Colossians 3:23-24. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
As those who are in Christ, we are meant to bring the gospel’s flourishing into any and all situations in which we find ourselves. We are not meant to escape those situations. Christ in us allows us to press into our hard relationships and difficult circumstances, not run away from them. The gospel always empowers the Christian to stay as we are.
Stay as we are? What does that mean?
When Paul says that in Christ there is no more male or female (Gal. 3:28), his intention was not to destroy the institution of marriage and family. This is made clear as Paul speaks to wives, husbands, and children, encouraging them to love and respect each other. Or in 1 Corinthians when he tells the believing wives to not divorce their unbelieving husbands (unless abandoned), and those who are single to stay single if they can. Are you married? Stay married. Are you a wife of an unbelieving husband? OK, stay married. Are you a husband? Don’t leave your wife and children. Don’t flee your situation, bring Christ into it.
All of this follows on the heels of the Apostle telling us that “whatever we do, we can do it in the name of the Lord Jesus” (3:17). So the “whatever we do” includes the demeaning work of the slave? Yes. How? Because whatever our circumstance Jesus will enter into it with us.
So where in your life does the “whatever you do” seem to be demeaning? Difficult? Lacking respect or honor? Is there a situation or setting in your life that you dream of escaping? Your marriage? Your singleness? Your job?
There is a better solution than escape.
Our union with Christ has set us free.
In Christ, every Christian is fully and forever free. Our ultimate identity is no longer our earthly station. In heaven, we are adult adopted sons and daughters of God, heirs with Christ of his reward. We are no longer shamed, we are honored, seated with Christ in the heavenly places. Even if our earthly status remains one of slavery, we are truly free.
This truth of our freedom in Christ must be our starting point each day as we walk into any and all circumstances of life.
(just to be clear, God does not want us to stay in situations that are unsafe)
Christ’s union with humanity makes all service for the Lord.
Paul has already told us in this letter that “Christ is all and in all.” That everything is “in him, through him, and FOR him.” And that everything is being “reconciled to him.” So how does this apply to my own difficult or even demeaning situation?
Because Christ has joined himself to humanity, all love, respect, and submission that we freely give to others is love, respect, and submission given unto Christ himself.
You are serving the Lord Christ.
“To live is Christ” has radically changed who we are, and at the same time radically allows us to stay as we are. We no longer need to fantasize about escaping our circumstances. We can choose to love, respect, and serve Christ by loving, respecting, and serving those that God has placed in front of us. All to the glory of God.
You
What part of your life are you wishing you could escape?
You in Christ
How does knowing we are in Christ allow us to stay as we are?
Christ in you
Where does the Christ in you need to work heartily as to the Lord?
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Playlist: As For the Lord.
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To Live is Christ 