⬇ EPUB

COLOSSIANS 3 AND 4

Rem We should all like some expansion of thought in relation to “the word of the Christ”.

CAC It seems to be a very comprehensive word as colouring all that is to dwell in the saints richly.

Ques Would it cover all that is expressed in Christ risen ^[p. 327] and glorified, and be an expression much in keeping with the epistle, in which Christ is so prominent?

CAC Yes, I thought so. I suppose the teaching and admonishing would naturally flow out of the word of the Christ dwelling richly, that is, we have something very precious to speak of to one another.

Rem I suppose it would cover ministry, doctrine and everything we have recorded in relation to Christ, everything that is to be known of Him, our furnishing in relation to Christ.

CAC Whatever we may have to say in teaching and admonishing falls on willing hearts among the saints; it is not a matter of indifference. As remarked before, we do not find gifts specially mentioned in this epistle as we do in Ephesians, but we do have brothers mentioned by name in the last chapter who have exercised ministry. I suppose whatever is ministered in the christian circle would be covered by the expression, “the word of the Christ”.

Rem The idea of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs is really the response. The more we understand the word of the Christ the richer the response will be.

CAC I think it should read, “Let the word of the Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another”; a semicolon there, and then, “in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God”. It is always necessary that there should be teaching and admonishing. Those amongst us with the greatest knowledge of Christ would acknowledge they would like to know much more of Him, and that is through the ministry of Christ. When together in assembly we should look for a rich ministry. ‘Admonishing’ would be bringing things home to saints, not pure teaching, but with a consideration of their needs and actual condition.

Rem It would be done in love to bring them up to the standard, to bring them into line, rather than in censure.

CAC And we all feel how much we need admonition. There is always need of that because there are many obstructing elements, for what is of the flesh and the human mind is always rising up against what is of Christ. It is all that we may be perfectly free with God here, so that there is nothing whatever in our hearts Godward but what we get here.

If we speak to God in a psalm there must be purity; there ^[p. 328] can be nothing dark or hidden in service Godward. That is most important. We must always remember that, however great our privileges and relationships, we are still creatures, and it is most necessary that we should approach God the Father by Christ, and that keeps Him always before us. It would not be acceptable to God if we thought we could approach Him apart from Christ.

Rem “Through him we have both access by one Spirit unto the Father”, Ephesians 2: 18. The higher the privilege the greater the need for Him. “No one comes to the Father unless by me”, John 14: 6.

CAC Think of the blessedness of it! There is direct access, but it is in company with the Firstborn.

Rem “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God”, Hebrews 13: 15.

CAC God comes to us by Christ and we go to God by Christ. It must be so, and that gives an infinite character to it. Can anyone tell us why the family and household relationships are brought in in Colossians and Ephesians, but not in Romans?

Ques Why are wives addressed first here and also in Ephesians?

CAC The subject relationship is taken up first. There is not the same elevation here as in Ephesians. Husbands are not to be bitter against their wives. J.B.S. said he had met Colossian husbands, but did not think any Ephesian. “Christ also loved the assembly, and has delivered himself up for it”.

Rem The christian household is the ideal place for the setting forth of these divine thoughts.

CAC A brother who had been speaking pretty fully of Christianity was asked by a worldly man, ‘Where can we see these things?’ His answer was, ‘Among the households of the saints’, and the reply was, ‘I should like to come and see you in your house’. There is something really very peculiar in the christian household. It is a divine circle recognised of God. It is the divine thought that the truth of Christianity should be worked out in households. A man trying to sell an apparatus to a brother the other day said, ‘It will bring all the world into your house’. ‘That is just what I want to keep out’, the brother replied. Is there not a power of testimony in a house that you do not exactly get in the assembly? It is Christianity in a practical way. The christian household is intensely ^[p. 329] practical. It is where the truth is seen in a practical way as controlling natural relationships.

Ques What is the bearing of “Lord Christ”?

CAC I suppose he is dignifying the life of a slave. There is nothing elevated about that; he is outwardly in a degraded position, but inwardly he is serving the Lord Christ, so there is a dignity in it! He is kicked about all day but he is serving the Lord Christ and he is getting the reward of the inheritance. It is most comforting to those who may be outwardly in a very inferior position and not recompensed for what they do. They serve the Lord Christ and they are to get the reward of the inheritance for doing things of no importance whatever in men’s eyes.

I suppose chapter 4: 2 is most important as giving us the secret of power for life in the new man.

Ques Why do you say, ‘life in the new man’?

CAC Is not that the connection? This is the epistle that lets us know that there is a creation of God at the present time which is described as the new man. There is something brought in that is wholly of God in contrast to everything that was here before, and saints live as those who have put on the new man. Is not that the setting of the previous chapter? We have all had to learn that we have no power at all to move in the life of the new man, and that we can only do so as having to do with God in prayer.

Ques Would it be right to think of the Lord as the exemplification of that principle?

