Paul encouraged believers to devote themselves to prayer as an essential part of the Christian life. Our prayer should be continual (1 Thes 5:17) and active, keeping watch for those things that distract us from it. We can be distracted by the concerns of the world (Phil 4:6; 1 Cor 16:13) or by the schemes of the devil (1 Pet 5:8). Our prayers should always be done in an attitude of thanksgiving to God (1 Thes 5:18; Rom 1:21). Paul asked for prayer for himself and those with him, not for selfish gain or even personal wellbeing, but for the advancement of the gospel. Paul asked that a door would be opened to have the opportunity to share the gospel message, especially the fact that faith in Jesus was available to Gentiles, not only Jews. Paul was in prison because of the gospel but that didn’t hinder him from recognising that God could give him opportunities anywhere (Phil 1:12-14). Paul also asked for prayer that when he received those opportunities, he would speak clearly, that people who heard would understand his message. Paul knew his mission and didn’t want to waste any opportunity to clearly present the gospel.

Paul also encouraged believers to consider their public lives. We need wisdom in how we live in front of unbelievers making full use of every opportunity. Just as Paul wanted to use every opportunity to speak clearly, we should use every opportunity to act in a way that shows the world the grace of God. How we speak should always be gracious, yet seasoned with salt. We must speak in a way that is gentle and pleasing yet pure and full of truth. When we live well and speak well, then we too will have the opportunity to answer people’s questions about our hope in Jesus (1 Pet 3:15).

Have you shared your faith with anyone? Are you praying for opportunities? Is your life different from those around you that would cause them to ask you why? Does the way you live work in harmony with the words you say (or your online posts) about your faith?

Paul now gives instructions on how to put on love with our relationships.
Wives should submit to their husbands. This is not a cultural situation but one built into the order of creation for man was created first (1 Tim 2:13) and models the relationship of Christ to the Father (1 Cor 11:3). Submission is not about inferiority but about recognising that the husband is the head of the home. A wife’s submission is morally limited to what is fitting in the Lord. A wife is not obligated to obey her husband when he deviates from the commands of Scripture.
Husbands should love their wives (as Christ loves the church, Eph 5:28-29). A husband is to lead in love, not as a dictator. Husbands should not be harsh with their wives but treat them tenderly, remembering that they are equal with you before the Lord and treating them improperly will hinder your relationship with the Lord (1 Pet 3:7).
Children should obey their parents in all things because this pleases God. Obedience again reflects God’s order for the home. Fathers, as heads of the home, should not be harsh with their children. While God the Father is perfect, human fathers are not. Be careful not to put unreasonable demands on your children or be too strict in your discipline or they may be discouraged from obeying the Lord. But lovingly raise them in the instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4).
Slaves should obey their earthly masters in everything. Paul’s mission wasn’t to bring about social change but he doesn’t here condone slavery either. Instead, his focus is on the attitude of the believing slave within their found situation. Their motivation shouldn’t just be to do what is required when their masters are watching but sincerely out of a love for God. This instruction for slaves is equally applicable for employees in the workplace. Don’t just do the minimum required but do your best in everything. Whatever you do (and this applies to all relationships, not just slave/master or employee/employer) work as if working directly for the Lord, not for men. Ultimately it is God who rewards us for what we do. Whatever relationship we are in, we are to serve the Lord. We will be rewarded for the good we do but we will also be repaid for the wrong we do because there is no partiality with God.
Masters are reminded to treat their servants justly and fairly remembering that they too are a servant of their Master in heaven. This also applies to how an employer should treat their employees.

Every one of these commands is one-sided. Paul doesn’t say husband, love your wife if she submits. Or child, obey your parents if your father is not harsh. In every relationship we are to do right because of our standing in Christ. You must make the choice to serve God in your relationships regardless of what the other person chooses to do. What will you do today to serve the Lord in your relationships?

