Intro to Col. 4:2-6

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/30/2017 8:05 PM

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  Intro to Col. 4:2-6

Bible Reading & Meditation                                           Reference:  Colossians 4:2-6

            Message of the verses:  2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.  5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”

            John MacArthur entitles this chapter in his commentary “The Speech of the New Man.”

            He writes in his introductory commentary “Speech will reflect the kind of person one is.  Because the tongue can speak so easily and is difficult to control, a person’s speech becomes the truest indicator of his spiritual state (cf. Matt. 12:37),” “"For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."”

            One might suspect that the Bible is full of things that speak about speech, both the redeemed and the unredeemed, and one may also suspect that the book of Proverbs would be a good place to find a lot of things that the Bible has to say about speech, along with the book of Psalms.

            Unredeemed speech speaks of things like sexual immorality, deceit, curses, oppression, lies, destruction, vanity, flattery, foolishness, madness, carelessness, false doctrine, evil plots, hatred, too many words, and gossip.

            Redeemed speech would be characterized by confession of sin, confession of Christ, edifying speech, talk of God’s law, praise to God, blessing of enemies, talk about God, wisdom and kindness, and gentleness.  The model of all of this kind of speech would of course come from our Lord Jesus Christ. 

            MacArthur writes “In Colossians 4:2-6 Paul continues the discussion of the new man in Christ that he began in 3:5.  In 3:5-17 he discussed the personal characteristics of the new man.  In 3:18-4:1, he discussed the home life of the new man.  In this passage he broadens the scope of his discussion to include unbelievers (cf. 4:5).  He focuses especially on the speech of the new man, because that is something the watching world will look at carefully when it evaluates Christianity.  Next to the thoughts, attitudes, and motives, it is all the most difficult area for believers to control.

            In his discussion of the speech of the new man, Paul puts the emphasis on four areas:  the speech of prayer, the speech of proclamation, the speech of performance, and the speech of perfection.”

            MacArthur also has the following short story in his introductory comments followed by a quote from James 3:1-12, we will look at both:  “in an ancient story, it is said that Bios, a wise man of ancient Greece, was sent an animal to sacrifice.  He was instructed to send back to the donor the best and worst parts of the animal.  He sent the donor the tongue.  The tongue is indeed the best and worst of man.  James agrees with that evaluation.

           

1Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. 3 Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. 4 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.”

5/30/2017 8:28 PM