Beyond All These
Devotions for Growing Christians
Beyond All These
Colossians 3:14 - And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
Read Colossians 3:11-17.
The basic problem in any dysfunctional family is lack of love. Behind the surface symptoms, invariably there is an absence of Christ-like, sacrificial love. It’s also true of our church fellowships. These enlarged families can be dysfunctional when the members don’t show Christ-like love to one another. There may be all kinds of surface problems, but the root cause can be traced to a scarcity of love. Is it any wonder then that love is the focus of the list of virtues given in Colossians 3:11-17? Of all the positive ways in which Christian brothers and sisters are to relate together, love is to be "beyond all these" (v14).
The phrase "beyond all these" can also be translated "above all these" and "over all these." The idea is not that the other virtues are unimportant, but rather that love holds everything together in perfect balance and unity. In the same way that we put on an overcoat over our other articles of clothing, we are to put on love over all the other virtues we are wearing. Love is the "glue" that holds everything together.
Maybe a better illustration is a football player putting on the various pieces of protective equipment, and then the team’s uniform over all of it. The uniform not only ties all the pieces of equipment together, but it is also shows the identity of the team member. It’s the first thing onlookers notice! In the same way, love ties all the other virtues together in unified balance, and it’s also the identifying mark of a Christian. Are we wearing the "equipment" of Colossians 3? Have we put on the uniform of love "beyond all these?"
The first two chapters of Colossians are primarily doctrinal, with the great theme being the supremacy and all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the young church at Colossae in order to preserve them from some false teaching that was threatening the church. The false teaching seems to have been a mixture of Judaism and an early form of gnosticism. It involved watering-down the doctrine of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This false teaching proclaimed that Jesus was not fully God, and that He was not totally sufficient for salvation and Christian living. Although this false teaching had not yet penetrated the church at Colossae, the apostle was warning the Colossian Christians of the danger facing them, and emphasizing the true doctrine of Christ. In fact, one of the clearest affirmations of the full deity of Jesus Christ in all of the New Testament is made in Colossians. "...in Christ all the fullness was pleased to dwell" (Colossians 1:19). And an even more explicit statement is made in Colossians 2:9: "...in Christ all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form." The great theme of Colossians, the supremacy of Christ, is emphasized in 1:18: "...so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything." And we see the all-sufficiency of Christ emphasized in 2:3, "... in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
While Colossians 1 & 2 are heavy in doctrine, chapters 3 & 4 are practical applications of that doctrine. The practical logically flows from the doctrinal. If Christ is indeed supreme and all-sufficient, then His supremacy and all-sufficiency should be seen in our everyday lives!
Chapters 3 & 4 mention a number of areas in which the Colossian believers were asked to demonstrate the supremacy and all-sufficiency of Christ in their lives. Gaining victory over personal sin is the subject of 3:1-5. Putting on the "new man" and putting off the "old man" is the next topic, covered in 3:6-10. Relating well with fellow-believers is discussed in 3:11-17. Submitting to authority structures in 3:18-4:1, prayer in 4:2-4, and witnessing in 4:5-6 are further areas where the supremacy and all-sufficiency of Christ have practical application in our lives.
Now what about all those virtues of Colossians 3:11-17, for which love is to be the "glue"? These all describe the ways we’re supposed to relate to one another in love.
Relate with Unity
First of all, we are to relate to one another with unity (v11). All barriers to Christian fellowship must be removed. There is to be no distinction between "Greek and Jew." Racial barriers must go. Furthermore, there is to be no distinction between "circumcised and uncircumcised." This means that different religious or non-religious backgrounds should not affect our new relationship in Christ. Neither should "Barbarian or Scythian" cultural differences hinder our fellowship. (The Scythians were considered to be the worst of the barbarians!) Think about the habits of some folks at your church. You know - the ones with manners are sloppy manners? Or the ones who stand too close and talk right in your face? Remember - even those we may consider "barbarians" are in God's family too! They’re our brothers and sisters! So let's be sure to fully include them in the unity of the fellowship - even if they never meet our cultural "standards."
