Colossians 3:17 says - "Whatever
you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
through Him to God the Father."
We often, subconsciously, compartmentalize the things we do
into the spiritual things and the secular things. But the word "whatever"
doesn't leave room for us to do that. "Whatever you do in word or deed." That means whatever we
say, or whatever we do, is to be said or done in Jesus name, and with an
attitude of thanksgiving. The phrase "in Jesus name" isn't just a
catchy little saying that we tack onto the end of our prayers. It means, on His
behalf and to bring Him glory. So when we're told in Colossians that
whatever we do in word or deed, we are to do it in the name of Jesus, it means
that everything we do is to be done as Jesus Himself would do it, and whatever
we say is to be said as Jesus Himself would say it. It's all about bringing Him
glory. If it can't be done or said in Jesus name it shouldn't be done or said at
all.
Does that mean that for the rest of our lives we should do nothing but read our Bibles and pray? Of course not. In 1 Corinthians 10:31 Paul says - "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Here Paul mentions two things that we have in common with animals. Eating and drinking. And yet he says that we are to do these things to the glory of God. We can't separate the things we do into the "sacred" and the "secular." (A. W. Tozer wrote a book called "The pursuit of God" and in the last chapter of that book he deals with this verse, and goes into a lot of detail. I encourage you to read it if you haven't.)
The Lord Jesus Christ lived His human life in this manner. Everything He said and everything He did, He said and did to the glory of the Father. In John 12:49-50 He says - "For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." And in John 8:29 He says - "For I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."
The Lord Jesus Christ set the perfect example. He lived His life completely for the glory of God. Now, I know what you're thinking. "Yeah, but He's God. Of course He never said or did anything wrong. How am I supposed to follow His example? I'm not perfect."
Well, that's true. We can't do it in our flesh. We can't live that life by our own effort. Only God can accomplish this in and through us. God never commands us to do something that He doesn't also enable us to do.
In John 12:12 Jesus says - "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." Since Jesus died and rose again and ascended to the Father, He now indwells every believer. The only one who is capable of living completely for the glory of God indwells us. He is the Lord, the Master of our lives. We need to learn to surrender to His lordship, so that He can use everything we say and everything we do for His glory. And the extent to which we surrender our lives to Him, is the extent to which He can live His life through us. The apostle Paul was able to say in Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet not I, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." If I am dead to self and alive to God then Christ can live His life through me. The Christian life is not difficult, it's impossible. And God never intended for us to live this life in our flesh, because the only one who can live the Christian life is Christ Himself. So the only way we can live the Christian life is if Christ lives His life through us.
Colossians 3:23-24 - "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."
Does that mean that for the rest of our lives we should do nothing but read our Bibles and pray? Of course not. In 1 Corinthians 10:31 Paul says - "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Here Paul mentions two things that we have in common with animals. Eating and drinking. And yet he says that we are to do these things to the glory of God. We can't separate the things we do into the "sacred" and the "secular." (A. W. Tozer wrote a book called "The pursuit of God" and in the last chapter of that book he deals with this verse, and goes into a lot of detail. I encourage you to read it if you haven't.)
The Lord Jesus Christ lived His human life in this manner. Everything He said and everything He did, He said and did to the glory of the Father. In John 12:49-50 He says - "For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." And in John 8:29 He says - "For I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."
The Lord Jesus Christ set the perfect example. He lived His life completely for the glory of God. Now, I know what you're thinking. "Yeah, but He's God. Of course He never said or did anything wrong. How am I supposed to follow His example? I'm not perfect."
Well, that's true. We can't do it in our flesh. We can't live that life by our own effort. Only God can accomplish this in and through us. God never commands us to do something that He doesn't also enable us to do.
In John 12:12 Jesus says - "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." Since Jesus died and rose again and ascended to the Father, He now indwells every believer. The only one who is capable of living completely for the glory of God indwells us. He is the Lord, the Master of our lives. We need to learn to surrender to His lordship, so that He can use everything we say and everything we do for His glory. And the extent to which we surrender our lives to Him, is the extent to which He can live His life through us. The apostle Paul was able to say in Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet not I, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." If I am dead to self and alive to God then Christ can live His life through me. The Christian life is not difficult, it's impossible. And God never intended for us to live this life in our flesh, because the only one who can live the Christian life is Christ Himself. So the only way we can live the Christian life is if Christ lives His life through us.
Colossians 3:23-24 - "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."
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