VERSE OF THE DAY
Colossians 4:5-6 (New Living Translation)
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Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
Walk amongst non believers speaking wisely in all opportunities making the most in everything live in honor of God. Let your conversation be honoring to a godly life style full in grace and attractive to many so that you speak right responses for everyone living a godly manner
What Does Colossians 4:5 Mean? ►
Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.
Colossians 4:5(NASB)
Verse Thoughts
Paul equips the saints to recognise false teaching and doctrines of demons by teaching the truth of the Gospel of God to the saints. He teaches of the exaltation and perfection of Christ, the deity and the sufficiency of Christ and the wisdom and glory of Christ. He teaches of our reconciliation by Christ, and our membership in the Body of Christ – and He details the importance of a believe’s prayer life and testimony for the Lord.
And Paul further teaches believers how to live godly lives, as is fitting for those that are saved by grace through faith in Christ’s sacrificial death and His glorious resurrection. We are to clothe ourselves with virtue and grace. We are to seek spiritual values and not seek after worldly trifles. We are to perfect our private, public, personal and prayer life, with joyful praise and grateful thanks – and we are to conduct ourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities that we have.
Our life is to be the same in public as it is in private. We should not lower the godly standards that He expects from His children when we are in the company of those that do not believe – for although we are in the world, we are not part of the world – we are bought with a price, the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and have been made ministers of reconciliation.
Our behaviour should not be compromised when walking in the company of others, in our everyday lives.. and our desire and delight should be to share the good news of the gospel of grace, with all who cross our path.. but it should be done with clarity and. simplicity. As Christians we are called to conduct ourselves in godly wisdom, which is given us from above and to behave in a manner that is fitting for a child of God.
Let us remember that today is the day of salvation for many, and that we need to conduct ourselves in a godly manner with all wisdom. Let us make the most of every opportunity we have to share the good news of the gospel of Christ as we seek to walk in wisdom and truth.. so that we might become children of God.
Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/colossians-4-5
Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/colossians-4-5
What Does Colossians 4:6 Mean? ►
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:6(ISV)
Verse Thoughts
It was the Lord Jesus about Whom it was said, no man ever spoke like this man and it was the Lord Jesus who spoke in spirit and truth. Jesus only said what He heard the Father say and He only did as the Spirit of God instructed Him.
Some people think this showed that Christ was less than God. NEVER! He is co-equal with the Father and in every respect, but while on earth the Lord Jesus subjected Himself to the will of the Father. He did this to demonstrate that a man that who is subject to the Holy Spirit will walk and talk in accordance to the will of God.
The words of Christ were gracious and seasoned with salt. He spoke the truth in love but did not compromise His speech or language. Like Christ our speech should always be gracious and seasoned with salt.
Words that come out from our mouth have their source in the thoughts of our hearts. When our heart is properly focused on the Lord, in fellowship with the Father, and being led by the Spirit, our words will be gracious and seasoned with salt. The will be gracious words but truthful words. They will not be designed to embarrass or hurt, ridicule or humiliate others but will speak the truth in love.
We can never learn how to speak as unto the Lord by a 12-step programme designed by man; train ourselves to always say the right thing; try to copy the words that other people speak, or even parrot the words of the Lord Jesus Himself. But a life that is lived seeking the Lord with all their heart – a life that is submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit– a life lived with ears open to hear His Word and eyes open to see His truth will be a life that speaks the truth in love – with gracious speech and are seasoned with salt
Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/colossians-4-6
QUESTION
Why are we told to “let your words be seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6)?
ANSWER
Our words and the way we communicate them are important. Believers are exhorted in Colossians 4:6, “Let your words be seasoned with salt.” As believers, our words should reflect to others the truth of the gospel. They should reveal how this gospel has transformed our lives. Our words should impact our conversations for the better as we bring a different “flavor” to our interactions, build others up, and share as well as defend the gospel.
The words we speak reflect what is in our hearts, “for the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Luke 6:45). When we trust in Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, we become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our lives are transformed; we have been saved from our sins and brought from death to life (Ephesians 2:6). The Holy Spirit lives within us (Romans 8:11). For these reasons, believers’ words should always be “seasoned with salt.”
Jesus called believers to be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). Salt is an important mineral; it preserves food, brings out flavor, soothes and heals, and is necessary for life: it balances fluids in the blood and is vital for nerve and muscle function. The salt of the earth metaphor applies to the way believers talk as well as how they live, as Paul indicates: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:5–6). The content and tone of our words should impact those around us for the better, especially unbelievers.
