Colossians 4:5,6

CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES

Colossians 4:5. Walk in wisdom.— Ephesians 5:15. Walk circumspectly. R.V. “carefully.” It would appear from this as if the adverb in Ephesians 5:15 should go with “walk” rather than with “look,” as in R.V. Toward them that are without.—Who do not participate in the benefits of the new kingdom. Redeeming the time.—As in Ephesians 5:16. Seizing for yourselves, like bargains in the market, each opportunity (see R.V. margin).

Colossians 4:6. Let your speech be alway with grace.—There is no excuse for a Christian’s conversation becoming rude and churlish. It may be necessary to speak plainly and boldly at times—the way of doing even that graciously ought to characterise Christians. Seasoned with salt.—The pungent flavour of wit and facetiousness was called salt by the Greeks, often with a spice of indecency. “Salt” in the New Testament is the opposite of corruption.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Colossians 4:5

The Wise Conduct of Life.

The Christian lives a dual life: one in spiritual communion with heaven, under the eye of God; the other in daily contact with the outer world, exposed to its observation and criticism. The aspects of the life patent to the world’s gaze do not always correspond with the best impulses of the life concealed; the actual falls short of the ideal. The world forms its judgment of the Christian from what it sees of his outer life, and makes no allowance for his unseen struggles after moral perfection and his bitter penitence over conscious failures. Nor can we blame the world for this; the outer life of the believer furnishes the only evidence on which the world can form its estimate, and it is incapable of apprehending and taking into account hidden spiritual causes. The living example of the believer presents the only ideas of Christianity that great numbers have any means of possessing; he is a Christ to them, until they are brought to a clearer knowledge of the true and only Christ. With what wisdom and circumspection should the believer walk toward them that are without!

I. That the conduct of life is to be regulated according to the dictates of the highest wisdom.—

1. Religion is a life. “Walk.” A walk implies motion, progression, continual approximation to destination. Our life is a walk; we are perpetually and actively advancing towards our destiny. Religion is not a sentiment, not a round of bewitching ceremonies, not a succession of pleasurable emotions; it is a life. It pervades the whole soul, thrills every nerve, participates in every joy and sorrow, and moulds and inspires the individual character.

2. Religion is a life shaped and controlled by the highest wisdom.—“Walk in wisdom” (Colossians 4:5). Christian conduct is governed by the spirit of that wisdom which is from above, and under the influence of the knowledge which maketh wise unto salvation (James 3:17). It is ruled, not by an erratic sentiment or by the wild impulse of a senseless fanaticism, but by a sound understanding and a wise discretion. Its experience and hopes rest upon a basis of truth transcending in certainty, wisdom, and majesty the most imposing speculations of the human mind.

3. Religion is a life that should be instructive to the irreligious.—“Toward them that are without” (Colossians 4:5)—without the pale of the Church, the unbelievers. An upright, holy, consistent example is often more eloquent than words, more practically effective than the most elaborate code of moral maxims. The follies and glaring inconsistencies of professing Christians have often inflicted serious damage upon the Church itself, and turned religion into ridicule among the thoughtless and irreligious outsiders. The world is to be largely trained into correct views of truth and a just appreciation of the Christian spirit by the humble, saintly lives of those who have experienced the transforming power of the gospel. Be more anxious to live religiously than to talk religiously.

4. Religion is a life that impels the soul to seize every opportunity for good doing.—“Redeeming the time” (Colossians 4:5)—buying up the opportunity for yourselves. Opportunity is the flower of time, which blooms but for a moment and is gone for ever. Evil is prevalent; it affects the great majority, it advances with ever accelerating momentum; every opportunity for checking its career and destroying its power should be snatched with eagerness, and used with promptitude and discretion. The wisdom that regulates the religious life will be the safest guide as to the way in which the passing moment may be turned to the best advantage. The children of Issachar were commended as men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do (1 Chronicles 12:32). Ill-timed and inconsiderate zeal will do more harm than good.

II. That the conduct of life is to be regulated by judicious speech.—

1. Christian speech should be gracious. “Let your speech be alway with grace” (Colossians 4:6). The mouth ought to be a treasury of benediction, out of which no corrupt communication should issue, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Truth is the soul of grace; and infinite pains should be taken that every utterance of the tongue should at least be true. Idle gossip, slander, falsehood, should never fall from lips circumcised by the grace of God. Beware of the promiscuous use of the hackneyed phrases of pious cant. It is not so much a set religious phraseology that is wanted, as that all our speech should be baptised with the chrism of a religious spirit.

2. Christian speech should be piquant.—“Seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). Salt is the emblem of what is quickening and preservative; and the conversation seasoned with it will be pure, agreeable, pointed—free from all taint and corrupting influence. The ancient teachers of rhetoric used to speak of “Attic salt,” with which they advised their pupils to flavour their speeches, that they might sparkle with jests and witticisms. But it is not this kind of condiment the apostle recommends. Wit is a dangerous gift to most men; but where it is joined with a well-balanced understanding, and sanctified by the grace of God, it may become a powerful weapon in the advocacy of truth and minister to the good of many. Speech, to be beneficial, must be thoughtful, choice, sharp, clear, forceful.

3. Christian speech should be practical.—“That ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6). It requires much practical wisdom to be able to speak well and wisely about religion to both objectors and inquirers, and only the man accustomed to carefully weigh his words and guard his utterances can become an adept in this work. Every Christian may cultivate the wisdom which governs the tongue, and is bound to do so (1 Peter 3:15). Silence is sometimes the most conclusive answer. It is the triumph of wisdom to know when to speak and when to hold our peace.

Learn.—

1. The power of a blameless life.

2. The value of a well-chosen word.

3. The supreme control claimed by religion over actions and speech.

GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES

Colossians 4:5. The Worth of Time.

I. Time ought to be improved because its value is inexpressible.—

1. The worth of time may be argued from a survey of the great and momentous business to which it must be appropriated—to get ready for eternity.

2. From the astonishing price at which it has been purchased for us.

3. From the careful manner in which it is allotted to mankind.

II. Because of the brevity of its duration.

III. Because, short as our time is, much of it has already elapsed.

IV. Because what remains to us is uncertain.

V. Because nothing can ever compensate the loss of time.

VI. God has made eternity to depend on the issues and results of time.—Dr. Robt. Newton.

Colossians 4:6. Christian Conversation.—The apostle recommends a seasoning

I.

Of piety.

II.

Of chastity.

III.

Of charity.

IV.

Of severity.

V.

Of solidity.

Lessons.—

1. Extravagant raillery poisons conversation.

2. A spirit of disputing is a vice of conversation.

3. Indiscreet questions are a pest of conversation.—Saurin.

Christ’s Truth in Relation to our Daily Conversation.

I. The large space which words occupy in human life.—

1. On account of their number.

2. On account of their consequences.

II. The importance of special self-examination in reference to our words.

III. Earnest listening to the divine voices the cure for vain speech and the source of gracious speech.

IV. Our words are not to be all about religion, but pervaded by the spirit of religion.

V. Our conversation being thus seasoned, we shall know how we ought to answer every man.—R. Abercrombie.