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If we would live Christ as the constituent of the new man, we need to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly—Col. 3:16-17:
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When the peace of Christ arbitrates in us and keeps us in a situation full of oneness and harmony, we become the place of God’s speaking, His oracle—vv. 15-16; Rev. 2:1, 7:
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God’s speaking requires oneness; division causes God’s speaking to diminish, even to cease altogether—Lev. 1:1.
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Since oneness is a necessary condition for God’s speaking, we need to let the peace of Christ arbitrate in our hearts—Col. 3:15.
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For the word of Christ to dwell in us richly means that it has adequate room in us to permeate and saturate our whole being; it is crucial for us to let the word of Christ enter into us, dwell in us, prevail in us, and replace our concepts, opinions, and philosophies—Psa. 119:130; cf. Rev. 21:23; 22:5.
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We need to allow the word of the Lord to have the first place in us so that we may experience the functions of the word of God operating within us and ministering the riches of Christ into our being—Col. 3:16:
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The word of God enlightens (Psa. 119:105, 130), nourishes (Matt. 4:4; 1 Tim. 4:6), and waters us to quench our thirst (Isa. 55:1, 8-11).
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The word of God strengthens (1 John 2:14b; Prov. 4:20-22), washes (Eph. 5:26), and builds us up (Acts 20:32).
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The word of God completes, perfects (2 Tim. 3:15-17), and edifies us by sanctifying us (John 17:17).
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By allowing the word of God to inhabit us, we can become a proper human being, a God-man filled with Christ as the reality of the attributes of God—Col. 3:16-25; Phil. 4:5-8.
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If we allow the peace of Christ to arbitrate in us and if we are filled with the word of Christ, we shall have the new man in a practical way; all the saints in all the churches throughout the Lord’s recovery will be living Christ in the one new man.
Morning Nourishment
Col. 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.Immediately after speaking about the peace of Christ arbitrating in us, Paul goes on to tell us to let the word of Christ dwell in us [Col. 3:16]. Why does Paul mention the peace of Christ before the word of Christ? The answer to this question is related to the basic principle revealed in the Bible that God’s speaking requires oneness. Whenever God’s people are divided, His word becomes rare. God does not speak where there is division. Division causes God’s speaking to diminish, even to cease altogether.
When the children of Israel were in the wilderness, God spoke in the Tent of Meeting. The Tent of Meeting was a sign of the oneness of God’s people....The temple built in Jerusalem was the continuation of the Tent of Meeting....God’s speaking through the priests came out of the Holy of Holies, the center both of the tabernacle and of the temple.
When the peace of Christ arbitrates in us and keeps us in a situation full of oneness and harmony, we become the place of God’s speaking, His oracle. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 567-568, 570)
Today’s Reading
The word of Christ includes the entire New Testament. We need to be filled with this word....The word of the Lord must have adequate room within us so that it may operate and minister the riches of Christ into our inner being. Furthermore, the word of Christ must dwell in us richly. The riches of Christ (Eph. 3:8) are in His word. When such a rich word inhabits us, it must inhabit us richly.[With certain saints], although they read the Bible, God’s word remains outside of them. It is crucial for us to let the word of Christ enter into us, dwell in us, and replace our concepts, opinions, and philosophies. We need to pray, “Lord Jesus, I am willing to let go of my concepts. I want Your word to have ground in me. I am willing to forget my opinion and philosophy. I want Your word to be prevailing in me.”
We cannot separate the word of Christ from His arbitration. .. .We need to bring our case to the Arbitrator and listen to His word. This means that we need to allow the peace of Christ to arbitrate in our hearts and the word of Christ to dwell in us. Then we shall be filled with singing and giving of thanks.
We need the arbitrating peace of Christ to preserve us in oneness that the Lord may speak to us. Then we need to give first place to the word of God. If we do this, we shall experience the functions of the word of God: enlightening, nourishing, quenching our thirst, strengthening, washing, building, perfecting, and edifying. What benefit we receive from the word of God!
First, the word of God enlightens us. If we did not have the Word, we would be in darkness. But because God’s word is full of light and it enlightens us, it can make us very clear about many different things. Second, the word of God is food, full of nourishment. This means that God’s word nourishes us while it enlightens us. I can testify that throughout the years I have been adequately nourished through the word of God.
The word of God also completes and perfects.... As members of the Body, we all should function. But if we would function, we first need to be perfected by the word of God. Because God’s word nourishes us, we have growth. Then through the growth, the functions come forth. The nourishment we receive from the word of God completes us and perfects us as members of the Body. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 246-247, 575, 571-573)
Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msgs. 33,35,64-65