Colossians 3:15-19 Bible Teaching

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Colossians 3.15-24
June 14th 2020
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So, we left off last week reading:

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience,
13 forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Let’s continue at verse 15 where we read:

15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Let’s cover these verses now -verse 15

(15) And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called (meaning to peace) in the one body.

Before being crucified Jesus said to his disciples:
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

This peace is internal – and like coals in a stove – it radiates out to the world around us. Because of this Christians have the ability to be at complete inner peace while the world storms around them.

How? Our King overcame all of it – had victory over the temptests and the ferocious and the demented and the evil.

Therefore, His reign over us – which again is NOT physical but internal – allows us to be at peace when all things are falling apart.

The flesh is what gets aroused in stressful situations. So, we look and lean to Him – our inner strength and peace to reign in every situation. And he will, if we allow him.

Never believe that the peace he gives is going to reign physically over this earth. This is the mindset and the objective of religionists who yearn for theocratic rule and reign.

Not so.

Remember what it says in Roman 14:17

“For the kingdom of God is not food and drink (meaning it is not a material kingdom) but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The is inner woman and inner man peace, folks. Paul wrote in Colossians to Christians who were married to a non-believer who wanted to leave the believer over faith differences

1Co 7:15 But if the unbelieving partner desires to separate, let it be so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. For God has called us to peace.

Isn’t that radical? “ Let it be,” as our friendly Beatles sang, the battle has been won, Jesus is victor and if something or someone is going to behave in a way that is harmful – they can – let it be so, Paul says, “FOR GOD HAS CALLED US TO PEACE.”

I still have a weakness when it comes to being confronted or attacked in the streets. I still loose the peace that I ought to have when vehicular craziness erupts around me. Traffic.

Paul (of Tarsus and McCartney) both said:

Let it be. Our King of Peace reigns – let him.

Philippians 4:7 says:

“And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Your hearts and your minds – internal – the Peace of God which passes all understanding – will keep . . . your hearts and your minds.

The answer to every Christian, in this life, if they want it, is the path of inner peace. Let it go. Let it be. It’s not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. The weak of mind and heart can’t let things go. His subjects can let everything go that they want but especially of the things in our lives that are hurtful, painful, and tragic.

Death of all people is an inevitable reality.

Even Children pass from our presence as painful as that is.

Loss is certain.
Injustice probable.

Let it be.

“Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.” There will pain of course, we are in flesh, and there will be sadness and sorrow, disappointment, unfairness, injustice – but let his peace reign over your mind and hearts.

Not only because he has had the victory but because He offers all of us the eternal view – the longview – making it so all things will be made right and all who pass before us will go to a better place awaiting our arrival.

Let peace reign and (next) be thankful.

Peaceful aaaaand thankful – for what we have been given and blessed with. A great one-two attitudinal combination for living in this world.

At peace and thankful – they work together and with each other, don’t they?

When we are at war and upset and angry its rare that we are simultaneously thankful for the multitude of blessing we have been given, right?

Be at peace AND thankful. Because when it comes down to it the grass is greenest under our own two feet. Give God thanks.

(Verse 16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Now, I could break this down into segments, and talk about the wore “word” or “doctrine of Christ dwelling in us richly” (which, by the way is the doctrine of agape love – for that is what his life embodied and that is the “new commandment that he taught.)”

And then we could talk about how this doctrine ought to be taught as a means to teach and admonish each other in that doctrine

And then talk about “singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness” in our hearts to God . . .

As if these there three different subjects.

OR

We could take the whole verse as one continuous thought and tie it all together because it appears that Paul wrote these words in one continuous thought and that they should be taken all together.

So, let’s do the latter. And let me re-read that passage to you and try to hear it as a connected message:

(Verse 16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Taking this passage as a whole I suggest that there is no greater way in getting the word or doctrine of Christ to dwell in us richly, to teach and admonish us in all wisdom, than by singing pslams and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in our hearts.

“Psalmos”, “hoomnos,” “pneumatikos odays.”

Singing the actual Psalms, other hymns that reflect religious truths, and spiritual metrical chants which were common among the Hebrews.

Remember, in context of the passage, these, it seems, ought to endorse and encourage the Doctrine of Christ (which is agape love) and ought to teach and admonish us in wisdom, and arrive or are shared musically with thankfulness in our hearts to God.

