Lesson 19 – Sustaining the Right Relationships, part 1 (3:18-4:1)
Read Colossians 3 - www.bible.com/bible/59/col.3
In our second lesson of this study we said that setting committed relationships with the right people was part of making a firm foundation on which we could become stable in Christ. Beginning in this lesson, we will see how we can sustain or keep those relationships which honor God and become a vital part of our stability in Christ.
Four relationships are named in verses 18-25. Let’s look at them in order.
First, the relationship between husband and wife. The wife is to submit to her husband’s authority and the husband is to love his wife – in Ephesians 5:25, the words “as Christ loves the church” are added to this statement. These two commands cannot be separated so that only one is true – it only works if both husband and wife do what God asks of them both. Neither can be done from a grudging heart. A woman will not find it difficult to submit to someone who loves her completely, nor will a husband find it hard to love a woman who honors and respects him.
Children are to be obedient to their parents – because God has given the parents the responsibility of teaching the children in the way they must go (Proverbs 22:6). Children cannot learn the right way by instinct.
Parents are not to provoke their children so they become discouraged. This can be done with either extreme – too lenient so there are no guidelines for the child to follow, or too harsh so the child thinks they can never do anything well enough to please their parents.
Employees are to obey their employers, not just on the surface when they’re around (and then gossip or spread rumors behind their backs). In Titus 2:9 we also read the command of not being argumentative. If we think there may be a better way to do something and we tell the boss, but the boss says no, we should do what the boss asks. It is very probable we don’t know all the processes that might be affected by the changes we have proposed.
Our relationship with Jesus Christ is the last one mentioned here – and the words used here are interesting as they relate to all the previous relationships. Verse 24 says our relationships with others must be with the fact in mind that Jesus is our ultimate Master –verse 17 from our last lesson. We do the right thing no matter what anyone else does. If I’m a wife, I submit to my husband even if he doesn’t love me God’s way. If I’m an employee, I’m obedient and loyal no matter what the boss says (except if that boss were to tell me to do something against God’s laws (Acts 5:29). God is keeping the records for all that is done – He will bring justice.
In Chapter 4 verse 1, employers are commanded to treat employees justly and fairly.