Finally, there are to be no barriers because of "slave or freeman." Economic and social status must not determine our unity in Christ. Our relationships with fellow believers should not be based on where they live, or their income, or their position in this world. How do our "Christian cliques" or exclusive church circles measure up when we look at God's standard of unity in Colossians 3:11?
Relate with Grace
Verses 12-13 teach us that we should relate to one another with grace. While the word "grace" is not specifically mentioned in these verses, it’s probably the best word to encompass the virtues listed here. Notice that the virtues of these two verses are sandwiched between two statements that emphasize God's grace to us. Verse 12 begins, "And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved..." There's only one word that adequately explains why each one of us was individually chosen by God, was made holy before God, and is dearly loved by God - and that word is grace: God's unmerited favor to us.
The other side of the sandwich is the end of verse 13 which states, "... as the Lord forgave you, so also should you." Here we see the grace of God emphasized in God's forgiveness. How could God,who is infinitely perfect, forgive our many sins? Once again the only answer is His grace. There's no better definition of the grace of God than this acrostic: God's Riches At Christ's Expense.
Because God's overwhelming grace has been directed our way, we in turn are to show grace to fellow believers. How? By exhibiting the graces of the "grace sandwich"!
We are to show compassion to our brothers and sisters in Christ when they are hurting - even if we believe that they’re "reaping what they sowed." Showing compassion doesn't mean that wrong-doing should be overlooked, or sin swept under the rug. No. Remember the model of how God showed compassion to us! (See Romans 5:8.)
We are to show kindness to one another - even to those who don't return our gracious behavior to them. Remember - if grace is based on returns, then it's not really grace.
We are to show humility and gentleness to our fellow believers - even to those who deserve to get "a piece of my mind"!
We are to show patience and forbearance when dealing with one another - even when the situation seems unbearable. What’s the difference between patience and forbearance? Patience is when we're in a trying situation with a fellow believer where we must "live with it" because there's not much we can do about it. But forbearance is a trying situation in which we hold the power. We could easily throw our weight around - but we choose not to, for the sake of Christ. Suppose, for example, you're heading up a church committee, and some of the members are bad-mouthing your leadership behind your back. If you continue to work with them rather than telling them to "get lost" - that's forbearance!
We are to forgive one another - even when fellow believers hurt us deeply. The limit is no less than "as the Lord forgave you."
It's usually a lot easier to receive the grace sandwich than to give it, but remember that the Lord Jesus said, "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). Certainly our Lord's statement can be applied to the grace sandwich!
Relate in Love
And "beyond all these," love (v14). This kind of love is agape - the highest form of love that the Greek language of the New Testament can communicate. Agapeo is not an "if" type of love. "I will love my fellow believers if they see everything my way" - that’s not agape. And agape is not a "because-of" type of love. "I will show love to my brothers and sisters in Christ because they're always praising me and my work” - that’s not agape.
Agape is the "in-spite-of" type of love that says, "I will show love to other members of the body in spite of the fact that they are immature, or difficult, or they don't support my position, or they don’t approve of my way of doing things!" Agape is love that results from a determined decision and will to love - not merely from an emotional response. Agape is the kind of love that God has shown us. It is the kind of love with which we are to relate to one another. It is the "beyond all these" love that should be the bottom line in our relationships.
Relate in Peace
Because this "in-spite-of" type of love should characterize all our relationships, we are told to relate to one another in peace (v 15). We are to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. The idea here is not that we should compromise in doctrine in order to maintain "peace at any price." No! The concept is that of an umpire - the kind of umpires who ruled in the Greek games of the 1st century who ruled in close calls. Athletes were expected to respect the umpire’s decision, and continue playing the game.
