The Book of Colossians Pt. 3 Gospel Truth Changes Lives!

Colossians 1:1,2  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. 

Paul's greeting underscores his God given authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ. 

He also emphasized the unique relationship of Jesus Christ and His Father, because he is going to go after the spiritual error of Gnosticism, which was beginning to influence this church.

Do we thank God for new believers and pray for them?

Colossians 1:3  We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 

A believer in Christ can go directly to the Father in prayer. No mediator, human or otherwise, is needed and this statement strikes at the foolish idea of emanations propagated by the Gnostics.

Paul began to pray constantly for the Christians at Colosse. Though he had not met them, he prayed for their spiritual well being and for their protection.

Pay attention to reports of what God is doing and praise Him. 

Colossians 1:4,5  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; 

We see Paul's heart on display. He did not plant the church in Colosse, but as soon as he heard about the believers there, he began praying for them. 

Take note of the word "heard" for it means that someone came to Paul to tell him about this new church. 

Paul commended them for having repentant faith in Jesus Christ. Evidence of their salvation was demonstrated tangibly by their love for all the saints. Loving one another like the Colossians did, fulfills the commands of Jesus Christ (John 15:12).

When we are born again, the Spirit of God indwells each believer and He pours out the love of God into our heart (Romans 5:5). This, in turn, will spill out of us as love for others. 

He commended them for the hope of resurrection and eternal life in Christ, a heavenly hope that was part of who they were as a church. 

Such sublime spiritual realities described by Paul, are laid up in heaven for each believer in Christ, like a treasure that has been securely and safely stored.

All of the faith, hope and love the Colossians had for one another, was founded upon the bedrock of scripture. 

The living truth of God's Word goes forward each day. 

Colossians 1:6  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:  

The doctrine of the Gospel (word of truth in verse 5) is pictured as a traveler, whose object is to visit the whole habitable earth. The gospel began its journey in Judea, proceeded through Syria and through different parts of Asia Minor. 

The gospel of Christ arrived at their city, every where proclaiming glad tidings of great joy to all people.

The word of truth takes root and bears fruit!

Matthew 13:23  But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 

This life changing gospel of Christ brings forth fruit as evidenced by the transformed lives of all who are born again. The idea of bearing fruit connects back to Christ's parable of the seed and the sower (See Matthew 13:1-23). 

The seed being sown is the Word of God. There are four types of soil where the seed lands. Each soil type represents a heart response to the Word of God. Three soils were not productive.  

However, the fourth soil was good ground which is a picture of someone hearing and heeding the Word of God, and turning to Christ with repentant faith. All who truly know Jesus Christ are going to bear some kind of fruit. 

This is what Paul alludes to have happen in the hearts of the Colossian Christians. Their hearts were good ground, ready to receive the seed of the scriptures. When this seed was sown through preaching the gospel of Christ, it took root and bore fruit. 

This modern idea of people claiming to be a born again Christian while showing no evidence of spiritual fruit, is a doctrine of devils (1 Timothy 4:1). 

God's word is living truth. It is a surgeons knife that cuts through our excuses, exposing our sins and showing us the only way of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:12).

Knowing the grace of God in truth means the Colossian believers were fruitful, and went on increasing in the salvation of God. This began from the time they heard and acknowledged this doctrine to be of God. 

They understood salvation to spring from the grace or benevolence of God  and received it as truth, sincerely and uprightly, as His greatest gift to man.

Pastor Epaphras told Paul about this church.

Colossians 1:7,8 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.

Remember, Paul heard about this church from someone else. That church planter was Epaphras. This man was dear to Paul's heart because he was a willing worker in gospel ministry. He was their pastor and the one who preached the gospel in that place.

Epaphras was a resident of Colosse raised up to be their minister in the absence of the apostle. He showed himself to be worthy of this calling by faithful discharging his pastoral duties. 

He laboring fervently for them, pressing them forward in their new found faith, that they might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Epaphras is the one who communicated to Paul their steadfast love in the Spirit.

The Colossians exercised repentant faith toward God. Each believer has a point in time where God saved them by regenerating their soul. Thus, we look back to that moment of faith in Christ as a historical fact in our lives. 

Paul pointed out the love among the Colossian believers. This is a present act of the Spirit of God transforming them into the image of Jesus Christ. 

Finally, Paul pointed out their hope, which is a hope for the future. This is that blessed hope where we are to be looking for the coming of Christ, and to be longing for His appearing. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

Do you recall a day when you first trusted Jesus Christ? If we are born again, our faith is a historical reality that we look back to with certainty. We know what God did in us that day and that we received full pardon and forgiveness for our sins. 

Do you have the love of God in your heart so that you can love others as Christ commanded? This should be the present state of our Christian lives, loving one another. Loving one another is a result of the ongoing work of God's Spirit. 

Do you have hope for the future? This world is not our home, and it is not where our hope is. Our hope is the Lord Jesus Christ coming from heaven to take us home with Him. Thus, we should be walking through this life as strangers and pilgrims awaiting our future home in heaven.

Bob