Paul moves from the vices we should put off to the virtues we should put on. Paul refers to the believers in Colossae as God’s chosen ones who are holy and beloved. Holiness has two parts, positionally we are holy before God because of Christ’s work on the cross, but behaviourally we are holy only when we choose to live in the Spirit and manifest Christ’s character which includes the virtues listed here. All these traits are in stark contrast to the way unbelievers generally choose to live. Compassionate hearts is having a tender disposition towards others. Jesus wept for both believers (John 11:35) and unbelievers (Luke 19:42). Kindness is compassion in action. Jesus’ compassion moved to action as He reached out, engaged with, ate with, touched, and healed people (Matt 14:14; Luke 7:13-14). Humility is not to think too highly of yourself and in this case to set the needs of others above yourself. Jesus’ whole life was lived in humility (Mark 10:45; Phil 2:3-8). Meekness is not weakness, but strength restrained and being gentle. Jesus with all the strength of God restrained Himself and meekly submitted Himself to the cross for our sake (Isaiah 53:7). Patience or longsuffering is self-restraint and the ability to endure wrongs against yourself. Jesus was patient with His disciples who were slow to learn (John 14:8-9), patient with His enemies at the cross (1 Pet 2:23), and patient to this day not wanting anyone to perish (2 Pet 3:9). Bearing with one another is bringing these virtues to bear specifically in our relationships within the church. When we wrong each other we must forgive each other as Christ forgave us—that is unconditionally and completely (Mat 18:21-22). The overarching virtue that contains all of the above is love (1 Cor 13:13). Jesus said love would be the mark of His disciples (John 13:34-35) as He demonstrated unconditional love (John 3:16).
“In one’s catalog of virtues love should be the cover, because it is of supreme importance and is the perfect bond, holding them all together in perfect unity.”—Geisler, N.L.
The peace of God is different from peace with God. All believers have peace with God in that we are eternally secure in our salvation, no matter what we choose to do. But we can choose to rebel against his commands which will mean we no longer have the peace of God in our lives, instead we face discipline from God. When we are in fellowship with God and other believers, then we will experience the peace of God. This should cause us to be thankful.
Again we see Paul emphasise the importance of the Word of God. God’s word should live in our hearts so that it is the source of all our decisions. Then God’s word should impact others through us as we teach and admonish others with Scriptural wisdom. The word of God within us should bubble out in singing psalms, and other spiritual songs all from a bed of thankfulness to God.
In closing, Paul reminds us that everything we do, whether it is what we say or how we at should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. We should speak and act like Jesus just like an ambassador speaks on behalf of their country, we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:20). Everything we do should be done with an attitude of thankfulness to God.

Which Christlike trait do you need to put on? Which passages of Scripture that highlight this trait can you meditate on to help you? Remember it’s not about trying harder but about letting God work in you through His word.

Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings that are easily applied to everyday situations. Consider carefully which of the sayings you’ve read today are particularly applicable to you today and in the coming week. What do you need to change or do more of to make use of God’s wisdom in your life?

Put to death what is earthly in you. That is a strong call to set aside our base desires and present our bodies as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1). The desires Paul is speaking of center around physical pleasures including sexual practice that serves only our pleasure and goes against God’s design for marriage (Heb 13:4), moral corruption, and greed (which is idolatry because it seeks satisfaction in things rather than in God). These are the things that invoke God’s wrath (Rom 1:18-25). Culture tries to normalise this kind of behaviour but it will never be acceptable in God’s sight. Before salvation, we may have seen that kind of behaviour as acceptable but now we are to turn away from that way of living. But the list goes on. There are other things we should get rid of like we would discard dirty clothes. These habits are unbecoming of Christians. Anger (smoldering hatred), wrath (angry outbursts), malice (harmful intent towards others), slander (obscene speech aimed at another), and obscene talk (filthy language). Christians should never lie, especially not to one another (Eph 4:25), because we are followers of the One who is truth (John 14:6). Everything Paul has listed is inappropriate behaviour for a believer because we have become a new creation in Christ. We have a choice to make. We can continue to wear the old sinful self with its sinful desires (which is not who we are anymore) or we can choose to discard that and put on our new self with its new way of life. Putting on the new self is a continual process of renewal that is found in a growing knowledge of Christ (2 Cor 4:16; Rom 12:2; Eph 4:23). This renewal is available to all believers no matter their national, religious, cultural, economic, or social background because Christ is all in all. Human-defined distinctions are removed in our unity under Christ.

What does your spiritual clothing look like? Are you wearing the old, smelly clothes of your former self or are you clothed in the pure white of your new self in the image of Christ who redeemed you?

The second half of Paul’s letter to the Colossians takes the doctrine he focussed on and deals with specific applications.

Practically we should seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. Jesus included this idea in His model prayer for us, His disciples, in the line, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). The idea is that we bring heavenly principles to our earthly living and not live for the worldly principles Paul has just highlighted in the previous chapter. We should also set our minds on heavenly things rather than things here on earth. We should be concentrating on the eternal, not the temporal. Don’t focus on what is seen, which is temporary, but on the unseen, which is eternal (2 Cor 4:18). We cannot become mature Christians if we don’t first determine in our minds to focus on doing things God’s way (Rom 12:1-2). Our focus should be on heavenly things because our life is hidden and bound in Christ. Our future is secure in Christ yet we will not experience all He has for us until He appears again. When Jesus returns, then we will also appear with Him in glory (1 John 3:2; 1 Cor 13:12).

Where is your focus? On heaven or earth? Everything else will fall into line behind your focus. If you’re not sure, check what takes up most of your time. More importantly what shifts for what? That area you are always making time for, and other things give way to, that is your focus.

Having spent considerable time pointing out the truth of who Christ is and what He has done, Paul now addresses the errors that were threatening the church at Colossae. We may not face the same false teaching but any false teaching can affect us when we lose focus of who Christ is.

