In our previous post we began a study of Colossians 4:2-6, a passage where the Apostle Paul provides some of the basics of Christian living:
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
We are framing our study of this passage around four participles—praying, sharing, living, and speaking.
Having already addressed Paul’s call for Grateful Praying, we turn now to the next three basics…
Gospel Sharing
If we are “in Christ,” we are those who are “inside” the faith rather than “outside” the faith. God wants to use us to share the Good News of Jesus with others. Look again at verse 3 from the standpoint of the one who is sharing.
meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, (verse 3)
God has called all of us to share the mystery of Christ, the plan of God to save sinners through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We each of us are to look for open doors for the Word.
Today look for that “open door for the Word” that you may speak the mystery of Christ, that you may speak the life-giving good news of the gospel. Today–this very day–look for God to open that door for the word to speak of salvation in Christ Jesus. Today at lunch. Today at work. Today at school. Today!
Paul reminds the Colossians that this is why he is imprisoned. See it there in the end of verse 3: “I am also in chains;” incarcerated for his Gospel-Sharing.
Remember that Paul is writing to the church from prison in Rome. He mentions these chains again among his last words in the last verse of chapter 4: “Remember my chains (verse 18).”
Paul is in prison because he loved Jesus more than he loved his freedom.
Here is a reminder that, in His sovereignty, God may allow us to face difficult circumstances even in the context of obedience. He allows His children to go to jail even when they are obeying His will. Think about that for a moment.
That’s no big deal if you love Jesus more than you love being out of jail.
Paul loved Gospel-Sharing more than Comfort-Living.
He loved the world’s Savior more than he loved the world’s stuff.
Yes, as Christians we may well go through—Romans 8:35, 39—tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and the sword, but nothing will separate us from the love of God!
What a prayer request: “Pray also for us, that God would open to us a door,” not a door to be released from prison, but rather, “that God would open to us a door for the Word,” the Bible, “to speak the mystery of Christ,” the Gospel, “for which I am also in chains.”
May God open the door–not a door that is all about my personal comfort and security–but a door for sharing the gospel.
And may God help us “make the gospel manifest” (verse 4); that we will be clear as we share the good news.
Someone said, “The reason some of us say little, is because we’ve little to say.”
Do you have something to say? Have you been saved by grace through faith in Christ? If so, you have something to say! You can say something about Jesus!
Sometimes just talking about Him throughout the course of the day is as powerful as a specific witnessing occasion. In other words, sometimes just the way we carry ourselves and the way we go about our daily lives is a powerful witness to those on the outside. This seems the point of verse 5:
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. (verse 5)
This takes us to the third basic mark of Christian living. We have mentioned Grateful Praying and Gospel Sharing. Thirdly:
Godly Living
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. (verse 5)
In other words, “Practice Godly Living.” Walk wisely, or live wisely, toward those who are outside—toward unbelievers—redeeming the time—which is to say, “Make the most of every opportunity God gives you today to tell others about Jesus.”
We must “redeem” or “buy up” every opportunity, seizing every chance to share.
Redeeming is a word from the marketplace. “Buy up” opportunities like you would buy up gifts at the shopping mall when there’s a big sale going on; getting as much as you can for every penny.
Get as much of Jesus into the lives of others as is possible with every second or minute of time provided.
And much of the way we tell others about Jesus is by way of our godly living. Holiness. Our actions are preaching and teaching the Gospel all the time.
The great evangelical scholar FF Bruce says, “Non-Christians may not read the Bible or listen to the preaching of the Word of God; but they can see the lives of those who do, and form their judgment accordingly.”
Have you heard this poem?
You are writing a Gospel, a chapter each day
By the things that you do and the words that you say,
Men read what you write, whether faithless or true,
So what is the gospel according to you?
I know, it’s kind of cheesy, but it makes the point: people are watching our Christian living. And our actions will either draw unbelievers closer to Jesus or will push them further away.
Let’s make sure we behave in such a way as to draw others closer to Jesus. Godly living.
Here’s the fourth and final mark of Christian Living. We’ve mentioned Grateful Praying, Gospel Sharing, and Godly Living. Number Four:
Gracious Speaking
Verse 6 is a good memory verse. If you’re looking for a good verse to memorize this week, let me suggest this one:
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. (verse 6)
That’s good, isn’t it? Gracious speaking. The New Living Translation puts verse 6 like this:
“Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.”
As Christians, the words we use are so important! Both the words we use and the words we don’t use are critical to Christian living.
I like that phrase, “seasoned with salt!” Salt adds zest, flavor, seasoning.
Jesus says Christians are “the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13),” so there out to be something about our speech, something about our words that adds a bit of zest to others.
Don’t be insipid! Don’t be dull! Don’t be tasteless!!
As we bear witness to Jesus Christ, there should be something about our lives that is like shaking salt upon others, creating a thirst for Jesus.
Howard Hendricks was known for modifying the timeless adage: “You can lead a horse to the water, but you can’t make him drink.” He would say, “That’s true, but you can make the horse thirsty by feeding it salt.”
Make someone thirsty for Jesus today.
What About You?
- Paul loved Jesus more than his freedom. How important is Jesus to you?
- Do you make people thirsty for what you have in Christ?
- Consider memorizing Colossians 4:6.
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