Dwell Richly {the Word-Rich Inviting Life} – episode 39

What does it mean to “let the Word dwell in you richly?” This instruction can inform, equip and energize us as we look to live the inviting life. It’s the driving force behind building genuine connection and community as Christ followers.

Our theme thought for today is this: As God’s word (the message about Christ) dwells in us richly, it will increasingly shape how we speak and live in Christian community.

In this episode, we dig deeper into Colossians 3:16-17, as a defining passage for how to cling to Jesus and walk out the #invitinglife.

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. 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 3:16-17

I love this wording from New Living Translation – “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.”

First and foremost we recognize: everything we need to know about Christ we find in the Word (it is inerrant, all-sufficient and inspired by God).

For an interesting additional deep-dive, print out Colossians 3:16-17 as well as Ephesians 5:18-20, and read them side-by-side. What do you notice about Paul’s wording? Take some time to look at the Ephesians church and the Colossian church, explore Paul’s letters to both, and look at how those letters overlap.

Key words we study together in this episode (using ESV translation):

• Let : This word is in present imperative – it’s like saying, “do this, now.”
• Dwell: The Greek root is enoikeo, “in one’s personal residence, at home, inhabit.” Other places it’s found include:
  • Romans 8:11 – references His Spirit dwelling in you
  • 2 Corinthians 6:16 “I will dwell among them” (we have no business dealing with false idols, because God dwells in us – we are His TEMPLE!). – His indwelling is our identity, and therefore determines our behavior.
  • 2 Timothy 1:14 – Paul refers Timothy of God’s Spirit dwelling in us, and reminds him to guard the “good deposit entrusted to you.” (**Note: in 2 Timothy 2:13, Paul is modeling what Colossians tells us; he tells Timothy “follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” He’s teaching and admonishing Timothy, as he does multiple churches throughout his letters.)
  • “The word ‘dwell’ means to keep house. We should live in the Word of God like we live in our homes. We are familiar with our home where all the closets are, where we have items stored. We must thoroughly acquaint ourselves with the Word. The Word should become so familiar to us that we know it like the back of our hand. The idea is to let the Word of God dwell inside and live at home in our lives. The Word of God needs to inhabit us. This is more than just reading the Bible. God wants us to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts (v. 15) and the Word of Christ dwell in our hearts.” (Grant Richison source)
• In you : This root word is found in many other places in scripture but these jumped out at me:
  • Matthew 1:18, 1:20, 1:23 – These passages refer to the child in Mary’s womb!
  • Matthew 3:11 – John tells listeners he baptizes with water, but the Messiah will baptize “with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (that “with” is the same as “in you”).
  • Matthew 5:13 (Sermon on the Mount) – Jesus is describing true believers.  He says, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.  Another way of wording here is that same root for “in you,” “with what will it be salted?”
• Abundantly/richly: The Greek word here is plousios, “abundantly supplied.”
  • 1 Timothy 6:17 God richly provides us with everything to enjoy, as we set our hopes on Him!
  • Titus 3:6 God’s mercy through the HOLY SPIRIT poured out on us richly according to HIS MERCY.
  • 2 Peter 1:1011 (10-11) As we diligently confirm our calling and election, God will richly provide “an entrance into the kingdom” of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
• Wisdom: Root word sophia – where we get “sophistication” and “philosophy.” There’s a sense of affection for wisdom; Others reference the art of using wisdom, learning. Wisdom comes from God, is applicable in all areas of life, and it should be ever increasing and skillful. 
  • Matthew 12:42 refers to the wisdom of Solomon.
  • Luke 2:52 We see here that Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature.
  • Aristotle said that wisdom is “mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense.” Do we pursue knowing God through His word, soaking up the “message about Christ,” with mental excellence?
• Teaching and admonishing – These reference instructing, and correcting or warning.
• Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs – here are three more ways to see how God’s word pours out of us in our interactions with God and one another:
  • Psalmos – musical instruments – perhaps rehearsed, Old testament songs “were often sung and were accompanied by sophisticated musical arrangements” (source)
  • Hymnos – praising the triune God (Ephesians 5:19) – “well-known songs of praise to God that became established hymns for the early Christians”
  • Ode – “not merely sung about (for) God but to God from a Spirit-filled heart. Spirit-inspired songs minister to God and exhort others, giving testimony about the living God to other worshipers.” the idea is that it is spontaneous and unrehearsed (source) – which also speaks to a familiarity that it pours out of us!
  • There’s a sense here that we are to be worshipful and thankful in our hearts as a driving force or accompaniment to our interactions with each other in the body of Christ!
• Singing – Greek root words ado/adontes/aeido mean to sing! We see these also in Ephesians 5:19. Strong’s Concordance says there is meaning “in both passages of the lyrical emotional of a devout and grateful soul.” (source) 
  • Revelation 5, 14 and 15 – Here the saints are singing around the throne in glorious, unfathomable worship of the Lamb, the King!!
• With grace – We sing, teach, exhort because of the Lord’s favor – because the Lord “leans toward us.” Our outpouring is directly from His indwelling and kindness.

One more reminder for you and for me (because oh, how I need it!): As God’s word (the message about Christ) dwells in us richly, it will increasingly shape how we speak and live in Christian community.

We close with words from Spurgeon we can hold tightly to: “Do try, dear friends, to get so full of the word of Christ in all forms of it, that you may run over with it. You know, it cannot come out of you if it is not first in you. If you do not get the word of Christ into you, you will not be instructive in your general conversation.” (Spurgeon; source)

Related Episodes and Posts:

• How to Read the Bible and Love it (episode 12)
• Salted Honey: The Words We Eat and the Words We Speak (episode 13)
• How to Let Go of Your Fears and Host a Bible Study
• Reading the Bible as Literature
• How to Read the Bible and Really Get It (episode 11)

Resources:

• Look at The Book with John Piper
• Greek roots sourced from Biblehub.com
• Commentary from Precept Austin

Additional Scripture References

• 1 Peter 3:15-16
• Compare Ephesians 5:18-20 with Colossians 3:16-17
• 2 Corinthians 5&16-17

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