Colossians 3:16,17
by Dr. Grant C. Richison
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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."
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"Let the word of Christ dwell in you"
This is the only occurrence of the phrase "the word of Christ"
in the New Testament. The normal way the New Testament phrases the idea
of the Bible is "the word of the Lord" or "the word of God."
Note the word "let." The word of Christ is ready and willing
to dwell in us. The only issue that remains is our volition. The word will
indwell us if we let it. God manufactures the word of Christ in our hearts.
The word "dwell" means to keep house. We should live in the Word
of God like we live in our homes. We are familiar with our home where all
the closets are, where we have items stored. We must thoroughly acquaint
ourselves with the Word. The Word should become so familiar to us that we
know it like the back of our hand. The idea is to let the Word of God dwell
inside and live at home in our lives. The Word of God needs to inhabit
us. This is more than just reading the Bible.
God wants us to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts (v. 15) and the
Word of Christ dwell in our hearts.
Some treat the Word of God like a rabbit's foot or charm. We use it like
a fetish. We cannot use the Bible that way. We cannot rub the Bible on
warts and they disappear. We cannot flip the pages of the Bible and blindly
put our finger on a verse and claim it. The Bible is no prayer wheel or
magic book. We must systematically study the Bible and memorize pertinent
verses to deal with weak areas of our Christian life (Deut. 6:6; 11:18;
Josh. 1:8; Job 22:21,22; 23:12; Ps. 1:2; 119:9,11; Jer 15:16).
There are some believers who think that when they get into a jam all they
have to do is pray "Oh Lord, help me." Others think that all
they need to do is put their finger on a Bible verse and God will lead them.
They give glowing testimonies of how in a time of duress they flipped open
their Bible and put their finger on a verse that helped them. The odds
of doing that are about as good as loaded dice in a crap game.
PRINCIPLE: The Word of God needs to find lodgment in our souls.
APPLICATION: If we spent as much time in the Word of God as we do in the
newspaper, just think how much we would know of God's will for our lives!
We might know how many robberies and murders took place in our city for
that week but what difference does that make in our lives? We might be
better off if we did not know.
If we generate a serious attitude about letting the Word of God dwell in
our lives, we will be richer and our character will grow stronger. Our
individual lives will change and our homes will be better.
You may say, "But I do not understand what I read in the Bible."
We must work at it. Gradually we will retain more. We do not learn to
ride a bicycle the first time we get on it. Neither do we learn the Bible
without effort. It takes time, effort and dedication. The results will
gratify our souls.
Most of us do not take the Word of God seriously. We play at it. We do
not mark our Bible or memorize it. We do not make it a part of us. There
are people who memorize hundreds of plays for a football game. Yet if we
memorize a verse of Scripture we want a medal!
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"richly in all wisdom"
It is not enough to let the Word of God dwell in us; we must let it dwell
richly, not meagerly. "Richly" is an idiom for abundantly --
abundantly to the point of wealth. Many people have a poor grasp of the
"word of Christ." We are to let the Word of God dwell profusely
and qualitatively in us. God wants us to fully assimilate the Word. He
wants us to personally assimilate it. If we have a small tank and a big
car, we have to stop at every gas station we pass. We cannot fill up our
tank once and that is it for the rest of the life of the car! We will stall
on the freeway.
"Wisdom" has to do with the application of truth. It is not enough
to treat the Word of God theoretically. When the Word of God dwells in
us it makes us wise in the way God does things. It means to move truth
from the mind into experience.
PRINCIPLE: God bases the Christian life on the tandem of truth and the
application of truth.
APPLICATION: If a car is going to move it needs gas in the tank. The tank
for the Christian is the human spirit. If the human spirit runs without
intake of the Word of God it becomes skinny and anemic. When the tank is
empty the car is not operational. If there is gas in the spiritual tank
of the believer, he can pump it into his experience. The Word of God does
no good if the Christian does not transfer it into his life.
We fall apart in a jam when we do not apply the Word of God. The Word of
God not applied is of no practical use. If we learn the Word of God academically
but do not transfer it into our human spirit, it will not do any good.
