ask for something. What hey should do is listen carefully and evaluate each request. Likewise parents often change their minds and create problems for their children, sometimes by swinging from extreme permissiveness to extreme legalism.

Fathers and mothers should encourage their children, not discourage them. One of the most important things parents can do is spend time with their children. As busy as they are, they need to take time to be with them, talk with them.

Parents also need ti listen and be patient as their children talk to them. A listening ear and a loving heart always go together. “You took time to have me,” a child said to her father, “but you won’t take time to listen to me! What an indictment!

Life is not easy for children, especially Christian children. Their problems might be small to us, but they are quite large to them! Christian parents must listen carefully, share feelings and frustrations if their children, pray with them, and seek to encourage them. Home ought to be the happiest and best place in all the world.

Discouraged children are fair prey for Satan and the world. When a child does not get “ego-strength” at home, he will seek it elsewhere. It is a pity that some Christian parents do not help their children develop their personalities, their gifts, and their skills. It is even worse when Christian parents compare one child with another and thereby set up unnecessary competition in the home.

Parents sometimes use their children as weapons for fighting against each other. Father will forbid Junior from doing something, but Mother will veto that order and give her approval. The poor child is caught between his parents, and before long he learns how to play both ends against the middle. The result is moral and spiritual tragedy.

If the home is truly Christian, it is a place of encouragement. In such a home, the child finds refuge from battles, and yet strength to fight the battles and carry the burdens of growing authority. He finds a loving heart, a watchful eye, a listening ear, and a helping hand. He does not want any other place – home meets all his needs. In this kind of a home, it is natural for the child to trust Christ and want to live for him.

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November 15, 2013
C. MASTERS AND SERVANTS: HONESTY AND DEVOTION (Col. 3:22-4:1)

Slavery was an established institution in Paul’s day. At least half of the people were slaves. Many of them were well-educated people who carried great responsibilities in the homes of the wealthy. In many homes, the slaves helped to educate and discipline the children.

Why didn’t the church of that day openly oppose slavery and seek to destroy it? For one thing, the church was a minority group that had no political power to change the institution built into the social order. Pal was careful to instruct Christian slaves to secure their freedom if they could (I Cor. 7:21); but he did not advocate rebellion or the overthrow of the existing order.

Something should be noted: the purpose of the early church was to spread the Gospel and win souls, not to get involved in social action. Had the first Christians been branded as an anti-government sect, they would have been greatly hindered in their soul winning and their church expansion. While it is good and right for Christians to get involved it the promotion of honesty and morality in government and society, this concern must never replace the mandate to go into all the world and preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15).

You will remember that the book of Colossians was one of three letters that came from Paul’s Roman imprisonment; the other two were Ephesians and Philemon. Read Paul’s letter to Philemon and see his attitude towards slavery. Paul did not advise Philemon to treat his runaway slave severely, but to receive him as a brother even though he was still a slave. In fact, Onesimus, the slave, was one of the men who carried this letter to Colossae (Col. 4:9).

A Christian servant owed complete obedience to his master, as a ministry to the Lord. If a Christian servant had a believing master, that servant was not to take advantage of his master because they were brothers in the Lord. If anything, the servant strived to do a better job because he was a Christian. He showed singleness of heart and gave his full devotion to his master. His work was done heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord that he would receive the reward of the inheritance. “It is the Lord Christ that you serve” (Col. 3:24).

Single hearts and sincere hearts were necessary for Christian servants to please God and serve their masters acceptably. The instructions emphasized the positive side of obedience. Servants were to obey the please God, not just to avoid punishment. Even if their masters did not commend them, they would have their reward from the Lord. In the same manner, if they disobeyed, the Lord would deal with them even if their master did not. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11; Eph. 6:9; James 2:1, 9).

In our society, we do not have slaves. But we can apply these principles to any kind of honest employment. A Christian worker ought to be the best worker on the job. He ought to obey orders and not argue. He ought to serve Christ and not the boss only, and he ought to work whether anyone is watching or not. If he follows these principles, he will receive his reward from Christ even if his earthly master (his boss) does not recognize or reward him.

