The letter to the Christians in Colossae was written by Paul around 60 AD. The letter was written in response to fellow Christian Epaphras, who had witnesses heresies there. Upon reporting it to Paul, the letter was written and meant to be read aloud to the congregation, reminding them of the supremacy of Christ and that the world’s teaching didn’t equal the heresy affecting the church.
The heresy is never named, but based on the callouts (2:11, 2:18, 2:23, 3:11), it appears that false teaching entered the church in the form of ceremonialism (what drinks and food was permissible), asceticism (human rules of conduct) and the worship of angels.
In order to refute these claims, Paul goes back to the very tenants of faith: Christ as the image of God (1:15), the sustainer (1:17), head of the church (1:18), resurrection (1:18) and the reconciliation of all things to God through him (1:20-22). In bringing Christ’s supremacy to the forefront, Paul shreds away the ideas that human rules have no bearing on the risen son.
Colossae itself was a small place which had lost its splendor many years before. It was once a city revered for its fabric dyes, but by the time of the letter it was a small, insubstantial city. It isn’t mentioned in the book of Acts. In around 60 AD an earthquake is thought to have destroyed the city completely.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
The author of this letter, Paul, wrote it while he was being held by Rome (4:3,10,18). Paul had not met this church personally but was qualified to speak to them as an apostle.
Thanksgiving and Prayer 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
One of Paul’s regular prayers was for the Colossians, a group he hadn’t yet met. Why would Paul pray for people he hadn’t met? Because Paul understands the larger picture of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-31). Not all of the parts of the body work in the same way, but the intention of yearning toward Christ in love, support and fidelity is common to all Christians. Each part of the body works in a different way, however they’re all vital parts of the same body, with different functions, and to pray for their success in relationship to Christ is as important as Paul striving for his own deeper connection.
Love and faith: The Colossian’s faith exceeds their small stature. Again, Colossae isn’t a big spot on the map. But they are big of faith, They are exuberant in love and faith. This love and faith come from the gospel itself, the wellspring of their foundation.
Hope: Where is their hope? It is stored in heaven for them. It is the eternal outlook that is meant for all Christians to have in this world. The hope must always be on the eternal, not the temporal.
1 Corinthians 13:13 sums up Paul’s thinking, a message that permeates all of his writing: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
The gospel isn’t only alive in Colossae but growing throughout the known world. In this passage we learn that Epaphras, the faithful servant who has reported the heresy to Paul, was also the very person who brought the gospel to them. This job, “servant” (KJV calls it “minister”) means the same thing: one who serves.
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Let’s analyze Paul’s prayer:
1. Fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and the understanding that the spirit gives: Paul’s prayer isn’t for the people of Colossae to be successful in any temporal way. The first part of his prayer is for the people to listen and be led by the spirit. Why? So they can understand what God wants of them. Often our prayers are prayers of saving: save me from this pain, this circumstance, this moment. In other words, our prayers are often about saving us from moments that could give us pain. But Paul’s prayer isn’t one of self-preservation. It isn’t “let their lives be good all the time.” This prayer of spiritual understanding is the basis of our foundation. Until we are willing to submit, our prayers will be prayers of self-preservation. When we turn it around and begin listening to God, they become prayers of mobilization.
2.That you may walk worthy of the Lord: Once one is listening to the Lord, then it is vital for that person to bring that spirituality into daily life. This walk, with the Lord, becomes the outward sign on the inward walk. If we are truly submitting to God, then the outward walk will resemble the inward spirit.
3. Please Him in every way: When we understand the will of God and live it out, God is pleased. When we sin and fall short and return to Him, He is pleased with our return, just like the wayward son in the parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32). In the story of David this principle is played out again and again. David strays from God but he returns, acknowledges his sin, repents, deals with the consequences and is restored. To walk with God and fully please Him we don’t have to be perfect, we just have to continue to return to the source, understanding our salvation to work it out with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13).
4.Bearing fruit in every good work: Our works don’t get us to salvation; they are an extension of our inner spirit. When we walk by the spirit, we develop a natural desire to show our inner spirit. This displays oftentimes in good works. In these good works that we do, some easy for us and others challenging, we bear fruit, or extend our spirit into the world to affect others or outside situations in positive ways. Paul’s prayer is to make the best of these moments, extend yourself in such a way that you show God’s heart to others so that they can see it too.
5. Growing in the knowledge of God: It is important to reach out and investigate who God is. God is always present, and God may intervene in your life, but in most cases He awaits us to reach out to Him. James 4:8 says this: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. God desires our active interest. If we are willing to reach out to Him, the promise is that we will begint o see him more clearly.
6. Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might: God’s strength is present in our life to help us through the various circumstances, seasons and trials that slide inside and outside our existence. It is no secret how to access God’s strength: it begins with humility. It begins with understanding our brokenness and realizing we can’t exist in our own ecosystem. It just doesn’t work over the long-haul. When we tap into the source of strength, we are given a great gift. But it must be through submission, understanding that the wellspring of power is by understanding our own weakness.
7. So that you may have great endurance and patience: The purpose of tapping into God’s strength is so that we can weather all of the challenging moments in our life. Patient endurance is one of the benefits of a God-centered life. If we have God’s strength to get through trials, then we have a great foundation, built in love, in order to build strength in our character.
8. Giving joyful thanks to the Father: To understand how God works in us for our own benefit is extraordinary. He builds us from the inside out and develops us not into an independent creation but into a dependent one. The dependency is important because if we aren’t dependent on God’s love, mercy and strength, then we can’t understand the depth of His care. That depth of care is crucial to creating joy in our life. Joy is not happiness; happiness is based on our circumstance. Joy is about understanding the eternal in the temporal state. It’s about bringing that understanding into every situation, so that the temporary state of circumstance doesn’t bring our life and faith to a screeching halt. This joy needs to be brought back to the father, the source of our strength.
9. Who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light: We aren’t “qualified” by our works, but by the Father, who sees deeply into us, examines our motives, and understands what we are all about. He designed us. His aim is to help us reconnect with that design so that we can become as efficient and fruitful as possible. This qualification is the inheritance into his holy kingdom. God’s aim is to bring us from a place of torment and self-satisfaction to a holiness that resembles Christ. We are to remember that it is God’s doing. He breathed life into us. He designed us. He allowed challenges into our life in order to build us. He called us.
10. He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness: Paul touches on this concept many times in his writing. The idea that we were once living in darkness, but in the revelation of Christ in our life, we have been transformed into a new creation. This new creation (born again) is the symbol of this life change. It doesn’t mean we are perfect from that point on, but it does mean we are saved. We have turned to God and intend to follow Him and that leads us from the darkness into a new light.
11. Brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins: This new life, this new way of living in light instead of darkness, is coming into the place where Jesus is. This repentance (changing our mind so that our actions are changed) is important in our spiritual evolution. We must want it, because ultimately that is where Jesus is. The redemption of us and the forgiveness of sins is only in one place.
The Supremacy of the Son of God 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Jesus is:
1. The image of the invisible God: Jesus is the very likeness of God. He is a way we can understand the heart of God. Paul uses the Greek word Eikon to relay the idea that God is fully revealed in Jesus, His image like the reflection in a mirror.
2. Firstborn over all creation: This may seem like Jesus is a created entity, but firstborn is merely a title given to the “supreme” figure in divine existence. He is before all created things.
3. For in him all things were created: All things have been created through Christ and for Him. This speaks to the central nature of Christ. He is not a created being but everything goes through Him and for Him. This does not mean that He is less than God but part of God, the second part of the Godhead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit (The Trinity).
4. He is the head of the body, the church: This concept is taught in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Paul lays out the metaphor of the body of the church as a human body, each part of that body serving a purpose to the greater whole. Christ is the head of this body, which is the church itself.
5. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross: In his summation, Paul orchestrates the final musical notes of his concept. This is God’s great plan. To bring Christ to earth, filled with all the attributes of God Himself, so that we can see and understand who God is. By Christ’s resurrection we gain the understanding of the blood sacrifice. It is the thing that reconciles us back to God.
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
We were lost in our transgressions (sins) for a good part of our lives. Paul uses an interesting word here to drive home a point. Apellotriomonous in Greek means to transfer to another owner. NIV translates it as “alienated.” So if Paul is really saying that God transferred us to another owner during this time in our life, it changes the meaning dramatically. This may help us to understand why we were enemies of God back then: we were enemies in our minds based on our behavior. We wanted to conduct ourselves in sin so we convinced our mind that our behavior was right.
Our former way of thinking becomes apparent once we introduce God back into our lives. The change is apparent. The evil of yesteryear is obvious and shameful. If we were to stay in that mindset, perhaps we wouldn’t see our sin as shameful. But God, through Jesus Christ, has come into our lives. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit has taught us. There is a submission and repentance. There is change. It only happens through Christ. We believe in Christ and follow Him authentically, and continue in that faith, our sins are forgiven. There is action involved in faith. It isn’t dormant, it isn’t the result of a few emotional words uttered a long time ago. It is the constant fight to rid ourselves from the world and sin and become the holy creatures that God desires us to be.
