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Colossians 4 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
A very practical and important set of instructions are given here by Paul on how we should act toward nonbelievers.
Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.
Colossians 4:5-6 HCSB
Keep in mind that this also could have included believers who stood outside sound teaching. In regards to those on the outside, we must live with wisdom. This alone is such an important ingredient to a relationship with a nonbeliever. In other words, when we live no different from the world (without wisdom) we give nonbelievers solid reasoning as to why they don’t need Jesus. It sends a message to them that Christianity is fake and powerless. People of all different depths of spiritual maturity are watching us and taking note of how we live.
Next, Paul writes about seasoning our speech. To season something is to sprinkle another ingredient to the food that adds a whole new flavor to the dish. With speech, Paul encourages both grace and salt. Think of it in terms of grace and truth. These two components working together make a powerful combination.
Look, Jesus did all this perfectly. He was wise in his conduct and he was full of grace and truth. People loved to be around Him. They flocked to Him! Do nonbelievers like to be around you, or do you give them too much salt? Are you compromising your faith and not being wise in your conduct? Pleasant and wise conversation can’t take place with a canned response. This is why Paul reminds us in verse 6 that each person has specific and peculiar needs that must be met. If we are wise and full of grace and truth, we can be confident that we will bear the image of God and testify to His Message.