One of the most remarkable truths of Christianity is that Christ is not merely a part of our lives. He is to be the center of everything. Our relationship with Him is not confined to Sunday worship, religious activities, or occasional moments of devotion. It reaches into every corner of human existence. In Colossians 2 and 3, Paul shows us how completely the Christian life is connected with Jesus Christ.
We live in Christ. Colossians 2:6 instructs us, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” Our spiritual life begins with Christ and continues in Him. He is not simply the doorway through which we enter Christianity; He is the environment in which we are to live every day.
We have been made alive with Christ. God has forgiven our trespasses and made us alive together with Him (Colossians 2:13). Our past, present, and future are forever changed by our relationship with the risen Lord.
We are taught by Christ. Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.” His teaching must influence our thinking, shape our decisions, and govern our conduct.
Notice how Paul brings this relationship into the ordinary circumstances of life. Wives are instructed to submit to their husbands as is fitting in the Lord (Colossians 3:18). Children are told to obey their parents because this pleases the Lord (verse 20). Servants are instructed to work sincerely, fearing God (verse 22). Then comes the sweeping principle of verse 23: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.”
This means that our relationship with Christ determines how we live at home, how we conduct ourselves at work, how we treat our friends, how we approach recreation, and how we participate in religious activities. There is no compartment of life where His authority does not belong.
We sometimes make the mistake of separating the sacred from the ordinary, imagining that Christ is interested only in our religious activities. But Paul presents a much greater vision. Christ belongs in the kitchen, the workplace, the marketplace, the family room, and every conversation.
Christianity is not just something we practice. It is a life we live in relationship with Jesus Christ. He is our Lord in everything, and everything we do should reflect that.
BDD