So, if you want a template for worship music, this one is pretty good, in my estimation.

It must endorse the doctrines of Christ (which love and the fruit of love for God and or Man)
It ought to teach and admonish us to wisdom, which means knowledge applied – meaning, how to apply the doctrines of Christ, and
It is presented through the Psalms themselves (which were songs the Jew sang) or their own Hoomnos – which were created Psalms, or in chants.
With all of leading to thankfulness in our hearts to God.

(Verse 17) And whatever you do, in word or deed do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The phrase, in word or deed, means everything – Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Now, this does not mean to use Jesus name in everything but to have Him behind the motive and purpose of everything we say or do.

THAT is certainly an example of having Him at the forefront of our lives, isn’t it?

Think about this for a minute – in this world we have the majority of people who say and do all sorts of things without Jesus on their minds at all. He plays no role in what they say or do – ever.

But Paul here is telling the believers at Colosse that in EVERYTHING that they SAY OR DO – to have “Christ” as the motivator and meaning behind it.

That is one demonstrable statement about being a disciple of Christ. And if we are honest, when he is in us, sitting on the throne of our hearts, that is the result isn’t it? Him leading the way.

In my life, when he is not the motive and purpose behind my “words and deeds” I typically find that those words and deeds are foolish, empty and useless in the scheme of things.

So, I try to embrace this advice from the heart as it bears great fruit when taken in the life of a believer.

By looking at Christ as our King and we as His subjects in the Kingdom, perhaps even in the castle, then the advice makes more sense as such a subject would be focused on the wishes and wants of the King in a secular castle.

Finally, Paul adds

Giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

The scripture tells us plainly where all thanks is directed and given and by and through it comes.

Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:3 says: We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, and

Here we read again “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

In the name of Jesus we give thanks to God the Father. We give thanks to God the Father in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We are servants of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We thank God His Father IN HIS NAME as God the Father gave us the Son. We do all things in the Sons name, our Lord, including the thanks which we reserve for God His Father – and ours.

This pleases God the Father when His children thank Him IN THE NAME of His only begotten Son.

That is the order plainly presented in the New Testament.

And this brings us to another place where Paul leans heavily on the letter to the Ephesians (or potentially vice versa) and where he says:

18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Now, we have covered these passages in our Ephesians verse by verse and so I am only going to add some thoughts that were not present in that teaching.

And we come to a biggie in our day and age (verse 18)

18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

There is probably few more clearly stated passages of scripture in the New Testament that is more debated and resisted. I want everyone to remember a few things about the scripture.

1. Audience: who was Paul writing to here? The church at Colosse. To believers in that day.

This view is vital to EVERYTHING we read in scripture and these passages are no different.

And who was that audience? Converts to Christianity who had come from Judaism (but were renouncing elements of the established Law) and converts from Paganism.

2. Circumstances: what were they? This was a new church full of different people under great external pressure and who had no idea what it meant to live as a Christian – or as a Christian couple or a family.

They were also facing a coming time of great tribulation as has never been seen on earth before or after. Do not lose sight of these circumstances for this audience.

Also remember, that once the last living actual witness of Jesus resurrection died, and the material age of religion was destroyed, everything was placed in the hands of the spirit for every individual believer – and that we are now all accountable before God for how we choose to live and the choices we make.

So, there are the first points to consider about these words of instruction.

However, these things do not mean the words are not applicable in marriages today.

In fact, when understood, and then applied with such understanding, I think Paul’s advice is good. But it has to come with understanding and not backwooded literalism.

This understanding includes that as Christians, we are all under submission.

To God through Christ, and to each other.
Ephesians 5:21 says, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”

So, if the idea of submission – to God, to the Holy Spirit, to Christ, to each other, to authorities in Government, re-read the general directives in the book and perhaps rethink your stance.

Ours is a religion or faith of submission – like it or not – all the way down to our will being constantly but freely submitted to God’s.

Here the advice is given to wives (in that day) and on the surface, it’s pretty simple:

“Wives must submit to their husbands as
is fitting in the Lord.”

Now, even then, did this mean, “wives –“

Do what I say. (NO)
Do not question what I say. (NO)
Serve me and my every need. (NO)
Let me do what I want to do. (NO)
Accept abuse from me – emotional, physical, sexual – all or any of it. (NO)

So, what is submission then in the context of biblical thought?

