Col 3:22 | KingComments | STEP | . Subsequently Paul mentions certain areas in which your daily life and the relationships in which you are placed take place. After the plea not to dwell on things that are on earth you could think that all the earthly things are no longer important. But all the great truths which have to do with your relationship to Christ do not undermine the earthly relationships. On the contrary, these relationships are there so that you show what you have become in Christ. You cannot live in this world without any relationship with your fellow human beings. In these social contacts you experience the most trials and temptations. It is God’s will that after your conversion you let the light of heaven shine forth in the circle of your old friends and acquaintances. Your conversion does not change anything in your marriage, or in your family situation, or your position in society. What has changed is yourself. In each of these relationships there are two parties: husband and wife, parents and children, employers and employees. Each is addressed according to one’s vulnerability. The word is always first addressed to the subjected party who is also always brought in relation with the Lord. The relationship with the Lord lifts the position of subjection to a higher level. The first relationship in which both the parties receive a responsibility is marriage. This bulwark of the good is attacked violently everywhere in the world. It is always necessary to understand God’s original plan, not to be carried away by the world’s view of marriage. In a marriage, two different sexes are interconnected. In the light of the Word of God the suggestion of a marriage between people of the same sex cannot be approved and must not even be considered, but must be rejected right away. The “wives” are instructed to acknowledge their husbands as the head, and should be subject to them. Subjection is the acknowledgment of the order established by God. This attitude is appropriate and it redounds to her honor. She gets the strength for this from the Lord. If she subjects herself to the authority of her husband she acknowledges the authority of the Lord. In our age of emancipation and feminism, to be subject is not made easy for her. Women who are conscious of their relationship with Christ are not disturbed by this and they are able to swim against the tide. They can learn from Him what subjection is, for His life on earth is the model of subjection to God. . Husbands are given instructions about some positive and some negative things. The positive for a husband is to love his wife. Here it does not state that he should wait for a certain feeling or a certain act of his wife to reciprocate his love. There is no excuse to evade this obligation to love his wife. Husbands can learn love from Christ. They can see His caring love, which is sacrificial and unselfish. When husbands treat their wives like that many marital problems can be solved. It is also easy for a wife to be subject to such a husband. The negative is the admonition not to be embittered against her. This will keep the husband from being moody, ruthless and hard against her. The latter is certainly a danger if the wife is not converted and is constantly doing things that provoke him to those reactions. It does not say that he should subdue his wife or to constrain her to obey him. . Children should obey their parents, not just in things they deem useful or desirable but “in all things”. They must learn to listen and be prepared to follow instructions from the parents. Children are not the highest authority and cannot determine to what extent they have to obey their parents. The Lord Jesus on the earth is the model for children also ( ). . In this passage the family is held together by two principles: authority and obedience. After obedience which is expected from children, now comes authority. This word is not addressed to the parents, what might be expected, but to the fathers. They are primarily responsible for education. Here the fathers are warned not to abuse or use their authority irresponsibly. This happens by inappropriate and even unfair treatment. It appears the apostle points to a constantly inappropriate or unfair correction for the slightest reason. Fathers have the great model in God the Father. From God they learn that God never treats His children in such a way that they lose heart or feel rejected. If a child receives constant comments, the impression is created that he is always doing everything wrong. It will become despondent and lose all motivation. Believing fathers should avoid this carefully and absolutely. How sad it would be if a child rejected the truth of God because of an overly strict father. When a father gives a distorted image of God the Father, the child no longer wants God. Certainly a child needs correction and discipline. If need arises for punishment the following three basic rules must be observed: never punish in anger; never punish unjustly; never punish without an explanation. Parents can alienate their children from God in another way. Many parents say full of sadness about their delinquent son or daughter: “While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone” ( ). They used their time for everything except for their children. They were left to their fate, perhaps not without care but without attention. Lack of attention will make the child depressed and make it go its own way but not the way of the Lord. . The word for slaves is the same as for the children. Obedience is expected from them in all things. The faithful slave is not governed by the eye of his master but by the fear (reverence) for the Lord. “With external service” means that you are working hard when the boss is after you; but once he disappears from the scene you relax again or you do things for yourself. As a Christian slave (Christian employee) you should really serve whether or not your earthly master (employer) is watching because the Lord in heaven is always watching. Nothing escapes His eyes. This awareness might cause you to do your best and then you will not fall out of favor with the Lord. This however is not mentioned here, but it points to the attitude of the heart. “Sincerity of heart” is the attitude of a heart that is free from base motives and in which integrity and unambiguity are present ( ). This is in contrast to hypocrisy. The Lord Jesus on earth is the model for the slave also. . The slave is expected to perform all his duties with all his energy. It is expected that he wholeheartedly does what is commanded of him. This means that he is fully committed to any work, pleasant or unpleasant. The secret behind it is that he works as though the Lord is the Employer. Paul always focuses the eyes of the slave on the Lord. If pleasing the Lord is above all your work, you will fulfill your responsibility in the power He gives. You will not be rewarded in heaven for the number of people who enjoyed your service or for the success you had or for your talents but for your faithfulness. . And do you know what the reward is? In those days the slaves knew it well: the inheritance. By saying “knowing”, Paul seems to be connecting to the teaching they received earlier. He reminds them. They should always think of it when they do their work. The slave who serves well to the honor of Christ will receive his reward in a place where nothing that he did for the honor of Christ will be forgotten. In this place slaves and masters stand alone before Him Who is no respecter of persons. The slave is always conscious of what is in the future. This is the motive for him to do all his work faithfully. Here on earth a master will never share his inheritance with his slave. In the future the slaves will have a share in the inheritance of the Lord Whom they serve now. Such a great reward is waiting for them because they serve the Lord Jesus. It is an inheritance which at the same time is also seen as a reward. Our feeble attempts to serve the Lord will be rewarded with a reward that far exceeds all parameters. What a Lord we serve! . After all the encouragement the slave receives, there is also a warning. A slave gets no preferential treatment for any unfortunate situations. He is also not specially rewarded because he went through severe afflictions. He indeed gets a special warning because the flesh can be at work in him like in any other person. He can do something to wrong his master by discrediting him, with the aim that it gives him an advantage in which he sees profit for himself. Therefore he needs to know that God is no respecter of persons. If the injustice is not detected on the earth it will surely appear before the judgment seat of Christ ( ). The slave will discover that this will have a negative influence on his inheritance. Unfaithfulness will bring a corresponding loss of reward. The point is that the Lord will be able to say: “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things” ( ). Here you also see that for everyone who serves the Lord Jesus as a slave, even if the service is considered great, it is still only a little that has been entrusted to him. You notice that Paul does not speak about how a slave can be free. When you serve such a Lord and have such a reward in view, the question is if you want to! Christendom does not change social structures, but people. And these changed people in their unchanged circumstances can be tremendous witnesses of the change ( ). They serve a Person Who delivered them from a much more severe slavery: the slavery to sin ( ). Now read Colossians 3:19-25 again. Reflection: In what respect does this passage touch you? What can you do to be more in tune in your practice with what it says here?