CAC Surely. His was a life of dependence from beginning to end. The different features that the saints are regarded as having put on are features that come out in perfection in Christ. That is why we love them, because they have been so beautifully illustrated in Him. So we like to take them on, not in any legal sense, but as lovers of Christ, owning His headship. We can learn from Scripture and from ministry the truth of the mystery, the new man and the body, but when the desire comes in our hearts to take these things up in a practical way there must be prayer and perseverance in it. No christian ever prospers apart from the cultivation of the spirit and habit of prayer.

Ques Why does thanksgiving come in in connection with the interceding?

^[p. 330] CAC I think it indicates that prayer is soon answered. It is not a formal matter, it is not saying our prayers. I wish people could get rid of that for ever! It is a real business of the soul, so that we do not gratify ourselves by the thought that we have spent an hour and a half in prayer; we watch for the gain of it. God loves to be known in an intimate way, and the more we cultivate intimate nearness to God the better He is pleased with us, and the more truly we enjoy what grace has given, for we cannot truly enjoy what is given at a distance from the Giver. Prayer is our delightful privilege. In a sense it is an obligation, because we cannot put on in a practical way any features of the new man except as strengthened by God. I wish we (I mean all believers) took on more this feature of persevering in prayer. Perseverance is to mark it.

Ques Would you say that it is in order that there should be continuance under God’s eye of the features of the new man? It is not natural to the old man, so there is need of perseverance on that line?

CAC Yes. It is exemplified in Epaphras and Paul, and Epaphras is a wonderful example of a man full of the spirit of prayer.

Rem An expansion is seen here — “for us also, that God may open to us a door of the word”.

CAC The more we are set for the development of these feelings of Christ, the more interested we shall be in the ministry. We find God is maintaining all that is connected with Christ as sitting at His right hand, ministering it in a ministerial way. That is very important. Paul was specially minister of it, counting on a door being open through the prayers of the saints. That is very encouraging when we feel that the door is largely closed in Christendom today.

Ques What is “the mystery of Christ”?

CAC I think it involves the whole truth of the glad tidings. It is the pleasure of God that all that is connected with Christ where He is should be spoken of and suitably presented. It is a very great matter with God that it should be spoken. If God has been pleased to entrust the speaking to anyone specially, as Paul, it is a very great obligation that we should pray for such.

Ques How would this affect the prayer-meeting?

CAC I think it would tend to expansion. We see the greatness of what may be called the ^[p. 331] cause of God.

Ques Was Daniel an example of one who prayed?

CAC Yes, and in a difficult day, as it is today. All the powers of darkness are against the setting forth of Christ in the saints and in ministry; they are the two great objects of attack.

Rem “The mystery of Christ” would bring the saints in.

CAC Yes, surely. Paul in prison is a kind of figure of the place that the mystery of Christ would have — it is under great restriction and always has been! We ought to be much in prayer that the door of the word might be kept open in spite of all these restrictions and difficulties. The more difficult the time, the more the need to bring God in.

I suppose the truth in the apostle’s day went out mainly in a written form, and that is how it goes out mainly today — in what is written or printed. Therefore prophetic writings are of great importance; it is by them that the glad tidings and the mystery was known. I think it is important to pray about what is written.

Verses 5 and 6 bring all in. What wisdom is needed to give a right expression of God to everybody with whom we come in contact. All that we say is to be in concert with the dispensation, so our words are to be always with grace seasoned with salt. Salt represents a principle that preserves what is due to God. His grace is preached in the glad tidings, but those who present it do not fail to maintain what is due to God. So in our contact with men we have to present His grace — that is His attitude to all men — and at the same time there is a principle in the soul that would take account of what is due to God.

“How ye ought to answer each one”. It is a very fine opportunity when people ask us questions. This scripture supposes people will ask questions and Peter exhorts us in his epistle, “Be always prepared to give an answer to every one that asks you”, 1 Peter 3: 15. If we were really walking in the moral value of the new man, people would ask questions — they could not help it.

Then we get examples in those mentioned of men who were no doubt persevering in prayer and working things out practically. “Aristarchus my fellow-captive”, and Mark and Justus, who are of the circumcision. We learn here how little the believers of the circumcision were any help in the work of God. The apostle singles three out and says, These only have been a consolation to me. It shows that the believers of the circumcision never rose to Paul’s ministry. God’s thought is to have a company of persons to whose hearts Christ is everything, and Christ in them as a matter of life, not a matter of doctrine. Christ is to be in them as life! These men are to be noted, for, depend upon it, the truth of the epistle was coming out in a practical way in them. I do not include Demas, for we know from another epistle that he forsook Paul. If we do not go on with persevering prayer, we shall wake up sooner or later to find our christianity is an empty shell.

When he refers to them as “the elect of God” (chapter 3: 12) he is not referring to the election of purpose, but of complacency. The saints are elect in the same sense that Christ is, “Mine elect in whom my soul delighteth!” He was perfectly delightful to God and He chose them out. “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, long-suffering; ... as the Christ has forgiven you, so also do ye”. They have come into Christ’s place. They are children because they have put on Christ’s character. It is a beautiful thought to be God’s elect in that sense. He is delighted in them because what is of Christ is coming out in them, and we are to see to it that we have such features that God can delight in us. The desire for that is implanted in every saint.

← Previous 38 of 68 Next →