I know someone who because he is a Christian followed that example. Because of that some of his fellow-workers complained that he was working to hard and made them look like slackers in the eyes of the boss. Though their complaints (which were many) were not enough to get him fired, they were enough to make his working conditions miserable. He decided to quit and look for another place to work. Within days he had a similar job with better pay and more convince.

In today’s complex, competitive world that is not always the case. It is sometimes difficult for a Christian to obey God and hold his job, or get a promotion. But he must obey God just the same and trust Him for what he needs. Unsaved fellow employees may take advantage of the Christian worker, but perhaps this can be an opportunity for the Christian to witness and back up his witness with his life. It is far more important to win a lost soul than to make a few extra dollars.

Just as husbands and wives and parents and children have mutual and reciprocal responsibilities, so do masters and servants. Paul admonished the Christian masters to treat their servants with fairness and honesty. This would be a new idea to Roman masters, because they considered their slaves as “things,” and not people. Masters had almost total control over their slaves and could do with them whatever they pleased. Few unsaved Roman masters thought of treating their slaves with fairness, for slaves deserved nothing.

The Gospel did not immediately destroy slavery, but it did gradually change the relationship between slave and master. Social standards and pressures disagreed with Christian ideals, but the Christian master was to practice those ideals just the same. He was to treat his slave like a person and like a brother in Christ (Gal. 3:28). He was not to mistreat him, he was to deal with his slave justly and fairly. After all, the Christian slave was a free man in the Lord, and the master was a slave to Christ (I Cor. 7:22). In the same way, our social and physical relationships must always be governed by our spiritual relationships.

As we review this very practical section of Colossians, we see once again the preeminence of Jesus Christ in our lives as believers. Christ must be the Head of the home. This series of admonitions is actually a practical application of Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” It is by His power and authority that we should live in our daily relationships. If He is the preeminent One in our lives, then we will love each other, submit to each other, obey, and treat one another fairly in the Lord.

It would be well for us to review Ephesians 518-6:9 and note the parallels between that passage and this one we have just studied. This section of Ephesians emphasizes being filled with the Spirit, while the Letter to the Colossians emphasizes being filled with the Word, but the evidences are the same: joyful, thankful, and submissive living. To be filled with the Spirit means to be controlled by the Word.

The fullness of the Spirit and the fullness of the Word are needed in the home. If the family members are controlled by the Spirit of God and the Word of God, they will be joyful, thankful, and submissive – and they will have little trouble getting along with each other. Christian employers and employees will treat each other fairly if they are filled with the Spirit and the Word.

The heart of every problem is the problem of the heart, and only God’s Spirit and God’s Word can change and control the heart.

Can the people who live wit us deter that we are filled with the Spirit and the Word???

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November 28, 2013

C. Witnessing To The Lost (Col. 4:5-6)

“Outsiders” refer to those who are not in the family of God (v. 5). Jesus made a distinction between His disciples and those who were outside(Mark 4:11). Paul also made this distinction (I Cor. 5:12-13). Those of us who are born again are the “spiritual insiders” because we belong to God’s family and share His life.

However, as Christians, we must never have a superiority complex. We have a responsibility to witness to the lost around us and to seek to bring them into the family of God. To begin with, we have the responsibility to “walk wisely” (v. 5). “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders” (NIV). Walk, of course, refers to our daily conduct. The unsaved outsiders watch us Christians and are very critical of us. There must be nothing in our lives that would jeopardize our testimony.

What does it mean to “walk in wisdom”? For one thing it means that we are careful not to say or do anything that would make it difficult to share the Gospel. It also means to be alert to use the opportunities that God gives us for personal witness. “Make the most of every opportunity” (NIV). See also Ephesians 5:16. Other translations put it this way: “Redeeming the time”, which means buying up the opportunity. This is a commercial term and pictures the Christian as a faithful steward who knows an opportunity when he sees one. Just as a merchant seizes a bargain when he finds one, so a Christian is to seize the opportunity to witness for Christ,

“Walking in wisdom” also includes our work, paying our bills, and keeping our promises, if we would win the outsiders (I Thess. 4:12). A pastor went to a hardware store to make a purchase. The salesman asked, “Is__________ a member of your church?” The pastor replied that indeed the person in question was a member. The salesman went on to tell how much money the church member owed the store and how difficult it was to get any payment. It would have probably have been futile for the pastor to have witnessed to the clerk at that moment.

