VERSE OF THE DAY
Colossians 3:16 (Good News Translation)
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Christ’s message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct one another with all wisdom. Sing psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts.
Christ’s teaching and message is within you and your living within your heart. Mentor and teach each other with all wisdom and honor. Sing and rejoice honoring God with thanksgiving in you heart and soul.
COLOSSIANS 3:15
January 28, 2021
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Devotional Thoughts
By David Wilkerson
At the cross, mercy and peace took on the face of Jesus Christ. Throughout history, whenever a child of God has fully trusted in the cleansing, healing power of Christ’s blood, peace has been promised. It is Christ’s own peace, the very peace that rules paradise.
The apostle Paul’s words on this subject are meant to help every believer apply this truth in his own walk:
“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3:15, my italics).
Dear saint, this is our hope in all our battles: Let peace rule your heart by resting in the promises of God. “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all” (2 Thessalonians 3:16).
May the following prayer of Paul become ours, as well, in these days of uncertainty:
“The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
Thank God for His joy and peace!
What Does Colossians 3:15 Mean? ►
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Colossians 3:15(NASB)
Verse Thoughts
Peace WITH God is our permanent possession when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, but the peace OF God is conditional upon a believer being in a relationship with the Lord Jesus – as we abide in Christ, trust His Word, depend on His guidance, die to self and live for Him.
Isaiah explained to Israel: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusts in Thee. Paul teaches the Philippian Christians that IF they are anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication make their requests known to God with a thankful heart – THEN the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Peace WITH God is never removed from the man or woman who has trusted in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.. but once we are saved by grace through faith.. the inner perfect peace OF God which rules our hearts and minds is dependent on us maintaining a right relationship with God. This is achieved through humble praise, reverent prayer, grateful thanks and a submissive heart that has faith in God’s Word and trusts that God will keep His word – in all things.
Peace WITH God is the eternal birthright and unchangeable privilege of all true believers but the peace OF God depends on the choices a Christian make in the ups and downs of our everyday lives. God’s peace within becomes a wonderful internal barometer of our closeness to our heavenly Father and our abiding in Christ.
Yes, the promised peace of Christ is an accurate indicator of ones standing with the Lord and is a guide as to whether or not we are abiding in Christ and resting in His love. The spiritual man or woman who is walking in spirit and truth will know a peace in their heart which passes understanding.. even in the midst of great trials and difficulties.. while the one who is out of fellowship and walking in fleshly carnality will have inner turmoil of spirit and disease of the soul.
It is a daily and often moment by moment choice to permit the peace of Christ to rule in our heart. He promised us His peace and it is already ours.. and as long as we steadily look to Him and away from ourselves, His peace becomes an abiding reality. His inner peace is something to which all believers are called, both individually and corporately and should become a reality in the lives of all who are called by His name.. for each is given particular gifts and a unique ministry that is designed to give mutual encouragement to one another in our service to the Lord.
But the peace of God can too often be hindered when a heart is devoid of thanksgiving and praise. A grateful heart that is filled with heavenly thanks and praise to God, is a heart that is ready and prepared to have the peace of Christ stream into their inner being and flow out to others – as a testimony of praise to our heavenly Father.
May we with one accord let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts day by day and moment by moment.. for it is to this that the body in Christ has been called – and let us in all things be thankful.
Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/colossians-3-15
Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/colossians-3-15
What does Colossians 3:16 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑]
In verses 12 through 15, Paul describes ten positive behaviors which Christians are supposed to practice. This important verse offers an eleventh trait: letting the “word of Christ dwell in you richly.” The “word of Christ” refers to Christ’s teachings, both directly as found in the Gospels as well as those explained by the apostles. According to Paul, the teachings of Jesus “live” within believers in a powerful way.
This verse lists three specific applications of Christ’s word dwelling in the life of a believer. The first two aspects are noted together: teaching and admonition. Christ’s word can instruct us, which is “teaching.” At the same time, Christ’s word can also show us where we are wrong. The word of Christ gives us guidance in how to correct mistakes in what we believe and what we do.
Third, Paul encourages the singing of various types of spiritual songs. Paul never gives preference to one type of music over another. His purpose here is simply to state that all types of music were to be used to let the word of Christ dwell richly within us. This singing was to be done with an attitude of thanksgiving. Singing praise to God is largely associated with showing our gratitude to Him, rather than focusing on ourselves or our own desires.
Context Summary
Colossians 3:12–17 follows Paul’s advice on sins to avoid by listing positive traits Christians should strive to emulate. Among these are compassion, humility, patience, and forgiveness. More important than any other is love, which not only inspires the other traits, but which binds Christians together as a single family, under Christ. Paul then opens the idea of following Christ to include every aspect of our lives: whatever we think or do, as believers, ought to be compatible with the example of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter, Paul gives clear instructions to Christians about living out faith in Christ. Since believers have been saved by Christ, they should not participate in the sins which trap unbelievers. Sexual immorality, jealousy, slander, and revenge are not to be part of the Christian’s life. Instead, believers ought to demonstrate compassion, humility, patience, and forgiveness. Above all, followers of Christ should show love. Paul also gives specific instructions for those living in Christian homes, including husbands, wives, children, and servants
Let the Word Dwell Richly — Colossians 3:16–17
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Aug 6, 2017 · 3 min read
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. I looked at six different translations and every one of them made use of the word dwell. Dwell means “to live in” or “to be at home.” We must allow the Word of God to live in us and have a home in our hearts and minds.
John MacArthur connects this verse with Ephesians 5:18 “Do not get drunk with wine, which will only ruin you; instead, be filled with the Spirit.” As you continue on in both Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5, we are shown that letting the Word (Col 3) and Spirit (Eph 5) dwell in our lives have the same results, which led MacArthur to say that “the two are the same spiritual reality viewed from two sides.”
We are told to teach and admonish. What does that mean? We are to teach others the Word of God through message and song. To admonish someone is to warn or reprimand them. We must warn people of what is to come if they do not accept Christ and his teachings. Both teaching and admonishing must come from the wisdom we gain by allowing the Word of God to dwell within us.
What of Worship?
Warren W. Wiersbe talks briefly on the subject of worship in his commentary of the book of Colossians 3:16.
There is (according to Paul) a definite relationship between our knowledge of the Bible and our expression of worship in song. One way we teach and encourage ourselves and others is through the singing of the Word of God. But if we do not know the Bible and understand it, we cannot honestly sing it from our hearts.”
Singing praise to God is not just for others to hear. If we sing from our lips but not our hearts then we are not really worshiping God.
“As a believer grows in his knowledge of the Word, he will want to grow in his expression of praise.” The Hymns and Psalms are an important part of any church that wants to worship the Lord in song. At the same time the gospel and spiritual songs are important as well. We are commanded to sing spiritual songs just as we are commanded to sing psalms and hymns. While they convey different things as long as they are from the Word of God they should be used as praise to Christ.
Wiersbe said “A singer has no more right to sing a lie than a preacher has to preach a lie.” Worship in song is an important part of a believer’s life in Christ. If we as leaders are not familiar with the Word of God that our music should be based on than how can we “lead” others in praise to him? Without the knowledge of the word in our minds and hearts we can not truly And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)
It is difficult to discuss verse sixteen without also looking at seventeen. Whatever we do we must do it in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus. When we sing Psalms we must do it in the name of Christ. When we sing Hymns we must do it in the name of Christ. When we read and study the word we must do it in the name of Christ. When we go to work we must do it in the name of Christ. Every aspect of our life must be done to give thanks to God for what he has done and will do for us in our lives.
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