Monday, May 24, 2021

Some Final Instructions- Colossians 4:1-6

 As Paul continues to bring his letter to a close, the practical instructions/callings for the church in Colossae continue to spill onto the pages of this correspondence. Remember, the church of Colossae was a small church in a brave new world of persecution and false teaching. Adherence to Paul’s many instructions both for the individual (3:1-17), for the family (3:18-25), and, as we will soon see, for the church (3:2-6), would go a long way in preventing ministry failure and advancing the mission of God in a dark and otherwise difficult context. Thankfully, many of the same instructions and callings apply today as our church faces a brave new world of pressure and deception. In Colossians 4:1-6, three more callings are provided that, if followed, would help the church execute herself and her mission well. It is my prayer that we would take these callings seriously and apply these relevant principles as we head into the future.



1. Lead Fairly-4:1

In a continuation from the list of instructions in the last chapter, Paul begins chapter 4 with a calling for masters to lead fairly—“Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness” (4:1a). Again, the master-slave relationship in first century Rome looked very different than what we typically think of when we consider the institution of slavery. Although slaves did not receive salaries then, their basic needs were met in such situations in keeping with the value of human effort, time, and life (Melcik, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, 319). If masters were to avoid judgment, they had to have concern for fairness in their dealings with those who served.

Some have argued that these instructions for slaves (see 3:22ff) and masters (4:1) suggests that the Bible condones the institution of slavery. As a result, many question the goodness of God and the truthfulness of his word. However, this passage is one example of many of God bringing order into the chaos brought on by sin so that institutions that crept in because of the fall would not go completely off the rails and destroy the human race. Slavery is one result of the fall (and, as a result, a problem mankind brought on himself). Instructions on how to keep this fall from having an even worse effect on humans than it already does is a grace of God. In fact, what Paul shares in Philemon suggests that slavery is not part of God’s original design and should be avoided if possible.

However, wherever such arrangements existed in the original context, masters were to lead with fairness.

This they were to do “knowing that you too have a Master in heaven” (4:1b). No human master is the ultimate authority and, in fact, in the grand scheme of things, all of God’s people serve the Lord. Those who lead and manage others must do so in full recognition of the fact that they are being led and managed by One greater. The Lord God is the ultimate authority and sovereign leader of all and the best masters in the first century and beyond would be those who were clearly mastered by the Lord.  That God is the greatest master is not only a matter of who he is, but also where he is situated—“in heaven.” Because he occupies a better place and, in some ways, stands outside of our domain, he is able to see a more complete picture and understand the end from the beginning. Who better is there to ultimately call the shots?

To those who lead others in various arrangement Paul says, “lead fairly.” Leading well means leading as one being led.

2. Pray Purposefully-4:2-4

As Paul continues to draw his letter to a close, he calls upon the church in Colossae to devote themselves to prayer (with consistent and constant intensity with the possible implication of difficulty)—"devote yourselves to prayer” (4:2a). The same verb is used in Acts 2:42 to describe the early church’s devotion to the apostle’s teaching, fellowship and prayer. In light of all that Paul has taught so far in this letter, Paul’s moves to the close by highlighting this most important practice in an encouragement to the church to commit themselves to a life of fervent intercession.

However, not just any praying will do. The Colossians were instructed to pray in a specific manner, with “alertness” or “watchfulness” and “with an attitude of thanksgiving,” (4:2b).  Although prayer does require the individual to be awake (duh), when Paul says “keeping alert,” he is talking about praying with an acute awareness of whatever affects the spread of the gospel. This becomes more obvious as Paul will soon provide specific requests. Informed prayer is likely to be more purposeful, personal, and powerful.

Notice also that prayer is supposed to take place in the context of thanksgiving (1 Thess. 5:17). Thankfulness provides the proper context for good praying. No one depended on the context of thanksgiving more than Paul whose own circumstances were often anything but something for which to be thankful. He was writing this from a prison cell for crying out loud! However, to ensure a proper perspective amid tribulation, Paul both modeled and urged that prayer be offered in an attitude of thanksgiving. This kind of prayer Paul encourage here both recognizes the obstacles and difficulties AND remembers that despite all of them, God is able to work.

The construction of these two verses may suggest a three-fold pattern in prayer life. First, an individual prays fervently, second, an individual watches or waits for a response (“keeping alert in it”), and third, the individual responds with thanksgiving upon answered prayer. The first element (fervent prayer) requires obedience, as a believer takes on the command to pray. The second (waiting for a response) requires faith as the believer anxiously seeks the fulfillment of the answer. The third (thanksgiving) encourages praise and adoration to God for having answered the prayer offered. While the world sleeps in their disbelief and ignorance, Paul calls Christians to keep awake and devoted to regular and steady prayer.  The church’s kingdom-building mission cannot be successful without a strong connection to the King and this comes by a dynamic fervent prayer life.  

Paul continues in verse 3 with “praying at the same time for us as well.” By repeating the word “prayer” in verse 3, Paul emphasizes its importance and in the spirit of being specific in their prayer lives, Paul gives the church some specific requests of his. Listen carefully to what he asks the church to keep in mind. First, Paul requested that the church in Colossae pray for an open door for the gospel, “that God will open up to us a door for the word so that we may speak for the mystery of Christ for which I have been imprisoned…” (4:3). Paul always looked for ways to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ. No one had better skills to turn any situation into an opportunity for witnessing. His success was, in part, due to the many prayers offered on his behalf for wisdom and opportunities. You want an opportunity to spread the gospel successfully? Pray for it! That is what Paul did and look how God used him! Paul instructs the Colossians to pray that he would find an open door. The apostle lived for such opportunities and realized that God alone provided these divine appointments, often, in response to the prayers offered.

