Daily Scripture Reading Colossians 3:18 - 4:18
Over the past century, many forces in the world have eroded the authority of husbands, fathers, and parents. These forces have encouraged people to rebel against employers and the government.
Ultimately, all this is rebellion against God because, as we will see in today’s passage, God specified certain lines of authority which we should observe.
In yesterday’s passage we saw a list of practices Christians should avoid, such as sexual immorality, greed, malice, and slander. Paul also mentioned traits that Christians should pursue, including compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love.
Col. 3:18 ¶ Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Christians should have a desire to obey God no matter the cost. Additionally, we should be willing to go against cultural norms in order to live as Christ commanded us to live. For decades, feminism has been stridently resisting the idea that wives should submit to their husbands. However, Christian wives need to obey Christ, and that means submitting to their husbands.
Col. 3:19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.
Our culture defines love as romantic feelings. The Bible says the greatest love is laying down your life for a friend. This verse does not tell husbands to have romantic feelings for their wives, it tells them to be self-sacrificial.
Col. 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing to the Lord.
In recent decades our culture has eroded the authority of parents, especially fathers. However, within Christianity, we should be teaching children to obey their parents in all things.
Col. 3:21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
It is always helpful to notice what the Bible does not say. This verse does not prohibit mothers from exasperating their children, it addresses fathers. It is not a good idea for mothers to exasperate their children, but there is something particularly harmful when a father exasperates his children.
Col. 3:22 ¶ Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but with integrity of heart, fearing the Lord.
This verse is in line with a concept we see all through the New Testament, and that is that we should obey authority.
Notice the phrase “not with eyeservice”. Slaves should not merely pretend or appear to obey. They must genuinely submit to their masters on the inside.
Col. 3:23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
Col. 3:24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.
Over the past century or so, many labor unions have inculcated a mentality of rebellion against management and only doing enough work to get by. Many union employees have a bad attitude towards their company. Paul commanded us to have a good attitude in everything we do because when we go to work, we are actually serving Jesus, not our employer.
Col. 3:25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.
Col. 4:1 ¶ Masters, show to your slaves what is right and fair, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
It is easy for masters or employers to adopt the mentality that their slaves or employees are less important than themselves, not worthy of fairness and justice. Christian employers and masters must be careful to always act in accord with justice and fairness.
Col. 4:2 ¶ Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving;
This verse does not merely tell us to pray. It tells us to be devoted to prayer. Being devoted to prayer implies that prayer is a tool we use daily to positively impact ourselves and the lives of our family and friends.
Col. 4:3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been bound,
Col. 4:4 that I may make it manifest in the way I ought to speak.
Col. 4:5 ¶ Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
Col. 4:6 Let your words always be with grace, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should answer each person.
Col. 4:7 ¶ Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord, will make known to you all my affairs,
Col. 4:8 whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;
Col. 4:9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will inform you about the whole situation here.
Col. 4:10 ¶ Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);
Col. 4:11 and also Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be a comfort to me.
Col. 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a slave of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand complete and fully assured in all the will of God.
Col. 4:13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Col. 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.
Col. 4:15 Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.
Col. 4:16 And when this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.
This verse gives us insight into how the church handled Paul’s letters, and perhaps letters written by other apostles. They passed them around from church to church, which made sense because they recognized that Paul was writing under the direction of the Holy Spirit, meaning he was writing the words of God.
Col. 4:17 And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
Col. 4:18 ¶ The greeting is in my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Over the past century or so, many forces have tried to erase the authority of God by erasing the lines of authority established by God. These forces reject the idea that children should submit to their parents and wives should submit to their husbands.
As Christians, we need to follow God, not the culture. The Bible calls for children to obey their parents and for wives to submit to their husbands. Furthermore, slaves and employees must obey their employers and masters, and all people should submit to the governing authorities.
To what extent has your attitude toward authority been corrupted by feminism and other cultural forces which are opposed to God?
What do you need to do different in order to observe the commandments contained in today’s passage?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”