Colossians 3:18 says, Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. This is a simple statement that creates a lot of controversy today. It is more easily understood when we read the next verse. Verse nineteen adds, Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Husbands are called on to love their wives and not to be bitter toward them. If a Christian husband and wife love each other, they will both be under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and should want what is best for each other. The husband is given the responsibility for ensuring that the wife, and the children, are following God's direction. Verse twenty states, Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Children were told to obey their parents in all things. We talk a lot today about how they no longer do so, but this has been a problem throughout history. This was written to the children of the followers of Christ at Colosse, so it is when the children of those who are His followers today do not obey this instruction that we should really be concerned. Verse twenty-one adds, Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. The instruction for children to obey their parents was followed by an instruction to fathers to not provoke their children to wrath, or I believe to not act like a tyrant with them. As with the husband and wife, all is to be done by both the children and the parents, the father in particular as the ultimate one responsible to God for the spiritual welfare of the family, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and for the glory of God. Verse twenty-two says, Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: Servants were called on to obey their masters, not just by appearing to do so when their master was there, but wholeheartedly. Though we may not be servants today, we are often employees and we are to do our jobs wholeheartedly, because we represent God as Christians. Too often we complain and want to do as little as possible when we are at work, and this does not reflect well on God. We need to be different than the rest of the world at work because we are under the leadership of the Holy Spirit as Christians. Verse twenty-three adds, And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; As just discussed, we as followers of Christ are to do our job heartily as though we are doing it for the Lord. We are representatives of God no matter if we are gathered to worship Him or if we are out in the community, and we are to live to bring honor and glory to Him. Verse twenty-four continues, Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. Paul then said that they were to do this because they would receive the reward of their inheritance from God. Though we may be paid for working at our jobs, as Christians we are working first for the glory of God and to be a witness for Him to the world, and our ultimate reward will come from God. Verse twenty-five declares, But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. Paul said that anyone who did wrong would be accountable for the wrong that he or she did. We need to think about this as husbands, wives, children and employees. We are to live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and I believe that although we have everlasting life if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are still accountable to God for our actions. Paul then concluded by stating that there is to be no respect of persons, or discrimination against anyone. As long as we view certain groups of people as less worthy, then we are guilty of discriminating against them.
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