So peace should rule like a referee when it comes to those "close calls" in non-doctrinal matters that often tear our fellowships apart. When things don't go your way in decisions about the music and musicians, or the youth program, or the financial policies of your church or ministry - what do you do? Resist? Quit? Organize an opposition? Advocate for a church split? No! As in the area of athletics, we learn to "be at peace" - to live with the referee's decisions and continue to play the game. And who is to be the referee? The referee is the peace of Christ! When we let the peace of Christ referee in our hearts, we find that we can live with decisions we don't like! And the unity of the body of Christ will be preserved.
Relate with Scripture
We are asked to relate to one another with Scripture (v16). As we teach and counsel each other, we should do it with Scripture. More of us need to get involved in using God's Word to counsel other Christians. It's not just a job for the "professionals"! But - our counsel or admonishing should not be based on what we think. No! It should be based on what the Bible says!
And let’s remember two important qualifications that Scripture imposes on us, before we run around telling others what the Bible says they should do or should not do. The first is to "let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly." We can't use the Bible very effectively to help a fellow believer if we don't know what it says! If we're honest, we must admit that reading a brief devotional "thought for the day," or quickly scanning a few Christian self-help books can't really qualify us as someone in whom the "word of Christ dwells richly!"
The other requirement is that we "counsel ourselves" before we try to be God's counseling gift to the Church! Remember - our Lord Jesus said that we should remove the log from our own eye before we try to take the speck out of our brother's eye. (See Matthew 7:3-5.) And we must remember that agape is to characterize all our relationships, so it must accompany our counsel and advice from God's Word.
Relate with Singing
We are to relate to one another with singing (v16). This point is not about using our singing gift for the Lord, but rather that we are to sing together because of our unity and love for one another in the Lord. And we don't have to be able to sing well! It's hard for us to stay upset or angry with other Christians when we sing together.
Singing scriptural songs together tends to remove hostilities, especially when we sing with "gratitude in our hearts to God." Is it possible to tear down a fellow believer right after the whole congregation has joined together in singing a song of worship?
Relate in Christ’s Name
In whatever we do, by word or action, we are to relate in the name of Christ (v17). In all our relationships with fellow-believers - all the ways we serve each other in word or in action - everything is to be done with the name of Christ as our "signature." It's hard to be stingy with one another in the name of Christ. It's difficult to cut down a brother or sister in the name of Christ. It's impossible to ignore the needs of other Christians in the name of Christ. How do we measure up? Do all our words and actions exhibit His signature? o all our words and actions demonstrate His "beyond all these" agape love?
Relate with Thanksgiving
Finally, we are to give thanks. In the context of this passage, we must conclude that we are to be thankful for one another! We are not only to be thankful in every circumstance of life (1 Thessalonians 5:18), but we are also to be thankful for all of our contacts in the body of Christ. This seems to be the primary focus of our thanksgiving (v15&17).
This doesn't mean that all of our associations in God's family will be pleasant. Let's face it, most brothers and sisters are easy to get along with - but some aren't! Some Christians just don't seem to know their function in the body of Christ and they tend to be disruptive. But even so, we can be thankful for each other! Even the brothers and sisters who are hard to get along with form a necessary part of the body of Christ. And Christ is in control of His own body, so let's try to be more thankful for each other.
An old saying goes, "To live with saints in Heaven above - oh, that will be glory! To live with saints on earth below? Well, that's another story!" That’s meant to be humorous, but sadly it’s all too true. So many church families are dysfunctional. God's family must be a well-functioning family! This is vital for the health of our family members - and invaluable for our witness to those who aren't yet in the family.
If Jesus Christ is supreme in our lives, we'll obey His requests for unity and peace in the family - with singing and with thanksgiving! And since Jesus Christ is all-sufficient, He's able to help us develop the graces of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance and forgiveness. And "beyond all these" graces, He'll help us to put on His “in-spite-of” love - the kind of love that is "the perfect bond of unity."
- Dave Reid