Colossians: Christ Our Motivation

Colossians 4

English Standard Version (ESV)

4 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Further Instructions

² Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. ³ At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— ⁴ that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

⁵ Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. ⁶ Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Final Greetings

⁷ Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant^[a] in the Lord.⁸ I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,⁹ and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

¹⁰ Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), ¹¹ and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. ¹² Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, alwaysstruggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may standmature and fully assured in all the will of God. ¹³ For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. ¹⁴ Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. ¹⁵ Give my greetings to the brothers^[b] at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. ¹⁶ And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. ¹⁷ And say toArchippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

¹⁸ I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remembermy chains. Grace be with you.

The monks that added in the numbers for chapters and verses might have slipped with their numbers, yet the concept bears looking at closely. Treat others kindly. Paul then gives a few parting words. Please pray for me in this way... He wants to show the world Christ. Often today we want to show the world spirituality or religion or our church. These are not bad things in of themselves; however, Paul has been talking this entire time how Christ is our savior, our advocate before the Father, he motivates what we do so be careful to not look for salvation in other areas of life, and Christ should be what we want to share, get excited to share, to others. Paul didn't want the Colossians putting their  hope in other things beside Christ.

Colossians 1:21-23

English Standard Version (ESV)

²¹ And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, ²³ if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation^[a] under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Many of Paul's churches did these very things. It is my sin nature to do the very same. I need to be careful to make Christ my motivation. 

Father, I thank you for how you have sanctified me. I thank you for the little wisdom that you have given me to understand your word. Help me to not get distracted with spirituality or religious behaviors. Don't let me be tempted with worldly pleasures or distractions. Give me grace to see clearly the work and mind of your Son.