Paul’s Labor for the Church 24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
Paul’s joy in suffering in his own personal faith journey is folded into the ever-present ministry of Christ. The afflictions he speaks of is in regard to the ministry, which continues through time. This ministry, the building of the church, is Christ’s ultimate goal. Paul is a subset of Christ, both working for the same goal.
25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.
Paul became a minister of Christ not because he wanted it, because he trained or had a goal at doing something glorious in his life. He did it because he was commissioned to. His mission is to present the Gospel. The mystery he speaks of is Christ, the building of the church, and the work of Jesus in His people.
27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The grafting of the Gentiles into the picture of redemption was not know to the Old Testament people, but is understood in Christ. Redemption is open to all people.
28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
Jesus is the one Paul proclaimed. He didn’t do this for his own glory or to build a golden megachurch. He did it so that people would know who Christ is and why it matters. His strength, derived from Christ, compels him forward so that all will know.
Colossians 2
1 I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.
Paul’s greeting to the Colossians is heartfelt; he pains for them. There is an inner conflict being fought inside Paul. His prayer’s are loving and deep and his care for the Colossians, people he has not yet traveled to and personally met, is evident. Paul didn’t need to plant the churches and care for them himself yet the care and love he expresses for these people is the same that any of us may have for people we have not met. We still strive for the well-being of others. This is the caring heart for the body of Christ.
2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
Paul understood his own spiritual conflict. In that, he understood that his spiritual conflicts were a microcosm of each member of the body of Christ. Paul wants to encourage the Colossians because when people are discouraged, it is easier for them to fall into the grip of sin and the world. Paul’s contentions this: if one is to be fully equipped for service to God, they must surrender the discouragement; that is a sign of their embedded spirit in the world. Only in God, through Christ, is where true wisdom resides. This wisdom is attainable by understanding the real power of love and growing together in God’s truth.
But even in this truth, there is a contingent of evil that surrounds us, always there to confound us, break us into pieces. Part of this is the intellectualism that exists in all eras. It is the idea of someone coming against the word of God with the purpose of shattering it under its world mindset.
Even though the heresy in Colosae is never defined, Paul’s writing eludes to the idea that false teaching has infiltrated the church. Whatever specifically troubled Colosae during this time isn’t as important as the broader message: false teaching is always a problem, inside and outside the church, in any era. We can make an inference that the teaching had something to do with wisdom and knowledge and perhaps the teaching sought for them to look to someone or something else that Christ.
Human wisdom is different from spiritual, or Godly, wisdom. Human wisdom helps us in our life. Brushing teeth before one goes to bed is a wise practice. It will help to eliminate further dental problems. Saving money is wise. It helps when an unforeseen expense pops up. These are wise things that we do in life to help us live a better life, but they don’t really get us anywhere spiritually. Spiritual wisdom is the God-given direction that feeds our soul and causes us to make life choices that affect our spiritual well-being. It could look like deciding to be nice to rude people or making a move to go to church or making sure others are provided for- items that God had directed you in and that you follow. This spiritual wisdom is the only true wisdom, for everything else eventually fades away.
Spiritual Fullness in Christ 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
If we have received Jesus, then we should continue walking with Him. This is Paul’s plea to get back to the roots of faith. Many people proclaim themselves as Christian, but few really follow. If we are to truly follow and become that holy servant God wants us to be, then we must stop playing along the periphery. It begins from the root system. Being rooted in Him, like a tree, is an important analogy. A tree’s entire source of life is found in its roots. It’s where it receives it’s nutrients so that it can from tall and strong. If those nutrients aren’t available, the tree will slowly die.
The tree only grows strong when the nutrients flow through the trunk and into the branches. Just like a tree, the Christian must have a steady flow of nutrients in order to stay spiritually well. He must soak up the teaching, the knowledge, the spiritual diet that God provides in order to grow strong. When the Christian grows strong, he becomes thankful.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
There was a deceptive philosophy offered to the Colossians, something that was persuasive. It was possibly a melding of Christian faith and tradition, something that brought the worship of nature into the fold. Whatever the philosophy, however persuasive it was, it didn’t ring true to the flawless word of God.
This isn’t only a message to the Colossians but to all of us. Deceptive people are a cornerstone of this world and many, with many different motives, tend to rise and lead people away from the truth. Many American-based religions that came out of the 2nd Great Awakening have this moniker. They seem very much like traditional Christianity, but when you begin to look at the people who devised these and the theology, you begin to see a departure from the word of God.