Second, Paul wanted an opportunity to share the mystery—“so that we may speak forth the mystery off Christ” (4:3b). However, what is this “mystery” Paul wanted to share? The answer is found in Colossians 1:26-27 which says “the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The substance of Paul’s message, the mystery that he longed more than anything to disclose for people, was that by grace through faith, anyone can have Christ in them, the hope of glory. This was the kernel of truth that Paul hoped to share with those who were lost. This is the campaign slogan of the mission of God! It is this message Paul desperately wanted to share and it was for this message that Paul was imprisoned—“for which I have also been imprisoned…” (4:3c). There is much that can be said of this small verb. Its passive voice suggests that Paul was forced into his chains. Secondly, the perfect tense of this verb emphasizes both the past reality of his imprisonment and the present result of his bondage. In one sense, Paul states the obvious, being bound in chains; however, with this verb he also looks at the opportunity his imprisonment has given him for the spread of the gospel (cf. Phil. 1).

A third element of Paul’s prayer request was that he may proclaim the gospel as clearly as possible, “That I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak” (4:4). Paul not only looked for new doors to walk through, he also looked for ways to make the gospel understandable. He did not pray for a specific method of spreading the gospel, but for the wisdom to know what to say in specific situations, all while doing justice to the gospel.

In this second calling, Paul reveals how important it is for the church to adopt a dynamic prayer life which includes: praying for the lost, praying for opportunities to share Christ with the lost, and praying for wisdom so that the sharing done may be appropriate and winsome.

3. Communicate Well-4:5-6

Paul’s final command for the church is to communicate the truth they are proclaiming well both verbally and nonverbally. He writes, “conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders” (4:5a). The Colossians were to ensure that their lives, behavior, and appearance reflected Christ in them (the hope of glory). To “conduct yourselves with wisdom” means to follow Christ as God’s pattern for full and authentic living. Paul knew all too well the importance of giving the world no reason to criticize the behavior of Christians. Blameless living alongside that comes with dynamic prayer life are two cornerstones of a good witness.

2 Corinthians 6:1-3-“And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—for He says, ‘At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.’ Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold, now is ‘the day of salvation’— giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited.” But Why?

A blameless and prayerful walk naturally affords a believer the ability to make the most of every opportunity given to him/her to show Christ, “making the most of the opportunity” (4:5b). The word for “making the most” insinuates that every opportunity the church has to spread the seed or water on planted ground needs to be snapped up, lest it be lost to something or someone else. 

Some may say, “Well, I have very little if any opportunities to share the gospel.” However, the very fact that you are left on this earth and here today suggests that your opportunities have not run out. (CONSIDER THIS: Perhaps the church does not recognize the myriad of opportunities around her or isn’t being given more explicit opportunities because she has failed to pray for them). Time itself is an opportunity to seize for the kingdom of God. What is the church going to do with it? Paul hoped that the church would snatch up every opportunity to share the gospel well for all its worth for the glory of God. After all, the time is near! Jesus could return at any moment!

Matthew 24:36ff- “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

One way for the church in Colossae and the church today to be ready is to be about the mission to which she is called by praying for an opportunity to share the gospel and seizing every opportunity to make the most of it by acting accordingly. However, not all communication is non-verbal. You have heard it said, preach the gospel and, if necessary, use words. However, Paul believed words were vitally important and it is verbal communication that he addresses next.

“Let your speech always be with grace as though seasoned with salt…”(4:6a). Here, two statements illustrate the nature of Christian speech. The first is “in grace.” “In grace” may reflect an idiom used in that day for charm or charisma. However, Paul wants it to mean more than just tactfulness. Ultimately, Paul is trying to get the Colossians to speak with grace as those who live in grace—i.e. to speak in a distinctly Christian way. While the world slanders and bludgeon’s people with their sharp rhetoric of negativity, division, and deception, a Christian’s words are to stand in contrast as a presentation given with grace.

1 Peter 3:15-“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

The second way Paul describes the speech of a believer is “with salt.” Salt was used in three different ways in the first century. It could preserve food, sterilize food, or season food. Here Paul is talking about the latter. Conversations are to be seasoned in such a way that they bring life and richness. Paul knew that a lengthy and laborious monologue is often useless in evangelism. Rather, Christians are to work at making their witness lively and colorful while at the same time making sure they stay true to the gospel.

This kind of speech is required “so that” as Paul says, “you will know how you should respond to each person” (4:6c). Respond to what? If the first two commands (pray purposefully and act accordingly) are being carried out properly in the life of a disciple, outsiders will begin to ask Christians about their new life and its source. As these opportunities present themselves and people are engaged, believers must respond to each person as an individual. One technique or approach may not be suitable for every person you meet. Instead, each outsider must be given special and customized attention.

So What?

Lead fairly, pray purposefully, and communicate clearly (both in behavior and in word). Great encouragements for the church of Colossae and for the church today! Which of these callings needs special attention in your life? Are you leading as one being led? Remember, as God’s people we are all living in service to our King in various roles. Perhaps today you will ask God to remind you of your humble place before him and in his service. Are you fervently praying and, even there, are you praying for the right kinds of things? Remember, prayer is to be done in faith with an attitude of thanksgiving and ought to be preoccupied with advancing the mission of God and making the most of the opportunities given to God’s people to share the good news. Perhaps this week you will choose to spend more time and in your prayer time carve special moments out for missional prayer. Are you communicating the gospel message in both what you do and what you say with clarity? Remember, Christians are help to a higher standard of behavior and speech as bearers of the greatest news of all. Perhaps there are some habits or ways of speaking that need to be discarded from your life as they are getting in the way of a clear gospel presentation. The callings are clear—will you answer? After all, the mission is at hand and the time is short!

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