As Christians, we need to be aware that not everyone thinks or believes like us, and we should be wise about how we treat others. We should do our best to let the fruit of the Holy Spirit guide our interactions with non-Christians, so that those relationships are marked with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Relying upon the Holy Spirit, we should learn how to share the reasons we have for following Jesus.

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COLOSSIANS #37. COLOSSIANS 4:4-6

5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person (Colossians 4:5-6, ESV)

Paul is offering some final instructions. His first thought is that we are to be wise in our interactions with those who do not know Jesus. What exactly does the Holy Spirit mean us to get from this?

First of all, a reminder about wisdom. Wisdom is not just knowledge. Some people know a great deal, but they are not wise at all.I’ve met a few Christians who could quote all sorts of Bible passages from memory, and yet, they did not apply those verses to their lives. Even though they had knowledge, they were foolish, not wise.

Wisdom is the ability to use whatever knowledge we do have, and to apply it to our lives and actions in a right and thoughtful way.

Paul tells us now to apply what we know of Jesus to our relationships with those who do not follow Jesus. I think some of this means we should be careful not to act like hypocrites. If we talk a Christian talk, but then treat people badly, this amounts to being foolish in our interactions with other people. We should think through how our words or actions might reflect upon Jesus and his other followers.

Some people will be antagonistic to Christianity, no matter what we do. But at least, let it be for the right reasons, and not because we have been cruel, or rude or unkind or stupid. Don’t let our actions become an occasion for someone to think badly about Jesus Christ.

There’s another aspect of walking in wisdom toward outsiders. That is, we should be aware that those who are Christians, and those who are not are different. Yes, we should treat those who don’t follow Jesus with grace, and kindness and respect. But we also need to remember that we have given our ultimate allegiance to Jesus Christ, and that makes us different from those who have not. We need to be careful about absorbing the values and priorities of those around us. Being wise also involves being different.

Some of the ancient church leaders, writing about this verse, advised Christians to be careful about how they engaged in business, and also about with whom they did business. They thought it was wise to minimize interactions with certain types of people. Unfortunately, in this day and age, there are people who are deliberately looking to pick a fight with Christianity and Christians. Sometimes, such people might even be motivated by politics or ideology. If you sense someone actively trying to make trouble with you about being a Christian, sometimes it’s best to remain polite, but keep your distance. As Paul says, be wise about how you interact with outsiders.

Our culture is becoming increasingly hostile to Christians, and to our beliefs. Even as I write this, there is a bill called the “Equality Act” that has already passed the US House of Representatives. The law will punish churches and Christian charities for abiding by Christian doctrine in the way they minister to people. If it passes the Senate, it will be technically illegal for some doctors, nurses, and others, to allow their Christian beliefs to shape how they help the people they serve. It will restrict Christian organizations from expressing certain Christian beliefs, and  require even Christians working in private organizations to treat people in a way that conflicts with what the Bible teaches. This will be true even of organizations who receive no funding from the government. It even sets a precedent for making certain kinds of speech illegal.

All this is to say, even now, the time has come to be wise about who we express our views to, and how much we say to certain people. Especially, this applies to what we do in our interactions online.

Now, this does not mean that we should keep quiet about Jesus. I’ll explain more about that in a minute. But it does mean that when we interact with others, we should let the fruit of Holy Spirit be evident: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:23). And also, we should be wise about choosing our time and opportunities to tell others about Jesus.

After telling us to be wise in how we relate to outsiders, he adds: “making the best use of the time.” The Greek word for time is not just the passing of minutes, hours, and days. It is a word for a specified amount of time, a pre-determined “season.” The word “making the best use of,” means we should use this specified season as fully as we can, and not let it go to waste. So, what is “the time” or “the season,” that Paul means? What does he mean that we shouldn’t let it go to waste but should make it worthwhile? To understand all this, let’s look at something written by the apostle Peter, when people asked him when Jesus was going to return:

8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. (2 Peter 3:8-9, NLT).

So, the “season” that we are in, the time that we are to make use of, is the remaining time we have on earth. It is our life, for as long as Jesus allows us to live, or, perhaps, until he returns again. The way we are to make use of it is by helping other people to follow Jesus.

