The final chapter of the letter to the Colossians starts with a verse that best fits the end of the last chapter. Paul gave instructions to the church on how to live in a manner that was worthy of Christ. He was stressing to the Colossian believers that Christ wasn’t a part of their lives, Jesus touched everything in life. How a Christian focuses, how their passions are controlled, how they appear in society, family, and finally with verse 1 of this chapter, how they served masters. A slave who converted to Christ may have had the sense that they no longer needed to serve well because Christ freed them.
Use Every Opportunity to Spread the Gospel
But here Paul says that their spiritual freedom was not an excuse to disobey their masters. In fact, they were to serve them all the more. They were to be the best servant, because in the end their earthly service was a reflection of their heavenly master. Jesus. The Christian is to use every opportunity to spread the gospel by word and deed. This meant that if they could serve well their master my have a softened heart towards the gospel, maybe that servant would have an opportunity to speak the life giving gospel to their master.
Changing the Heart of Their Master
As Christ changes the heart of the servant He can also change the heart of the master. It is interesting to note that in this last chapter Paul mentions Onesimus. If you have read the letter to Philemon you will recognize Onesimus as the run away slave that Paul sends back to his master. Onesimus came to salvation after he deserted his master. That was a crime punishable by imprisonment or worse. Yet here Paul calls Onesimus his faithful and beloved brother. Church, we need to make sure there are no parts of our lives that are being held back for ourselves. Christ needs to have control over all of us. Then we will be changed and be able to use every opportunity for the gospel, for God’s glory and our eternal good!
