Peace in the Christian Family

Increasing in the Knowledge of the Peace of God

Book of Colossians 3:12-4:1

Last week we saw that the Christian Life is not very easy. If we live in these bodies of flesh we will find it very hard to be like the Lord Jesus Christ.

This should still be our goal!

The Lord knows that this is impossible for us to do every day because in our heart we would be like Christ, but we find that our flesh is weak and cause us to give in to temptation. We need watch out for things that are not good for us and pray for the strength to overcome our weaknesses!

Mat_26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, "but the flesh is weak".

We must base our faith on the knowledge that once we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, we have a new life and we are to hate all the things of our old life.

Rev_2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

It was these Nicolaitans the Lord hates and we are to hate this doctrine also.

We see this in our world today more than ever before.

These were professing Christians who brought a false freedom to sin into the Church.

They brought licentiousness into the church which is, an excessive indulgence of Christian liberty!

The modern-day church has become this way and licentiousness is the god of fools!

If we have removed the old man and put on the new man, then we know we do not have the freedom to sin in any case!

If we are at peace with God, then we have become the elect of God and this should be noticeable to all the world!

*****Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

We could say, what are the essentials of Christian character?

Those who are the elect, are those who have chosen to follow in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ. God knows we will not be perfect and God knows in fact, we will make many mistakes, but God will always defend His Church.

Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

It is also a fact that when the Lord returns, He will have already called the church out of this world and He will not find any of faith but those who see Him will certainly realize everything they have said of the church was wrong and some of them may then become believers but for most who have already rejected the truth, it will be too late!

It is mainly the Jews and the strangers that help them, whose eyes will be opened.

Rom_11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

We may not realize it but there are also elect angels who have stood by Christ rather than follow Satan!

1Ti 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

When we get to Heaven, we will be surrounded by just those who have chosen Jesus Christ and rejected the world and all the angels who have also rejected Satan (Lucifer)!

So, while we are still here on earth to serve the Lord, let us be blameless!

Let us be the moral standards for this immoral world!

Let us show true affection to all our brothers and sister in Christ!

Let us pity the lost enough to still love them and witness Jesus to them if the opportunity arises.

Let us express gentleness in our way of life.

Let us be modest in all our life style.

Let us be meek in our demeanor.

Let us be patient Christians, busy for the Lord, knowing He will be returning soon, or at any time!

Let us bear with and endure one another in a loving way! As the Lord commands!

Let us forgive just as the Lord has forgiven us, because there are consequences to all these things but to this one especially.

Mar_11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

The Lord says even if we are in a quarrel with someone and we are the ones who are right, we must still forgive that other person.

Christ said to forgive!

Peter asked: Mat 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Mat 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Jesus said we are to forgive every time, period! Another sin is in holding a grudge!

All these things are covered by the "garment of mercy" which resembles the mercy of God.

Even with all these things, there is still something of greater importance in the way we are to treat all others.

*****Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

How does the Bible explain Charity?

1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

1Co 13:8 Charity never faileth:

How does the dictionary explain charity?

The dictionary says charity is love that compares to the supreme love of God. A giving, affectionate love.

It is easy to see that the English dictionary just does not have enough words to explain charity as well as God does.

The only perfect One that we know of is the Lord Jesus Christ, charity is the bond of perfectness, when we love others the way that the Lord loves us and gave Himself for us!

Gal_2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Charity can resemble God's "grace"!

When we wear the "garments of mercy" and put on the cloak of "Grace" and these things rule our heart, then we can say we are at peace with God.

A tall order for any of us but the Lord will help us be these things and more, if we will just follow His example and get up close and personal with Him!

*****Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

When we are saved we have become at peace with God.

Rom_5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Only as we grow in Christ, are no longer babes in Christ but, mature Christians will the peace of God rule in our hearts.

The truth is, those who are at peace with God and have the peace of God are the same ones who will show the love of God, not only in their own heart but toward all others!

The peace of God may be the greatest blessings we can receive from the Lord!

True peace comes only to those who know Jesus Christ personally and as their Savior!

If we notice that word "rule" in this passage, this means that this is a commandment.

Notice this is a commandment for each saint of God but also for the body of the Church!

And above all we are to be thankful for the great benefits for serving the Lord.

Psa_68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

We must make a choice as the elect of God, are we going to be obedient to all the Word of God or not?

