By Reverend J. Loren Russell
Colossians 3:12-17 (NKJV)
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Whenever I end a public prayer, I routinely close by saying, “I pray that the Lord will be glorified, people edified, Satan and all his demons terrified, and our faith justified.” In everything that we do, God should be glorified. It doesn’t matter if we are serving on a ministry at our respective place of worship, or standing online at a grocery store, “whatever we do in word or deed, do all in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Just in case you didn’t know, the “Him” Paul is referring to in this epistle is Jesus).
The truth is that it is not easy to put God first in all things. The temporal things in life, the things that please the flesh, are at war against the spirit. Paul understood the struggle the Colossians’ faced, even though they were faithful followers. So, he encourages his readers in verses 1-11 to set their minds on things that transcend the earth’s temporal enticements, those things that governed their lives before coming into relationship with Christ. He does not beat around the bush. He shares that it is their normal practice to engage in fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, covetousness, and idolatry. These, Paul says, was fostering anger, wrath, malice, blaspheme, filthy language out of their mouths, and lying.
If Paul concluded his communication here, the Colossian church would have been in dire straits. But Paul provides words of encouragement. He says all of those attributes are a part of the old man/woman they once were. But now, they have been renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him [God]who created him [Jesus]. Paul is saying that whatever they did, no matter what it was, if done in the name of Jesus, glorified God.
Paul wrote a similar message to the Corinthian church and told them that they were bought with a price and should glorify God in their body and their spirit because they both belong to Him (1 Cor. 6:20). Whether works of the flesh or by the spirit, whatever is done should glorify God.
The book of Colossians may have been written to those in Colossi, but it is just as applicable to believers today. We are to give thanks to God the Father through His son Jesus Christ, that God may be glorified.
Be Blessed!
Rev. J. Loren Russell is an associate minister at Goodwill Baptist Church and is the spiritual leader of both LaGree Baptist Church and the Evangelical Church of God, all in the Bronx, President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial & Strategic Consulting (718-328-8096), and hosts “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Monday nights from 8:00 – 10:00 PM on Facebook Live. Be sure to Friend “Matters of Faith” on YouTube and email us at mattersoffaith.mof@gmail.com. Order your copy of Matters of Faith: The eBook at www.smash words.com/books/view/993177.
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