Keeping a Clean, Fresh Closet? It's our Choice

Last week we began looking at two mild, yet impactful commands Paul used to encourage the Colossian believers in their new found Christian lives.  These commands are in God’s Word to encourage us to keep our heart’s closets clean and fresh.

We looked specifically at Colossians 3:15 and learned that in order to keep our closets clean and fresh, we must ALLOW the Peace of Christ to rule in our hearts. We must allow the Peace of Christ to be the final judge in the tough circumstances we often face with one another.

Today, as we look at verse 16, we see the encouraging command to allow God’s Word to dwell richly in our hearts personally and collectively.

I like the way the editors of the Expositor’s Bible Commentary elaborate on this passage. The message of Christ, God’s Word, should “…become so deeply implanted within us that it controls our thinking.” God’s Word should be so much a part of us that it controls our thoughts, our attitudes, and therefore, our actions.  Specifically, according to verse 16, the Christian principles that we have hidden in our hearts (Psalm 119:11) should be expressed in our thoughts, which in turn affect the songs that we find ourselves humming and singing subconsciously throughout the day. When God's Word indwells us in this way, it allows us to regularly be in a spirit of worship, therefore affecting our attitude and actions towards others, like those we are commanded to 'forbear'! (That is an OUCH!) That is having the Word of God implanted deeply in our hearts and minds! Wouldn't you agree?

In the Bible Knowledge Commentary, the writers compare this to a mountain spring bubbling forth with fresh, pure water. When God’s Word flows through us and springs forth from our hearts, we can teach and admonish (counsel and encourage) one another with true wisdom that only comes from above.

Both verses 15 and 16 begin with the imperative “let”, or allow. This is something we CHOOSE to do. We must CHOOSE to allow the Peace of Christ to rule. We must CHOOSE to allow God’s Word to dwell (pitch a tent and make itself at home) richly (like a great treasure) within our hearts. (Word Study by W. Wiersbe, Be Complete and Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary).

This is how we keep our closets clean and fresh and how we can continue to wear those lovely outfits we think are so hard to put on!

Next week, we will look at the concept of thanksgiving and gratitude which are imbedded within these two verses.

GOD’S WORD~~READ IT, STUDY IT, MEMORIZE IT, AND APPLY IT to your life! 

 

Allow this great treasure to make itself at home in our life!

It's our choice,

Debbie

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Let the Peace of Christ Rule in your Hearts

Let’s quickly review from where we have come so far in Colossians chapter 3.

Verses 1-3 reveal the change that has taken place in our lives since we have ‘been risen with Christ’, or because of our salvation.

Verses 5-9 lists old dirty ‘clothing’ from our past lives that should have been taken off and destroyed- (But, for some reason, we always manage to hold on to one or two of those ugly outfits).

Verses 10-14 lists what instead should be ‘put on’ -and topped off with the final accessory –love!

So I wonder, have you muttered the following comment to yourself while studying this section with us, “Yea, but it’s hard!”?

Well, in verses 15 and 16 Paul provides two pieces of advice as to how to put on these outfits and keep them on! Number one, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts…” and number two, “Let the word of God dwell in you richly…”  

Let’s look at the first one today.

Throughout Colossians chapter 3, Paul is saying, you are now a new person in Christ, you’ve put the past actions and attitudes behind you, you’ve put on new, godly actions and attitudes, and you have ‘accessorized’ them with Christ-like love.  Now sit back and enjoy your new found life and allow the peace of Christ to rule! This peace refers to spiritual tranquility, both within one’s self and with one another. 

To rule has the idea of an umpire. It is the same word the Greeks used in reference to the umpires of the Greek games of their day. The goal of peace should become the deciding factor in the matter of conflict with others. If we wear the ‘outfits’ from verses 12-14 and love as we are commanded at the end of verse 14, peace will rule in our hearts personally, and peace will rule in our relationships with others. 

This reminds of a saying a dear friend often says, “Lord, put one hand on my shoulder (peace) and one the other one over my mouth (umpire). If we allow the peace of Christ to be the umpire in our difficult situations, peace will reign victoriously, and we will continue to look lovely in our new ‘outfits’!

(Resources: The Expositor's Bible Commentary and The Bible Knowledge Commentary)

Peace to each of you!

Debbie

Keeping Our New Closet Fresh and Clean

This week’s segment of Colossians for Christie is short and sweet.  We are coming down to the end of this particular study from Colossians 3. Before we look at verse 15 next week, I thought I would take this opportunity to wrap up what we now find in our new closet. We have filled our heart’s closet with qualities found in Colossians 3:12-14. We have topped our new ‘outfits’ with love. Now, it is important to keep our closet fresh and clean.

Here is a suggestion for keeping it that way.

Everyday when I begin my Bible reading, I start with reading Colossians 3:12-14. I read it from a Bible that has those three verses in paragraph form instead of as three separate verses. Somehow, seeing it as a one thought paragraph has a greater effect and serves as a strong reminder of what we should be ‘wearing’ everyday.

Colossians 3:12-14~“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Join me in reading, better yet, memorizing, this passage, and let’s all make it apart of your daily wardrobe.

(A detailed study of the qualities discussed in this passage can be found in recent archives of “Light Thoughts’.)

Keep your closet fresh and clean!

Debbie

The Finishing Accessory: LOVE

Over the past several weeks, we have filled our heart’s closet with a lovely new wardrobe that reflects the goodness of our Savior. We are now ready to wrap up our wardrobe according to Colossians 3:14.

“And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” 

This verse compares right up there with I Corinthians 13:13-…'but the greatest of these is love.’ Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness, as important as they are, do not compare to love. Love is the bond, or the adhesive, that pulls it all together.

Consider the love Christ demonstrated to us-when we didn’t deserve it! Consider the aspects of I Corinthians 13.Then, make love the final accessory and the finishing touch for your Colossians 3:10-13 wardrobe.

We all have our favorite fashion accessory, don't we? For some, it is shoes, for others, it is a scarf or jewelry~~for me, it is my purse!   In our hearts~~ and in our day to day expression of who we are in Christ,~~ it is our LOVE for others that stands out and ‘makes the outfit’. We haven’t REALLY put on the 10-13 list until we have topped it off with love!

The Greek word for love here is agape-which is an active, caring love. It goes beyond just a fuzzy feeling. It desires to produce action on our part. It desires to care, to be compassionate, to be kind, humble, gentle, patient, and forgiving. Christ loves and cares for us in this way. Therefore, we should love and care for others in the same way.

The final phrase of the verse speaks of ‘perfect unity’. This actually refers to mature, or complete unity. Yes, love is what makes our brand new ‘outfits’ complete!   This one all-important accessory is the sign of true Christian maturity. Have you added your accessory?

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loveth is born of God, and knoweth God"~~I John 4:7 and 8.  How many of you sang the children’s version of that verse as you read it?  

Let’s make our outfits shine while we love one another!

LOVE,

Debbie