Useful Bible Studies > Colossians Commentary > chapter 4

Be wise among people who are not Christians

Colossians 4:5

Here, Paul advises Christians how to deal with ‘those people who are outside’. Elsewhere, Paul calls a right relationship with God ‘salvation’ (Romans 1:16). Salvation means the safety that we have in a safe place (Psalm 18:2). So, the ‘people who are outside’ are people without a right relationship with God.

In Colossians 4:3-4, Paul requested prayer that he could again declare the gospel to those people. The gospel is God’s offer of salvation through the death of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-13). Paul’s special work for God was to declare the gospel to people from many different nations.

God has not told all Christians to do the same kind of work for him that Paul did (1 Corinthians 3:5-8). However, he does want them all to serve him in this world, among people who are not Christians (Romans 12:14-21). So it is never right for Christians to behave, for example, in a foolish, selfish or lazy manner. Instead, they must act wisely at all times.

So, God’s people must use their time wisely. That is, they must use all their time, and every opportunity for God and to do what is good. There is simply no time, by day or night, for them to be selfish or to be lazy (1 Thessalonians 5:5-8; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-13). Of course sometimes they must rest and sleep; but at no time should they ever neglect their relationship with God. It is that relationship that gives them the strength to deal with other people in this world. Their relationship with God gives them the power to show his love and wisdom to those other people.

Next part: How a Christian should speak (Colossians 4:6)

Please use the links at the top of the page to find our other articles on Colossians. You can buy all 80 studies in a paperback book from Amazon.

You can download our articles on several Bible books, free, from our download page (including our free 1000+ page course book).

© 2019, Keith Simons.