We must not forget that when the Apostle wrote this epistle there were no chapter numbers, headings, or verse numbers. It was simply a long letter written much as we would write a letter to someone today. We divide our letters into subjects and paragraphs; few of us divide our letters into chapters and verses. The point of this is to remind you that just because we have begun a new chapter does not mean we have lost the thread of our subject. We are on the same subject begun in 1:28-29, "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily."

In the last twenty-three verses, Paul has been exhorting us to live a proper Christian life, and to avoid false teachings and vain works. He continues to assume that he is speaking to Christians. The word 'if' (ει (ei) in the Greek) is a conditional particle. It can be rendered if, whether, forasmuch, since, because, etc. In this case, even in English, we could say that "if ye then be" could be as easily stated, "since you are". The meaning of both clauses is the same. The same can be said of the Greek in this case. Since Paul's intended audience is Christian, perhaps we could better understand the verse if we restate it, "Since ye are risen with Christ…"

Since we are Christians, who are risen with Christ (as are all Christians), we must, and this is imperative, seek the things that are above. Paul explained above as the place where Christ sits at the right hand of God. That is necessarily Heaven. Heaven is the abode of God. Therefore, the things of Heaven are the things of God. We should seek heavenly things, the things ordained by God. What are those things? We find them laid out completely for us in the Bible. Since we are Christians, we must seek to do those things the Bible tells us to do.

The only way to understand heavenly things is to read about them in the Bible. In the past, God sent the patriarchs and prophets to tell the people the things of heaven. One of those prophets was Moses, who received the Law from God and gave it to the world through the Israelites. Now He speaks to us by Christ. As the Apostle said in the Epistle to the Hebrews, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, {2} Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;" (Hebrews 1:1-2). When Christ walked the earth, He taught His disciples in person. When He ascended back into heaven, the Holy Spirit came upon His disciples and taught them all things. The same Holy Spirit teaches all of us today. How does He teach us? He gives us the spiritual understanding of the Word of God, otherwise known as the Holy Bible. We read about the "things which are above" in the Bible. The Holy Spirit then gives us the understanding of the things we have read. In summary, we must read the Bible, and allow the Spirit to teach us the things of God.

Paul exhorted the Colossians (and Laodiceans) to seek the things of God, seek them actively, and to apply them to their lives. Paul also exhorted us to do the same things, for this epistle is scripture.

Jesus told us in Matthew 6:19-34, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: {20} But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: {21} For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. {22} The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. {23} But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! {24} No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. {25} Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? {26} Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? {27} Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? {28} And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: {29} And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. {30} Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? {31} Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? {32} (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. {33} But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. {34} Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

I need not elaborate more. Let me just highlight one section of this passage: "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." If we set our affections on the things of the earth, we will not be able to seek those things that are above, for our hearts will be upon the temporal things of earth. That would be serving two masters, which is impossible. If we seek the things of earth, we will serve those things and forsake the things of Heaven. Conversely, if we seek heavenly things, the things of earth will not sway us.

Christians have died to their old life of sin and have been raised to new life in Christ. Dead to our old life signifies that we are dead to sin, to the flesh, to fleshly desires, to worldly influences, to ambition, etc.

The words of a hymn may help us to gain understanding of being "hid with Christ in God":

The words were inspired by Exodus 33:21-23, "And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: {22} And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: {23} And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen."

God allowed Moses to see Him in person. But a man may not see God and live, so God placed Moses in an opening (cleft) in a rock, covered him with His hand, and protected him from death. God protects us because of our faith in His son. One hides a thing for the protection of that thing. Hiding it protects it from scrutiny, from discovery, from disclosure, from harm. We are thus hidden in God through Christ. God protects us from harm. We need not fear the world. The world cannot know us, our faith, or our Savior. The world cannot harm us unless God allows it. Even if the world kills us, we are still not harmed. We are hidden, which means that we are protected by God.