A believer’s words are to be seasoned with salt so that we can “know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6). Sharing the gospel includes knowing it, sharing it accurately, and doing so with a humble and gracious attitude—in a palatable way. Believers are called to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). Having an unwholesome, distasteful attitude is not becoming to the gospel of Christ; unsavory motives and attitudes do not produce words “seasoned with salt.”
While not every conversation must specifically be about God, every conversation should be seasoned with salt. We should always be ready to answer others’ questions about our faith, and our words should always reflect Christ, bringing a different “flavor” to what might otherwise be an unsavory conversation. What a Christian says and how he says it ought to add value to a conversation just as salt does for food.
Just the right of salt in food amount brings out flavor and transforms a meal. Our words can be seasoned with salt by speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and being gracious in every circumstance. As Proverbs 16:24 says, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Just as salt has healing properties, our words should bring healing and goodness, encouraging its hearers and pointing them to the One who is vital for life.
Jesus said, “Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other” (Mark 9:50b). What we say and how we say it should always be seasoned with the salt of grace and peace. In order to give a seasoned answer, we must present what we say and how we say it in a way that reflects Christ. May we all prayerfully consider our hearts before we engage our mouths and reflect what the psalmist says in Psalm 19:14: “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Colossians and Philemon, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament by G.K. Beale
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I. INTRODUCTION
A. Alamo
1. On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a memorial to one of the Americans who died fighting there.
2. His name was James Butler Bonham.
3. There’s a picture there, but it’s not of him. The picture is of his nephew.
4. And this inscription explains – “No picture of James Butler Bonham exists.
This portrait is his nephew who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man who died at the Alamo for freedom.”
B. Christ’s Portrait
1. No photograph or portrait of Jesus exists either.
2. But His likeness is to be reproduced in each one of His followers.
3. The One who died to set us free has risen from the dead and desires to take up
residence in us through the Holy Spirit – conforming us to His image, and
producing a portrait of Christ for all the world to see.
4. This is what Paul writes to the Colossians in our text this morning . . .
II. TEXT
A. V. 5
5
1. The larger context of this verse is Paul telling the Colossians how to live as new men and women in Christ.
2. Last week we saw how we are to relate to one another in the Church, as Brothers and Sister in Christ
3. Here he tells us how we are to relate to those outside the Church.
4. As the family of God, we share a common bond.
a. our devotion to God brings a devotion and loyalty to one another.
b. as we grow in Christ we find a growing sense of affection and mutual care
for other believers
c. unbelievers are outside that bond
5. Many of you have experienced what I’m talking about
a. you’ve come here on Sunday for church
b. we worship and study together,
c. then you go in to the fellowship hall after service where you meet others
d. you engage them in conversation, talking about what the Lord spoke to you
that morning, listening to them while they share the same
e. one of your mentions a need and the others huddle round and pray
f. you embrace, And as you make your way to your car to leave,
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
g. there’s a deep sense of unity and belonging that comforts your heart
h. those people you’ve just spent the last couple hours with are more than
friends
i. they’re a part of your life!
j. then, later that day, you go over to the house of a family member for a
family reunion or get together
1) though most of your relatives are unbelievers, you greet them warmly
and engage in some friendly chit-chat
2) you sit back and listen while people talk & as you do, you realize
something
3) though you share a blood tie, there’s something missing
4) you don’t sense the same connectedness with them you did with those
believers earlier in the day
k. it’s not because you’ve been brainwashed
l. you don’t carry a card that identifies you as a certified Jesus Freak
m. it’s just that there is a definite spiritual unity and bond with other believers
n. a tangible attachment to the Family of God.
6. Within the Church, within God’s family, we’re to love and serve one another.
a. we’re to guard one another’s dignity
b. as we saw last week, we’re to bear with one another
c. and when offences come, we’re to forgive one another
7. Here Paul tells us how we are to treat those on the outside – meaning unbelievers.
8. He says we’re to walk in wisdom
a. walking was a favorite idiom for Paul of our lifestyle
b. our walk refers to our behavior, our actions, the way we conduct ourselves
in the world
c. he says that our lifestyle is to be marked by wisdom!
9. Outsiders watch Christians!
a. all you have to do is mention you’re a believer and suddenly people start
treating you differently
b. they adopt a posture of watching you and checking out how you live
10. There must be nothing in our lives that jeopardizes our testimony or dishonors Jesus.
11. Walking in wisdom means we apply the knowledge of Christ to our daily lives
a. wisdom is the successful application of knowledge
b. it means living skillfully!
