A. Too often, a Christian may consider an encounter with an unbeliever as a "necessary evil," an undesirable consequence of living in the world, or just an inconvenience.
1. A Christian sometimes laments the fact that he must live and work among foul-mouthed, blasphemous, ungodly persons.
2. He identifies with the plight of Lot among the Sodomites, who "felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their lawless deeds" (2Pet. 2:8).
3. He sometimes longs for a place to escape from the world, such as an isolated island where he would not have to suffer the company of sinners.
B. Such feelings are understandable, for no Christian should enjoy witnessing sin, but this attitude is unlike that of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. In contrast to this un-Christ-like attitude, Scripture describes a Christian's encounter with an "outsider" (one who does not believe in Christ) as an opportunity in Colossians 4:5-6:
5Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
2. Let us think carefully about this instruction and the valuable opportunity of encountering an outsider.
II. CONDUCT YOURSELVES WITH WISDOM
A. The commandment of Colossians 4:5-6 is to "conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders," not to avoid outsiders at all costs.
1. Walking with wisdom toward outsiders requires us to have conduct that is outstanding.
a. This is what the Lord described as letting our light shine before men so that they would see our good works and glorify God (Matt. 5:16).
b. In 1Peter 2:12, we are instructed, "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation."
2. This is a wise approach, for Christians are professors of a high standard of godliness, and people of the world will hold Christians up to the high standard they espouse.
a. This means that we will be scrutinized, for the world searches for an opportunity to accuse us of hypocrisy, excuse their own ungodly behavior, and speak evil of God.
b. May it never be said of us that "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you" (Rom. 2:24), but rather may we "give the enemy no occasion for reproach" (1Tim. 5:14).
3. Therefore, we had better conduct ourselves with wisdom if we want to reflect well upon our Father in heaven and our Savior.
B. The phrase "making the most of the opportunity" in the NASB ("redeeming the time" in the KJV and ASV) literally means "buying up the opportunity."
1. Encountering and communicating with an unbeliever is not something to be dreaded, but rather it is to be considered a valuable opportunity to be valued and seized.
2. An encounter with an unbeliever who has never known Christ is an opportunity to preach Christ and save a soul.
3. An encounter with an unbeliever who derides Christ, His gospel, and His church, is an opportunity to answer every false argument with truth and to defend the Way. Consider 1Peter 3:15 -- But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.
III. LET YOUR SPEECH ALWAYS BE WITH GRACE
A. The commandment extends beyond our conduct to our speech also.
1. Our words are to be "with grace," that is, with a favorable, kindly spirit and not hateful.
a. Consider Ephesians 4:29 -- Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
b. Our speech should be edifying, timely, and gracious to our hearers. Altogether, our words must have a positive effect for genuine good to those who hear us.
2. We should speak in a manner that is "seasoned with salt," that is, palatable and pleasant, perhaps even with the preserving effect of saving a soul.
a. Recall the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:13 -- "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men."
b. As the "salt of the earth," our speech should have a good effect on our hearers. If our speech does not edify our hearers with truth, encouragement, instruction in God's word, or other godly effects, then it "is no longer good for anything."
3. A Christian never needs to be harsh, vulgar, or insulting in his speech toward outsiders.
a. Consider Ephesians 4:31 -- Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
b. Also consider Ephesians 5:4 -- ... and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
c. No matter what someone else might say to us, we must not return insult for insult (1Pet. 3:9), but we must abide by the instructions of 2Timothy 2:24-26:
24The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
4. The idea is that we should be kind and inviting in our words toward outsiders in order that we may capitalize upon the opportunity to communicate Christ to them.
B. When a Christian opens up such communication with an outsider, he can begin to understand what that individual needs to know. Thus, the Scripture says that "you will know how you should respond to each person."
1. Every person is different and needs to be taught with different approaches and starting points. Some have a slight understanding, some have a misunderstanding, and others have no understanding at all.
2. For example, consider the various approaches used by Paul to teach different people.
a. In the synagogues, Paul used the Scriptures to reason with the Jews because they knew the Law and the Prophets (Acts 17:1-3).
b. In Athens, Paul reasoned with the Gentiles without reference to the Scriptures because they did not know God or His word. Instead, he spoke to them on terms they could understand (Acts 17:16-31).
c. In Corinth, Paul corrected some disciples who had an incomplete and flawed understanding of the gospel (Acts 19:1-7).
3. The only way to know what is needed by each person is by seizing the opportunity and communicating with that person.
IV. CONCLUSION
A. The best way to understand how to implement the commandment of Colossians 4:5-6 is to consider the Lord's example.
1. He presented a blameless life of godliness to glorify His Father.
2. When He encountered sinners, He did not recoil at the sight of them, but He did make His disapproval of their sin clearly known.
3. When He spoke to those who were lost, He spoke with boldness but also with grace.
a. He invited honest questions and discussion.
b. He answered each individual with precisely what the person needed to hear.
4. He made the most of every opportunity with "outsiders."
B. In the likeness of Jesus, we must also conduct ourselves with wisdom toward unbelievers, making the most of the opportunity. May our speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that we will know how we should respond to each person.
