PT-2 "The Word of Christ" (Col. 3:16)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/12/2017 4:36 PM

My Worship Time                                                                    Focus:  PT-2 “The Word of Christ”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Colossians 3:16

            Message of the verse:  “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.” “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God”(ESV).

            We have been looking at some of the different words found in this verse, looking at what their meanings were from the English/Greek dictionary along with what John MacArthur had to say about some of them too.  Now we want to proceed to talk some more about what Paul is teaching us from this verse. 

            Paul mentions two specific results of having the Word of Christ dwelling in you and one of them is positive while the other is negative.  “with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another.”  MacArthur writes that ‘teaching’ is the impartation [the transmission of information] of positive truth.”  Now we have to look at the negative side which comes from the word “admonishing,” as admonishing is the negative side of teaching.  MacArthur tells us that “It means to warn people of the consequences of their behavior.  Both are the result of a life overflowing with the Word of God.” 

            Now as the Word of God dwells in us it not only produces information, but it also produces emotion, and after studying about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John for the last few weeks I truly can understand the emotional side of the Word of God as I have been thinking about what it cost the Son of God to give me eternal life.  There is also good emotion in having the Word of God dwell in a believer as Paul goes on to talk about “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” and also “singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”  This kind of good emotion I have experienced many times in listening to songs that bring about some good emotions.  In the Old Testament the Jewish people sang from the Psalms, and in the early church, and even later on believers also did this singing from the Psalms.  MacArthur adds “Spiritual songs’ emphasized testimony (cf. Rev. 5:9-10).   They express in song what God has done for us.”

            MacArthur deals with a problem as he ends this section.  “Commentators are divided on whether charity (‘thankfulness’) should be translated ‘thankfulness’ (as the NIV and NASB) or ‘grace’ (as the KJV).  Perhaps its use here encompasses both ideas: believers sing out of thankfulness for God’s grace.  When Paul tells believers to sing ‘in your hearts’ he does not mean not to sing with the voice.  His concern is that the heart agree with the mouth (cf. Amos 5:23).  Singing is to be directed to God as praise and worship offered to Him for His pleasure and glory.  That it is edifying to believers is a by-product of its main purpose. 

5/12/2017 4:57 PM