Colossians 3:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

NIV: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

NASB: Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful.

CSB: And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.

NLT: And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

KJV: And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

NKJV: And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

In verses 12 through 14, Paul has given eight positive traits which Christians are to emulate. Here, he adds two additional ideals for believers to pursue.

First, he calls believers to live in peace. Peace, part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), is noted in this letter as coming from God our Father (Colossians 1:2). We receive peace with God through the blood of the cross (Colossians 1:20). It is to "rule" in our hearts, meaning it should be in charge of how we live. Believers are not called to live in violence or squabbles among each other, but in peace.

It's important to remember the context of this statement. Paul is not referring to peace in the sense of "happy feelings." In prior verses, he was discussing the need for Christians to tolerate, love, and support each other. In this verse, after mentioning peace, Paul again speaks of the unity Christians have. With Christ as the head, we are all part of a spiritual "body," which is the church. Peace within the body requires peace between its parts. Every group of believers will experience internal conflict at times, but seeking peace will help us resolve issues in the context of Christian love.

The second trait Paul mentions in this verse is simple: an attitude of thanksgiving. Paul mentions thanks multiple times in this letter, showing the importance of gratitude in the Christian life (Colossians 1:3; 2:7; 3:16–17; 4:2).

Colossians 3:12–17 follows Paul's advice on sins to avoid by listing positive traits Christians should strive to emulate. Among these are compassion, humility, patience, and forgiveness. More important than any other is love, which not only inspires the other traits, but which binds Christians together as a single family, under Christ. Paul then opens the idea of following Christ to include every aspect of our lives: whatever we think or do, as believers, ought to be compatible with the example of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this chapter, Paul gives clear instructions to Christians about living out faith in Christ. Since believers have been saved by Christ, they should not participate in the sins which trap unbelievers. Sexual immorality, jealousy, slander, and revenge are not to be part of the Christian's life. Instead, believers ought to demonstrate compassion, humility, patience, and forgiveness. Above all, followers of Christ should show love. Paul also gives specific instructions for those living in Christian homes, including husbands, wives, children, and servants.

Prior chapters in Colossians emphasized the supremacy of Jesus, and the inferiority of worldly teachings. Paul's explanation of Christ as the ultimate authority, and the only source of truth, is key to understanding the difference between godly wisdom and worldly deceptions. In this chapter, Paul will apply those earlier ideas using practical instructions. This application runs through the beginning of chapter 4, which will end with various news about fellow Christian ministers.

The book of Colossians describes Christ as superior to all other teachers, faiths, and philosophies. In this letter, written from prison, Paul once again tackles false teachings. Among these errors are claims that Christians need to give up all physical enjoyments, that they should worship angels, and that they need to rely on the wisdom of an elite few. These problems are consistent with an ancient heresy known as Gnosticism. In response, Paul explains that Christ is supreme, and sufficient for our salvation.