Christians in general and Christian leaders in particular, must have a “good reputation with outsiders” (I Tim 3:7). When a church is calling a new pastor, they would do well to investigate his testimony among his neighbors and the businessmen who know him. Even though unsaved people are in the dark spiritually (2 Cor. 4:3-4), they have a great deal of discernment when it comes to the things of this life (Luke16:8). It is unfortunate when a church calls a man who has not paid his bills and left a bad witness behind.

It is not enough simply to walk wisely and carefully before unbelievers. We must also “talk with them and share the Gospel message with them. But we must take care that our speech is controlled by “grace”, so that it points to Christ and glorifies the Lord. “Let your conversation be always full of grace” (v. 6). This means that we must have grace in our hearts, because it it from the heart that the mouth speaks. With grace in our hearts and on our lips, we will be faithful witnesses and not judges.

The Lord Jesus Christ spoke with grace on His lips. “All spoke well of Him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from HIs lips” (Luke4:22). Among the many statements about Jesus Christ in Psalm 45 (a messianic psalm) is this: “You are most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace” (v. 2). Even when dealing with sin He spoke words of grace.

Our speech is supposed to “minister” grace to the hearers (Eph. 4:29). But we cannot do that unless we have grace in our hearts and in our words. We are to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15).

Why did Paul here add the words “seasoned with salt”? (v. 6) In that day, salt was used as a preservative as well as a seasoner. We should never say to anyone, “Now, take that with a grain of salt.” We must put salt into our speech to make it pure and properly seasoned. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building other up…” (Eph. 4:29). Our speech must be tasty and pure.

Salt was also added to the Old Testament sacrifices (Lev. 2:13). Perhaps Paul was suggesting that we look on our words as sacrifices offered to God, just as our words of praise are spiritual sacrifices (Heb. 13:15). It would no doubt help us to say the right things in the right manner if we remembered that our words are looked upon as sacrifices to God.

It is unfortunate when a Christian speaks in a rude or coarse manner, particularly when the unsaved are listening. Peter reminds us that we must “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who ask you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (I Peter 3:15). Gentleness is the opposite of harshness and respect the opposite of arrogance. There is no place in a Christian’s conversation for a know-it-all attitude. While we need to have convictions and not compromise, we must also cultivate a gracious spirit of love.

The Christian’s “walk” and “talk” must be in harmony with each other. Nothing will silence the lips of a believer like a careless life. Where character, conduct, and conversation are all working together, it makes for a powerful witness.

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December 2, 2013 Andrea, thanks for reading and commenting.

D. Sharing Burdens (Col. 4:7-9)

Paul did not spell out the details of his personal situation in this letter. He left it to his two spiritual brothers, Tychicus and Onesimus, to share the burdens with the church in Colosaee. This is another wonderful ministry of speech: we can share our needs and burdens with others; then they can encourage and assist us.

When Paul left Ephesus, he was accompanied by seven other believes – among them, Tychicus (Acts 20:4). These men were helping Paul deliver the love offering from the Gentile churches to the poor saints in Judea (I Cor. 16:1; 2 Cor. 8-9). It is possible that Tychicus and Trophimus were the two brethren Paul referred to in his second letter to the Corinthians (se 2 Cor. 8:19-24).

Tychicus shared Paul’s Roman imprisonment and no doubt was helpful to him in many ways. Paul chose Tychicus and Onesimus to deliver the Ephesian letter (Eph. 6:21) and the Colossian letter (Col.4:7-9). Of course they also took the personal letter to Philemon. Paul instructed Tychicus to share with the Colossian Christians all the details of his situation in Rome.Paul’s description of Tychicus reveals what a splendid Christian Tychicus really was. He was a “beloved brother,” willing to stay with Paul even though the situation was difficult. How encouraging it is to have a Christian at your side when everything seems to be against you!

Tychicus was also a “faithful minister”. His love revealed itself in action. He ministered to Paul and also for Paul to assist him in his many obligations. Someone has said that the greatest ability in all the world is in dependability, and this is true. Paul could depend on Tychicus to get the job done.

