Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Relationships

If you are looking for the posts about
God's Amazing Blessing
Announcement—I'm moving!
here's the link to the first Part: 

Then follow the arrows at the bottom of each post to the next Part.
There are 10 parts in all.

I recommend that you read each part, there are amazing details—
and God took care of each and every one! 


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This post is the continuation of my Study of Colossians.   
Wives, be subject to your husbands [subordinate and adapt yourselves to them], as is right and fitting and your proper duty in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives [be affectionate and sympathetic with them] and do not be harsh or bitter orresentful toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or fret your children [do not be hard on them or harass them], lest they become discouraged and sullen and morose and feel inferior and frustrated. [Do not break their spirit.]
Colossians 3:18-21 (AMP)

These verses move from how we conduct ourselves in general and with other believers (Colossians 3:1-17) to a more personal setting — relationships in the home. 

Wives, Husbands, Children. 

In today's "feminist" society, verse 18 is frowned upon. But the verse has to be taken into context with verse 19 as well. A husband who loves his wife with the godly love that is based on Christ's love, treats his wife well. And in turn a wife with that same love will allow the husband to be the head of the home and support him. It's all based on the previous verses. This doesn't just happen by magic, no it's all based on "putting on" the character traits listed before. 

Verse 20 address the last relationship of the family—Children. Once again, as the wife and husband demonstrate godly love toward one another and allow Christ to be the leader of the home, children then learn how to obey out of love and respect. 

And the motivation is not for a sticker, or prize, rather simply because it is pleasing to the Lord. And that should be the ultimate motivation for each of us in all we do—because it is pleasing to the Lord. 

Verse 21 again focuses on the Father, the head of the home. The father is to teach and train the child in the things of God and encourage the child as they learn and grow. The "Father/Husband" is an important and vital role in the home. And the other way a Father/Husband can fulfill his responsibility is by having "put on" each item listed in Colossians 3:1-17. 

Even if you are not a wife/husband, you can see from these verses that if we "put on" godly characteristics and if pleasing God is our motivation for living a godly life,  then it will affect each and every area of our lives and our relationships. 

In order to live a life that is pleasing to God—that affects each relationship, my heart must be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31, MSG).

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