This morning I am in Colossians continuing my study on the word “receive”. The passage is titled, “Rules for Christian Households”. The big takeaway for me is obedience this morning. As with a lot of my studies, I am led to passages time and time again and this one is no different. The focus in the past was on the work done and the reward received. This morning I see the obedience to receive and not the work itself.
“18Wives, submit…”, “19Husbands, love…”, “20Children, obey…”, “21Fathers, do not…”, “22Slaves, obey…”, and “1Masters, treat…”. – Colossians 3:18-22, & 4:1
All of these are the rules that we are to obey in our households. They will keep us moving in the right direction with our families and most importantly in our Family of God.
“23Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” – Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)
And there we have it. Obedience to the rules will result in receipt of the inheritance. See the one we are obeying is “the Lord Christ”. We are serving Him in our work. We are in His house and we are to follow and live according to the rules of the house. Those rules are spelled out in the passage as noted above: “Wives, submit…”, “Husbands, love…”, “Children, obey…”, Fathers, do not…”, Slaves, obey…”, and “Masters, treat…”. Everyone in the house is addressed. We are all accountable to the rules set forth in the household. We are all to obey the head of the house, our Father God.
I remember speaking to our boys and answering their questions as to why they have to do certain things with, “because I am the head of the house and I said so”. I am sure that all of us have used a similar statement in the past and we do so for the good of the children and others in the household. I have to remember that I am part of the house of the LORD and am accountable to what He answers me with, even when that answer is, “because I am the head of the house and I said so”. We will receive our reward through our obedience to the head of our forever household, our Father God.
What is your view on obedience in the house? Do you see yourself with only the earthly household? What if you realize the forever household you are in with God as the head and master and delivered your obedience to Him?
