COLOSSIANS 3:15-21 - PEACE OF GOD LEADS TO PEACEFUL RELATIONSHIPS

COLOSSIANS 3:15-21

PEACE OF GOD

LEADS TO

PEACEFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Colossians 3:15 (KJV) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

We both loved the Complete Jewish Bible’s rendering of this verse:

Colossians 3:15 (CJB) and let the shalom which comes from the Messiah be your heart’s decision-maker, for this is why you were called to be part of a single Body.

Shalom means “nothing missing, nothing broken.” Shalom is total wholeness, complete peace. When we consult Jesus, when He is in the driver’s seat, we will not make snap judgements or knee-jerk decisions about anything. When we are at peace in Jesus, resting in His control, we can be calm in the midst of a crises and think things through by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

We are a part of the unified body of believers – at peace with God and one another. How does this make our witness to the world stronger? People in the world are “me first, me first, me first.” However, Christ’s body, the Messianic community, has an attitude of “How can I help you?” The world is self-centered, but believers are to put others first. Actually, we put Christ first, then others, then ourselves. This reminds me of a definition of joy I was taught as a child:

Jesus first

Others second

Yourself last

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

How can we cause the word of Christ to dwell in us? We need to be in it at least once a day, every day. What do you mean by “being in the word?” Reading it, listening to it, studying it, memorizing it, and meditating on it. The Holy Spirit gives us the wisdom needed to fully understand the word of God as we hide it in our hearts (Psalm 119:11).

Teaching and admonishing (counseling) one another sounds like mentoring to me. It is what we Christians call “discipling.” Those who have known the Lord for a longer time need to take new believers under their wing and help them develop the good habits of Bible study, prayer, worship, and fellowship.

Music is a key component of Christian worship services, and this verse lists three types of vocal music used to encourage one another as well as to lift our praise to the Lord:

John MacArthur Study Bible:

Note on Ephesians 5:19 - psalms. Old Testament psalms put to music, primarily, but the term was used also of vocal music in general. The early church sang the Psalms. hymns. Perhaps songs of praise distinguished from the Psalms which exalted God, in that they focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. spiritual songs. Probably songs of personal testimony expressing truths of the grace of salvation in Christ.

Because of God’s grace, the “divine influence upon the heart and it’s reflection in the life” Strong’s definition 5485, we sing with gratitude, thankfulness to the Lord for Who He is and all that He has done. Even those who cannot carry a tune in a bucket, can make melody in their hearts toward God.

Colossians 3:17 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.

All that we say or do should exalt (lift up) and glorify God. We should do our best for the Lord, or as an old hymn expressed it, “Give of your best to the Master.” We should do all jobs as if the Lord Jesus is the one who is going to inspect our work, knowing that we want Him to be pleased. We should speak to one another as if Jesus is listening because, in reality, He is. We need to live in an attitude of gratitude.

Colossians 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

Wives need to voluntarily place themselves under the authority of their husbands since the Lord has designated the man as the head of the household. This command is based on the fact that Paul is writing to believers, assuming a Christian wife and husband. It is also based on the mutual submission taught in Ephesians:

Ephesians 5:21 (KJV) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Colossians 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

The Amplified version gives the full impact of this verse:

Colossians 3:19 (AMP) Husbands, love your wives [with an affectionate, sympathetic, selfless love that always seeks the best for them] and do not be embittered or resentful toward them [because of the responsibilities of marriage].

In Ephesians, the men were instructed to love their wives as “Christ the loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). The husband is to love his wife sacrificially and selflessly. He should not be harsh or demeaning toward her.

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

There is one limitation to a child’s obedience to parents. If a child is told to do something contrary to God’s word, he may disobey his parents. The most graphic example I can think of is to commit incest – a child has the right to say no. If a parent instructs a child to steal, harm someone, or in any way go against the teachings of Jesus, it would not be sinful for that child to disobey a parent.

Colossians 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

John MacArthur Study Bible:

3:21 provoke. See notes on Eph. 6:4. Also translated “do not exasperate,” this word has the connotation of not stirring up or irritating.

Parents should not be “nit-picky” with their children or berate them. They should be the steady ones, avoiding inflaming the situation by unreasonable demands or punishments.

Ponder This: When everything centers on Jesus, and we are resting in our relationship to Christ, then how we relate to each other in the home, the workplace, the school, and our local body of believers will be much smoother. When God’s word “dwells in us richly,” He uses it to guide us into words and behavior that are honoring and glorifying to Him.