Tychicus was also Paul’s fellow servant, bond slave. Though he was not an apostle himself, he was assisting Paul in his apostolic ministry. Paul and Tychicus worked together in the service of the Lord. Later Paul was able to send Tychicus to Crete (Titus 3:12) and then to Ephesus (2 Tim. 4:12).

It was not easy for Tychicus to be associated with Paul, the prisoner, for Paul had many enemies. Nor was it easy for Tychicus to travel as he did fulfilling his many assignments. Tychicus did not take the easy way, but rather the right way. Our churches today could use more members like Tychicus!

Paul also mentioned Onesimus (“one of you”) who himself came from Colossae. He was the runaway slave who belonged to Philemon and who had been won to Christ through Paul’s ministry in Rome. Paul sent Onesimus back to his master with a letter asking Philemon to receive him and forgive him. It is interesting to note that Paul also called Onesimus “faithful” and “beloved”. Onesimus had been a believer only a short time and yet he had already proved himself to Paul.

These two men had a dual ministry to perform: to encourage the Colossian Christians, and to inform them about Paul’s situation. Is it wrong for God’s people to share information in this way? Of course not! Paul was not begging for money or asking for sympathy. He wanted the Colossian believers to know his situation so they could pray for him. While it is true that some Christian workers “use” circumstances selfishly to enlist support, this was not true of Paul. He simply wanted his friends in Colossae to know the facts and to support him in prayer.

Praying, proclaiming the Word, witnessing, and sharing burdens – these are four wonderful ministries of speech. How much better it is to be involved in these ministries than to be using our tongues for gossip, malicious criticism, and other sinful purposes.

Let’s make David’s prayer our prayer: “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3).

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December 4, 2013 FRIENDS, ROMANS, COUNTRYMEN (Col. 4:10-18)

Paul was not only a soul winner, he was a great friend-maker. If my count is correct, there are more than 100 different Christians (named and unnamed) associated with Paul in the Book of Acts and in his epistles. He named 26 different friends in Romans 16 alone!

It was customary in Paul’s day to close each letter with personal greetings. Friends did not see another that much, and letter service was very slow and limited. Of course Paul’s greetings were more than social; they conveyed his genuine spiritual concern for his friends. In this closing section, Paul sent greetings to Colossae from six of his associates in the ministry: Aristarchus, John Mark, and Jesus Justus, all of whom were Jews; and Epaphras, Luke, and Demas who were Gentiles. Paul then added special personal greetings to two church assemblies, with a special word to one of the pastors.

When we read this list of names, we are probably not greatly moved. But when we get behind the scene and discover the drama of these men’s lives as they worked with Paul, the list becomes rather exciting. We can put these men into three groups: A. The Men Who Stayed (Col. 4:10-11, 14a), B. The Man That Prayed (Col. 412-13), and C. The Man Who Strayed (Col. 4:14b.).

A. The Men Who Stayed (Col. 4:10-11, 14a). This group is made up of three Jews (Aristarchus, John Mark, and Jesus Justus(, and one Gentile (Luke). All of them were characterized by faithfulness to the Apostle Paul in his hour of special need. They were the men who stayed.

Aristarchus (Col. 4:10a) was identified as Paul’s fellow prisoner, and also as Paul’s fellow worker (v. 11). Aristarchus was from Macedonia and was one of Paul’s traveling companions (Acts 19:29). He was originally from Thessalonica (Acts 20:4) and willingly risked his life in the Ephesian riot (Acts 19:28-41). He sailed with Paul to Rome (Acts 27:2), which meant he also experienced the storm and shipwreck that Luke so graphically described in Acts 27.

Aristarchus stayed with Paul no matter what the circumstances were – a riot in Ephesus, a voyage, a storm, or even prison. It is not likely that he was an official Roman prisoner. “Fellow prisoner” probably means that Aristarchus shared Paul’s confinement with him so that he could be a help and comfort. He was a voluntary prisoner for the sake of Jesus Christ and the Gospel.

Paul could not have accomplished all that he did apart from the assistance of his friends. Aristarchus stands out as one of the greatest of Paul’s helpers. He did not look for an easy task. He did not run when the going got tough. He suffered with Paul and labored with Paul.

