Colossians 3:18-25

¹⁸ “Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and do not become bitter against them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not antagonize your children, so that they will not become discouraged. ²² Slaves, obey those who are your human masters in everything, not with eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, ²⁴ knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. ²⁵ For the one who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.”

Verse 18: Paul addresses wives and encourages them to submit to their husbands. This is how wives can love their husbands, by giving respect. It is important to understand that this submission is not about hierarchy or dominance but rather about mutual respect and cooperation within the context of a Christ-centered marriage.

Verse 19: Wives are starved for love from their husbands. Husbands, therefore, ought to love their wives as Christ loved the church. This highlights the importance of sacrificial love and selflessness in marriage, mirroring the love that Christ has for the church (Ephesians 5:25).

Verse 20: The enemy desires to encourage children to not obey their parents. Likewise, he wants fathers to be exasperated with their children. Children are to love their parents by listening to them, and fathers are to seek to serve their children and encourage them in the Lord. This, along with how husbands and wives are to treat one another, will encourage unity.

Verse 21: Paul then speaks to fathers, urging them not to provoke or frustrate their children. Instead, they are called to provide a nurturing and supportive environment that fosters their children’s growth and well-being.

Verse 22: Paul addresses slaves and instructs them to obey their earthly masters. In the context, slaves were working for wages. Masters were the equivalent of employers today. We are to honor our employers by working hard.

Verse 23: Paul emphasizes the importance of having a diligent and wholehearted work ethic. Believers are called to approach their work as if they are serving the Lord himself, recognizing that their ultimate purpose is to bring glory to God in all that they do. Paul is able to say this because grace never encourages passivity or laziness. Grace encourages action.

Verse 24: Inheritance speaks of the full revelation of all that is ours in Christ. When we believe, we receive the full inheritance of salvation and God’s kingdom. Our inheritance has nothing to do with the length of our relationship with Christ. This would not be grace. Instead, all people receive the same payment upon belief in Jesus. This eternal perspective is what fuels our work here on the earth.

Verse 25: While we do not receive divine consequences for sinning, we will experience consequences in this life. In the context, this can also be applied to the relationships addressed earlier. If love is not expressed in each relationship, then there will be earthly consequences.