Nakala

You have probably heard parents say to their children something like “Grow up” or “Act your age!” Maybe some of you wives have said that to your husbands along the way! Well, that expression simply means, “Act in a way that is appropriate for someone your age.”

The apostle Paul is about to say something similar to the believers in Colossae—and every Christian for that matter. He is going to say, in so many words, “Act like the people you are—and you are God’s people. Let your life conform to the reality of who you are in Christ.”

In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, the first two chapters were all about sound doctrine, but these final two chapters are all about a spiritual demonstration. What we believe should shape how we behave.

Paul begins with the Christian’s perspective here in the opening verse of Colossians 3: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is.” “If” here can be translated “since.” Paul is addressing Christians—those who have identified with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. They have died to their old lives, and they now have new lives in Christ. So, they need to “act their age.”

Verse 2 explains that this means setting our “minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” This does not mean we are supposed to stop brushing our teeth or doing the laundry. It means that our priorities are shaped by an eternal perspective.  

Paul wants us to look forward to that future moment of which he writes in verse 4: “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

Beginning in verse 5, Paul moves from the Christian’s perspective to the Christian’s practice. He describes it as putting off the practices of our old life as unbelievers and putting on the practices that reflect our new life in Christ.

In verses 9 and 10, Paul writes, “You have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self.” The “old self” is the person you were before salvation, when you were under the domination of sin. The “new self” refers to your life after salvation, as you are now under the domination of the Spirit. Putting off the old self and putting on the new self took place, theologically speaking, at the moment of your salvation.

But practically speaking, every day you are going to decide which set of clothes you will wear. Paul writes in verse 5 that we should be putting “to death . . . sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

As a Christian you have been saved and are no longer facing the wrath of God. The last thing you want to do is put back on that old life, which Jesus forgave.

In verse 8 Paul lists more sins that Christians should be putting off—putting away—as we mature in Christ and act our age. Paul writes, “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk.” He adds in verse 9 that we must “not lie to one another.”

Paul is writing to Christians here, beloved. If he is telling them to put these old actions away, he is warning us just as well today. Even though we are saved, we can pull that old life out of that dusty attic where we thought it was stored safely away, and we can put those old clothes on and discredit ourselves and bring shame to the cause of Christ.

Now here is a helpful clue for maintaining consistency in the Christian life. It is not enough to take off the old dirty clothes; we also need to put on clean ones every day, by means of practicing new patterns in life.

If we put on what Paul tells us to put on here in verses 12-17, we are going to act and talk and look a lot like Jesus. He is our pattern in life, and so we are to exhibit “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (verse 12).

Verse 13 says we are to be “forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven [us].” Acting our age means we are acting like the Lord.

Then Paul writes that we are to let “the peace of Christ rule in our hearts” (verse 15). How do you develop the serenity and peaceful spirit of the Lord? Paul goes on in verses 15-16 to tell us: “Be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly”—literally, let God’s Word take up residence in your heart and mind. When the Word is inside of you, the Word comes out of you; and Paul describes how here in verse 16: “singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”  

Christianity is not just a one-time decision; it is a lifetime of demonstration. Paul describes that in verse 17:

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Paul then explains how that kind of practice will play out in virtually every relationship. Colossians 3:19 all the way through chapter 4:1 repeats what Paul has already written to the Ephesians, and we have covered that in detail. But let me summarize how our redemption should influence our relationships:

• Wives will follow the leadership of their husbands (verse 18).
• Husbands will faithfully love their wives (verse 19).
• Children will respectfully obey their parents (verse 20).
• Fathers will provide loving leadership to their children (verse 21)
• Bondservants, who, in our contemporary world, are employees, will diligently follow orders from their supervisor and put in an honest day’s work (verse 22).

Paul now refers to our relationship with the Lord in Colossian 4:2: “Continue steadfastly in prayer.” In other words, keep the conversation going with the Lord throughout the day. Paul also throws in a personal prayer request that the Colossians pray for him as he shares the gospel with others.

Finally, Paul refers to our relationship with unbelievers. He writes, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time” (verse 5) and, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt” (verse 6). So, be gracious. Nobody has ever been argued into the family of God. Season your words graciously as God opens doors.

In typical fashion, Paul ends his letter with a number of personal greetings. In verse 7 he speaks highly of Tychicus, who evidently delivered this letter to the church in Colossae. He is accompanied by Onesimus, whom Paul commends in verse 9 as “our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you.”

Paul sends greetings on behalf of others, including Mark (verse 10), the author of the Gospel of Mark. Paul sends greetings from Epaphras (verse 12), more than likely the pastor of this church, though he is currently with Paul. Paul mentions his faithfulness in praying for his congregation to mature in obedience to the will of God.

The apostle sends greetings to a woman named Nympha, who had opened her house for church services (verse 15). What a wonderful gift of service she provided for this little church.

In verses 15-16 Paul tells his readers to greet “the brothers at Laodicea” and see that they also read “the letter from Laodicea”—apparently a letter Paul had written to the Laodiceans. Laodicea was about nine miles away, and Paul wanted the churches in Colossae and Laodicea to exchange his letters. God did not preserve Paul’s letter to the church in Laodicea. But God preserved this inspired letter to the church in Colossae, giving us exactly what we need to put into practice a daily demonstration of our Christianity—the new patterns of our lives in Christ, as we effectively act our age.