‏ Colossians 3:22

Wives – Husbands – Children – Slaves

Col 3:18. Subsequently Paul mentions certain areas in which your daily life and the relationships in which you are placed take place. After the plea not to dwell on things that are on earth you could think that all the earthly things are no longer important. But all the great truths which have to do with your relationship to Christ do not undermine the earthly relationships. On the contrary, these relationships are there so that you show what you have become in Christ.

You cannot live in this world without any relationship with your fellow human beings. In these social contacts you experience the most trials and temptations. It is God’s will that after your conversion you let the light of heaven shine forth in the circle of your old friends and acquaintances. Your conversion does not change anything in your marriage, or in your family situation, or your position in society. What has changed is yourself.

In each of these relationships there are two parties: husband and wife, parents and children, employers and employees. Each is addressed according to one’s vulnerability. The word is always first addressed to the subjected party who is also always brought in relation with the Lord. The relationship with the Lord lifts the position of subjection to a higher level.

The first relationship in which both the parties receive a responsibility is marriage. This bulwark of the good is attacked violently everywhere in the world. It is always necessary to understand God’s original plan, not to be carried away by the world’s view of marriage. In a marriage, two different sexes are interconnected. In the light of the Word of God the suggestion of a marriage between people of the same sex cannot be approved and must not even be considered, but must be rejected right away.

The “wives” are instructed to acknowledge their husbands as the head, and should be subject to them. Subjection is the acknowledgment of the order established by God. This attitude is appropriate and it redounds to her honor. She gets the strength for this from the Lord. If she subjects herself to the authority of her husband she acknowledges the authority of the Lord.

In our age of emancipation and feminism, to be subject is not made easy for her. Women who are conscious of their relationship with Christ are not disturbed by this and they are able to swim against the tide. They can learn from Him what subjection is, for His life on earth is the model of subjection to God.

Col 3:19. Husbands are given instructions about some positive and some negative things. The positive for a husband is to love his wife. Here it does not state that he should wait for a certain feeling or a certain act of his wife to reciprocate his love. There is no excuse to evade this obligation to love his wife.

Husbands can learn love from Christ. They can see His caring love, which is sacrificial and unselfish. When husbands treat their wives like that many marital problems can be solved. It is also easy for a wife to be subject to such a husband.

The negative is the admonition not to be embittered against her. This will keep the husband from being moody, ruthless and hard against her. The latter is certainly a danger if the wife is not converted and is constantly doing things that provoke him to those reactions. It does not say that he should subdue his wife or to constrain her to obey him.