It is difficult to think in a jam. It is hard to think while we are falling
apart. Some students are comatose for most of the semester and 24 hours
before their exam they stay up all night drinking ammonia cokes and coffee
boning up on the entire semester. They open their blue book and they wonder
why their mind goes blank. We cannot learn nearly as well while we are
under pressure. The only kind of learning under pressure that is of any
benefit is the kind where we end up with knots on our head!
Three words in verse 16 end in "ing:" "teaching," "admonishing"
and "singing." Some of us would not know the difference between
a participle from a pickle! However, these three participles are the by-products
or side-effects of the previous part of the verse. If the Word of God finds
lodgment in our souls, then we will teach, admonish and sing. These three
characteristics will trend in our lives and will become a pattern. It will
not be sporadic or intermittent.
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"teaching and admonishing one another "
Paul employed these verbs in 1:28 with the same meaning. Here, however,
he adds that we are to do this in music.
"Teaching" has to do with the communication of truth. If we are
going to teach we must learn. If we are going to talk we must listen.
If we speak we must hear.
"Admonishing" has to do with showing someone else how to execute
the Christian life. "Admonishing" means to place in the mind
personally. Sometimes the New Testament translates it "warn"
(Acts 20:31).
It is our privilege not only to teach others but to warn them. Most of
us do not like to become involved in the problems of other people. All
of us have a circle of Christian friends to whom we are a blessing (all
things being equal). God expects us to warn them graciously when an occasion
arises to do so.
Admonish has to do with application. Some people cannot apply Scripture
for themselves. They need others to help them. When a person learns to
fly, he needs someone there to personally show him how to turn without stalling
out. If you stall out things can get quite messy! Admonishing helps another
person make application. We do not teach another person how to shoot by
saying, "Here is a gun go out and shoot." He must squeeze off
the trigger for an accurate shot. It is in application where we hit the
target.
Note some "one another" passages of Scripture: Eph 4:32; 5:21;
Col. 3:13; I Thes. 5:11; Heb. 10:25; Jas. 5:16; I Pet. 3:8; I Jn. 1:7.
Most of us are not aware of our responsibility to other Christians.
"One another" means mutual help in applying truth to experience.
We have a responsibility to one another (Gal. 6:10; Heb. 6:10). Most of
us know of our obligation to get the gospel out to the non Christian. Few
of us know of our obligation to the saint. Are you involved in encouraging
a Christian? Who gave you the authority to retire from this? There is
no honorable discharge in this work. God has given us a ministry to one
another.
PRINCIPLE: God has designed the Christian life in a way that we need others
to help us apply Scripture to our experience.
APPLICATION: God wants us to saturate our minds with the Word of God.
We have so many rough edges. Many of these areas we inherited from our
parents. We cannot get rid of our sharp tongue in our own strength. We
are ornery, possess a critical attitude and a bad temper. We wonder why
we are not more saintly or why we have such a short fuse. Why is it that
we explode so quickly? We do not avail ourselves of the Word of God. The
Word of God will operate upon us (Heb. 4:12).
No wonder our minds are corrupt after watching a night of television. After
an evening of T.V. we feel as if we need an internal bath. We watch ghastly
murders and rapes. We wonder why our Christian lives are so ineffective.
We are clean through the Word of God (John 15:3; Ps. 119:9). The Word
of God is a spiritual spot remover. We become defiled by day to day life.
We need the Word of God to remove the sin in our lives (I Jn. 2:14).
The Lord defeated Satan by the Word of God (Matt. 4:4,7,10). He did not
have a scroll of Deuteronomy to read to the devil. He quoted Scripture.
When the devil attacks you, you cannot say "Wait a minute, Devil till
I find a verse for you. Wait till I go home for my Bible." He will
not wait; he will clobber you. You must have a verse right now. We must
say like the Lord "It is written...."
We will find that when Satan tempts us we will have the right verse for
the right situation. At a time when he tempts us to say something we shouldn't,
a verse comes up on the television screen of our soul and we are saved from
that sin. We will find that the more of the Word of God we have in our
souls the less room there is for unworthy things. Do foul birds make nests
in your mind? Saturate your mind with the Word of God.