12. I fear that in many churches today, we’ve done a fairly good job of imparting knowledge about God and the basic doctrines of the faith
13. But have we been successful at translating that knowledge into action?
14. According to recent polls, the majority of Americans say they believe in God
and heaven.
a. but their personal lives do not reflect that
b. morally, on the whole, professing Christians don’t appear to be
significantly statistically different from unbelievers
c. in a recently conducted poll by the Barna Research Group, George Barna
said this,
“The research distinguished between the goals of adults who are born again Christians and those who are not. The distinctions, however, are surprisingly few in number.”
d. he went on to write,
“The [popular idea] is that interest in religion has increased, that teenagers are focused primarily on quality of life issues and that born again Christians are outer- directed. In light of those views, the survey data provide some surprising findings. For instance, if spiritual revival were occurring, [as many contend] you’d expect to see increasing levels of interest in a relationship with God, in church involvement and in commitment to the Christian faith. None of those are evident. If teenagers were on the leading edge of altruistic living, you’d see their levels of interest in integrity, faith and a modest lifestyle surpassing the levels of adults. We do not see that. And if Christians were truly focused on serving others, you’d expect to see much larger percentages of them committed to influencing other people and to making a difference in the world. That, too, is not evident.”
15. Walking wisely means to walk our talk – to live out who and what we are inwardly
16. If you say you’re a Christian – live like one.
17. If you have a “Honk If You love Jesus” bumper sticker on your vehicle, it’s a
good idea to obey the traffic laws and show yourself to be courteous on the
road.
18. Then Paul says we’re to “redeem the time.”
a. at the same time that we’re keeping a close guard on our lives and making sure our own behavior rightly reflects our status as the saved
b. we’re to look for openings to actively share the Lord
19. This word redeem was a commercial term.
a. it referred to a merchant who kept his eye out for a good buy and when he found it, he snapped it up
b. as Paul uses it here, it presents the picture of believers seeing themselves as faithful stewards who are walking though the marketplace of this world,
c. keeping their eyes peeled for any and every opportunity to advance the Kingdom of God.
20. Some of you love sales.
a. you know a good deal when you see one
b. and you’re quick to jump on it.
c. I knew someone several years ago who was really good at finding awesome
deals at garage sales
d. at one sale, she opened an old cardboard box to discover a dozen badly
corroded cups
e. instantly she recognized what they were and asked the owner what he
wanted for them
f. he came over and looked in the box, made a face of revulsion, and said –
“For that? $5!”
g. she pulled out a five, handed it to him and walked back to her car.
h. she had just purchased a dozen ornate sterling silver wine goblets for $5.
21. Opportunity!
a. how many of you wish you had bought a hundred or more shares of Microsoft in 1983?
b. or Qualcomm, or any one of a couple dozen dot-com companies as little as a year or two ago?
22. It’s from the perspective of hindsight that we see the missed opportunities and kick ourselves that we hadn’t been more alert and attentive and taken action
23. Paul is calling us that kind of alertness now.
24. Every day presents new opportunities to us to make an eternal difference in the
lives of others
25. Dr. Will Houghton, was called to come be the pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle,
a large church in Atlanta,
a. a businessman and critic of the church, hired a private detective to follow
Dr. Houghton and report back on his conduct.
b. after a few weeks, the detective reported to the businessman that Dr.
Houghton’s life more than matched his preaching.
c. that man began attending the church and soon became a Christian.
26. We can invite people to church every week, but if they don’t see the positive effect of church in our lives, why should they waste a couple hours of valuable time?
27. We can invite people to know Christ, but if our lives deny we know Him, why should they believe us?
B. V. 6
6
how you ought to answer each one.
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know
1. There’s an old adage that goes, “By any and all means share Christ – sometimes, use words.”
2. That’s what Paul is saying in vs. 5 & 6
a. in v. 5 he says, let your life reflect the person and power of Jesus
b. in v. 6 he says, as opportunities arise, open your mouth and let God’s grace
and truth flow forth.
3. The Bible has much to say on the subject of speech and how our faith in God
ought to steer the course our tongue takes
4. Never underestimate the power of speech.
a. a judge says a few words, and a man’s life is saved or condemned.
b. a doctor speaks a few words, and a patient either rejoices or gives up in
despair.
c. whether communication is oral or written, there is great power in words.
d. for every word in Adolph Hitler’s book Mein Kampf, 125 persons lost their
lives in World War II.
