Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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HARMONIOUS LIVING
Colossians 3:12-17
"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Colossians 3:17)


St. Paul's letter to the Colossians clearly draws pictures in our mind about the uniqueness of life pointed towards Christ -- the supreme way for salvation. Those who are saved are new 'in Christ'. So put off all worldly orders of the old life and live according to the guidelines that are nurtured in the principles and teachings of Christ. The apostle gives a new ‘self’ consciousness. This passage teaches about the need for putting on love, appropriating the peace of Christ and being thankful. As we are concentrating on this portion for meditation let’s focus on three aspects:

1. As chosen persons it’s our duty to put on the new qualities/new clothing. In Vs.12, 13

 St. Paul lists new characters that are expected from a person born above in Christ: kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, etc. The Colossians considered all these things as weak points of a weak person. But Jesus taught to give love and gain hard hearts, spend time and earn lost relations, die your worldliness and live for divinity, submit before God and survive in the world, etc. St. Paul was giving his ideas based on these Christian foundations. In our day-to-day life let’s work for these principles and it will help us to be true Christians with new clothing.

2. As chosen persons it’s our duty to practice a new life style/a new character. Vs14, 15:

St. Paul is highlighting the need for a new character. He very specifically speaks about forgiving, bearing with one another, putting on love and perfect harmony in relationship. The Colossian church was fragmented with different teachings. Heresies destroyed the harmony in the church. So the apostle’s emphasis is on the need of harmony within the Church. The term harmony is from music. Without harmony music is an utterance of some undisciplined noise. When voice is given out with its order according to the notation, it becomes a song, which is the output of the harmony. Likewise, the apostle encourages them to be a new harmonious Christian song for Christ. In our community it’s our duty to become a new song with new character.

3. As chosen persons it’s our duty to practice a new language/a new charisma, Vs.16, 17:

Charisma is the divinely conferred power or talent on a person or a community. The Apostle puts forward the need for realizing the charisma and developing a new language of thanks. He says that giving thanks is the genuine language that should come from the inner heart of a Christian. So sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

Prayer: Our Loving God, help us to live in this world but not of the world. Amen.

Rev. Renu John, Vicar North Carolina MTC.



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