The Greek word Paul uses here is a military term that means to put oneself in rank under another.

Does the heart, blood, feelings, mind of an Army Private have less value than that of an Army General? No.

It’s an order in place – that’s all.

According to scripture, like it or not, God has ordained the principle of authority and submission in a number of different spheres including:

Citizens are to be subject to civil authorities (Romans 13:1; Titus 3:1); slaves to their masters (Colossians 3:22; Titus 2:9);
church members to their leaders (1 Cor. 16:16; Titus 2:15; Heb. 13:17);
children to their parents (Col. 3:20); and wives to their husbands (Eph. 5:22, 24; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:5; 1 Pet. 3:1).

Did you know that every time the New Testament speaks to the role of wives, the command is the same:

“Be subject to your husband.”

But, as I have already presented mitigating factors to this, there are more.

First (and this is important) whenever God grants authority to anyone, it is always for the blessing and protection of those under that authority and never for the advantage of the one in authority.

Hear that clearly.

So, the advice is not in place for harm to happen but good. Right off the bat.

If those in government authority use their position to further their own interests at the expense of those under them, they are corrupt and will answer to God, who delegated authority to them, and in my estimation, having proved that they are acting outside of His purview and ways, lose that authority and the respect it deserves.

Likewise, any husband who uses his authority in the home to lord it over his family for his own advantage is not only liable before God for abusing his authority but in my estimation loses the respect the authority once deserved.

In other words, in the faith, to be in a place of leadership does not mean greater perks, but rather greater responsibility and accountability before God and more service and love to others.

Second, it’s really important to recognize that husbands are never commanded in scripture to, “Exercise authority over their wives!”

So, while the leadership of the husband is stated as a fact it is in the hand of the wife to choose to submit to it – alone – NOT for the husband to demand or take it.

What command is given to the husband, actually and literally? To love her.

So we have zero directive suggesting that a husband is to demand or enforce leadership upon his wife. The submission is always her decision with the husbands response to always be agape love.

Don’t lose sight of this.

To me, if a husband and his wife look at their own directives from scripture, by the spirit, the finger-pointing stops and the onus for the solution of every problem falls squarely in their own respective laps.

Authority does not mean superiority – not in a biblical sense. Remember, Jesus said that the greatest in the Kingdom would be servants. In that sense “inferiority equal superiority.”

This is the Christian mindset that we cannot get away from. So, whenever we start in on “resistance” to these things we are probably entering into more fleshly responses than spiritual.

Look – I get that husbands can really be pieces of work. And I get that wives can be the same. This is not the point. The point is are you a Christian? If so, are you a Christian who allows Christ to reign “in you” rather than your flesh to reign “outside of you.”

That’s the question. And we can ask it because we know what our Lord did when he walked the earth. He submitted himself, to his father, to the hands of evil men, to the cross.

This does not mean that you do not speak truth but it does suggest that our inner man or woman is in control, not our outer.

So again, “authority does NOT convey superiority.” Quite frankly, a wife may in fact be superior in intellect and spiritual maturity to her husband.

And Paul plainly affirms elsewhere (Galatians 3:28) that she is just as much a member of Christ as her husband is, and that there is no difference between males and females in Christ.

Peter calls the wife a “fellow-heir of the grace of life” (1st Peter 3:7). Fellow heir. Co-equal. Joint-heir with Christ.

To me, to be insulted and resistant to this “ordering” of Paul is like being insulted if Paul wrote:

The wife is to be the one to get pregnant and have a child, and the husband is to be the one to protect and provide for that child and his wife.

It’s an order, but a good one if both participants receive their directives – and all benefit thereby.

Additionally, it is errant to think that if we put ourselves under the authority of another that this implies “passivity.”

A submissive wife is not one who meekly goes along with her husband, while keeping her thoughts and feelings to herself.

Close real relationships are built on truthfulness and openness in a context of love. If a wife withholds her viewpoint or feelings under the guise of submissiveness, she is creating distance in her relationship with her husband.

Because God created woman as a help meet to her husband, a wife who does not speak the truth in love is not fulfilling her responsibility in the marriage bond.

The two are one, not the man is one and the woman is serving him.

She can be strong and even outspoken but in the end she allows the buck to stop with him. He is responsible and out of respect, which is what men want, she lets the responsibilty be with him – as he is responsible to the LORD.