Paul said several important things here. First, Christ is our life. He is our all. Without Him we are nothing; we flounder, we sink, and we die. When we believe in Christ, we place our complete trust in Him to save us. We trust Him to give us new life. We trust Him for eternal life. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

The second thing he tells us is that Christ will appear. Christ, Who made the worlds, Who was with God in the beginning, Who is God, came to earth as a man. He lived 33 years and then was executed on a Roman cross. He was buried in a tomb, and was resurrected three days later by the Father. Fifty days after Passover Christ ascended back to the Father. As He ascended the angel said, "this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." He will return one day as He left. He will descend out of Heaven and return to earth.

The final thing Paul tells us is that we will appear with Him in glory. We will be with Him in Heaven. We will be like Him because we will have an imperishable body as he does. We will be like Him because His glory will be upon us. He will gather His own unto Himself. We will be with Him forever. Now we see in part; then we will see in full.

Because he is our life and because we will appear with Him in glory, we must do the things listed here. To mortify means to kill. Our members are the parts of our bodies, that is, our flesh.

In our lives, we must kill fornication. That includes marital relations outside of marriage, adultery, homosexuality, pornography, bestiality, and any other sexual aberration you can think of. All sexual relations outside of marriage, of any type (the world is very creative in finding new words for sin and claiming that it is not sin), must be avoided. We must kill any sexual desire that is outside of marriage.

We must kill uncleanness. This includes lewdness, lack of self-control, immorality, avarice, unnatural relations, etc. We must kill them in our lives.

We must kill inordinate affection, that is, lust and excessive passion. This includes loss of temper and unrighteous anger. We must kill those things in our lives.

We must kill evil concupiscence, that is, evil desires.

We must kill covetousness. We must not desire the belongings of another enough to commit sin in order to get them from him. All of these things must be put to death in our lives. Killing those things is humanly very difficult. Thankfully, we have the Holy Spirit to help us overcome those things.

Covetousness is idolatry. God provides for us completely. We trust Him to do so. That is worship. If we have an unnatural desire for something belonging to another, then we have lost our faith that God will provide for us. We begin to worship something other than God and that is idolatry. We must kill covetousness and thus idolatry in our lives.

Fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness are the reasons that God will pour out His wrath upon men. The children of disobedience are, quite naturally, are the unsaved. If a man will heed and obey God, then he must needs believe on His Son, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:19, "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." The children of disobedience are those who became sinners through Adam's disobedience. That includes all of mankind. Only when we follow Him Who was obedient to God, that is, Jesus Christ, will we receive salvation. We follow Him by believing in His saving atonement for our sins.

All of us were sinners at one time. Once we believed in Christ, God forgave our sins. We should not have pride in that fact—we did not do it; Christ did. Being proud to be a Christian puffs us up in our own eyes. That makes us look down on others and that is sin.

Yes we all lived in sin before our salvation. Not only are we to mortify our involvement in fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, but, as the saved, we must also do away with the faults listed here.

Below is a table listing the fault name from this verse in the KJV, the uninflected Greek root, and possible ways to render this word while remaining true to the context of the passage. This will enable us to better visualize what Paul was saying in this verse.

When Paul said to "put off" these things, he said to get rid of them. He said, "just now, because you are a Christian, you must get rid of these things". This is imperative and not optional. He is not making a suggestion; it is a requirement. Now, having said that, let me also state that these are not easy faults to get rid of. Some of them are ingrained habits and may take years, even a lifetime to overcome. Additionally, mere humans cannot get rid of these things on their own. It is only possible to accomplish this with the intervening of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We must seek the Spirit and pray for Him to remove these things from our lives.

It may appear that I am being too lenient when I say this. Sometimes overcoming the habits in our lives can be a lifetime experience. It may be that you have an anger problem. You may have tried to control it yourself to no avail. Ask the Spirit to help you. Even then, it may be a long process to get rid of the anger. That is nothing to fear. If you fail and get angry without cause, which is a sin, repent and go on. Each time we realize our problem and repent, we have removed another pebble from the foundation our problem. Eventually you will remove enough pebbles from the foundation and the edifice, or the sin habit, will tumble down. That may be when perfection comes or it may be in your lifetime. Either way it will come down. Every time you fail, repent, get back on course, and keep running the race, which is the Christian life. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). As you run the race of the Christian life, when you fall, repent and ask Christ to get you back up, and keep running.

