When you surrender your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you become a new person: from lost to found, from darkness to light, from spiritual death to spiritual life. The changes are profound. And the impact that He has on your words, attitudes, and actions are life-changing. He impacts every part of your life.
Some people think that being a Christian means just attending church services for one hour each Sunday. Others think it’s just about religious observances that happen a few times a year. Still others think that being a Christian is just believing that God exists. But, the pages of the Bible tell us that those who follow Jesus Christ are changed completely. Their eternal destiny is changed from hell to heaven, and their daily life is changed in amazing ways.
1. Jesus impacts your home. A home where Jesus is Lord is a beautiful thing to see. Even though the parents and children are not perfect, they are forgiven of their sin and they are focused on living life God’s way, in a way that honors Him. There is genuine love displayed by the husband to his wife, unconditional love of serving her and sacrificing for her. The wife responds by choosing to submit to his loving leadership. The children obey their parents. And the parents do not cause their children to be exasperated.
18 Wives, be submissive to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so they won’t become discouraged. (Colossians 3:18-21)
This kind of home is not impossible. It is possible through Christ. Each home is always a work in progress. Jesus will strengthen you, guide you and encourage you as you live your family life His way.
2. Jesus impacts your work. Christian employees should be the very best employees in the company. Christian bosses should be the best bosses to work for. In Colossians, we see a description of how employees and employers relate to one another.
The first century work scenario of employee was one of slaves and masters. In the first century, when one nation overtook another nation in battle, they would enslave their captives and make them work for them. Others became slaves because they had incurred debt and they sold themselves into slavery to pay off the debt. Their slavery had nothing to do with race or ethnic origin. As a matter of fact, it was the freedom preached and proclaimed by Jesus and Paul and others, found throughout the Scriptures, that eventually led to the abolition of slavery in nations around the world. Today, you will not find slavery in nations whose laws are in line with God’s Word.
But back to our main point in the text of Colossians. The most appropriate application of the verses that follow are to replace the word “slave” with “employee” and the word “master” with “employer.” When you do this, you understand what the Bible is saying in these verses.
22 Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord…. 1 Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven. (Colossians 3:22, 4:1)
Did you see the instruction there? Employees do their job, with a good attitude, even when the boss is not looking. Bosses are to treat their employees in a way that is right and fair, since they know they are accountable to the Lord.
3. Jesus impacts every part of your life. The following verses apply to our lives at work, at home, and everything we do.
23 Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism. (Colossians 3:23-25)
We give our best, doing all things enthusiastically, as unto the Lord. The Lord rewards us with spiritual blessings as we live life this way. We realize that in everything we do, we are serving Jesus. And we realize that there are earthly consequences when we don’t give our best.
So whether you are a student, athlete, coach, parent, employee, co-worker, employer, neighbor, friend, family member, in every arena of life… Jesus impacts your life — in a great way!
It was God’s decision that we should be born, right from the moment of conception. So, as Oswald Chambers has observed, “we are the will of God.” This puts our lives in an awesome context.
Yes it does
I really needed to be reminded of this. Thank-you for posting.
Praise the Lord!