This commentary is a work in progress and may be revised as study continues. If you have a question, spot an error, or want to discuss a passage, please reach out.
1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16Let 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.
17And 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.
18Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
19Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
20Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
21Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
22Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
The wording here with “reward” makes it sounds like inheritance is something we must earn for good living but is this the case? From the below see this is not the case and it is included in salvation:
In context of this book in chapter 1 verse 12 we read that it is the Father which is the one that makes us eligible for this inheritance not something we do “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:”
Ephesians 1:11 says we have obtained it“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”
Ephesians 1:14 says once we have the Holy Spirit our inheritance is guaranteed (earnest or pledge): “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
In Acts 26:18 we see it is included by those that have faith “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
Lastly in 1 Peter 1:3-4 we read this inheritance is again given to all and reserved for us“ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”
So why does it say reward here? Young’s literal translation uses the word “recompense” instead of “reward” which better suites the meaning here. We can see this is not a reward we earn by how we live by reading the context of the entire chapter. Paul tells us to do a lot of hard things in this chapter. We may have to forgive people that have truly wronged us, loved those who don’t deserve loving and much more. Paul is reminding them they have an inheritance coming to them from God. It is almost like saying God sees your hardships and He will “make a return” unto you, therefore, endure, press on. But again, we can’t earn this as it is part of salvation. This is just an encouragement that even though this earthly life is hard, we have an amazing inheritance to come.
25But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
3
Colossians 3 — Forever Word commentary
King James VersionThis commentary is a work in progress and may be revised as study continues. If you have a question, spot an error, or want to discuss a passage, please reach out.
1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16Let 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.
17And 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.
18Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
19Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
20Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
21Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
22Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
The wording here with “reward” makes it sounds like inheritance is something we must earn for good living but is this the case? From the below see this is not the case and it is included in salvation:
In context of this book in chapter 1 verse 12 we read that it is the Father which is the one that makes us eligible for this inheritance not something we do “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:”
Ephesians 1:11 says we have obtained it “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”
Ephesians 1:14 says once we have the Holy Spirit our inheritance is guaranteed (earnest or pledge): “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
In Acts 26:18 we see it is included by those that have faith “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
Lastly in 1 Peter 1:3-4 we read this inheritance is again given to all and reserved for us “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”
So why does it say reward here? Young’s literal translation uses the word “recompense” instead of “reward” which better suites the meaning here. We can see this is not a reward we earn by how we live by reading the context of the entire chapter. Paul tells us to do a lot of hard things in this chapter. We may have to forgive people that have truly wronged us, loved those who don’t deserve loving and much more. Paul is reminding them they have an inheritance coming to them from God. It is almost like saying God sees your hardships and He will “make a return” unto you, therefore, endure, press on. But again, we can’t earn this as it is part of salvation. This is just an encouragement that even though this earthly life is hard, we have an amazing inheritance to come.
25But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.