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“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly”—Col. 3:16:
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The word of Christ is the word spoken by Christ—John 6:63:
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In His New Testament economy God speaks in the Son—Heb. 1:1-2.
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The Son speaks not only by Himself in the Gospels but also through His members, the apostles and prophets, in Acts, in the Epistles, and in Revelation; all these speakings can be considered His word.
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The word of Christ includes the entire New Testament, and we need to be filled with this word—Col. 3:16.
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The word of Christ is actually the person of Christ—v. 16; John 15:4, 7:
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Paul almost personifies the word of Christ; he tells us to let this word dwell in us, as if it were a living person—Col. 3:16; cf. Eph. 3:17.
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First, we have Christ as our life; then we have His living word personified as His person dwelling in us—Col. 3:4, 16.
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Since the word of Christ can dwell in us, it must be a living person; therefore, to let the word of Christ dwell in us indicates that we allow a living person—Christ Himself—to dwell in us—v. 16; 1:27.
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We need to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly and have the first place in our being—3:16:
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The word let is important; the word of Christ is already present, but we need to allow it to operate within us.
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For the word of Christ to dwell in us richly means that it inhabits us, indwells us, in a rich way—v. 16.
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The Greek word rendered “dwell” literally means “to be in a house,” “to indwell,” “to inhabit”:
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This indicates that we should allow the word of Christ to dwell in us, to inhabit us, to make home in us—v. 16.
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The word of the Lord must have adequate room within us so that it may operate and minister the riches of Christ into us—Eph. 3:8.
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The word of Christ should be given the freedom to operate within us, inhabit us, and make home in us—Col. 3:16.
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We need to let the word of Christ dwell in us so that we may experience the functions of the word of God operating within us, ministering the riches of Christ into our being—Eph. 3:8:
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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 2:14; 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 Christ to inhabit us, we can become a God-man filled with Christ as the reality of the attributes of God—Col. 3:16-25; Phil. 4:5-8.
Morning Nourishment
Col. 3:16 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.John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
A way to receive, experience, and enjoy Christ is to eat the word spoken by Christ as spirit and as life….Christ speaks the word, the word is the Spirit, and the Spirit is life [cf. John 6:63]. Thus, the word, the Spirit, and life are three-in-one. The Speaker of the word is the processed Triune God, and His speaking transmits the processed Triune God into us in the form of the word. After entering into us, this word becomes the Spirit, and the Spirit is life. Then, when we utter this Spirit out to others, the Spirit becomes the word to them. When others receive the word into them, it becomes the Spirit again. Then, when they speak the Spirit out to others, He again becomes the word. Hence, when we receive the word into us, the word becomes the Spirit, and the Spirit becomes our very life. This is the transmission of the Triune God into us as our life supply, first in the form of the word, then in the form of the Spirit, and ultimately in the form of life. In this way the Triune God becomes our enjoyment. (CWWL, 1991-1992, vol. 1, “The Central Line of the Divine Revelation,” p. 479)
Today’s Reading
[In Colossians 3:16] Paul says that the word of Christ should dwell in us, inhabit us. This implies that the word of Christ is living. In order for something to dwell in us or to inhabit us, it must be living.Paul’s expression in this verse indicates that the word of Christ is very much like a living person. Paul almost personifies the word of Christ; he tells us to let this word inhabit us, as if it were a living person. The word of Christ is actually the living person of Christ. Moreover, according to the New Testament, the living person of Christ is the Spirit. Jesus is the name of this person, and the reality of this person is the Spirit. For this reason, whenever we call on the name of the Lord Jesus, it is the Spirit who comes. We have also pointed out that the Word and the Spirit are one. Hence, when the word of Christ dwells in us, the Spirit inhabits us. (Life-study of Philippians, p. 353)
[In Colossians 3:16] we have Christ as our life, then we have His living word personified as His person dwelling in us. The word of Christ is the word spoken by Christ. In His New Testament economy God speaks in the Son, and the Son speaks not only directly in the Gospels but also through His members, the apostles and prophets, in Acts, in the Epistles, and in Revelation. All these may be considered as His word.
In this passage the infilling of spiritual life that overflows in praising and singing is related to the Word, whereas in its parallel passage, Ephesians 5:18-20, the infilling of spiritual life is related to the Spirit. This indicates that the Word and the Spirit are identical (John 6:63b). A normal Christian life should be one that is filled with the Word so that the Spirit may bubble from within us in lauding melodies, melodies of praise.
The word of Christ includes the entire New Testament. We need to be filled with this word. This means that we should allow the word of Christ to dwell in us, to inhabit us, to make home in us. The Greek word rendered “dwell” literally means “to be in a house, to inhabit.” 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. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “Elders’ Training, Book 6: The Crucial Points of the Truth in Paul’s Epistles,” p. 531)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1991-1992, vol. 1, “The Central Line of the Divine Revelation,” ch. 15; Life-study of Philippians, msg. 41