Colossians - Closings and Difficult Issues

Colossians – Closings and Difficult Issues

 

We are coming to the close of our studies in this short book of Colossians.  Paul, who is in prison, closes his letter to the Christian church in Colossae with more instructions.  And some of his instructions have concerned our fellow Christians.  Life was very different for people living two thousand years ago.  We may need to take what was being said in the context of the culture of that day.  We begin today reading Colossians 3:18-4:1. 

 

Colossians 3:18-4:1

 

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.  Children obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.  Fathers do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

 

Slaves obey your masters in all things.  Do not obey just when they are watching you. To gain their favor, but serve them honestly, because you respect the Lord.  In all the work you are doing, work the best you can.  Work as if you were doing it for the Lord., not for people.  Remember that you will receive your reward from the Lord, which He promised to His people.  You are serving the Lord Christ.  But remember that anyone who does wrong will be punished, and the Lord treats everyone the same.  Masters give what is good and fair to your slaves.  Remember that you have a Master in heaven.”  (Colossians 3:18-4:1)

 

This instruction for wives to submit to husbands is a controversial topic in Christian circles.  We need not think of the word “submission” as meaning “slavery” or “subjugation.”  The word comes from the military vocabulary and means “to arrange in rank”.  It does not mean that one is better than the other.  It only means that sometimes husband and wifes have different job descriptions.  Scripture is not saying that males are better than females.  Galatians 3:28 says: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”. 

 

Scripture also says that husband and wife must be submitted to the Lord and to each other.  (Ephesians 5:21) It is a mutual respect under the lordship of Jesus Christ.  Scripture also says that “Husbands love your wives as Christ loves the Church.”  (Ephesians 5:25) If a husband loves his wife that much, I don’t believe that he will always insist on his own way.

 Good marriages all seem to be built on mutual respect and mutual submission.  And on love. The good husband basically wants his wife to be happy and fulfilled and the good wife wants that for her husband also.  Each gives in to the other at times. And Christ holds them together in their love. 

 

And now we come to the next problem Bible passage!  Here we go.  Colossians 3:22 says: “Slaves, obey your masters in all things.”  Many Christians have long had problems with the idea of slavery.  Unfortunately, slavery was an established institution in Paul’s day as it had been throughout antiquity. God gave Israel rules concerning how slaves were to be treated. The slave was to be given his or her freedom after a certain number of years.  (Deuteronomy 15:12-18) and (Exodus 21:16)  Throughout Scripture God has commanded His people to take care of the poor and disenfranchised. 

 

Often a poor family could not count on always having enough to eat. When drought, plague, insects, thieves or storms ruined the yearly crops, the poor farmer might not have enough to feed his family.  In pre-historic times societies were without jails or fire and police protection. Thieves or warring enemy tribes could steal a persons’ money, food or animals, leaving the person or family with nothing to eat. Their very survival was at stake.

 

To find a steady supply of food, safety and security for the family, a poor person could offer to become a slave to a rich land owner.  The wealthy land owner’s responsibility was to feed the person and his or her family and give their family simple lodging and security in exchange for their work and their loyalty for a certain number of years.  In ancient days there were no banking systems, no trade unions, etc.  Instead of modern day employers hiring employees, often the wealthy land owner took on workers or what they called “slaves”.

 

 We must remember that today many employees work long hours under bad conditions and still do not have sufficient food, lodging or security for their families.  Also, many modern workers are “slaves” to their crushing debt, often because of high interest rates, medical care costs, housing, etc. 

 

Some will ask: ‘Why didn’t the church of that day openly oppose slavery and try to destroy it?  I don’t have the perfect answer, but the Christian church was a small minority group that had no political power to change the institution of slavery that had long been built into the social order of ancient societies.

God has ordained work as good.  Our good work matters to society.  Scripture says: “Six days shall you work and do all your labor, but the seventh is the Sabbath, in it you shall do no work.” (Exodus 20:9)  Some workers or slaves in ancient days had good masters and enjoyed their work.

 

Paul closes his letter to the Colossians in the 4^th chapter.  He reminds them to continue praying and thanking God and to be alert against false doctrines. Paul’s prayer for these new Christians is that “God may open a door for our message.” (the message that Jesus Christ sets us free from our sin and gives us new life) (Colossians 4:3) This prayer of Paul’s says a lot about his own spiritual maturity, don’t you think?  

 

Remember Paul was “in chains”.  He wrote this letter to the Colossians from a Roman jail.  Paul did not ask that his prison doors be opened, but “that the doors of Christ’s ministry be opened.” (1 Cor.16:9: Acts 14:27) It was more important to Paul that he be a faithful minister for Jesus Christ than a free man.   In all of Paul’s prison prayers, his concerns and prayers were never for his own personal safety or material help, but for the message of Christ the Savior and Lord, that that message might be spread to everyone who would hear and believe and live.  May that be our prayer also.   

 

Many of the ideas in this blog were taken from Max Lucado’s book,”colossians and Philemon” and “The Wiersbe Bible Study Series”