Colossians 4:5-6
GET THIS: The gospel is both/and, changing both how we walk and how we talk. It changes how we live in the world and changes the answer we proclaim to the world. See Colossians 3:17
Don’t Stop Praying! [v5]
See Colossians 4:5
Paul has talked about our walk: See Colossians 1:10 and 2:6-7
Paul has talked about wisdom: See Colossians 1:9Wisdom is practical. It is applied knowledge, knowing how to live and behave… In your dealings with outsiders, there will always be pressures to conform, fit in, win approval, be thought well of. You will need wisdom to live out your knowledge of God’s will. It will take wisdom to walk in a manner fully pleasing to him. We are to live with the wisdom found in the Lord Jesus Christ… The point is that the wisdom we seek is not the wisdom to please the unbelievers, or to make ourselves look good, or any of the other kinds of wisdom we may easily find ourselves seeking. We need wisdom to please the Lord in our conduct towards outsiders. —John Woodhouse
Make the best use of time Buying up time… snatching it up like a bargain hunter.
If you want nearness of God / the kingdom of God / to yoke up with Jesus and find rest… these are rocks. But if you prioritize the sand… you’ll rarely-if ever-squeeze in the rocks.
Talk It Out [v6]
See Colossians 4:6
Gracious: with a quality of attractiveness that invites a favorable reaction (charm / winsomeness). with a beneficial disposition toward someone (goodwill).
Seasoned with salt: flavored with the wisdom of God, knowledge of God, ways of God. Not meaning “Jesus-jukey”. But meaning flavored with calmness, clarity, peace, hope, truth, goodness, sincerity, authenticity, integrity, etc.
Again, he’s talking about ALL speech, not just when we’re sharing the gospel explicitly. When you’re just talking with neighbors or co-workers or the other parents at pick-up or the field, etc. Same would go for you texting, your social media feeds, etc.
Paul’s main point: when you walk the walk, people are going to ask questions… and if you’re in the practice of speaking with winsomeness, good will, and seasoned speech, you’ll be ready to answer them with the right posture.
To be explicit about something today: being gracious and seasoned it our speech can NOT be disconnected from telling the true. And vice-versa. It MUST BE BOTH/AND. See Ephesians 4:15.
If you’re not a Christian: See 1 Timothy 1:15 … Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved…
If you are a Christian…
1. OUR WALK
Would people look at your life today (the way you walk) and be filled with questions about the hope that is in you?
Take Inventory: What things should be most important emphasis of your life (rocks)? What things should be secondary (pebbles)? What things should be tertiary (sand)? Is your life properly ordered in this current season?
2. OUR TALK
Is your everyday speech filled with graciousness and good seasoning? When people hear you talk are they filled with questions about the hope that is in you?
Consider: How do you hear the father speaking to you? Through the filter of your own speech or the speech of someone harsh, condemning, apathetic (see 1 John 3:1) I would say that until we hear the true voice of our father, we will struggle to have speech that sounds like His.
3. FINAL QUESTION: Who in your life, needs gospel-answers to their questions and how can you put yourself in a place to answer those questions with gospel truth AND love?
Take Time To Reflect
(1) Would people look at your life today (the way you walk) and be filled with questions about the hope that is in you?
(2) Is your everyday speech filled with graciousness and good seasoning? When people hear you talk are they filled with questions about the hope that is in you?
(3) Who in your life, needs gospel-answers to their questions and how can you put yourself in a place to answer those questions with gospel truth AND love?
GET THIS: The gospel is both/and, changing both how we walk and how we talk. It changes how we live in the world and changes the answer we proclaim to the world.