Colossians Series - As to the Lord

                                                                    As to the Lord

Col. 3:18-25

In our relationship with Jesus Christ, we must understand that it is inclusive of everything that we do, say and think, and the relationships we have with others.

Paul saw in the lives of the believers in Colossae, their work ethics and values, and how it related to all that they did for one another, not pertaining to the slaves alone, but it was to be a cornerstone in their living for Christ . “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. 

Work ethics in the Colossian church kept their lives in proper relationship with the Lord Jesus, beginning with everything they did. It didn’t matter if they were rich or poor, free or in bonds, male or female, or whatever ethnicity, everything was to be done as to the Lord. 

First, laboring in life brought great toil to most people in Colossae. They were a city that traded in red-dyed cloth. They were also along the Roman trade route through Asia minor. For most, their laboring was for monetary purposes, to the free class, the ability to live affluent and to purchase what they needed or wanted. For those in bondage, labor would have the possibility of freedom from honoring their masters. Paul knew that laboring for Jesus meant giving his all. The reward for his labor was heavenly minded not on material possessions. He would be rewarded with an inheritance in the Kingdom of God, which is no small thing. 

Application - In our world, we focus on values and work ethics that seem to fly in the face of scripture. I know that cultures are different, and each one has its own values in life and relationships, but I believe that the work ethic and values established by God go beyond cultural values and cultural work ethics. 

Jesus told many parables that demonstrated godly work ethics. The parable of the talents, of rich land owners, of servants given tasks and duties, and of the value of relationships towards others.

I wonder what God would say to our culture today? Are we counterculture to God’s Word? Are our work ethics focused on our inheritance in God’s kingdom or on building our own kingdoms? Are we doing everything as to the Lord Jesus, or to ourselves and our selfish nature? These are tough questions, and really require us to face God honestly, and confess our shortfalls (sins), and then to apply ourselves to the work that God has given us to do, because he will strengthen us with wisdom, knowledge, and supernatural abilities as the Holy Spirit deems that we need. (1 Cor. 12:11) “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” For we are to everything as to Christ Jesus.

 As for the family unit, work ethics were involved in their relationship with each other. Paul was not married, but he saw and understood the relationship of marriage in Jesus and His bride. Paul related to the Colossian believers the work ethics that every family unit needed, and this included the bondservants within the extended family.

 Paul began with the wife of the family unit. “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.” Paul saw the church not as an ecclesiastical unit in the world, but as the living bride of Christ. She, the wife, submitted to the husband. Not out of fear, or reprisal, or as forced, but out of love, devotion, and desire. Paul knew this probably sounded celestial, but Jesus was looking and expecting a bride that would submit to the Father’s will, who being truly loved, would love and submit unconditionally as well to the husband.

Next, Paul addresses the men of the family unit. “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.”  Paul saw the abuses physical, emotional, and verbal. Harsh carries the attitude of irrationality, anger, domineering and severe temperament. Again, Paul saw the marriage as Jesus and His bride. Paul knew how important the concept of agape love was to the marriage, to love unconditionally. Men of the world were probably chauvinistic, and controlling, fixated on masculinity, so much so that Paul had to admonish the men to not be harsh to their wives. Divorce in the Roman world is said to be the precursor to the no fault divorce of today. The woman could be divorced for drinking too much wine or anything deemed wrong. This type of harshness in the marriage between a man and a woman was totally contradictory to God’s institution of marriage.

Next, Paul addressed the work ethics of children in the family. “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” He took the basis of obedience back to the fifth commandment "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” In households where children were disrespectful and insolent towards parents and other adults, they were considered to be anathema, abhorrent and disgraceful even to the gentiles. And Paul continues to admonish the fathers in the families, they were not to be harsh with their children as well as their wives. “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” Provoking a child would stir them to anger, deadening their spirits and literally discourage them from any relationship with the father.

Last, Paul addresses the importance of a member of the extended family, a bondservant, who was a person who gave themselves fully to their master voluntarily and sometimes for life. “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.” Paul had a different view of bondservants after having an escaped bondservant (Onesimus) as a disciple and like a son in his service. Paul wasn’t in favor of slavery in any way. He treated this bondservant as if he were his own son. Paul believed that bondservants were just as important in God’s kingdom as anyone else. Paul knew of Jesus’ teaching on servitude. “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35 He believed himself to be a bond servant to Jesus, “Paul, a bondservant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ for building up the faith of God's own people and spreading a full knowledge of the truths of religion,”  Titus 1:1 “If I were still a man-pleaser, I should not be Christ's bondservant.” Gal.1:10 Paul even mentioned Jesus as a bondservant metaphorically, “Nay, He stripped Himself of His glory, and took on Him the nature of a bondservant by becoming a man like other men.” Phil. 2:7

Truly, Paul saw the importance of work ethics in every area of life of the church and family. So much so that this last verse demonstrated the severity of the penalty that God placed on serving the Lord Jesus Christ. “You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.”

Application - Throughout the Christian church, the bride of Christ, these verses are the key element of service to our Lord. We are to do everything as if doing it for Christ. This included the family, as a unit, and as individuals.

I know that I have fallen short plenty of times in my life in serving Christ and my family, and I thank God for His mercy, forgiveness and grace. And I’m sure that I am not alone in this. If we are going to please God the Father, then our lives should be focused around serving and obeying our Lord Jesus Christ in everything we do, say, and think. God is faithful to us, He gave us the Holy Spirit, who will empower us to implement Godly work ethics and values in our service to Christ and to all those around us. 

I can remember standing early in my new life before Christ and the church one Sunday night, the message was on being the man and father God wanted me to be. I stood there in the light of His Word, broken and shaken. It was at this time, the Holy Spirit came and directed me on how to be the man who would serve Christ in everything and to serve my family in accordance to God’s Word in Colossians 3. I share this because I believe there are many men, women, and children who need to change their work ethics and values. As the last verse in the lesson said, “You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.” I don’t believe there are any of us who want to be the wrongdoer, the person of the sinful nature, who will stand before Christ and give accounting for all that they did, said, and thought.

Matthew 12:3 “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it on the day of judgment” Romans 14:12 “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” Revelation 20:12 “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.”

Paul stated, “As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For He says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

Let us open our hearts and minds to doing everything as to the Lord Jesus today.

Until next week.

In His Service, Mike Davis