Col 3:20. Children should obey their parents, not just in things they deem useful or desirable but “in all things”. They must learn to listen and be prepared to follow instructions from the parents. Children are not the highest authority and cannot determine to what extent they have to obey their parents. The Lord Jesus on the earth is the model for children also (Lk 2:51).

Col 3:21. In this passage the family is held together by two principles: authority and obedience. After obedience which is expected from children, now comes authority. This word is not addressed to the parents, what might be expected, but to the fathers. They are primarily responsible for education.

Here the fathers are warned not to abuse or use their authority irresponsibly. This happens by inappropriate and even unfair treatment. It appears the apostle points to a constantly inappropriate or unfair correction for the slightest reason.

Fathers have the great model in God the Father. From God they learn that God never treats His children in such a way that they lose heart or feel rejected. If a child receives constant comments, the impression is created that he is always doing everything wrong. It will become despondent and lose all motivation. Believing fathers should avoid this carefully and absolutely.

How sad it would be if a child rejected the truth of God because of an overly strict father. When a father gives a distorted image of God the Father, the child no longer wants God. Certainly a child needs correction and discipline. If need arises for punishment the following three basic rules must be observed: never punish in anger; never punish unjustly; never punish without an explanation.

Parents can alienate their children from God in another way. Many parents say full of sadness about their delinquent son or daughter: “While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone” (1Kgs 20:40). They used their time for everything except for their children. They were left to their fate, perhaps not without care but without attention. Lack of attention will make the child depressed and make it go its own way but not the way of the Lord.

Col 3:22. The word for slaves is the same as for the children. Obedience is expected from them in all things. The faithful slave is not governed by the eye of his master but by the fear (reverence) for the Lord.

“With external service” means that you are working hard when the boss is after you; but once he disappears from the scene you relax again or you do things for yourself. As a Christian slave (Christian employee) you should really serve whether or not your earthly master (employer) is watching because the Lord in heaven is always watching. Nothing escapes His eyes.

This awareness might cause you to do your best and then you will not fall out of favor with the Lord. This however is not mentioned here, but it points to the attitude of the heart. “Sincerity of heart” is the attitude of a heart that is free from base motives and in which integrity and unambiguity are present (1Chr 29:17). This is in contrast to hypocrisy. The Lord Jesus on earth is the model for the slave also.

Col 3:23. The slave is expected to perform all his duties with all his energy. It is expected that he wholeheartedly does what is commanded of him. This means that he is fully committed to any work, pleasant or unpleasant. The secret behind it is that he works as though the Lord is the Employer.

Paul always focuses the eyes of the slave on the Lord. If pleasing the Lord is above all your work, you will fulfill your responsibility in the power He gives. You will not be rewarded in heaven for the number of people who enjoyed your service or for the success you had or for your talents but for your faithfulness.

Col 3:24. And do you know what the reward is? In those days the slaves knew it well: the inheritance. By saying “knowing”, Paul seems to be connecting to the teaching they received earlier. He reminds them. They should always think of it when they do their work. The slave who serves well to the honor of Christ will receive his reward in a place where nothing that he did for the honor of Christ will be forgotten. In this place slaves and masters stand alone before Him Who is no respecter of persons. The slave is always conscious of what is in the future. This is the motive for him to do all his work faithfully.

Here on earth a master will never share his inheritance with his slave. In the future the slaves will have a share in the inheritance of the Lord Whom they serve now. Such a great reward is waiting for them because they serve the Lord Jesus. It is an inheritance which at the same time is also seen as a reward. Our feeble attempts to serve the Lord will be rewarded with a reward that far exceeds all parameters. What a Lord we serve!

Col 3:25. After all the encouragement the slave receives, there is also a warning. A slave gets no preferential treatment for any unfortunate situations. He is also not specially rewarded because he went through severe afflictions. He indeed gets a special warning because the flesh can be at work in him like in any other person. He can do something to wrong his master by discrediting him, with the aim that it gives him an advantage in which he sees profit for himself. Therefore he needs to know that God is no respecter of persons.

If the injustice is not detected on the earth it will surely appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2Cor 5:10). The slave will discover that this will have a negative influence on his inheritance. Unfaithfulness will bring a corresponding loss of reward. The point is that the Lord will be able to say: “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things” (Mt 25:21). Here you also see that for everyone who serves the Lord Jesus as a slave, even if the service is considered great, it is still only a little that has been entrusted to him.

You notice that Paul does not speak about how a slave can be free. When you serve such a Lord and have such a reward in view, the question is if you want to! Christendom does not change social structures, but people. And these changed people in their unchanged circumstances can be tremendous witnesses of the change (Tit 2:9-10). They serve a Person Who delivered them from a much more severe slavery: the slavery to sin (Rom 6:17).

Now read Colossians 3:19-25 again.

Reflection: In what respect does this passage touch you? What can you do to be more in tune in your practice with what it says here?