If God has allowed us to be in harmony with Him and in true peace, then surely, we can give these pitiful temporary bodies to Him for His use!

These are things we are called to do and if each one of us including myself, would be obedient in these things we could alter the course of this world.

We can blame the world for many things, but we cannot blame the world for the laziness of the church!

God has only one body of true believers and they are scattered in all denominations and it is time for us to unite on the truth of God!

It's time to leave those who reject the truth of the Scriptures behind, they made their choice!

There will be no strife’s and no divisions where the peace of God rules in the heart of the believer!

*****Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

What is the Word of Christ?

The entire Old Testament will lead us to Jesus Christ our Savior.

The entire New Testament was written from the words of Jesus Christ as given to the apostles.

All Scripture is given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:

2Ti_3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

So, all these are the Words of Christ!

Jesus Christ is the Author of salvation!

Heb_12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus Christ is the "subject matter" of the entire Bible!

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.

Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

We are to dwell in the Word of Christ!

We are to live in it as a home, we are never to be a stranger or a visitor, or as an acquaintance.

We are to allow the Word of Christ to dwell in us!

It is not enough that it is our home, but it must be our heart, it must become our spiritual nature.

It must control our life and our conduct in this life!

Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

To dwell richly means we are to have an intimate knowledge of the Words of Christ.

We must seek to understand all that God has to say to us!

We must teach and admonish one another!

God has chosen the church to be the greatest place for this but, there must also be some personal study time.

We must be joyful enough to sing the Words of Christ.

We must be engrossed with Jesus Christ!

Act_17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

What so ever we do in deed, we must do it in the name of Christ Jesus!

*****Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

We see that in all these things we have a choice we can be a Christian or we can be part of the world. There is no in between!

As Christians, we are responsible for all the things we do, we cannot blame others!

As Christians, we know that the name of Jesus Christ is the only name God will accept in His presence.

We are to do all things in His name!

We cannot approach God without Jesus Christ!

The world hates us, and the world hates us for this one thing, they hate the Lord Jesus Christ!

God will only accept a life that comes to Him in the name of Jesus Christ, all others will find death!

When we speak we should speak Jesus, this is our new language!

1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

So far, we have seen what the Lord commands each individual Christian and now let's see what Jesus speaks of the family.

*****Col 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

We must understand that the Christian home is the first place we are to practice all the commands of God.

We know that God is a God of order!

Wives are to submit themselves to the Lord because God created man first and woman second. The wife was created as a helpmeet to the man.

She is the weaker vessel physically in most instances.

The woman is to never to submit in such a way to a husband who thinks he is a king.

The husband is honor his wife as his helpmeet or their prayer life will suffer greatly!

1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

This husband and wife union is to be as two Christians submitting to one another but as the wife submits to her own husband and the husband to his own wife.

Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

1Co 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

The Husband to wife relationship is to be as the relationship as the Lord Jesus Christ is to the church!

Eph_5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

As Christians this obligation of these two Christians should be until the death of one or the other.

1Co 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

And now the husband.

*****Col 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Husbands also are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church and remember Christ gave His life for the church, we should not be afraid to give our lives for our wives.

The husband is not to have dominion over his wife. Dominion is not about love.

The husband is not to be a tyrant!

The love of the husband for the wife is to be as the "agape" love of God toward His children.

This is a love that is selfless and unselfish.

This is a giving and sacrificial love, remember the word "Charity".

This is a love of the will as much as a love from the heart.

This a love of commitment. The husband must be committed to this relationship as well as the wife.

And get this husbands, this is a love that works for the highest good of the wife! Besides the Lord she is to be the most important person in the life of the husband.

The truth is, the husband does not seek a wife to fulfill his needs but just the opposite, the husbands desire is to meet, nourish and nurture his wife, all their days.

A husband is to love sacrificially, regardless if his wife is not perfect in her commitment.

The example here is the Lord and the church. The Lord is perfect, but the church, (the bride) is less than perfect!

The Lord does not give us commandments He is not true to, Himself!

Above all these things, both the husband and the wife are to obey Christ Jesus regardless, this is the will of Jesus Christ and the Father!

And next the children:

*****Col 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

Col 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

We know we have been using the Christian family as our example and all these things of the families that do not know Jesus Christ struggle the most with their children.

In the Christian family that has the Christian father and the Christian mother then the children should obey their parents in all things.

God is well pleased with all these things!

