COLOSSIANS 3:18-4:1 Displaying God’s Wisdom

INTRODUCTION

Paul next applied the implication of this exhortation to various groups of Christians.

"What is beyond question is that the three paragraphs which follow are given as examples of Christian submission, and that the emphasis throughout is on submission."

He addressed six groups: wives and husbands (3:18-19), children and FATHERS (20-21) and slaves and masters (3:22-4:1). In each of the three pairings, the first partner is responsible to be submissive or obedient However the second partner is also to show a submissive spirit. All are to relate to one another as unto the Lord. This is one of several "house-rule" lists in the New Testament (cf. Eph. 5:22—6:9; 1 timothy 6:1-2; Titus 2:1-10; 1 Pet. 2:18—3:7). The writings of some Apostolic Fathers also contain such lists.

"Too much so-called 'holiness teaching' emphasizes a personal relationship to Jesus Christ without any attempt to indicate its consequences in terms of relationships with the people we live and work with. In contrast to such holiness-in-a-vacuum, which magnifies experiences and minimizes ethics, the apostles spelled out Christian duty in the concrete situations of everyday life and work."

When God controls us, we experience harmony in the home and in the workplace, in spite of possible friction, tension, and opposition there.

1. Up to this point Paul has been describing how we ought to live
2. In what might appear at first to be an abrupt change of direction, Paul begins to describe how various family members are to conduct themselves
3. The responsibilities of wives
4. The responsibilities of husbands
5. The responsibilities of children
6. The responsibilities of fathers
7. The responsibilities of servants or employees
8. The responsibilities of masters or employers
9. 3. But the subject matter is really not so abrupt as it may appear, for Paul mentioned earlier...
10. How the church is to treat each other
11. How we are to put on certain attributes which show we love Christ...and it is through family relationships that we can often do this more successfully than in any other way!
12. 4. How can this be? It is through our families that we interact so much with the society in which we live...
13. Thus it is through our families we have great potential to demonstrate the wisdom of God...
14. The same principles that underlie the gospel message (submission, love, sacrifice, obedience, honesty, fairness) are to be displayed in our family relationships
15. By example, then, we can demonstrate in our families what is truly good and right (i.e., God's will), and prepare others to be receptive to the gospel message!

 

Thus Paul is not abruptly changing direction, but continues to talk about those sort of things which are crucial to having a "walk worthy of the calling with which you were called".

The root problem is pride and wanting first place in everything

Satan: Is 12

Submission involves voluntarily putting oneself under another’s authority

             The idea implicit in the term is “to place under” (in the active voice).  As it is found in our text, the idea would be, “to subordinate oneself” or “to place oneself under.” In general terms, submission is the placing of oneself under the one to whom we submit. Since we are commanded to submit ourselves one to another, we are to place all others above ourselves. This idea is certainly not foreign to the New Testament, nor is it found only where the term “submit” is employed:

            It is the love of our Lord which prompted Him to subordinate His own rights and privileges, and to humiliate Himself by taking on human flesh, and then by death on Calvary. In His first coming, Jesus not only submitted Himself to the will of the Father (see Matthew 26:39), He also submitted His interests to the interests of lost sinners, whom He would save by His death, burial, and resurrection:

            Phil. 2:3-8 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

           I doubt that any one word can sum up the heart of what the Scriptures mean by submission. Let me suggest several words, each of which identifies a certain element of submission. The first word is “surrender.” Submission is a voluntary act or surrendering one’s rights or will.

The second word is” sacrifice.”

 The third is “service.” The service which is rendered those to whom we submit often involves a sacrifice. It costs us something to render service to the other person.

A fourth term is “authority,”

while a fifth is “obedience.” When we submit to one who has authority over us, we should evidence this submission, in part, by our obedience. On the other hand, when we submit to those under our authority, we evidence this with sacrificial service.

The final term is “priority.” Those to who we submit have, in some manner, priority over us, our rights, our pleasure, or our will.

 

Mt 8:5-10 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." 7 And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8 The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 "For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

1. Submission involves Sacrifice and Responsibility

Jesus gave up His rights yet maintained His responsibilities. The biblical concept of authority emphasizes responsibility, not tyranny

Responsible authority does not wield power; it serves with it."

The writer to the Hebrews has much to say about the sacrificial aspects of our Lord’s earthly ministry (see chapter 9).

We must distinguish between what we are as a person in Christ and what role we are to portray about Christ and His church. We are all given a role to play, but a subordinate role does not imply an inferior relationship to Christ.

