Our citizenship in Christ entails responsibility. You and I must live differently. We are expected and commanded to live a life reflecting Christ.

To live a Christ centered life means following 3 commands:

1. Let the Peace of Christ rule (v15)

When there is peace, there is quietness, tranquility and rest. The “peace” described in this verse refers not just to any form of peace, in fact is it a divine peace. And it is different from “peace with God”, which we received at the moment of salvation, which happens only once. “Peace of God” on the other hand is the deep ongoing calmness of the soul of a believer who trusts the Lord moment by moment. It happens every time we decide to put our trust and dependence on Him. We will never experience peace of God if we have not received peace with God.

To let the peace of Christ “rule” means we allow Christ, who knows us better than we do of ourselves, to be the one in charge and to take the call in our life, just as a referee or an umpire makes the final call in a game of sport. When we let Christ rule our life, our responses and our choices will be according to His will.

We as humans have the tendency to try to acquire peace from different sources. But we need to be careful of the superficial type of peace that if these things are taken away from us, most probably our world will crumble. The peace that Jesus spoke about and promised in John 14:27 is totally different from what the world is offering. God’s peace is everlasting, incomparable and insurmountable. We will only experience true peace if we allow Christ to rule in our hearts. What we need to do is to submit to its authority.

This divine peace which is to rule in us individually should be the same peace to rule over us as one body of Christ. Not only is this peace for the self, for you to enjoy in your life, it is also for us to get along with the body of Christ.

This peace is vital when making decisions. Sometimes we have this false sense of peace especially when we want something so bad. We have this tendency to disregard the absence of God’s peace and replace it with our own created peace with our own imposed will. Whatever peace we think we have needs to be examined and scrutinized. Remember that true peace of God will never contradict the Word of God.

2. Let the Word of Christ dwell (v16)

Word of Christ pertains to all the things that Jesus has spoken of. It also refers to the entire Scripture, whose message does not change over time. It is applicable and relevant even today. And when we study it, we are not the one examining it. Instead, it is the one examining us.

To dwell means to take residence in you. The Scripture, the Word of God, should be treated as a member of your household such that it becomes so familiar with you that you allow it to guide your life. When we let the Word of God indwell, we should expect to be changed. We should give permission for God’s word to penetrate us, to influence, to break, to change us. How do we do this? We must READ the Bible daily, BELIEVE by faith what it tells us and OBEY what it commands us to do. Charles Surgeon said “A person whose Bible is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t”. When the Word of Christ dwells in us richly, we see results. Teaching (instructing) and admonishing (correcting) are two different things but both are results wherein we learn truth and put it into practice. In the Church, we are to teach, admonish, encourage and counsel one another using His very Word.

Our theology should also dictate the music we listen to. The problem today is some songs are theologically incorrect. False doctrine in music is just as bad as false doctrine in the pulpit. They have the same effect. Even in our songs, all should be aligned with the word of Christ.

A Word-filled Christian is a Spirit-filled Christian. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to transform the child of God. Do you want to be Spirit filled? Allow the word of God to dwell in you.

3. Let the Name of Christ be glorified (v17)

Names have symbolic importance in the Scripture. There were specific times in the Bible when God changed a person’s name to show a transition or a transformation to who he wants them to become, giving them new identities. We are now identified as Christians. Being identified with Christ, everything we do or say should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. In terms of the scope or amplitude, it involves everything. Secondly, it is in the name of Jesus that we possess authority that enables us to do what He wants us to do. In terms of authority, we are under the Lordship of Christ. We are given authority to act on His behalf. Not only do we bear His authority, we also bear accountability or responsibility. Nothing should be permitted in our lives that should not be associated with Jesus. The question now is what are we bringing to His name? Is it honor or disgrace? This verse says we should let God radiate in our lives in such a way that when others see us, they can’t help but notice that something is different. God must be reflected in every aspect of our life.

There is a 4th command that is hidden but is mentioned in all 3 verses: Be thankful

This gratitude is not just towards others, but towards Christ himself. To be thankful means understanding what Christ did for us in the past, what He is doing in us right now and what He will be doing through us from this point forward. If Christ is indeed in the center of our lives, you and I will be thankful.

How confident can we say that we are living the Christ centered life? When you make decisions, do you submit to the authority of the peace of Christ? Do you allow the Word of Christ to penetrate you and change you? Does your life reflect that you are under the Lordship of Christ?