When saved, we die to our old life and Christ quickened us to new life in Him. We have put off, that is, we have gotten rid of the old nature we had before our salvation. That old nature is the former man or woman we once were. That nature is the sin nature. When Paul uses the word 'flesh', he usually means the sin nature. Deceitfulness is of the old sin nature; it was a part of the former person. Truthfulness and integrity are of the new nature in Christ. When we remain truthful, we remain in Christ. When we become untruthful, we are no longer in His will, and we have returned to the old nature to which we supposedly died. Do not lie to a brother in Christ. Be honest and truthful to your brethren.

Understand that though we have a new nature, we still live in that old flesh body, which is still capable of sin. As stated before, when you sin, simply confess your sin to God, repent of it, and get back in the race. It is a struggle for the new nature to overcome the old. As Paul said, "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin" (Romans 7:14-25). It is Christ Who provides our escape from the law of sin and death.

The new man is our new nature in Christ after salvation. With that new nature comes new knowledge. Once renewed in our new nature, our understanding of things changes. We now understand things in the context of how God sees them. We get this new knowledge from the Holy Spirit, Who enters and resides in us once saved. After salvation, we see things from a new perspective, which is a Godly perspective.

Once saved, we are new creatures in Christ. We are Christians. We are Christian brethren. We are the body of Christ. We are the church. We are the sons of the Living God. We are the family of God. We are no longer Greeks, Jews, circumcised or not circumcised. We are members of one family, the family of God. We are not the people we once were. Now Christ is in us, all of us. Not only is He in all of us, He is all. We owe everything to Him. We are all one in Him.

In the remaining verses of this chapter, Paul exhorts Christians to live faithfully to the Lord. He cites many instances where we are to be faithful.

This is a good time to look at the word elect. We will begin by examining the two main doctrines. On the one hand is Calvinism. The acronym, TULIP, summarizes John Calvin's theology as expressed in his Institutes of the Christian Religion (AD 1536):

Total depravity (Original Sin)

Unconditional election (God's Election)

Limited atonement (Particular Redemption)

Irresistible grace (Effectual Calling)

Perseverance of the Saints

Basically, Calvinism teaches that man is totally depraved. He is completely sinful from birth with no recourse. God, in His sovereignty chooses, without any conditions on men, who have no choice in the matter, whom He will save and whom He will not save. There is a limit to the number of men to be saved. God chooses who will and who will not be saved. The ones chosen will be saved no matter what, and those not chosen by God will never be saved. They are forever doomed without remedy. God's grace is irresistible and those whom He calls have no choice in the matter; if God calls them, they will be saved. Once saved there is no possibility of loosing their salvation. Concisely, God picks only a limited number of men to save. The ones He picks will be saved with no option. All others are doomed. This is alternately known as predestination and election.

The other doctrine is Arminianism. The five points or Arminianism are:

1. Free Will

2. Conditional Election

3. Universal Atonement

4. Obstructable Grace

5. Falling From Grace

Arminius taught that man has free will in the area of his own salvation. He said that man was not completely depraved. There is enough good in man for him to choose Christ of his own free will. God foreknew man's ultimate condition. Election is the foreknowledge of God. God foreknew who would be saved and who would not. The condition for election is man's act of faith when He believes on Jesus Christ. Christ died for everyone. He is not willing that any should perish but wishes all men to be saved. All have the opportunity to be saved, but only those who exercise their free will in the act of faith in Christ will be saved. God wishes all to be saved but man may decide not to accept salvation. He can obstruct the grace of God and refuse salvation. Man can loose his salvation because it is man's choice to be saved or reject salvation.

