Bible Studies

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The Richness of The Word/Letting the word dwell Richly
Col 3; 16

16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.


A dwelling place is habitation, a safe house, a shelter that you can call a home. There is security in it and from it. We are the temple of God. And just as He wants to come in and dwell with us He wants His word also to find a resting place in us. So, we are told to let it dwell in us. Visiting the word of God is not letting it dwell in us. That is ‘letting it visit’. A visitor comes and goes. He is a passerby, in transit. The dweller rests, is comfortable in and with this home. This home is a fertile ground where it is encouraged to grow, increase, feels safe, able to bud, flower and bloom; it is cared for. treasured and given full sway.

Dwell how? - Richly
The word of God should only dwell in us but it should dwell ‘richly’. We need to allow all its richness to manifest.
Dwelling richly means being abundant in us, overflowing to reach others; oozing out of us when we open our mouths; our mouths being a well of health and wisdom flowing from the throne of Grace.

Apart from dwelling richly, the word of God should dwell in all its richness. This means allowing the word of God to show its millions of colours within you. it is so vast that it can say one thing to you to day and say another tomorrow and yet consistent with the mind of God. The same word can address your concerns today and address that of your friend in a different circumstance.

Purpose
Whatever God wants from us is for a purpose and a good purpose
The word of God is to dwelling us richly for the purpose of teaching us. We all need teaching in certain areas of our walk with God. we must acknowledge these areas and expose our minds to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. And He uses people to teach us that s why He had set up teachers in the Church. He also teaches us directly as we wait upon Him with an open heart.

Admonishment
Another reason for the word of God dwelling in us richly is for correction. We all need correction when we err and falter. God correct and disciplines those He loves and would correct us as His word rises within us to rebuke us of what we may have done wrong form time to time. And when we heed the correction by confessing our sins and forsaking them we are restored in to fellowship with Him and our joy returns.
Admonishment can also come from one another. We can correct each other without being judgmental. God wants us to speak the truth in love rather than flatter people and watch them go to hell. But we need His wisdom in the way we do it . that is why it says “ in all wisdom.”

Sing the word
This scripture also gives us the spiritual aids with which to let the word of God dwell in us richly while we use it to admonish or encouraging each other. It gives us three ways to sing the word:

In hymns- these as we know them today are the old songs composed by the saint of old which have gone out of fashion in many modern churches. These are songs based on the scriptures like ‘How Great thou art, Great is Thy faithfulness, Thin e be the Glory, Amazing Grace ‘etc
We need not throw them away because of the popularity of contemporary praise and worship songs. and charismatic sing-alongs We need to revisit them as the Holy Spirit leads rather than closing or doors to them.

Psalms
The Psalms are full of power when used properly
This book is the song book of the Old Testament saints. We need to find new tunes to sing them today. David contributed most of it and little wonder he was referred to be a man after God’s own heart.

Spiritual songs
Spiritual songs would constitute all songs which are based on the word of God. In other words they carry spirit and life.
This can also be spontaneous songs that we sing to the Lord on the spur of the moment as His spirit leads us. They are hot off the Heavenly Songs Press.
Another type of song that would be placed here would be the ones that come in other tongues where we sings mysteries to God. The understanding is bypassed as we sing. God is glorified and we are edified.

With Gratitude
It is alright to let the word dwell in us richly and using it for the purpose for which it is intended and using singing as a means of expressing ourselves to God and encouraging one another but our attitude is equally important. God wants us to do it not out of compulsion but gratitude in our heart. The attitude of gratitude opens doors mere knowledge cannot open.

It is often said that how you say a thing can be more important than what you say. So do whatever do you with an attitude of gratitude.

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