5. The power of speech is a gift from God, and it must be used the way God
ordains.
6. In the book of James, the tongue is compared to a bridle in a horse’s mouth and
a tiny rudder on a massive ship,
7. He calls the tongue a fire, a poisonous animal or, it can be a fruitful tree and a
fountain of refreshing (James 3).
a. it has the power to wound
b. and it has the power to heal
8. We chose how and to what end we will employ it every time we open our
mouths[1]
9. So Paul tells us to direct our speech at grace!
10. I know that most of us hear the word “grace” and immediately think of it in the
NT sense – unearned favor
a. and while that is the way Paul usually uses it in his letters,
b. that is not the meaning he intends for it here
c. he means it in it’s classical sense – as the Greek speaking world typically
used it
1) the word grace meant, “that which brings delight”
2) it was often used to describe something that was so beautiful, something
so pleasant to the senses that it brought delight and happiness
11.When Paul says our speech is always to be with grace, he means it ought to
bring delight to those who hear
a. instead of our words being always negative and critical
b. instead of complaining, being argumentative, and general being a pain
c. our speech ought to lift those around us
d. they ought to be living expressions of our love for and confidence in God
12. We’ve all had the experience of knowing someone who every time they opened their mouth you just wanted to plug your ears or leave the room
13. And then, there are those – when they speak, it’s a thrill to listen
14. Our speech ought to be gracious!
15. But grace can only come from our mouths if it’s first in our hearts
a. in Matthew 12:34, Jesus said that it’s out of the overflow of our hearts that our mouths speak
b. In Colossians 3:16 we read . . .
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
c. if we made this a regular habit, I seriously doubt we’d have a problem with our speech
16. Some of us here this morning find ourselves continually distressed over the content of our speech
17. Try as we might, it seems we keep saying things we later regret
18. Some of us have a problem with profanity – it’s obvious we ought not speak
such words, but over and over again, we find ourselves stumbling in this area
19. We have to take seriously what Jesus says in Matthew 12 – our mouths are but
the fountain of the spring of our heart
20. If you struggle with improper speech or profanity, let me ask you, do you spend
time each day in the Word of God?
a. is the word of Christ dwelling in you richly?
b. do you spend time verbally praising God?
21. If you find the worksite is the place you stumble the most, do you spend time with the Lord before you go to work?
22. Are you filling your heart and mind with love and truth?
23. Let’s face it – the moment just prior to your grievous speech, your heart wasn’t
full of grace was it – no, it was full of the world
24. No wonder we fail!
25. I know this for an absolute truth – when I have been in the presence of God,
when I have worshipped Him and spent time just beholding Him in His beauty – my heart is filled with love and devotion and my mouth is a fountain of blessing, not profanity and corrupt speech
26. Besides grace, Paul says our speech should be seasoned with salt.
a. we use salt today for one reason – to add flavor to food
b. in the ancient world, salt was used for two important reasons
1) to flavor food but even more importantly – to preserve it
2) in an age without refrigeration, salt was essential to keep food from
spoiling
27. I think Paul means both uses of salt here
a. our speech should be flavorful,
1) it ought to add spice and flavor to life
2) after all, think about what believers get to talk about that the world
doesn’t
3) real love – life in the Spirit – the hope of heaven – God who we know –
Jesus Christ, our heavenly fiancé – the Holy Spirit who indwells us,
empowers us, and enables us to live lives of excellence!
4) our domain is truth – the spiritual air we breath is the atmosphere of
heaven – this planet we live on is God’s footstool – and all of history is
His great drama of redemption!
b. our speech should also act as a preservative, retarding the influence of sin
and corruption
1) instead of contributing to the downward drag of sinful speech
2) our words should direct men and women to think about God
3) such is the power of the right word, spoken at the right moment.
4) example: people who take the Lord’s Name in vain and I say, “Is there
something you wanted to tell Him?”
III. CONCLUSION
A. The Wick
1. Dr. Paul Brand was speaking to a college in India
2. His text was, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good
works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
3. In front of the lectern was an oil lamp with its cotton wick burning from a
shallow dish of oil.
4. As he preached, Dr. Brand referred to the lamp as an illustration, but in the
middle of his speech, the oil ran out, the wick burned dry, and smoke rose up to
make him cough
5. He turned even that into an illustration
6. He said, “Some of us here are like this wick. We’re trying to shine for the
glory of God, but we stink.”
