The Christ Life in an Alienated World
Holiness in the Home - Our Greatest Challenge (17)
Part Two – Col. 3: 20 - 4:1 (NKJ)
Gordon E. Johnson
Rio Grande Bible Institute
If the Christian life is anything at all, it is best exhibited most clearly in the home, amid the relationships of daily life where frictions can so easily develop. Between husband and wife, children and parents, slaves (employees) and masters (employers), here is where Christ in us (Col. 1:27) to put to the supreme test. Anyone can be "good" on occasion, but there is no "default" goodness in the home. Each one must lay hold of the resources made his or hers through our union with Christ expressed in Colossians 2:11-3:11.
Implicit in the counsel given to the wife to be loyal to her husband (Col. 3:18) and to the husband to be loving, not bitter, factious and demanding toward h is wife (v.19), Paul turns next to the relationship of parents and children. Simply stated Paul confirms the fifth commandment (Ex. 20:12) again in a sweeping manner, allowing for no other exception than prior obedience given to the heavenly Father. "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me" (Matt.10:37). That exception is not in view here. The principle stands broadly based and God honors it with a promise (Eph 6:2). Such obedience is pleasing to the Lord, good reason to obey.
But as always, Paul does not speak of rights, but rather of responsibilities. To fathers, the term in classical Greek often implies the mother (Prov.1: 8; 6:20): "Do not irritate," "don't challenge their resistance" with unnecessary demands that can only build a sullen and repressed defiance. How practical is this! A kind but firm requirement is a must; a consistent pattern of expected behavior leads to long term obedience. Sporadic and unexpected harsh demands only drive a deeper wedge between the child and even well meaning parents. No wiser counsel can be given than by a heavenly Father who knows how to balances love with righteous demands.
Paul now devotes four verses to the slave/master relationship, in great part because he writes to the brethren in Colosse where Philemon, a slave master, is counseled to receive Onesimus, a runaway slave whom Paul had led to the Lord and whom he returns to Onesimus for reception into the local assembly (Philemon 1-25). This is the Gospel in action, the only spiritual factor that can and did remove slavery and promote eventual social justice. Only Christianity has the reputation of abolishing slavery and its vices.
Paul transforms the employee's service into the same heart obedience of children to parents and wives to husbands, and husbands to Christ. There is dignity in such obedience and ultimately the "reward of the inheritance" (24) from the heavenly "employer." It is not careless work offered only under a watchful eye, but rather service rendered from heart responses as to the Lord and not to men" (23). The ultimate reason for such service, heartily rendered is that we "serve the Lord Christ" (24). A solemn rejoinder follows: any thing less than that will be repaid without partiality by the heavenly "employer" (25).
Paul's final word is for the employer. "Masters, give your servants what is just and fair (equal), knowing that you also have a Master in heaven (Col. 4:1). What an evenhanded dealing with home and job relationships where Christ can and must be seen to live in us!
Holiness in the home and work place is possible only where the indwelling Christ is honored and obeyed. Paul knows "we are not sufficient in ourselves but our sufficiency is of God, who has made us able ministers of the new covenant" (2 Cor. 3: 5.6).
Gordon E. Johnson 11/20/06