The Colossians were facing judgment because they didn’t adhere to the Jewish legal dietary requirements or Jewish festivals. Those things were put in place by God to point towards Christ which Jesus had now fulfilled (Matt 5:17; Rom 6:14, 7:6). When we turn to legalism, we are robbed of our freedom in Christ. Legalism entraps us in a system of self-effort, trying to earn eternal life, or keep it, or prove we have it. By following additions to their faith like asceticism (self-denial), worship of angels, and a focus on visions, they would be disqualified from rewards. Just like an athlete is disqualified from the prize if they operate outside the boundaries of the game. These additions offer a false sense of holiness that is devoid of Christ. They may even arise from believers who have let go of their focus on Christ in whom the church derives its nourishment and growth that is from God. When we take our eyes off Christ, we are susceptible to falling for error.

If we have died with Christ to the sinful principles of the world system, why do we still live as if bound to them? Why are we still living by the world’s rules when we have been set free to live in the power of the Spirit? (Rom 6:2-7). Legalism is based on many restrictions where God has given us the liberty to enjoy all He has created with thankfulness (1 Tim 4:4). These human restrictions have the appearance of wisdom but are not from God. Don’t fall for something because it “sounds right” or seems to “make sense”, test everything against God’s word. Self-denial doesn’t aid our spiritual growth, it hinders it because rather than restraining our sensual indulgence, it actually arouses it. Christ is where we will find victory against our fleshly nature.

Where are you trying to attain spiritual victory through religious effort? What can you change today so that your focus is firmly on what Christ has done rather than on what you are trying to do?

Paul warns believers not to be taken captive by philosophy that is empty of truth because it is based on human ideas and not based on Christ. Any philosophy or thinking that is not based on the clear teachings of the Bible is wrong. The Colossian church was being presented with false teachings about spirituality, angels, self-abasement, and wrong views of Christ. We see errors creeping into the church today because they are based first on man’s ideas, then the Bible is wrongly interpreted to support man’s ideas. Some of these are evolutionary thought, man’s ideas on marriage, social justice, to name a few. We must always rely on God’s word alone for truth and then work from the principles found there.

Paul reiterates why it is important to stand strong in Christ against false teaching. Jesus Christ is preeminent because he is God Himself in human form. Jesus is not a spirit being but fully man, yet fully God. Because of this believers are complete in Him because we have received God’s righteousness which can only come through Christ (John 14:6) and which is sufficient to save us (John 5:24). Jesus is supreme over every rule and authority. Whatever false teaching they were hearing about angels, they had no authority over Jesus. As believers, we have received a spiritual circumcision which means the legal requirements of Judaism are no longer required. This circumcision is a circumcision of the heart where our sinful nature is put off by Christ’s death on the cross and we are now a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). At the moment of belief, we were buried with him in baptism and raised with him through faith in the work of God. This baptism Paul is speaking about is baptism the baptism of the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion. Paul links this baptism to the moment of conversion which means He cannot be speaking of water baptism. Water baptism is something a believer should do shortly after conversion as a public witness to the inward change Paul is describing here. Before believing in the saving work of Jesus, we were dead in our sinful nature. While we still had human life, we were cut off from spiritual life. But God made us alive in Christ when He forgave all our sins and canceled the record of wrongs held against us. Your sin charge sheet (including anything that might be added to it in the future) is no longer held against you because it was nailed to the cross as it was paid in full by Jesus. Jesus triumphed over demons and the world system. Sin no longer remains a barrier between God and man.

What a great reminder of all that Christ has done for us. No matter what you’re battling with, the answer will not be found in any ideas man can come up with. 2 Peter 1:3a says, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness…”. We have everything we need in Christ. As someone said, “it’s not what you know, it’s Who you know.”

Paul had explained how he worked and struggled by God’s strength to see believers mature in their faith (Col 1:28-29). Here he adds that his struggle was also for those believers he had not met. Laodicea was a city not far from Colossae and was probably facing the same attack of false teaching. Consider how often you are concerned for believers you have not met. We have brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who are facing various trials and tribulations—are you concerned for their well-being?

Paul was concerned that the church was unified, knit together in love. When Satan succeeds in dividing us against each other, then he gains a foothold to introduce false teaching. When we work together, it is easier for us all to reach full assurance of our faith based on a solid understanding and knowledge which is found in Christ. While false teaching often presents revelation from God apart from Christ, true knowledge and wisdom are found only in Christ. There are no secrets of the faith attainable other than what is found in God’s word (John 1:1). False teaching can be persuasive and we must be careful not to think we are immune from being led astray. Paul rejoiced in the good order and firmness of the faith of the Colossian church and yet he still thought it necessary to warn them against false teaching. Because of this, he reminded them that just as they received Christ so they should continue to walk in Him. Our salvation is based on the sufficiency of Christ, that He is all we need to be reconciled to God, and that He will make us holy. That is how we must continue to live, not looking for anything else, and not turning away to false doctrine or returning to sin. It is so important that new believers are rooted, built up, and established in their faith. When we have a solid foundation then we will not be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. And as we grow so should our gratefulness overflow in thanksgiving.

How firm is your foundation in God’s word? When you read, which do you read more, books about the bible, or the bible? Where will you make more time to spend in God’s word every day?