Christ in Colossians | From The Inside Out – Colossians 4:2-6
Paul turns his attention from the management of the household to the larger scale of how the church should operate both inside and outside. In all things, Christ reigns before all thing as the on w provides and sustains all things. When we submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, every aspect of our life is transformed as we join as a part of the body of Christ. Members of the body of Christ should look inward and care for one another’s through prayer to God to encourage one another according to the mission God set such before us. Then, we express our faith outward through everybody action we commit in order that everyone might see our life declare the glory of God. The preeminence of Jesus’s Christ transforms us from the inside out Andy the effects are felt from the inside and extending outward.
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
Colossians 4:2-6, ESV
Faith Inside The Body it Christ
We can easily take for granted the concept of prayer. Prayer provides Christians with an opportunity to approach the throne room of God and seek the will of God directly, face to face. Furthermore, this discipline is vital for those who claim faith in the Lord. Until we arrive at eternity, we will battle against the desires of our flesh nature, which Christ died to free us from. Prayer becomes more than an opportunity to ask God for things. Instead, we are renewed and transformed by the presence and will of God who does not leave His people to fend for themselves. Furthermore, this is a gift that our God permits those who once stood against Him to approach Him and guide them by His grace. Prayer is a grace given to mankind that we can approach God with thanksgiving and praise.
Paul makes it abundantly clear, though, that we do not approach God alone. We join with the saints, both alive and those who have fallen asleep. Nor are we on the path alone. The body of Christ provides support and accountability that the Christian needs. At every point in scripture, we see imperatives to be in community with one another. We should hold one another up to the Lord. When we believe that Jesus is our sustainer and provider, the one before all things, we bring what we treasure the most before the King, trusting in His prevenient grace. If we all pray only for ourselves, then we will have one person lifting us up to the Lord. But, when the body of Christ agrees to hold one another up in Christian love, the whole host of saints stands together and the multitude prays over each person. We need this unity within the church as a testament to the unity of God and our devotion to one another.
How The Outside Sees Us
Faith, though, extends not only within the church but also for those outside of the church. The way a Christian carries themselves and lives paints a picture of the church to the world. Paul’s instructions to walk with wisdom towards outsiders, while intentionally vague, extends to our image and appearance. What we do engage in (as well as what we abstain from) and how we engage represents the God we serve and the faith we possess. Walking with wisdom towards outsiders presents one of the firsts witnesses to the Gospel the world sees. A seasoned Christian should look incredibly different from the world as one who has submitted the flesh to the will of God. Our lives serve as public displays of the Gospel to the world. The culture will be quick to point out our failures. Therefore, each Christian, as our first Gospel proclamation should live our lives in such a way that demonstrates a redeemed life that has been freed from the grasps of sin. Everyone who follows Christ should be willing to prayerfully consider the effect our life has on the outside world. A Spirit-filled life demonstrates the Fruit of The Spirit and provides those with whom we come into contact with the message of Faith, Hope, and Love. For some this will mean honestly evaluating our business practices and for other it will mean abstaining from posting on social media to not engage in pointless and lifeless debates.
Finally, Paul concludes his exhortation to the church with a comment on our speech. Too often, as Christians, we view challenges to our speech to only eight particular swear words. Yet, this portion of Paul’s letter seeks of a complete overhaul in which Christ’s preeminence reigns over our every proclaimed word our heart produces and expresses. The sovereignty of God over our words goes beyond not swearing to allowing the words of Christ to speak Gospel to the world through us. Our words should proclaim the Gospel, whether it be explicit declarations of the Gospel or declaring the effects of Christ on our words. The outside world will hear how we speak and whom we speak of as one of the first proclaimation of the Gospel. Christ reigns through our life as the one who comes first, before all things, and His reign extends through us to declare His love throughout what we say.