Remember that this whole section of Colossians began with this statement:

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4, ESV)

We already have “one foot in heaven,” so to speak. Our real life, our best life, is already secure with Christ at the right hand of God. That life is eternal. That life is more powerful than the one we live here and now in the flesh. One day, when Jesus returns, we will step into the fullness of that life. At this present time, we have it only in the spirit realm. Our flesh, that is, our present mortal bodies, cannot inherit that eternal spirit-life. Our bodies of flesh are corrupted. Our souls are caught between the good, powerful pure eternal life of the spirit, and the corrupt, sinful, dying desires of the flesh. So we fight a battle in our souls. Anchored here by our bodies of flesh, we experience pain and heartbreak, temptation and sorrow and cruelty and injustice. But we have a promise that when Jesus returns, he will grant us new bodies, bodies that are not corrupted by sin. These new bodies will be a perfect fit for the spirit life that has already been given us. Then, there will be no more pain and suffering, no more heartbreak, no more disappointment, anger, rage, fear, or anything we think of as bad, wrong, or evil.

But right now, in this present life, we have a part of the new life in Christ, but only a kind of “down payment,” not the whole thing. You might say that we are stuck in a kind of in-between time. It is about this in-between time that Paul says: “making the best use of your time.”

So, in our text for today, Paul is saying this: “As long as we are stuck here, let’s make the most of this in-between time. Let’s not let it go to waste. Let’s make it count for something.” And, of course, the way to make it count is to use it to point other people to the Life that is in Jesus.

Next, the text says:

Let your words at all times be gracious, salt-seasoned, knowing how to give the best, well-considered response to each person. (Col 4:6, my translation).

Our words are to be gracious, and seasoned with salt. Have you ever had a conversation with someone, and afterwards you felt almost the way you do after a delicious and healthy meal? You are strengthened, and satisfied and encouraged. That is the way we are to be in our talk with others, especially with outsiders.

In my own conversation, I struggle with this. My language is not generally full of obscenity, or coarse, crude talk, or innuendo. But sometimes, I wonder if maybe instead it is just sort of tasteless. Even though I sometimes struggle to make small-talk, I also struggle to move a conversation beyond small-talk. But this idea of “salt-seasoned” conversation means it should be meaningful. So, what can I do? As with all of this part of Colossians, it is meant to cause us to rely upon Jesus. Once I know what Jesus wants, I need to be willing for that to happen through me. Next, once I am willing for my talk to be gracious and salt-seasoned, my part is to rely upon Jesus to make that happen. In real life, for me, that usually means two things. The first is that I say a quick prayer during a conversation, just a silent prayer in my head, like: “Lord bless and use this conversation.” Next, I try to find a question that will give the conversation an opportunity to become more grace-filled and meaningful. Often all I come up with is: “How can I pray for you during the next few days?” Or, sometimes, the Lord will put an idea or question in my head that helps move the conversation to a more meaningful level.

We are also told to give a thoughtful response to each person. Peter says something similar:

Peter writes about this also:

15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. (NLT, 1 Peter 3:15-16).

. There was an old saying that used to be common in some Christian circles: “Preach the gospel. Use words if necessary.” I detest that saying. Words are necessary. The gospel is not “preached” unless there are also words.

3 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “LORD, who has believed our message?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. (Romans 10:13-17, NLT, bold formatting added for emphasis)

How can anyone believe if they have never heard the Word of God? “And how can they hear the word of God unless someone tells them?” So, tell them. Yes, be wise about when and how you tell them, but tell them.

It is a good idea to think about why you follow Jesus. Although Jesus gives us forgiveness and eternal life, following him also means we give up the right to arrange our own lives the way we want to, and instead, die to ourselves, and live as he leads us. We must have a reason for making that choice, which leads us away from self-centeredness, and the pleasures of sin. It’s good for us to think through what our reasons are, and then also, to think through the best way to explain those reasons to different types of people. Then, when the time comes, we’ll be ready.

By the way, when it comes to giving your reasons for why you trust Jesus, you shouldn’t try to sound like anybody except yourself. Don’t come up with someone else’s reasons for why to follow Jesus; instead, think through why you follow him, and, figure out the best way to explain that to others. As you learn and grow in Jesus, you will know more, and what you say may be more profound, but don’t pretend to know something you don’t. We are all finite human beings, and God is infinite. Therefore, there will always be things we don’t understand, and questions for which we don’t have answers. I think sometimes, people respect us more when we honestly admit it when we don’t know. But at the very least, you do know your own reasons for trusting Jesus. and you can share those.

• What helps you to live wisely in your interactions with those who aren’t Christians?
• We live in an in-between time, when part of us is redeemed, and part of us is still waiting. How does that encourage you? What helps you to remember this truth?
• Share some examples of salt-seasoned, gracious conversation.
• Practice sharing the reasons for the hope you have in Jesus. Use your own words, and your own understanding.
• Practice asking each other possible questions that outsiders have. Think about the best ways to respond.