Most evangelicals tend toward Arminianism. I certainly believe that man has free will. But I also believe that the human mind is too depraved to believe in the Gospel of its own accord. No man can believe in Christ unless the Spirit calls him. The Holy Spirit must show man the truth about the Gospel. No man can know it unless the Spirit shows it to him. Like Arminius, I believe that man can reject the call of the Spirit. I have a different view of election than either "ism". I believe that election is the calling of the Holy Spirit. Like Arminius, I believe that God provided a way of salvation for everyone. The Bible teaches this in many places. I believe the election of God is His desire that all should be saved. Everyone is elected to salvation but not many will accept the call of the Spirit. Like the Calvinist, I believe that a man cannot loose his salvation.

The Bible teaches both predestination and free will. It teaches that Christ died for all, but if men do not heed the call of the Holy Spirit, they will not be saved.

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:9-14).

"But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" (2 Thessalonians 2:13).

The Bible also teaches that we are "predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will" (Eph 1:11). But two verses later it says that men are only saved after they hear the word of truth. It is by the Spirit that they hear the word of truth and by Him they are sealed. We hear the word of truth because it is preached to us. However, it is only by the Spirit that we can really hear and understand the truth. When the Spirit does not reveal the truth to men, then preaching is foolishness to them. Ephesians 1:13: "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise".

Now the elect are those who have already received the word of truth through the hearing and understanding of the Gospel and by the leading of the Spirit. God's people are known as His elect. God chose the Israelites and when they accepted the covenant of the Law, they became His people. They were God's elect. Once Christ came and the Israelites rejected Him, they were no longer His elect. Those that received Christ as Savior are now the elect. (This is NOT replacement theology. Christians are adopted sons of God. Christians have not replaced Israel; they are engrafted branches into the root, which is Israel. Christians are sons of Abraham, making them brethren with Israel. See Romans 8:15, 11:17, & Galatians 3:7)

Since we are the elect, since we are God's people, we must put off or get rid of the sinful things in our lives and we must put on (receive or assimilate) the good things of Christianity. Not only are we the elect, but we are holy, or set apart to the Christian life, and we are beloved. God loves us as His adopted children. Paul lists the good things we are to put on:

When we put on those good qualities, we will be forbearing, that is, we will be patient, forgiving, lenient, and merciful to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We will forgive one another without being asked. Forgiveness is assumed; it should be automatic. Even if you have a real complaint against another, you should be quick to forgive that brother or sister. If anyone in the body of Christ has a complaint against another, he should forgive that one. By the way, forgiveness is not an option. We are commanded to forgive.

Charity has come to mean giving alms. In modern syntax, charity is giving monetary aid to the poor. But that is not the original meaning. It is, of course, the rendering of the inflections of the word αγαπη, agape (ah-gah´-pay—not agape like one's wide open mouth). Agape or charity is true love without emotion. Emotional love and erotic love are not agape. Brotherly love is a fair way to understand it. Agape is the love that will make a man lay down his life for another.

Recently a man shot his wife at the courthouse and killed her. He then leveled his assault rifle at his 23 year old son and shot him but did not kill him. Another man, who had a concealed carry permit, shot at the father. That effectively stopped the father from killing his son. The man with the handgun died. He did not have emotional love for the son. Yet, he had an undetached love for the son that caused him to sacrifice his own life to save the son. That is agape. (This happened in Tyler Texas on February 25, 2005, at the courthouse). "Greater love [agape] hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

Agape is the love a mother has for a child that has committed a great crime. Criminal or not the mother still loves the son. Agape is the love that the Samaritan man had for the stricken Jew.

We are to love all of our brethren, not with an emotional love, but with a perfect love. Agape is that perfect love that "suffereth long, and is kind; envieth not; vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Philosophers call this Platonic love. Yet Plato did not invent it; he only observed it. (It is amazing that we accept Plato as a true historical figure much more easily than we accept Christ—even though there is more evidence of Christ than Plato).