If someone were to protest that the role they have been given to play is beneath them, Let’s remind ourselves that we are not worthy of any role. We were, as sinners, worthy only of Christ’s eternal wrath. Any role is a privilege. And, also, that in order to achieve our salvation at Calvary, Jesus took on a role which was beneath Him. Finally, I would say that the values assigned to our roles by our culture are opposite to those assigned by God. Do you think it demeaning to hold a position of service? Our Lord has taught us that to be the greatest is to serve, and not to be served (Matthew 20:20-28,

          Mr 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.").

   Why, then, should we agonize about any role which God has graciously given to us?

1. A CALL TO WALK IN MATRIMONIAL HARMONY (18-19)
2. DUTIES OF WIVES (18)
3. Submit to their own husbands, as to the Lord (18)
4. DUTIES OF HUSBANDS (19)
5. Love their wives
6. Don”t be bitter towards them
7. FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES
8. THE DUTY OF CHILDREN... (20)
9. Children are to obey their parents in a way that honors them
10. But there are also spiritual repercussions - cf. Co 3:20 ("for this is well pleasing to the Lord")
11. THE DUTY OF FATHERS... (21)
12. Fathers are charged negatively..
13. DON'T provoke children (i.e., put unreasonable demands on them, exasperate them)
14. Lest they be discouraged
15. THE DUTY OF SERVANTS OR EMPLOYEES... (22)
16. In the First Century A.D., servants or slaves were an intricate part of many households, which may explain Paul including instructions to them and masters in this and parallel passages - cf. Eph 5:22-6:9
17. Christians who were servants or employees we could say in today’s setting were expected to demonstrate the proper kind of obedience required of all Christians...
18. Obedience in sincerity of heart, as to Christ Himself, not with eye service, as men-pleasers
19. Obedience with fear of God, Holy and reverential fear of God[i] - cf. Ph 2:10
20. Obedience with good will, as to the Lord
21. Obedience with an understanding that the Lord is an impartial Judge
22. In this way even slaves or employees in today’s setting could demonstrate by example what true obedience was according to the Will of God

Col 3:24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Paul reminds the believers that there are rewards to come for the good and faithful servants of Christ. Christians are to work as if they are in God’s service: they ‘serve the Lord Christ’. This is their calling, so they are to do the best they can and pray for grace and protection (Matt. 6:13). Whatever believers do for their Savior here on earth it will not be regretted; in fact, when they reach heaven they will wish that they had given more to him who gave everything for them (John 21:15–17). Ultimately, we do not work for our employer but for the Lord Jesus Christ. Understanding this principle will help produce a better and healthier attitude to work and allow us to do the unpleasant tasks with patience. There are rewards promised and waiting for believers in heaven after a lifetime of faithful service[ii]

Col 3:25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.

1. THE DUTY OF MASTERS OR EMPLOYERS... (4:1)
2. Those Christians who had slaves (like Philemon) were charged to treat their servants in very special ways:
3. " give your bondservants what is just and fair", i.e., their treatment of slaves should be governed by the same sort of principles given to the servants...

            1) "with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ"

            2) "not with eyeservice...but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart"

           3) "with good will...as to the Lord, and not to men"

2. By their example, masters could demonstrate the proper exercise of authority, and reveal much about how our Master in heaven rules over us in the kingdom of God!

This series of warnings is actually a practical application of Colossians 3:17: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” 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.[iii]

Our Lord Jesus became a slave in order to bring about our salvation (Mark 10:45), and thus also became an example of submission for slaves (1 Peter 2:18-25). Paul often referred to himself as the Lord’s slave (see Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 9:19). Beyond this, every Christian has been delivered from slavery to sin, and has become a slave of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:16-20; 14:4; 1 Corinthians 7:22). And so the instructions which Paul gives to “slaves” applies to every Christian, as Christ’s slave.

Paul contrasted masters according to the flesh with the Master of the human spirit, namely, Jesus Christ. Christian slaves owed their earthly masters obedience. Obedience demonstrated their submission to Christ.

"Christianity does not offer us escape from circumstances; it offers us conquest of circumstances."

Earthly rank has no relevance in heaven

As we review this section of duties, we need to remind ourselves that only a WORD filled or Spirit-filled believer will be able to fulfill them (3:16-17). Essentially what Paul urged was humility that expresses itself in loving submissiveness to others rather than arrogant self-assertiveness.

CONCLUSION

It would be well for us to review Ephesians 5:18–6:9 and note the parallels between that passage and the 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 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 around you detect that you are filled with the Spirit and the Word?[iv]

 

[i] McNaughton, I. S. (2006). Opening up Colossians and Philemon (p. 78). Day One Publications.

[ii] McNaughton, I. S. (2006). Opening up Colossians and Philemon (p. 79). Day One Publications.

[iii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 145). Victor Books.

[iv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 145). Victor Books.

 

 

     Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

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