Colossians Study Two: 1:21-2:12

Dear Student of the Word,

Attached is the second installment of our five-part study of Paul's letter to the Colossians.  In this letter, Paul addressed the philosophies and arguments circulating at the time that opposed the supremacy and deity of Christ.  Paul was never content, however, simply to deal with theological issues in his letters and always addressed practical faith matters as well. 

This week I commented on some of those practical matters:

2:4 – What kind of arguments was Paul guarding against?  Based on the context, they had to be arguments that tried to make Jesus anything less than Paul described him to be.  There must have been heretical positions circulating that tried to explain away Jesus’ divinity.  What’s more, these arguments must have been “high-sounding” and very convincing, while also being deceptive and filled with error.  This is why it is important to be well-grounded in the doctrines of the faith so that you are not susceptible to such arguments.  I have had door-to-door evangelists from sects and cults visit my home and try to engage me in debate with some clever twists on biblical doctrine.  These would also qualify as find-sounding but deceptive and could capture those who don’t understand what they believe and why.

v. 5 – Paul had not been physically present in Colosse, but he carried the church in his heart and was present in spirit.  Paul wanted this church to succeed and success was defined in terms of their doctrinal discipline and faith.  The Colossians brought great delight to Paul because of their spiritual health, although one must assume that the Colossians had their share of struggles as they dealt with the false doctrines that were assaulting them.  I have often said that if your enemy can’t keep us from the truth, he will attempt to pervert that truth by creating ambiguity or fanaticism. 

When enemies are at war, part of the warfare plan involves disrupting communications.  That is certainly a common tactic of our enemy.  Have you been experiencing any communication battles lately?  You can be sure that it is evidence of the war that we are in and confirmation that we have an intelligent ruthless enemy who opposes us and hates our Lord.

v. 6 – Paul urged the Colossians to continue to live out their faith in a manner consistent with their introduction to the gospel.  Paul’s directives were simple in order for that to occur.  First, they had to be rooted and built up in Christ.  When I read that, I think of Psalm 1:

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers (Psalm 1:1-3).

They had not only to be rooted in Him, but then bear fruit in Him as well.  How is your root structure in Christ?  And are you being built up in Him?  How do you know?  What evidence of being built up in Him can you produce?

Then, they had to be strengthened in the faith they were taught.  They were not free to wander from that faith or exercise it according to what they felt was proper.  They had to be true to the apostolic foundation that was laid, presumably by Epaphras.  Faith serves to strengthen you as your roots deepen and your fruit increases.  Is your faith growing and is it consequently strengthening your life and work?  What evidence can you point out to justify your answer?

Finally, Paul instructed the Colossians to be thankful.  I have found myself waking up for the last six months and thanking God for many things as soon as I open my eyes.  I have also been faithfully journaling my thanks to God for His work and faithfulness to my family and me.  Are you thankful?  What evidence do you have that you are more thankful today than ever before in your life?  Perhaps it’s time to offer an offering of thanksgiving, perhaps a gift to poor, as an expression of your thanks to God?

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished Faith Files.

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