Such a love that is not dependent upon affection, but upon the love God gives us, is a love that perfects us. That means it completes us in Christ. This is the love that we are commanded to have for our brothers and sisters in Christ, for our neighbors, and yes, even for our enemies. Paul puts agape above all of the other things he has mentioned. It is because of this agape love that we do all the other things. If we do the greatest deeds in the world, they are nothing if we do not have agape love or charity.

What is this peace of God? One thing it is not. It is not what the world calls peace, which is the lack of or cessation of hostilities. That is certainly a definition of peace. However, this peace is not understood by the world, for it "passeth all understanding" (Philippians 4:7). Only one who has believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior and has thereby received the Holy Spirit into his heart can understand this peace.

The peace of God is that peace we have when we place everything in the hands of God. When we no longer have the worry of what will happen to us when we die, that is the peace of God. When we get into tough situations in life and turn all of it over to God, knowing "that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28), that is the peace of God. When we cast all our cares upon Him and we no longer need worry about those cares, that is the peace of God. When we know that, no matter what, God will still provide all our needs, even when we cannot, that is the peace of God. The peace of God is that peace of mind we have when we understand that with God, we need not be anxious about anything whatsoever. When we keep our minds on Christ, we can rest assured that He will provide our every need: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee;" (Isaiah 16:3). When we do turn all things over to God, then we have allowed the peace of God rule in our hearts. Such a ruling over our minds will keep us from anxiety, turmoil, confusion, and wrongdoing.

The Body of Christ, that is the corporate church, in private and public life, has been called to let God's peace rule in our hearts. All believers, everywhere, bound together for one purpose. That purpose is that we received salvation by the blood of Christ. Therefore all believers are bound together in one complete body. To be called in this sense is to be invited. As the complete body of Christ, God invites all Christians to share in this peace. It is not a command, for we may live in misery if we choose. Nevertheless, let us accept the invitation to live with the peace of God.

Perhaps if we rearrange the order of the verse we may better understand it: The literal Greek is, "the word of Christ let dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and exhorting yourselves, in songs, hymns, and songs spiritual, with grace singing in the hearts of you to the Lord." We have three distinct phrases here. Let us enumerate them:

1. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
2. Teach and admonish one another in all wisdom
3. Sing unto the Lord in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with grace in your hearts.

Thus we get, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom; singing unto the Lord in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with grace in your hearts" (Green's Interlinear literal rendering).

Let us examine the phrase, 'the word of Christ'. The Greek is Χριστου, Christou, which can be read as the objective genitive or the subjective genitive. The genitive indicates possession. Thus, the genitive indicates that Christ owns this word. The objective (or object form) is by or from someone or some thing, and the subjective is about someone or something. Since, according to Robertson, it can be read either way in this instance, we may say, "the word delivered by Christ" (objective) or the "word about Christ" (subjective). We may note from the review of several translations that they render the phrase both ways depending upon the translation. Some call it the word of Christ and some call it the word about Christ. Perhaps Paul deliberately made the statement ambiguous, so that we may observe it both ways. Consequently, I believe Paul meant both the Word of God about Christ and the Word of God delivered by Christ. This means that Paul was speaking about all of the scriptures and doctrines in them. Therefore, we are to let the Word of God, which is the whole of the scriptures, dwell in us richly, which means abundantly. We are to drench ourselves in the Word of God. It is to be in our hearts liberally and plentifully.

The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom. The word of Christ, that is, the word given by Christ and the word given about Christ, also gives wisdom. The combination of the two, the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God, give us true and trustworthy wisdom that does not falter. We should use that wisdom to teach and admonish one another. Teaching means imparting the Godly truths we have learned as Christians to others. To admonish is to put one on guard or to warn him. We are to do these to one another, that is, to other Christians, and they to us. When we are together in fellowship, each of us wishes to be pleasing to God and we are on our best behavior. This confluence (flowing together) of good behavior in each of us leads us to more good behavior. This is pleasing to God. We are to teach and admonish each other in formal assembly and in private association away from the formal assembly. Brethren in Christ, this is our duty.