When we don’t know the word of God, we are susceptible to the false teaching around us. This happens with cults much of the time. A person is looking for purpose and direction. That purpose and direction, although in human terms (safety, security) is also usually a spiritual one as well (what is the meaning of life, where do I fit in). If that searching person has not been introduced to the truth of God, then any persuasive philosophy could sound good, legitimate and caring.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.
Part of the heresy in Colosae could have been that Jesus is not truly God. If so, Colosae could have been experiencing a Gnostic influence. The Gnostics believed that God was spirit and therefore could not inhabit a body. The spirit and flesh, according to Gnostics, were two exclusive things. The flesh was corrupt, therefor you could do anything to the flesh without affecting the spirit.
But Paul crushes that theory. He states that the deity of Christ, alive with all the power of God, has been brought to fullness. He has the authority and power over all. The Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) all dwell in the same place, in the same man. In this fullness of spirit you have also been brought into fullness. This fullness is not something earned. It is the result of your faith.
11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Along with perhaps Gnostic teaching, the Colossians could have been subject to the false teachings of the Judaizers. This was a group that preached that eternity was only promised to those who upheld both their Christian practices and the Jewish laws as well. The Colossians, who were probably mostly Gentile converts and uncircumcised, could have been very confused in how to properly follow God. But Paul assures them that, by faith, they are already heirs to the kingdom.
This happens in our society as well. Many believe that a host of religious practices guarantees them eternity. This thinking is dangerous because it creates a false notion about God and puts many people into an automatic state when it comes to their faith. If they just do what their religion demands, then they are guaranteed eternity. This could look like bible reading, attending church and charity. And even though each of those are good and proper for the soul, it always comes down to the motive. Is the motive to understand who God is? Or is the motive to begrudgingly complete tasks for the false promise of future benefit?
We are guaranteed salvation through our faith and through our actions. Our actions grow from our faith. When we submit, change our lives and proceed into a loving relationship with God, then our actions become an extension of our faith. We can’t create action and hope it translates into faith. That’s earning. Anything we do in the name of God must carry the motive of love, faith and hope in it.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Before anyone becomes a true believer, a true follower of Christ, they are dead. This is the point where God meets us, in our transgression, in the low point of our life. We’re not sick but dead, as Paul puts it, and the only way we can resurrect our life is to give it to Christ fully, unconditionally. Our sins are then forgiven. Our sins, a record of our transgressions against God, show our guilt. But these sins, or debt, are cancelled. Why? Through the death and resurrection of Christ, through his blood, the sins of those who follow Christ are nailed to the cross. In this,Christ has disabled the powers of evil, even death itself, in order for us to understand our freedom in Christ. These hostile evil entities are spoken of in different books written by Paul (Ephesians 6:12, Romans 8:38, Ephesians 1:21, Ephesians 3:10).
Freedom From Human Rules 16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Part of the Colossians problem could be linked to legalism. Therefore (in Pauls’ prose) is important. It is a link between his previous thought of Christ’s rescue. Since Christ has rescued us, there is no place for legalism in a Christ-centered relationship. The shadow Paul refers to is in reference to the Old testament laws. The festival, sabbath and such were requirements for the jewish people to sustain an active relationship with God. But when Jesus came, those things were stricken away, not because they were bad or unrighteous, but because the New Covenant created a new system of understanding and following of God through Christ.
18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. 19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
The Colossians also were inundated by some sort of false humility movement as well as the worship of angels. Many places in scripture people are told not to worship angels (Revelation 22:8-9, Matthew 4:9-10). Paul’s message is clear: worship Jesus and stay away from he rest.
In our life, there is also a temptation to give ourselves to things that aren’t of God. Sometimes they may look like Godly things. Maybe its constant church attendance, or charity work, or interjecting yourself into conversations to present the Godly view. All of these things sound okay on the surface, but it becomes a question of motivation. Are we trying to stay busy? Are we trying to judge? Paul is saying that although these things resemble Godly behavior, it removes Christ as the central figure in your worship. The emptiness of these items becomes apparent over time when we veer away from Christ and take up our time with other “Godly” pursuits.
20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
Paul is referring to legalism. Belonging to the world and its rules is giving ourselves over to the same things that the Colossians are fighting against. The Judaizers famously commanded Christians to hold fast to their beliefs, but they weren’t complete until they fulfilled the Jewish laws as well. This is the equivalent of having both feet in different buckets of water. The problem with that is that it dilutes both. You can’t give your all to either. You are forgetting the very rescue that Christ has made.
