COLOSSIANS

Colossians Chapter 1

Greetings From Paul the Apostle

• Colossians 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, 
• 2  To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Colossians was a city in Asia Minor. Paul wrote letters to churches that he either helped start or he knew of the churches and wrote letters to encourage, correct wrong behavior, or correct false teaching. Epaphras was the head of the church in Colosse and communicated to Paul probably by visiting him while Paul was in prison. The concern was about some heresay that was being taught. Some were heresies that were dangerous. Jesus Himself had to deal with some heresies when He sent letters to the churches in the first 3 chapters of Revelation.

Correction comes by the goodness and faithfulness of God and those that obey His voice to carry warnings and corrections to us. Old Testament prophets did this many times. It is the mercy and grace of God to bring correction and we all should be thankful, not be angry at the messengers.

Commendation to the Church at Colosse

• Colossians 1:3  We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 
• 4  Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 
• 5  For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 
• 6  Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: 
• 7  As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 
• 8  Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. 

Paul starts out with encouragment and commendation of their good works. This is how they and most of the other churches started out. They started with the truth, with love for one another, with a love for God and a glorious beginning.

• Colossians 1:9  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 
• 10  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 
• 11  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 
• 12  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 
• 13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 
• 14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 

These words must never be forgotten. We must never leave that first love for the Lord and for other believers. Paul desired that they walk worthy of the Lord by being fruitful in good works and in the knowledge of God. Always seeking, bringing forth precious fruit and learning more and more of God and His ways. This is perfecting of the saints according to the will of God. We were delivered from darkness and brought into the light because we were redeemed, through His blood that was shed for us to be cleansed from the sin that condemned us. We are forgiven through the mercy and grace of God when we come to Him. We must remember this and not get into fear, doubt and become lukewarm in our faith.

My prayer is often, "Lord help us to never stop short of or go beyond what You have ordained and given to us as believers."

The enemy always desires that we get distracted and sidetracked into other things. Whether it is the things of this world or false teaching and doctrine that goes beyond what God has given to the church. Getting lifted up in pride and exalting ourselves higher than other believers is one way to get into error. We are to have godly leadership but not because one is more important or greater than other believers but to keep out the wolves that may come in and teach doctrines that are not of God. There are godly people that are humble but have more experience in the things that newer believers may not have learned yet.

The head of the church is still the Lord Jesus not a pastor or elder but they are to lead by teaching, preaching, by example, praying and interceding for the church and obeying the God in all things.

Heavy shepherding, telling people who to marry, and personal things that we as individuals have to decide for ourselves should be avoided. Leaders should never be dictators but gentle encouraging teachers of God's word.

As believers though we should never usurp authority over godly leadership but show love, respect and honor to those called to be ministers and pastors. Give thanks for everything God gives to us. Give thanks; for His salvation, His assurance of salvation, fellow believers, godly leadership that  watch for the flock faithfully, food, shelter, clothing, strength in hard times or persecution. Most of all be thankful that we know Jesus and that Jesus said, "I will never leave thee or forsake thee."

In one of the Psalms it says: I have been young, now I am old. I've never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging for bread.

His seed means his children and perhaps his descendants. I'm always claiming my descendants for the Lord. True, they have the free will to accept or reject Jesus but I'm confident the Holy Spirit will do all He can to draw them to salvation through Jesus.

The Preeminence of Christ

• Colossians 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 
• 16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 
• 17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

Jesus existed in eternity before the foundation of the earth. He was there at the creation. He was the creator. That is why in one place He said, "Before Abraham was, I am." He was criticized by the Pharasees for that statement but it was full of truth. Jesus was the firstborn of every creature.

The image of God.

• Colossians 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 
• 19  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 
• 20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 

Jesus went before us. He is the head of the body which is the church. He was the first to rise from the dead with a new body. There were temporary resurrections but it was not the same. They rose in the same body. It was more of a physical healing. Jesus was the firstborn from the dead in a permanent manner in which no one will ever die again. The soul and spirit never dies, only the body.

The blood He shed at His crucifixion is what reconciles all things to Himself. We are reconciled to God when we believe and receive Jesus. Our sins are washed clean. We are saved, born again and safe in Him. All things within us becomes new. We become new creatures in Christ.

• Colossians 1:21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 
• 22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 
• 23  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 

The hope of the gospel is given to Gentiles as well as Jews. Gentiles were once enemies of God without hope. They were lost and full of idolatry and wickedness. Through Jesus Christ those that receive Him are brought alive so to speak. They now have hope of salvation. The door is open for them to have the same promises given to the Jews.

Paul's Ministry to the Church

• Colossians 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
• 25  Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 
• 26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 
• 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: 
• 28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 
• 29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. 

Imagine how great this really is. God used a man first called Saul but then the name changed to Paul who use to preach against Jesus Christ and persecute those that followed Him. He even consented to the stoning of Stephen because Stephen preached the gospel of Jesus. God called Paul out of the darkness into His marvelous light and called him to be an apostle to the Gentiles. His preaching opened the door for the Gentiles to be part of the kingdom of God that was first given to the Jews. This fulfills a promise given to Abraham but it was a mystery. The church was unknown to most in the Old Testment unless God revealed it to His prophets. They knew of the promise to Abraham and Isaiah prophsied about the Gentiles but the actual called out ones that were called the church, assembly or body of Christ was a mystery.

• Genesus 17:4  As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 
• 5  Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 

Paul reveals to us this mystery. He was called to bring the gospel to the Gentiles and started many churches. Actually the true church is not comprised of just Gentiles but Jewish believers were part of the first churches also. Yet we see they knew this only in part in the Old Testament.

• Isaiah 11:10  And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. 

Jesus came to us through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (name changed to Israel), Judah then down to David then many years later to Mary the descendent of David's son Nathan. The right to be king was through Joseph the step father of Jesus. Joseph was from David's son Solomon. The gospel of Jesus was given to the tribe of Judah first then later spread by Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles. All nations can be saved through faith in Jesus but we as individuals must make that choice to receive Him. We make our own choice to receive or reject this good way. I'm so glad someone brought the gospel to me. Praise the Lord. -DC

Colossians Chapter 2