The word of Christ is to dwell richly in us in the songs we sing as well. Paul lists psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Psalms are songs accompanied by musical instruments. The Greek word is psalmos, which means to strike or play a musical instrument such as the harp or other stringed instrument. (So much for the teachings of the Church of Christ on this passage. They claim this passage means do not use musical instruments.) Hymns are celebrations of God. The Greek word, humnos, comes from a word that means celebration. Spiritual songs are lyrical poems or chants sung to God.

What we see here is the studying of the Word, the application, by the Holy Spirit, of wisdom to the study of the word, the application of the word and its wisdom to teaching, admonishing and singing songs. This is a church worship assembly. The word is read, taught, and preached. People fellowship with one another, teaching and admonishing one another, and hymns, and praise songs are sung accompanied by a musical instrument.

When we say or do something in the name of the Lord Jesus, we are acting in accordance with His will. We are accomplishing what He desires of us, and we are lifting His Name up above all others. If we say or do something in His name, we do so with the knowledge of His desires and with the knowledge that He is aware of our words and deeds. Therefore, we do and say what we know will be pleasing to Him. Paul admonishes us to do exactly that. At the same time, we are to be thankful to God the Father through the Son for everything He has done for us. We are to accomplish all that we do in His name and with thanksgiving. After all, He gave us the wisdom, knowledge, and ability for every word and deed we accomplish. We must thank Him also for the privilege of being able to do all in His Name. We must thank him for His longsuffering and for His mercy through which we are saved.

Okay. In the Twenty-First Century, this is a controversial issue. It is not, as they say, politically correct. Over the years, I have had several people ask about verses in the Bible that deal with family relations. This is one of those verses. Others are 1 Corinthians 11:3, 1 Corinthians 14:34, Ephesians 5:22-33, Ephesians 6:1-9, 1 Timothy 2:12, Titus 2:4-5, and 1 Peter 3:1-6. My comments made in reference to the verses here in Colossians should be sufficient to clarify all of the other verses listed.

Before we begin, you should read the study entitled "I Suffer Not a Woman to Teach".

Let us begin with an examination of the word 'submit'. In the Greek, it is υποτασσεσθε (hupotassesthe), the imperative present middle second person plural form of the verb, υποτασσω (hupotassō). There are several definitions. Thayer's definition includes to arrange under, to subordinate, to subject, put in subjection, to subject one’s self, obey, to submit to one’s control, to yield to one’s admonition or advice, to obey, be subject.

We must remain in context when defining a Greek word. The imperative mood expresses intent to influence, or, it expresses an essential duty. The context indicates an essential duty. The present tense indicates the here and now. The middle voice indicates action upon the self. The second person is the one to whom the speaker addresses his remarks (first person=me, second person=you third person=them). The plural is a number greater than one. The verb should be rendered, as it is in the KJV, "submit (subordinate, subject, yield, etc.) yourselves…" 'Submit' is a verb; 'yourselves' is the middle voice, the second person, and the plural. The imperative mood connotes that this is an expected duty of the subject, which is 'wives'.

Not let us take a look at the subject. It is γυναικες (gunaikes), which is the nominative feminine plural of the noun, γθνή (guné, goon-ay'). The nominative means that this is the subject. Feminine is self-explanatory, it means the female. The plural indicates more than one. It is rendered 'wives' here, but in other verses it is rendered 'women'. So, how do we know whether it is wives or women? It can be either. The context makes the determination. Thayer defines the word, 1) a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow 2) a wife 2a) a betrothed woman. The context of this paragraph is families. In verse 20, children are admonished to obey their parents. In 21, fathers are admonished not to provoke their children. There could be no children, parents, or father unless there was a married couple. Do not let the current state of moral disarray in the West distract you from the truth. In the time of this writing, indeed, up until about 40 years ago, it was assumed that a family consisted of a husband and a wife, (who were the parents), and the children. Moreover, if the polls are believable, that is the common understanding of the family today in the USA. (A disclaimer: I understand that there are single parents and certainly, they, with their children, constitute real families). The context of parents, children and a father indicates that we should render the words guné and ανήρ (anér—rendered ‘husband’ in verse 19), wife and husband, respectively, instead of woman and man.

