Colossians 3:17

Paul puts “word” first.

The Christian faith puts a great emphasis on words, so much so that Jesus is called God the Word, the word becoming flesh (John 1:1-2). The Bible, the basis of truth and life, is all words.

• So words are action (Paul said, “…whatever you do in word…”); they influence thinking.

• The devil got to Eve with words and nothing else (Genesis 3).

• The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness was based on the words of Satan (Luke 4:1-13).

• Be careful about what you listen to, Jesus said (Mark 4:24).

• The previous verse says we should be full of the word of Christ.

• And Peter said, “Like newborn babies, long for the pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation (1 Peter 2:2).”

Peter is saying that Christians should have a deep desire for the word, for the knowledge of the truth — the insatiable, never-ending longing for more.

Peter’s message is not just for young believers but for all believers. It is wrong to think that what Peter meant by “milk” here is the same as in Hebrews 5:11-14. 

It is important to be careful not to grow arrogant and say there is a time when we don’t need the word.

But Peter did not merely say desire milk; he said to desire the pure milk. That means that you are endangered and would not grow if what you say is the word you are exposed to is not the truth. Can you imagine a baby being fed adulterated milk? That would be bad.

While it is good to say desire the truth, you will, at a minimum, suffer if the supposed word you are exposed to is just human ideas that are masquerading as the scriptures, just twisting of scriptures, just human imagination or erroneous handling of scriptures.

In the previous verse, Paul mentioned teaching, exhorting, and singing, which are all supposed to reflect the word of God.

What does it mean to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus?

It means we are not representing ourselves; we are representing the Lord Jesus, who must be the center and the mover and the reason and the aim of everything. If you have any doubt about this, the words of Jesus in Revelations 2 and 3 make it clear. Jesus is alive and is in charge and must be regarded as such.

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The giving of thanks is such a big part of the Christian faith, as we give thanks to God and give glory to God for what he has done in Christ Jesus for us.

Our lives are not just a set of ideas we follow because it is good for society; it is Christ taking residence in us, and we give thanks for God choosing us to dwell in.

There is nothing we can give to God as a common expression of Christians more than thanksgiving. You cannot give God money, food, or land (everything is his). That is why whatever we do, we can only do to one another. And we need to think like that. Jesus said whatever to his people, we are doing to him (Matthew 25:40), indirectly. But thanksgiving is what we can give directly to God.

Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).” Therefore, the gospel, the word of Christ, is for everyone, the believer and the unbeliever.

And we are supposed to be full of doing, singing, and giving thanks to God, with Christ being all in all.

Christ is being presented as the center of our lives, whose presence imbues us. We are not supposed to run off on our own agenda and try to make a name for ourselves; rather, we should have Christ as the north star and nothing else.

That is what it means to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Christ has given us so much for which we should give thanksgiving to God.