7. “That’s what happens when we use ourselves as the fuel of our own witness
rather than the Holy Spirit.”
8. “Wicks can last indefinitely, burning brightly and without irritating smoke, if
the oil supply is plenty.”
B. The Holy Spirit
1. All that Paul has written today is only possible if we are empowered by the Spirit of God
2. Without Him, all we are is stinking wicks and soon burnt out!
3. Your power to walk wisely, your ability to redeem the time and to speak with
grace, is only possible when you are being filled with the Holy Spirit
4. Bring yourself before the Lord this morning and surrender once again to Him.
What does Colossians 4:5 mean?
Part of proclaiming the gospel and making it clear (Colossians 4:3–4) is found in the believer’s actions toward unbelievers. Two important principles are presented here. First, wisdom or discernment should be used regarding our actions—our “walk”—toward unbelievers. What we do and what we say must be consistent, over time, and with each other, in order to clearly present the message of Jesus.
Second, we are to make effective use of our time. Some translations interpret this phrase as “making the most of every opportunity.” Every moment of life is important and should be maximized in service to Christ. More than most, Paul was acutely aware of this, having been beaten, imprisoned, and shipwrecked over the course of his ministry. This perspective inspired Paul to boldly share faith in Jesus with unbelievers.
This is a fundamental part of the gospel message: time is short. Whether by accident, nature, or the return of Christ, each person can be face-to-face with God at any moment. Believers should be motivated by the knowledge that the people around us will die apart from Christ unless they hear and receive the gospel.
Context Summary
Colossians 4:2–6 completes the main substance of Paul’s letter. This passage starts with a request for personal prayer, then transitions into a command regarding how Christians speak. Paul uses the metaphor of salt. Salt, in Paul’s day, was valuable enough to be used as money, and was treasured for its ability to preserve and flavor foods. In the same way, a Christian’s speech should be helpful and valuable, ”flavored” differently from the speech of non-believers, and preserving the message of Christ.
Chapter Summary
The first verse of chapter 4 is actually the last thought from Paul’s prior comments about bondservants and masters. After this, Paul gives the Christian perspective on conversation. The way believers speak has a large impact on the effectiveness of our message. Paul then ends his letter with news and messages between various Christian ministers. Among these are names which Paul mentions again in other letters, such as Tychicus, Epaphras, Archippus, and Onesimus
What does Colossians 4:6 mean?
So far, Paul has presented evangelism as a work of prayer (Colossians 4:2–3), a work of clear communication (Colossians 4:4), and a matter of wisdom and making the most of each opportunity (Colossians 4:5). A fifth principle for effective outreach is given here, the idea of gracious or kind speech.
In Paul’s time, salt served primarily as a preservative, keeping meat from spoiling. It was valuable enough to be used as a form of currency. And, of course, it changes the flavor of whatever it is added to. In that regard, Paul’s use of this metaphor has more than one meaning. The believer’s words are to preserve the message of Christ, helping it effectively reach as many people as possible. What a Christian says ought to add value to the conversation; our words should be uplifting or helpful. Finally, the truth of our renewed Christian lives ought to be clear in the different “flavor” of how we speak and act.
Another aspect of gracious speech is the ability to answer the questions of unbelievers. Peter also noted the importance of this area of ministry, saying, “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). Communicating Christ includes both a positive presentation of the gospel and the ability to defend it (Titus 1:9). Mere knowledge is not all that is required. In order to give an answer in a truly “Christian” way, a person must present truth using proper words and a proper attitude.
Context Summary
Colossians 4:2–6 completes the main substance of Paul’s letter. This passage starts with a request for personal prayer, then transitions into a command regarding how Christians speak. Paul uses the metaphor of salt. Salt, in Paul’s day, was valuable enough to be used as money, and was treasured for its ability to preserve and flavor foods. In the same way, a Christian’s speech should be helpful and valuable, ”flavored” differently from the speech of non-believers, and preserving the message of Christ.
Chapter Summary
We The first verse of chapter 4 is actually the last thought from Paul’s prior comments about bondservants and masters. After this, Paul gives the Christian perspective on conversation. The way believers speak has a large impact on the effectiveness of our message. Paul then ends his letter with news and messages between various Christian ministers. Among these are names which Paul mentions again in other letters, such as Tychicus, Epaphras, Archippus, and Onesimus
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