Angelic Conflict part 344: Future work of Christ [Bema seat] – Col 3; Gal 6:6-10; 2Ti 3:1-5.

Title: Angelic Conflict part 344: Future work of Christ [Bema seat] - Col 3; GAL 6:6-10; 2TI 3:1-5.

 

 

Col 3 is a great place to see the difference between good and evil.

 

COL 3:1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

 

COL 3:2 Set your mind [phroneo] on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

 

COL 3:3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

 

Don't limit God by setting your mind on the things of the earth.

 

COL 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

 

COL 3:5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body [suppression] as dead to [put to death your earthly members] immorality [fornication, GAL 5:19], impurity [uncleanness, GAL 5:19], passion [inordinate passion], evil desire [kakos - bad things of 2CO 2:5], and greed [desire to have more], which [singular - covetousness] amounts to idolatry.

 

COL 3:6 For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come [but not upon the believer],

 

COL 3:7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.

 

A continued list of bad is given in verses 8 and 9.

COL 3:8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger [abiding and habitual], wrath [boiling agitation], malice [desire to injure], slander [injuring the name of another], and abusive speech from your mouth [low and obscene speech].

 

COL 3:9 Do not lie to one another [meaning it is still going on], since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

 

COL 3:10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge [continued intake of doctrine] according to [after the manner of] the image of the One who created him

 

COL 3:11 — a renewal in which there is no distinction [there cannot be when all believers are in union with Christ] between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

 

Then comes a list of divine good or fruit that are directed towards others.

 

COL 3:12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved [sanctified and loved], put on [expression: aorist imperative: to be obeyed at once] a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

 

COL 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

 

COL 3:14 And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

 

All virtues are bonded together in virtue love and thus making that which is complete. Perfect bond is better translated as a complete bond or mature bond. Mature or complete would mean that they, the virtues, are in good working order.

 

COL 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

 

COL 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

 

COL 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

 

A wife takes on the name of her husband and a good wife brings honor to that name. We have taken on the name of our Lord. We are called Christians. We only find this word used three times in the NT. This name was originally given to believers as a name of contempt, but it eventually became a name of honor for those who bore the reproach of Christ.

 

To do all in His name is to do all in His honor. He is God, Man, and Savior. He is our Husband, High Priest, and King.

 

And as we now see, the areas in the details of life is the perfect place to start practicing these virtues.

 

Divine good in application to the details of life - marriage, family, and employment are given to exercise the virtue of God's goodness.

 

Notice how Paul incorporates proper motivation into his admonishing to perform divine good in these areas.

 

COL 3:18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

 

"as is fitting in the Lord" - refers to actions that are due someone or a moral obligation.

 

This is the why or the motivation. Why did Christ in His humanity subject Himself to the Father? Why should a wife subject herself to her husband? Proper motivation will make it a reality but wrong motivation will only make it very short lived.

 

God has set the authority. The husband and wife in Christian marriage is to be a picture of Christ and His Church in EPH 5:22ff. Lack of submission to authority and desire for independence is what led to the fall of both angels and men. Therefore it is a picture of humility as was the attitude of Christ when He became a man, PHI 2:5.

 

COL 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them.

 

Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the Church and gave Himself up for her. Therefore, the husband is to lay down his life for his wife. This will never be done without proper motivation. He must know why. There is no greater beauty in the universe than Christ laying down His life for mankind. There is no greater hero than Him who will return for His bride in victory. The husband must experience his own victory in life and then he can be a hero to his wife, certainly not faultless and definitely in need of forgiveness, yet he must experience his own reigning in life through Christ Jesus. Christ could never be a Husband to us if He did not experience His own resurrection life. A Christian husband must also experience his own, in grace, through his own election and predestination and then he can be a husband as Christ is to the Church. In this is honor, nobility, and virtue and not in the way the world promotes it in independence and self-gratification.

 

And, very importantly, the husband and wife must understand how much their flesh fights against these godly marriage vows and forgive one another and bear up one another.