A DOOR OF UTTERANCE

Col 4:3

Morning Meditation 2/27/16

Paul makes a prayer request: First, he instructs them to pray: “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;” Then, he makes a particular prayer request for himself: “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:”

The word for prayer (proseuchomai) is the normal word used for prayer. It is a present middle participle. This means that Paul is asking to be put on a regular prayer list. The present tense means to continue to pray, or, to keep on praying. The middle voice means that the subject (those who pray) will participate in the result of the action. They will have a part in Paul’s ministry.

The subject of Paul’s request is stated in the words “that God would open unto us a door of utterance...” Paul recognizes in this statement that we are not working for an impersonal uninvolved God. He must do some things for our work for Him to be effective. He didn’t just turn us loose to be on our own. What we do for Him is not to be done independently of Him. The words “would open” (anoigo) means “to open” and is an aorist active subjunctive verb. The aorist tense refers to a point of time. He recognizes the need for a special enablement to speak on certain given situations. The subjunctive mood is the possibility or potential. Paul wanted opportunities. And he recognized that only God could present him with those opportunities.

The word “door” is a reference to opportunity. The word “utterance” (logos) is a reference here to a “word spoken by a living voice.” The words “to speak” (laleo) is an aorist active infinitive. The aorist tense speaks of the occasion of that open door. The word “mystery” (musterion) means “a thing hidden, a secret.” This identifies the subject of Paul’s particular request.

The mystery is explained in this Epistle. It is stated in chapter 1:27: “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” That Christ lives in the body of the believer is still a mystery after the revelation!!!

This prayer request is Paul’s recognition that he was not independent of the need of others involvement in his ministry. It is humbling to realize we cannot get along without others. And unless we are willing to submit to this concept we will not be used very much of the Lord. What if when the opportunity presented itself to Paul, he did not have the utterance from God to declare this mystery? What Paul would say, even as one who knew, would fall flat and come short of doing the job. Do we really understand the need of others involved in praying for us? If Paul needed it, we all need it.

The message of the gospel is a mystery even though it is explained in the New Testament. The “natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1Cor 2:14). God has to open the blinded eyes of the unsaved to hear the message of the gospel. A part of that process is giving the preacher utterance to declare that message with simplicity. All the study in the world will not equip the preacher, Bible teacher, or soul-winner with what Paul is talking about here. God has to do this and He does it in answer to prayer. That is simple enough. God’s problem with us is not in His lack of ability to communicate this truth to us, it is our willingness to take Him seriously and believe what He says. Just to make a point. How much time do you spend in prayer to God for utterance and opportunity to speak the mystery of Christ? Hey. Don’t get upset with me, I am speaking to me more than anyone who reads this meditation.

Prayer takes time. Time that we choose to use another way. Paul took time to pray. Where he was when he wrote this Epistle gave him time. They did not have a TV in his prison cell. He does end this verse with the words, “for which I am also in bonds...”

What do you think Paul would do if he lived in our day? Do you think he would spend his time in front of a TV or on a golf course? You say, “No!” What makes you think that he is so much different that us? He had an old sin nature. He had a struggle between the Spirit and the flesh (Gal 5:17 and Romans 7). It is hard for us to conceive of Paul as just an ordinary fellow saved by the grace of God and called to be an apostle. I would like to suggest a reason for our thinking Paul was some sort of super saint. If he is just an ordinary fellow, it increases our responsibility. It means that Paul’s life was lived by choices that he made. His choice was to give the Lord one hundred percent. I have that same opportunity to choose. This may be the reason that there is nothing mystical about us.I know. We are afraid of that word. But if there is not something that can’t be explained about us, God is not being manifest in our lives. It is as simple as that. God help me to be easily entreated but respectfully unexplainable.

Paul requested prayer from the Colossians because he was humble enough to recognize his need of help. He acknowledged the value of prayer. He requested prayer because he did not make his opportunities. He allowed God to orchestrate his opportunities. We learned “the door of utterance” was the door of opportunity. The speaking on that occasion would need God’s direct involvement to make it successful. The message of the gospel is still a mystery. It is a revealed mystery but it takes God to open the understanding.. We can define words, explain meanings and give illustrations but the gospel comes as a revelation from God. “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”

One more thing: The words “Praying also for us” means that this request is not just for Paul but for all those in his party. You can read the list in the remainder of the chapter. It is something all of us need.

May God bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Earl White