shadmans Musings  

  (18) Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. (19) Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. (20) Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. (21) Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. (Col 3:18-21)  The arena of relationships is our best testing ground for spiritual authenticity. Thinking above has practical results here below. True spirituality deals with “real life.” The false teachers promoted ideas which made spirituality the possession of the special few who tapped into “higher” knowledge, engaged in mystical experiences, or conformed to a code of rules. Paul points believers in another direction. Spirituality is nothing grand, romantic, or impossible. It is submitting to the supremacy of Christ which will transform our character and revolutionize our relationships. When Paul penned Colossians, the “household” consisted of three sets of rel...

  (15) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. (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. (17) Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Col 3:15-17) In this last part of the ‘putting on of the new self,’ Paul completes the qualities that mark the lifestyle of a new believer. His conclusion references: 1) the peace of Christ, 2) the word of Christ, and 3) the name of Christ.  The Priorities The Peace of Christ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. (Col 3:15) ‘Peace’ – We know the meaning of the word as tranquility, but John MacArthur sees the word as including, “... both the concept of an agreement, pact, treaty, or b...