In this verse as in the other verses listed, the husband is in authority over the wife and the wife is to be subject to her husband's authority. But let us temper that with the statement of God in Genesis 2:24, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." In the New Testament, Christ repeats this: (Matthew 19:5-6) "And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." If the two, the husband and the wife, are one flesh, then they are a unit. Most of the time, they do things in lockstep, so to speak and most of the timet hey agree. The husband does not "lord it over" the wife nor does the woman become a doormat to her husband. The husband is responsible to God for what happens in the household and the woman is responsible to God to be subject to his authority just as the husband is subject to the authority of God. However, they are still one flesh and they operate together, like a board of directors, and not as a king and his vassal. The husband does not have the authority to push his wife around, to force her into submission, or to abuse her. Some Muslim, and sadly, some Christian sects allow that. True Christianity does not. In another place, Paul directs the husband to love his wife as Christ loves the church. Christ does not push the church around, or force the church into submission, or abuse the church. No, he loves the church with tender loving-kindness. The church submits to His authority. He does not force his authority upon us, nor does he flaunt that authority. He allows us to either subject ourselves to His authority and he allows us to oppose that authority.

Wives, you are entreated to submit to your husband's authority, you are not to be forced to do so. Husbands you are not to enforce your authority, you are to live as Christ would have you to live and you must allow your wife to submit to your authority. You should never demand or require it. Furthermore, you are to treat your wife with respect and dignity and love her in the same way Christ loves you—unconditionally. That is agapé love. This is "fit in the Lord". In other words, it is the Lord's will.

Husbands are to love their wives with an unconditional love. Such is the love of Christ. That is agapé, which is a love that expects no reciprocation; it simply loves. Even if they do not submit, we are to harbor no bitterness, anger, resentment, or exasperation against them. Love them as Christ loves the church. In the event that your wife does not submit to your authority (which is rarely), you must continue to love your wife as Christ loves you. You must be longsuffering and caring. If you will treat your wife as the Bible says to, she will ultimately submit to your authority.

The Commandment says, "Honour thy father and thy mother". How do we honor them as children? We respect them, love them, and obey them. Paul is primarily speaking to children that have not reached the age of majority. Nevertheless, may I remind you that even if you are an adult, if your parents are still living, you must still honor them. Moreover, in many cases, this applies to obeying them. Certainly, as an adult your are responsible for your own actions and therefore, you are not required to obey your parents. But your parents are still older and wiser than you are. That applies to the PhD whose parents are high school dropouts, too. They may not be wiser than you in your chosen field, but they are more experienced and wiser than you in life. It pays to listen to them and obey them when they are right. I am a father and a grandfather, yet, when my mom was living (she died last year, 2004), I listened to her. Conversely, my children, though grown adults who are in the middle of their careers, still listen to me and obey me when I am right. I listen to my children and obey them when their wisdom in an area is greater than my knowledge in that area. Children are commanded to honor their parents and obedience is one way to honor them. Disobedience to your parents dishonors them.

There must be a great balancing act when it comes to the discipline of children. A child who knows he is wrong will accept his punishment without malice. However, a child who is punished unfairly, or excessively, may react with anger and resentment. Be careful to punish your children only when they truly need it and make the punishment fit the offense. The Bible shows us the proper way to discipline. Here are a few pointers:

Ephesians 4:6: "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

Deuteronomy 11:18-19 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. (19) And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 19:18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

Proverbs 29:17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Proverbs 23:13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

The Greek word rendered servant is from the uninflected word, δουλος, doulos, which means slave. A slave (δουλος) is someone wholly and legally owned by another. The meaning is explicit. Yet, there is a figurative use of the word: one who gives himself up to another’s will. In other words, the word can be figuratively used to indicate one who voluntarily becomes a servant. When we believe in Christ and give our lives to Him, we voluntarily become His servants.

