In Colossians 3:17 and 3:23-25, Paul reminds Christians that all of life and living must be for Christ. Because He shed His blood on the cross to pay for our sins and open the way for a right relationship with God by grace through faith in Him, we are His. Therefore, we must seek to demonstrate this truth as we go about our daily lives. People should be able to see the centrality of Christ, as we go about our daily lives, relating to others, dealing with whatever task, facing whatever problem, and experiencing the good and the bad.
In Colossians 4:2-6, Paul instructs us how to carry out the mandate of being a daily witness for Christ. In verse 2, he exhorts us to 'continue in prayer'. The Greek meaning here is 'to devote yourselves to prayer'. Prayer was central to Paul's life and ministry and should be to ours. His life and ministry were not his own and neither was his strategy for living them out. Therefore, he devoted himself to prayer and so should we. In this same verse he tells us to watch or stay alert. In the Greek this means 'to refrain from sleep'. It underscores the importance of perserving in prayer. We are to perserve in prayer with thanksgiving. If we pray with thanksgiving, we must recollect God's past faithfulness to us. This will encourage us to count on His continued faithfulness in the present and future, causing our anxieties and fears to melt away. In verse 3, he asks the Colossians to pray that God would open a door of opportunity for him to share Christ. We should pray that God would do the same for us. In verses 5-6, he urged Christians to live out the practical application of the Scriptures so that those who are not Christians may see and hear the embodiment of Christianity that is both winsome and gracious.
In Colossians 4:2-6, Paul instructs us how to carry out the mandate of being a daily witness for Christ. In verse 2, he exhorts us to 'continue in prayer'. The Greek meaning here is 'to devote yourselves to prayer'. Prayer was central to Paul's life and ministry and should be to ours. His life and ministry were not his own and neither was his strategy for living them out. Therefore, he devoted himself to prayer and so should we. In this same verse he tells us to watch or stay alert. In the Greek this means 'to refrain from sleep'. It underscores the importance of perserving in prayer. We are to perserve in prayer with thanksgiving. If we pray with thanksgiving, we must recollect God's past faithfulness to us. This will encourage us to count on His continued faithfulness in the present and future, causing our anxieties and fears to melt away. In verse 3, he asks the Colossians to pray that God would open a door of opportunity for him to share Christ. We should pray that God would do the same for us. In verses 5-6, he urged Christians to live out the practical application of the Scriptures so that those who are not Christians may see and hear the embodiment of Christianity that is both winsome and gracious.
No comments:
Post a Comment