We need others to encourage us in the application of truth to experience.
When I became a Christian a Christian kept challenging me to memorize a
verse a day. That did more for my spiritual life than any thing else in
my Christian life.
The third result of God's Word finding lodgment in our soul is a song in
our heart.
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"in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs"
It is great to learn truth but we must celebrate it as well. We celebrate
it in worship of praise. Truth and the celebration of truth are a great
combination of praise.
Two operating principles must guide Christian music: content and worship.
"Psalms" has to do with content of Scriptural truth. The New
Testament uses "Psalms" 7 times. Four times of the book of Psalms
and three times of the Psalms in general (I Cor. 14:26; Eph. 5:19 and here).
"Psalms" were probably the Psalms of the Old Testament.
"Hymns" was originally a heathen word for a song for a god or
hero after death. The New Testament confines the meaning to direct address
of praise and glory to the living God. However, a Psalm might commemorate
the mercies and blessing God bestows. A hymn was a song of praise of newly
composed texts directed toward Christ.
"Spiritual songs" are compatible with Scripture but they are not
Scripture itself. These songs do not state their lyrics in biblical language;
they do not quote the Bible. These songs were the most general of the
three comprising all kinds of songs. This passage qualifies these songs
by the term "spiritual." These songs relate to the spiritual
dimension.
God presents in this passage considerable latitude in Christian music.
The latitude is set forth in three categories. The first category is psalms
that are praises addressed to God. The second category is hymns that contain
testimony. "Spiritual songs" is the third category.
The Old Testament was filled with both vocal and instrumental music. David
used musical instruments in worship. We do not read much about music in
the New Testament. There is nothing about music in the Acts of the Apostles.
Some churches prohibit musical instruments but the New Testament does not
prohibit musical instruments. There is nothing in the Bible that prohibits
a piano, a sound system or carpet on the floor.
PRINCIPLE: Worship by music contains two elements: content and heart.
APPLICATION: All Christian music must contain a message. Much Christian
much is subjective if not sentimental. This music expresses only personal
experience and not the truth of Scripture. Often these experiences do not
correspond to reality.
The weight of music will differ; the musical value will not be the same.
God has a place for different styles of music.
This section of Colossians has its parallel in Ephesians 5:18-20. This
Ephesian passage indicates that a genuine song in the heart comes from the
filling of the Spirit. To be filled with the Spirit produces the same results
as being filled with the Word.
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"singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."
We do not truly sing until we sing with grace in our hearts. This is the
song of the soul. The person may not be able to sing very well but a song
breaks out in the heart. That is why the Bible says "Make a joyful
noise unto the Lord." Some can carry a tune and others cannot but
the point is the expression of the heart. Maybe that is why God allows
for "noise" sung unto him!!
If we have no grace in our hearts we cannot sing unto the Lord. A non Christian
cannot sing with grace in their hearts to the Lord. A Christian with little
understanding of God's provisions cannot sing with grace in their hearts
to the Lord (Eph. 5:19). Some Christians sound like crippled crows when
they sing. God makes crows as well as canaries. Some of us sing best on
the inside.
It is not enough to sing true content. God wants us to sing with our hearts
as well as our lips.
"With grace" -- we need the help of God's grace to sing out of
the heart.
PRINCIPLE: Grace is the basis of the Christian's song.
APPLICATION: We can tell much about an individual or a church by their
singing. We can tell not only by what they sing but how they sing. We
can tell by the singing whether the Bible is honored or whether the Savior
is preached. If we want John Westley's preaching we must have Charles Westley's
music. If we want D. L. Moody's preaching we must have Ira Sankey's music.
If we want Billy Graham's preaching we must have Cliff Barrow's music.
These things go together. Dead music goes with dead preaching. A recognition
of the grace of God's provisions is the basis of true singing.
"But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not
boast and lie against the truth" (Jas. 3:14). If we have a bitter,
envious, striving attitude toward someone else we cannot sing with grace
in our hearts. A heart full of animosity and criticism cannot sing. We
have gone sour and our heart goes off key.