In fact, Christian children who obey their parents can even extend their years of happiness.

Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

That word obey means for the children to respect the authority of their parents because their parents have respected the authority of our Father who is in Heaven.

When the children disrespect the parents, they have disrespected God!

There is only one, "only one" limitation for the children in these things.

Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

If both parents or either parent go against the Word of God, then the children are certainly not to follow!

The child must be very careful in this thing but anything that causes the child to renounce the Lord "should not be observed"!

The most important task of the parents is to follow the Lord and give this example to the children.

The next most important task is to raise the children in a godly manner according to the Word of God.

The child must understand that though the parent is not always right, he or she must still have an opportunity to observe discipline and order.

A good rule of thumb for all children is in a passage from the Book of Ephesians.

Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

Being obedient to parents is just the right thing to do and God loves righteousness!

As a Christian father the bulk of responsibility will always aimed at him but raising children is the equal responsibility of both parents.

1Ti 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

The children must never be provoked to do ungodly things.

The children must be prepared to serve the Lord first!

The children must next be prepared to be godly parents themselves.

If we as parents anger our children, then teaching will stop until that anger passes.

Children should never be pampered but it at all possible parents should meet the needs of the children.

Children on the other hand must realize that both parents have duties and they must be given the time to do these things.

Children must realize the world we live in and accept that the parent has more knowledge than they might have.

The children should submit to the parents but again not as tyrants but as loving parents trying to do the right thing.

We all still live in these bodies of flesh, so problems will arise but as it is in all our lives, Jesus Christ is still the answer, even when dealing with children!

The parents must observe that there is a proper way to discipline children and the worldly way for the most part should be ignored, and the Word of God followed!

Even when parents have made mistakes, the Scriptures still say to honor the parents!

Deu 27:16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.

God is very strict because we all as the children of God have a Father in Heaven that always knows what's best for us even when we disagree!

There is a great Scripture that meets the standards God has set for us all!

Pro_22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

In the times of the Bible many families had servants. Remember it was illegal for the Jews to have slaves.

We can also relate this next today in our jobs and other places.

*****Col 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Col 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Col 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

We know these Scriptures were written in Bible times. These Scriptures deal as much with today and the work place of today as they did in the day of Paul.

In the day of Paul, if a master of men embraced Christianity then what was he to do with his slaves. God provides him the answers.

A Christian master, in Paul's time or today is place in a precious position.

As Christian workman we are to put forth our best effort no matter our circumstances.

If the work we do conflicts with the Word of God, we should find a new profession if possible, but this may not always be the case.

A Christian worker should never be just an average worker but always better than average.

This means we must be obedient workers no matter who our master or what they believe.

The Christian Master is to be no different from the Christian worker because he or she knows they also have a Master!

Eph 6:9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

The Christian worker to has an obligation to be a witness for the Lord as best he or she can.

The Christian master and the Christian worker are to consider themselves working for the Lord!

Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

Keeping in mind that the Christian will still have to obey the unjust commands of their masters.

1Pe 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

1Pe 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

It is the reverence for the Lord that should be the mark of the Christian worker.

As Christians we are not to be disappointed with the service we give to an unjust master because our aim is to please the Lord in everything we do!

Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

We sometimes get confused when we talk about the "Judgment Seat of Christ".

Certainly, our salvation will not be in questioned.

Many think we will only be judged for the work we have done for the Lord and we will.

We will also be judged for how we served in our workplace. We will be judged for all our activities while being a Christian.

It is very important that we shine bright as Christians and not as any part of this world in all we do!

Masters and Management certainly will face a harsher judgment than the servant or the employee!

*****Col 4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

As Christian Masters we are to treat all those under us, no matter if they are Christian, equally and just.

We know the Lord provides for the saved and the just!

That word "knowing" is very important because the Christian masters should know according to the Word how to perform his or her job, knowing the Lord is observing as He sees all things everywhere!

We can only serve one Master in all the things we do, and we must serve knowing that He has His eyes upon us always.

Again, not so He can just beat us down for our failures but, so He can reward us for our goodness!

One of the first steps in righteousness is to respect the relationship!

It does not hurt to know somethings about the people you work with but demanding such knowledge is also wrong.

Pro 27:23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.

All in all, a friendly relationship works out to be the best!

Pro_18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

We can see that the Lord had a lot to say about our economy of today!

Amen