Passage: Colossians Study | Lesson 07
COLOSSIANS 3:18-25 Darren Lo | February 22, 2015
Take a moment and think about the people in your life who are closest to you. They should include your immediate family, cousins, significant others, friends, and roommates. They can be Christian or non-Christian, close in proximity or far away. Create a list of 10-15 people.
As we continue our study of Colossians, we’re going to look at specific relationships that Paul writes to the church. Read Colossians 3:18-25 first. Then compare this passage to a parallel in Ephesians 5:22-6:9. Take notice of the similarities and differences, there are quite a few.
In each of these listed relationships, there existed a cultural understanding that their society had deemed “acceptable.” Although we may not hold to these social norms today, the church faced this accepted mentality in the midst of Paul’s challenge to gain a new perspective. Here is an outline of the relationship Paul refers to and their culturally accepted backgrounds:
A. Wife to husband – wife must submit to absolute authority to husband. Viewed as the sole property of the husband.
B. Husband to wife – husband regarded household as property and a business relationship. Dictated and lead family for the most profitability.
C. Children to parents – children were father’s property. Considered as slaves with expected obedience to parents.
D. Parents to children – parents could punish harshly—physically and shamefully
E. Slaves to masters – slaves were considered worthless and without morals. Lived without respect from society.
F. Masters to slaves – masters given authority to treat slaves as property and in demeaning relationships. Used slaves solely for profit.
Now using both passages take a moment and answer each of the following questions based on each described relationship:
1. Describe the kind of love Paul describes between the relationships.
2. How did Paul change the socially accepted relationship with this description of love?
3. How did Jesus Christ live out this kind of love? Find an actual situation that He practiced it.
Use this chart (printable PDF) to fill out the background, kind of love, the change, and Christ’s example:
CONCLUSION/APPLICATION
Our study of Colossians has brought us close to the end of his letter to the church of Colossae. Here, Paul wants to begin to apply Christ’s supremacy in the actions of the people in the church toward those closest to them. He challenges them to understand a new kind of loving relationship that both includes the cultural norms, but also flips it to the sole authority of Jesus Christ. He doesn't challenge the ending of these relationships, but to have a new presence in them based on Jesus Christ.
Recall the list you wrote down above of the 10-15 people closest to you. Think about each one of those people individually. How you could love them differently based on the types of love described in your chart and what Paul challenges us with. Although Paul distinctly lists specific relationships, we can practice any types of these loves to those that may need it the most.
- Who do you need to show a submissive/humble kind of love to?
- Who needs a self-sacrificial love?
- Who needs to experience an obedient kind of love from you?
- Who needs to be loved by God’s truth and instruction? Perhaps in correction?
- Who needs a sincere, genuine love that is from God?
- Who needs to be shown love through justice and grace? Maybe to those especially difficult to love?
Lastly, think about people NOT on your list. Maybe someone who used to be close to you and no longer is. Maybe it is someone who is an enemy or an acquaintance. Perhaps its even a stranger that God leads you to that needs to be shown love. How can you show them a love listed above? Take a moment and think about names God is leading you towards.
Answer key.
Posts