Colossians 3:17
"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
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"And whatever you do in word or deed"
There is an implied imperative in that everything we do it is to be done
in the name of the Lord Jesus.
There is no division between the spiritual and secular. "Therefore,
whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God"
(I Cor. 10:31). Everything we do at home, play or work, God wants us to
do it for his glory.
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"do all in the name of the Lord Jesus"
Whatever we do whether by lip or life, creed or conduct, we do it with a
given norm in mind.
The "name of the Lord Jesus" means under the authority and approval
of Jesus.
Everything we do must fall under the motivation of the approval of Jesus.
This will clarify any doubt of selfishness in our service to him. The
approval of Jesus gives dignity and purpose to all that we do for him.
What is in the name of Jesus? When a product carries a name it indicates
the standards of quality. If we hear "Ford" that is one standard.
If we hear "Lincoln" that is another standard. We make purchases
by the name of the product (if we can afford it!). The name makes the difference.
In Christianity it is the name of the Lord Jesus that makes the difference.
He is the standard by which we measure life. Jesus never had to recall
anything he ever said. He never confessed any act of aberrance. His name
stands for integrity, quality, perfection and honesty. So whatever we do,
it must be done in his name.
"Do all" -- nothing is exempt from this standard of action. God
does not want us to treat anything as insignificant or without value. The
smallest act has significance in the Christian life. Nothing is too small.
Nothing is too ordinary. God does not want us to treat anything we do
indifferently.
Notice that Paul does not give a rule for every situation. He gives an
overarching principle. He says simply that we measure every motive on the
norm of the criterion of Christ. Whatever we do at work or home or play,
if we do it with this standard then it will have blessed eternal consequence.
PRINCIPLE: Jesus is the norm by which we measure the direction of our lives.
Everything we say and do are to be put under the Lordship of Christ.
APPLICATION: If God were to give you a report card on the motives that
compel your deeds, what grade would God give you? Living for the name of
the Lord Jesus clarifies our motives.
Each one of us is responsible to live under the name of Christ. There is
no abridging this contract out to someone else.
Jesus is the norm for conduct; he is our standard. Everything we do must
be done in the authority and strength of Christ. Everything we do is motivated
by our relationship to him. Every act can be an act of worship.
God wants us to do all things in the name of our Lord Jesus. My name stands
for my person. Our name represents us. Jesus name represents him. Whether
we wash dishes, sweep the floor, paint the house or do our job at work,
we represent Jesus there. We need to make sure whatever we do it is worthy
of his name.
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"giving thanks to God the Father through Him"
Three times in three verses (vv. 15, 16, 17) God asks us to give thanks.
The added thought here is that we give thanks through him (Jn. 14:6; Rom.1:8;
I Tim. 2:5). There is no way to relate to God except through his son.
If you have never accepted Christ as your Savior you cannot relate to God.
The capacity to give thanks depends upon our recognition of God's grace
both provided in the Word and in his acts in our lives. If, for example,
we do not recognize the love of God for us, we obviously cannot give thanks
for that love. We can emotionally gush from a void of knowledge but that
is not true thanksgiving.
The gift is not the important thing but the Giver. Thanksgiving is true
love response to someone who loves us. God can provide anything for us.
He can provide more than we can ever receive. God never runs out of money,
ideas, the capacity to intervene for us. The problem is that we get our
eyes on the gift rather than the Giver. A believer properly oriented to
God never loses track of the Giver. The gift is almost inconsequential.
PRINCIPLE: God wants us to give thanks on the basis of the Giver rather
than the gift.
APPLICATION: Here is the difference between a person who recognizes the
Gift rather than the giver. Suppose a girl receives two gifts from two
different men. One man gives her a better gift than the other. If she
orients to the gift rather than the giver then she will make a great mistake.
She will fall for a man who may have less capacity of soul to love her.
True biblical thanksgiving always focuses on the Giver rather than the
gift. If we focus on the Giver we will have capacity to enjoy the gift
no matter what it may be.
Copyright © 1995, Dr. Grant Richison. All rights reserved.
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