Colossians 3:18-4:1 notes Beverly Conover
Let's begin with:
Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father."
~This sets the stage for all that follows in Colossians 3:18-4:1.
~Before we read Colossians 3:18 let's read some verses about submission:
Philippians 2:5-8 "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges, he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross."
Ephesians 5:21 "And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit."
Romans 13:1"Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in authority have been placed there by God."
1 Peter 5:5 "In the same way you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders."
And, finally, to begin the part of Colossians we are studying today:
Colossians 3:18 "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord"
John Piper's commentary on this verse was helpful to me:
"As a new creation in Christ, and under His supreme Lordship, a Christian wife's submission to her husband is an intelligent, fearless, joyful, disposition** to affirm, receive, and nurture the strength and leadership of her husband"
**disposition means a person's usual mood or natural tendency
~intelligent:
1 Peter 3:1 "In the same way you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over."
~fearless
Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
~joyful
Colossians 1:11-12 " We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light."
When is it OK not to submit?
When whoever we are submitting to is asking, or pressuring, or demanding that we do something that is contrary to God. As Peter said in Acts 5:29 when the Jewish high council told him and the other apostles that they must no longer teach the truth about Jesus, "We must obey God rather than any human authority".
Colossians 3:19 "Husbands love your wives and never treat them harshly." ("do not become embittered toward them" in many other translations)
Bitterness can build up over time into a settled attitude--expecting the worst because of past offenses, leading to harshness.
How can a husband not respond this way?
Romans 6:11-12 says: "So you also should consider yourself to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Jesus Christ. Do not let sin control the way you live, do not give in to sinful desires."
Colossians 3:20 "Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord."
Parents:
- Make sure you have their attention
- Communicate clearly
- Require obedience, the first time, not after several repetitions,
- Consistent consequences--good and bad
- Teach them about repentance and the forgiveness of Jesus if they mess up.
Colossians 3:21 "Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged."
- Unique responsibility of fathers as head of the family.
- Wrong ways to require obedience:
>nagging, excessive reps, only demands, not encouragement
>anger
>with blows
>embarrassing, belittling, name calling
>impossible demands, not age/ability appropriate
>no gospel--no forgiveness displayed or explained
Colossians 3:22-25 "Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites."
~Did God condone slavery? Let's read a few passages in Scripture:
1Timothy 1:9-10 "For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy..."
(Here Paul lists examples of lawless people) ...or are slave traders..."
1 Corinthians 7:21-22 "Are you a slave? Don't let that worry you--but if you get a chance to be free, take it. And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord..."
Philemon 1:10 "I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison."
Galatians 3:28 "There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free...For you are one in Christ Jesus."
Colossians 3:11 “In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us."
~So, God is working all the time to change peoples' hearts through the redemption of Jesus' blood. He uses people with changed hearts to fight the evils He despises (for instance, the main "movers and shakers" in the abolitionist movements in the U.S. and Europe were Christians).
In Colossians 3:22-25 slaves are reminded that it is Christ that they serve, the One who loves them and gave Himself for them.
Colossians 4:1"Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master in heaven."
Again, the Lord is the one who is over everyone, no matter what their status is, and he will justly judge each one.
The principles in Colossians 3:22-4:1 can also be applied workers and bosses who are Christians.
Closing comment: We are all, as followers of Christ, called to submission to Him, who submitted to His Father and died a criminal's death for us on the cross.