Outward submissiveness and inward defiance, by the way, is not in accord with scripture either.

This is where communication is involved and that is not a one-way street as both husbands and wives are responsible in marriage, as one, to speak – even when it’s tough.

I have found myself as I have grown older doing two diametrically opposed things in my own marriage.

First, I find myself really hating to be questioned about things that I feel are non-essentials. It drives me nuts.

But at the same time, I also find that the insight of Mary on things offer a perspective that I am often blind to.

And so I am faced with having to try to merge these two facts and realize that if I want my wife’s sound insights on matters, she has to be aware of all of the data – including what I see as non-essentials.

In this end all this amounts to is me showing here love. And that is what I am commanded to do if I have a wife – is to love her.

And that leads us to the next (and last passage for the day:

19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

That last line “and be not bitter against them” is what makes me wonder about the mindset in husbands I expressed a minute ago.

Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:25 are more explicit to husbands as he says:

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”

Just as all the directives on Christian love are couched in the fact that Christian love is present when patience is required, and when kindness is required, and when forgiveness is required, and when longsuffering is required, perhaps – just perhaps – what Paul commands here from both wives and husbands are the most difficult things for each of them to do?

That every wife (in her flesh) wants to usurp her husbands authority and advice and wisdom and ways and every husband wants to love everything but his wife – to put fishing, and sports, and friends and hobbies and even other women sometimes – ahead of the love and attention he ought to give her.

I honestly think that there is something to this in some marriages. And I’m speaking only for myself here, but in my flesh and as a man, I hate being restricted, controlled, or forced to do anything.

Marriage is an automatic enforcement of such things, and so perhaps some men wind up taking the natural results of marriage out on their wives? Meaning, they let the love and adoration for her go out of resentment and in perhaps a subconscious retaliation for stripping us of our freedoms, we turn our love and attention to other things?

And perhaps in failing to receive love and attention and adoration from her husband as she needs, a woman naturally begins to disrespect him and challenge his every move.

And at that point the marriage is in one hell of a state – one in which both partners need to re-evaluate whether they really want to be married or not – because if they do, they better start looking at their own part in the problems, fix them, and see if it leads to overall healing of the union.

There is that old anecdotal story of the man who was dead set on divorcing his wife and decided in a last ditch attempt to save the marriage to really devote himself to loving her for one month.

So, he helped with the kids, and did the dishes, and let her choose the shows she wanted to watch.

He stopped his golf games with the boys on Saturdays and took the kids to the park and her out to dinner instead.

He complimented her and showed her affection and by the end of the month he realized that her anger toward him subsided, and so did her mocking of his person, and her resistance to many things that the said and did.

“Husband are to love their wives,” Paul says, “even as Christ loved the Church.”

So, we are talking about a sold out commitment to her as this love is agape, it is a verb, it is an action, and Christ showed his love for the church through such – with the ultimate act being his own death.

For a man to love his wife in such a way means several things by implication. It means the man will do the will of Christ instead of following his own.

That is what Jesus did – he gave his life for the church, the bride, and body of believers. He did his fathers will instead of his own – for the church, the body, the bride and believers.

This was the strongest love that has ever been shown in this world. And so it follows that a husband loves his own wife in the same fashion.

He does not live for himself anymore. His primary interests are for her well being, and if there are children her well being is often the well being of the children (if they have them) and so therefore when a man decides to become a husband, as a Christian, the idea is that his life – his former life – is no longer his own.

It is lived with others in mind – first Christ will and desires for him, then his wife, then his children because that is what the wife will worry about most (in most cases).

Taking it to the full extreme, Christ gave his actual life for the church and this is the command of husbands.

If I was counseling a married Christian couple (which I do not do anymore) and they came to me guns a blazing, fingers pointed, accusations flying, I would send the wife home and talk to the husband first.

And for several weeks I would lay out his role in the marriage in no uncertain terms, and I would have him work and report on what He was doing in love for his wife for several months.

And then I would bring the wife back and I would make sure that his progress was occurring in loving her, and then I would drop on her what is expected.

And after a few months I would bring them back together, with that template in place and understood, and use it to shut down their every complaint.

Marriage is a tough situation no matter what. I believe firmly that the directives of submitting and loving, when properly understood for what they are and what they are not, are the solution – if they will be embraced.

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