(Col. 2: 8), or cheated of his prize (Col. 2: 18). In Col. 3: he again preaches Christ, the

hope of glory (Col. 3: 1-4), he still warns (Col. 3: 6), he still teaches (Col. 3: 5-17). His

great objective and positive word was "The fullness of Christ". With this he met all the

specious claims of philosophy and tradition, and with this he concluded his doctrinal

presentation of the truth of the new man, saying: "Christ is all" (Col. 3: 11). In

verse 16, the apostle brings together two passages in Ephesians and helps us to

understand their import:--

The corresponding passage in Ephesians reads:--

We have already drawn attention, when dealing with Ephesians, to the fact that the

grammar of this passage necessitates the idea that it is the Spirit that is the Filler. We

now see, by the parallel passage, that He, the Spirit, fills the heart of the believer with the

word of Christ. This, however, is not all. While Col. 3: says, "Let the word of Christ

dwell in you", Eph. 3: prays that "Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith", and we are

enabled to see that He, Christ, will dwell in our hearts by faith, as He, the Spirit, fills us

with His word.

We must not forget, moreover, that the goal before the apostle in the prayer of

Eph. 3: is "that ye might be filled up to all the fullness of God", which is but another

way of saying what the apostle has been teaching in Col. 2: and 3: As we have seen in

our opening paragraph, the fullness of Christ for His people more than takes the place of

"the all things" that are put aside. Whatsoever we do, therefore, "in word or deed" we

should do "in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by Him"

(Col. 3: 17). This simple exhortation is so far reaching that compliance with it would

solve every problem of conscience, settle all questions of right and wrong, and infallibly

indicate the walk that is worthy. If "whatsoever" we did, whether by word of deed,

was done in the name of the Lord, all question of sanctification would be over; it would

be an accomplished fact. If, however, we each one have to confess that conformity to

Col. 3: 17 is not wholly true of either our words or deeds, we may, nevertheless, be

thankful that at least we know the pathway.

In the next nine verses the apostle applies the truth already enunciated to the "daily

round and common task", where are no heroics to enable the soul to surmount difficulty,

but where the grace of God will more definitely be seen than in any other sphere of

service. In writing to the Ephesians the apostle expatiates at greater length than here on

the subject of the relationships of wives and husbands, children and parents, servants and

masters. In Ephesians it is to the relationship of husband and wife that the greatest space

is devoted, and Eph. 5: 21-33 should be read in this connection in conjunction with the

epistle to the Colossians. In Colossians the greatest space is reserved for admonition to