John Mark (Col. 4:10b), the writer of the second Gospel played a very important part in the early history of the church. He too was a Jew, a native of Jerusalem where his mother, Mary, kept “open house” for the believers (Acts 12:12). John Mark was a cousin of Barnabas, the man who went with Paul on that first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-3) It is a good possibility that John Mark was led to faith through the ministry of Peter (I Peter 5:13).

When Paul and Barnabas set out on that first missionary journey, they took John Mark with them as an assistant. He probably took care of the travel arrangements, supplies, etc. But when the going got tough, John Mark abandoned the preachers and returned home (Acts 13:5-13).

Why John quit is not explained in Scripture. Perhaps he was afraid, for the group was about to go into dangerous territory? Perhaps he resented the fact that Paul was taking over the leadership of the mission and replacing his relative, Barnabas? Or, maybe John Mark resented Pau’s ministry to the Gentiles. Whatever the reason or excuse, he left them and returned to Jerusalem.

Later, when Paul and Barnabas wanted to go on a second journey, Paul refused to take John Mark along (Acts15:36-41). Was Paul wrong in his assessment of this young man? Perhaps, but we cannot blame Paul for being cautious when John Mark has fail him in the past. Paul was not running a popular tour, he was seeking to win lost souls to Christ, and there was great hardship and danger. This led to a division between Paul and Barnabas. However, we must admit that Paul did forgive John Mark and commend him (II Tim. 4:11).

Mark, Titus, and Timothy were young men who served as special representatives for the Apostle Paul. He could send them to churches that were having problems and trust them. By the grace of God, John Mark had overcome his first failure and had become a valuable servant of God. He was even chosen to write the second Gospel.

John Mark is an encouragement to everyone who has failed in his first attempt to sere God. He did not sit around and sulk. He got back into ministry and proved himself faithful to the Lord and to the Apostle Paul. He was one of the men who stayed.

I might add that it is good to be a Barnabas and encourage younger Christians in the Lord. Perhaps John Mark would have made it without the help of his cousin Barnabas, but no doubt his encouragement helped to restore Mark to service. Barnabas lived up to his name: “son of encouragement” *Acts 4:36).

Jesus Justus (Col. 4:11) was a Jewish believer who served with Paul, but we know nothing about him. The name Jesus (Joshua) was a popular Jewish name, and it was not unusual for Jewish people to have a Roman name as well (Justus). John Mark is also a case in point. Jesus Justus represents those faithful believers who serve God but whose deeds are not announced for the whole world to know. He was a fellow worker with Paul and a comfort to him. That is all we know, however, the Lord keeps a faithful record of our life and ministry and will reward us accordingly.

Luke (Col. 4:14a) was a very important man in the early church. He was a Gentile, yet he was chosen to write the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. He is probably the only Gentile writer of any book of the Bible. He was also a physician and dearly loved by Paul. The profession of medicine had been perfected by the Greeks, and physicians were held in the highest regard. Even though Paul had the power to heal people, he traveled with a physician.

Luke joined Paul and his party at Troas (note the pronoun “we” in Acts 16:10). Luke traveled with Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 20:off) and with him on the voyage to Rome (Acts 27:ff). No doubt Luke’s personal presence and his professional skills were a great encouragement to Paul during that very difficult time. While God can and does bring strength and healing (sometimes in miraculous ways) , He also uses means provided by medication. On my first trip to Thailand, and in spite of MTW’S warning ahead of time, I had a sesame attack and was very grateful for the presence of Dr. Priscilla Strom.

Luke remained with Paul to the very end (see II Tim.4:11). God used Luke to write the Book of Acts and give us an inspired history of the early church and the ministry of Paul. Luke is a glowing example of the professional man who uses his skills in the service of the Lord and gives himself to go wherever God sends. He was a beloved Christian, a skillful physician, a devoted friend, and a careful historian – all wrapped in one! NEXT – The Man Who Prayed

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December 9, 2013 C. THE MAN WHO STRAYED (Col. 4:14b).

