Colossians 3:24 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Colossians 3:24

Comments

The gospel enables us to turn every situation to our advantage. ‘All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28). The Christian who is living in obedience to God can never truly be put at a disadvantage by the world. Here is a slave with a very stingy master. The master seriously overworks him, scarcely gives him enough sustenance to keep body and soul together, pays him only a pittance if at all, and certainly never thanks him or commends him. That seems like an insuperable difficulty and injustice. How can good come out of it? How can anything compensate for it? Unknown to that master is another master in heaven, his Master also. What he does not realise is that his scrutiny of the work is nothing compared to the Lord’s scrutiny. What he fails to appreciate is highly commended by the Lord because it was done under such adverse circumstances, and yet faithfully done, nevertheless. The Lord sees the spirit in which it was done, and that is far more precious to him than the outcome of the work. The outcome of the work cannot be taken from this world which is passing away, but the sincerity, the willingness to please an unworthy master out of obedience to the Lord: that is something that will earn an eternal reward. ‘You serve the Lord Christ.‘ In different ways he has already said this, but now he names Christ. You serve the mediator and agent of redemption. The point is, your life has a redemptive process.

Application

When do we receive this reward? Well, chiefly at the last day when we receive our eternal inheritance in Christ. Then we will be ushered into his kingdom and we will know that nothing can ever remove us from his presence and favour again. This reward comes in the form of an eternal inheritance, but we have not earned that. Christ has earned it for us; he has deserved it for you. He has offered up his righteousness for you, and gone to Calvary for you, so it is your right because you are his. The reward we will receive is a reward of grace, one which we do not deserve. It is not remotely proportional to our deeds for it is far greater than we could ever deserve, but for our encouragement God allows us to see the two as connected, else it could not be called a reward in any sense. But even now we receive that reward in part. Christ sees everything. He will use this difficult time. He will use us as his instruments in the salvation of others. Maybe your patience under unreasonable treatment will greatly increase your witness in the family or at work. God will not let us down. Heartiness helps. It is its own reward. If we can only do things enthusiastically, even the menial task, it cheers us up no end. Try to draw as much satisfaction as you can out of the simplest task by doing it conscientiously.

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Colossians 3:24 Commentary and Bible Study