Since there are no legal slaves in our society today, we must utilize the figurative sense of the word. When someone employs us, we have a contract with that person to serve him in exchange for money. Technically, we become the employer's servants. It is voluntary and we may leave his service at any point. If we do so, the contract ends and the employer is no longer obligated to pay us. Nevertheless, while we remain in his employ, we serve him at his pleasure. Therefore, we are technically his servants if only for the duration of the contract. While we are in his employ, that is, while we are his servants, we should adhere to Paul's teaching about servants.

Let us serve and obey our employers in all things according to the flesh. In other words, let us do so wholeheartedly. Let us put our best effort into the things we do for our employer. Let us not do so in appearance only. Those who wish to please only men do such. Let us do so because we wish to please God. Let us to so sincerely. We should truly have our employer's best interests at heart. Everything we do should be to improve our employer's business and to be a reliable and trusted servant to him.

We should do everything we do at work to please God and not men. If we please God in our vocation, we will please our employer. We should do the work thoroughly, vigorously, and cheerfully. We should complete our tasks properly, timely, and with attention to detail. We should treat everything we use in our employment as though it was our own. When told to complete an unpleasant task, we should complete it joyfully and without complaint. If a coworker receives a promotion ahead of us, that is the employer's decision and we should accept it with dignity and remain loyal to the employer.

When we do our very best as employees, we may or may not receive accolades and rewards from our employer. As a model employer, we are simply doing what is expected. No rewards, awards, or special recognition may be given to us because of that. Even though a Christian worker should be an outstanding worker, it does not necessarily follow that he will get any special recognition from his employer. Of course the employer will be aware that this worker is above average. This may mean regular raises and bonuses. Or it may mean only a pat on the back once in a while. In a smaller business an employer may not be able to do anything but thank the employee for his work.

We need not let these things concern us. Because, as model employees, we are doing the Lord's will, He will reward us. We know that we are the children of God, through our belief in Christ, and we will receive an inheritance from God, our Father. That inheritance is eternal life in Heaven. Furthermore, when we do good works, there is a reward waiting for us at the βημα (Bema) seat of Christ. Fret not over an employer that does not reward your diligence and striving to be a model employee. Your true and lasting reward is in heaven.

If you do your employer wrong, it is possible that you will never be caught. But God sees and knows. Yes, there is "now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Rom 8:1). Even so, deliberately doing your employer wrong is walking in the flesh. Though you are still saved and will still receive eternal life, if you walk after the flesh, there are negative consequences for your actions. Not only does the Bible tell Christians they are not condemned, because of their belief in Christ, it also says in Galatians 6:7, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." If you deliberately wrong your employer, there will be consequences. Perhaps they will not happen now, but the wrongdoing will eventually catch up to you and you will suffer for it. Though your salvation is secure, your actions in the flesh have consequences and you will reap those consequences if you sow wrongdoing.

God chastises His Own. We who are the saved, are still under God's watchful eye. He will chastise us in order to correct the wrongs we do. As James said, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (James 1:2-4). Paul discusses this subject elsewhere, for example, Hebrews 12:6: "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." (see "Did Paul Write the Epistle to the Hebrews?").

God does not play favorites. If you are in need of chastisement, then you will receive it. It is for our good. We grow and learn through such trials. As James said, our Father chastises us that we "may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing". God is in the business of perfecting every one of His children. He uses trials to mold us into what He desires us to be. Eventually, perfection will come when we are out of this life in into eternity with Christ. Until then, God is constantly perfecting us through trials, temptations, and the situations of our lives. If you do wrong in your employment, rest assured that God see it and He will take action to correct that defect in your life.