Demas is mentioned only three times in Paul’s letters, and these three references tell a sad story. First he is called “Demas…..my fellow laborer” and is linked with three good men – Mark, Aristarchus, and Luke (Phile 24). Then he is simply called “Demas,” and there is no special word of identification or commendation (Col. 4:14). But the third reference tells what became of Demas: “For Demas, having loved this present world has deserted me…” (II Peter 4:10).At one point in his life, John Mark had deserted Paul; but he was reclaimed and restored. Demas forsook Paul and apparently was never reclaimed. His sin was that he loved this present world. The word “world” refers to the whole system of things that run this world, or “society without God.” In the first of his epistles, John the Apostle pointed out that the world entices the believer with “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (I John 2:15-17). Which of these traps caught Demas, we do not know; perhaps he fell for all three?

But we do know that Christians today can succumb to the world just as Demas did. How easy it is to maintain a religious veneer, while all the time living for the things of this world. Demas thought that he could serve two masters, but eventually he had to make a choice, unfortunately he made the wrong one.

It must have hurt Paul greatly when Demas forsook him. It also hurt the work of the Lord, for there has never been a time when there were too many laborers. The decision hurt Demas most of all, for he wasted his life in seeking that which could never last. “…he who does the will of God abodes forever” (I John 2:17).

After conveying greetings from his friends and fellow servants, Paul himself sent greetings to the sister churches in Laodicia and Hierapolis. These people had never seen Paul (Col. 2:1), yet he was interested in them and concerned about their spiritual welfare.

We know nothing of Nymphas, except that he had a church meeting in his house. (Some versions read Nympha and seem to indicate that this believer was a woman.) In the first centuries of the church, local assemblies met in private homes. Even today, many new churches get their starts this way. It was not until the Christian faith emerged from persecution into official government approval that church buildings were constructed. It really matters little where the assembly meets, so long as Jesus Christ is the center of the fellowship. (For other examples of the church in the home, see Rom. 16:5 and I Cor. 16:19.).

Paul’s great concern was that the Word of God be read and studied in these churches. The verb read means “to read aloud.” There would not be copies of this letter for each member. The Word of God needs to be read whenever people gather for worship. Paul admonished Timothy to do so: “Until I come give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching” (I Tim. 4:13).

What was the letter from Laodicea? We don’t know for sure. Some scholars think that the letter to the Ephesians was the letter referred to, but that is pure speculation. Others refer to it as a missing letter. If that is true, it does not mean that we are missing a part of God’s inspired Word. God not only inspired His Word, but He providentially watched over it so that nothing would be lost. Instead of wondering about what we do not have, we should be applying what we do have!

When we compare Colossians 4:17 with Philemon 2., we get the impression that Archippus belonged to the family of Philemon. Possibly, Philemon’s son and pastor of the church that met in Philemon’s home. We cannot prove this, of course, but it does seem a logical conclusion. This would make Apphia the wife of Philemon.

Paul’s last words before his salutation are directed at Archippus as an encouragement to continue faithfully in his ministry. Was Archippus discouraged? Had the Gnostic false teachers invaded his church and created problems for him? We do not know. But we do know that pastors of local churches face many problems and carry many burdens, and they often need a word of encouragement.

Paul reminded Archippus that his ministry was a gift from God, and that he was a steward of God and that he would one day have to give an account of his work. Since the Lord gave him his ministry, the Lord could also help him carry it out in the right way. Ministry is not something we do for God; it is something God does in and through us.

The word “fulfill” carries with it the idea that God has a definite purpose for His servants to accomplish. He works in us and through us to complete those good works that He has prepared for us (see Eph. 2:10). Of course, “fulfill” also parallels the theme of Colossians _ the fullness of Jesus Chris is available to each believer. We are able to fulfill our ministries because we have been “filled full” through Jesus Christ.

Unless we make a practical application of Bible doctrine, our study is in vain. After reading this letter and studying it, we cannot help but see that we have in Jesus Christ all that we can ever want or need. All of God’s fullness is in Jesus Christ and we have been made complete in Him. What an encouragement this must have been to Archippus! What an encouragement it should be to us today!

Even today, there are devoted Christians who are in bonds because of their faithfulness to the Lord. We ought to remember them and pray for them (Heb. 13:3).

As we conclude our study of the remarkable letter, we must remind ourselves that we are complete in Jesus Christ. We should beware of any teaching that claims to give us “something more” than we already have in Christ. We do not live and how by “addition” but by “appropriation. May the Lord help us to live as those who are complete Christ.

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