Colossians 3:16–17 16 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. 17 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.
During His ministry on earth, Jesus taught His disciples that He was the culmination of Scriptural truth. After His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, the Spirit of God empowered the disciples to spread the gospel message. The message is that trusting the atoning work of Jesus on the cross brings reconciliation with God. Sinners are declared righteous before God because they confess their sins and seek forgiveness from God by faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone, made available by God’s grace alone.
What does it mean to have the word of Christ dwell in you richly? It begins when you are enveloped in redemptive words and work that bring you spiritual life and hunger. Jesus Christ becomes the light and lens through which you see and apply the Old Testament. You add to this a love for the instructions of the New Testament, which are the teaching of Jesus that the Apostles of the Lord shared with churches. That is what it means to have the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
Christ-centered truths are what the people of God in the New Covenant are passionate about knowing and sharing. We become passionate about learning, living, and sharing Biblical truths that culminate in the priceless work of Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Christ-exalting truths become the lyrics of songs and hymns that we sing for the edification of one another to the glory of God’s goodness to us. We are so enthralled with our Lord and Savior, Jesus, that everything we do and say happens with His goodness and glory in mind. We have no desire to keep these wonderful truths to ourselves. We know Jesus, and we want to make Him known.
May the fruit of the word of Christ richly dwell in you!