Paul talks about the temporal nature of these rules. They are destined to perish. They are based on mere human commands. Even though they may sound wise (you need to confess your sins to a priest in a confessional, you need to attend church every Sunday), Paul says they are ultimately worthless in the sense of our motivations. If we are simply going through the motions, then where we are and what we are doing has little spiritual value, even if it appears to be spiritual. Besides, Christianity isn’t defined in all of the things you shouldn’t do. Christianity is about positive action forward, understanding that God is bigger than we can ever imagine, and that we can find God in our lives in an intimate way.
Colossians 3
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Paul begins this chapter with a “since”. He is referring back to chapter two, in which he discussed an idea of succession: if you have been rescued by Christ, through his resurrection and the salvation He offers, then why would you enter back into the world view, the very life that you have just escaped from? If God has changed your heart, then there is a fundamentally better place that you can aspire to.
This place is with Christ. He says to set our hearts on the things above. With Christ at the head of our life, then practical living takes on an entirely new perspective. Back in the days of darkness, we were driven by the lusts of the flesh. We were selfish ad self-absorbed. Now, with the perspective clear, we can move toward a higher understanding of what life is really about.
This is the basis of eternal thinking. When we have an eternal mindset, thinking first of Christ before all else, we’ve set the perspective as the servant rather than the master. Our master, in Heaven, is who we aspire to emulate. When we remember that, and the sacrifice that was incurred to save us, then there is a blessing on us, a new perspective that can shine for others to see. The blessing of this union, this relationship, is especially important when judgment comes. Christ will not judge us with the harsh wrath we deserve, but with the mercy that flows freely from Him.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
With the new identity we have in Christ, we must not just put away, but put to death (nekrosate) the very things that we lived for in the former life. That earthly nature - sexual immorality, greed, idolatry - must be dealt with. Each one of these things, in their own way, turns us away from God. They create barrier between us and Jesus, and that barrier rises when we choose to indulge and shun the accountability that God offers.
Our earthly nature is strong. We have desires that attempt to rule us, to pretend that they are the way to freedom and happiness. Our flesh is in constant battle with our spirit - they want different things. The flesh can be likened to our earthly impulses, those things that feed our selfish nature. We feed the flesh through much of our lives. But when God intervenes, He brings an accountability we’ve been trying to outrun much of our existence. It is in that accountability that we see the folly of our ways and have the choice to turn into the accountability instead of away from it. It we choose accountability, then we will deal with God’s mercy in the end.
If we choose to turn away from the choice for God, then we must deal with God’s wrath. This is the path away from God, the path toward our own human desires. When we take this path it always plays out the same: we choose our own truth, we find ways to call that truth good, and we bring it into our lives, nurture it, grow it, until it has the ability to overtake us (James 1:13-15).
8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
In these verses, Paul presents another strata of sins which are unlike the first batch. Originally, he said we need to “kill” sexual immorality, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. These sins are sins of things we do. But the second list are sins of things we say. Are they lesser sins? No. All sin is a separation from God. Some sins become acts of the flesh (sexual immorality), while others are sins against others (anger, slander, etc). If we are to identify with Christ, then we must identify what Christ stands for. Paul says to take off the old self and put on the new self, which is a great analogy for this life change. If we are to put on the new self, then what’s the point of allowing ourself to belong to any of the old self? The old self returns us to a time of disobedience and shame. The new self to a place of peace and contentment. In that new place we have given God the permission, so to speak, of refining us so that we begin to resemble him more than the world of which we once belonged.
In all of this, Christ is supreme. He is in all and He is for all people.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Continuing with the clothing analogy, Paul tells us what to put on for this new self. First, we must understand that we are His chosen people. Those who follow God through Jesus Christ are adopted into the family of God, heirs to the kingdom, servants willing and able to do His work. With this great privilege, Paul shows us how to conduct ourselves in a fallen world.
1. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience: These are relational qualities. How we treat others matters. Harsh judgment is not where a Christian should live. At the heart of human judgment is legalism. But at the heart of a follower of Jesus must be the care and support that each human being craves. It shows the spirit at work in us (Galatians 5:22) and shows others the heart of God.
2. Be patient and forgive one another: As God has forgiven us, we are to forgive others. But in the forgiveness God has given, we might forget His patience with us. How long did you walk in darkness? How long did you harbor ill feelings? The forgiveness, like patience, must be looked at in retrospect. How patient was God with you? How long was it before the forgiveness happened? It was long. So in the same way we must be patient with others, forgiving them when the time is proper.
3. Love binds them all together in perfect unity: This is the motivation. All of these godly attributes only works if the motivation is correct. Love is always the baseline of our motivation. Without love, it is an empty function.
Instructions for Christian Households 18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
These verses, when taken out of context, can be very damaging. Many men have looked at these verses believing it gives them the right to rule like a petulant king, demand what they want and site the bible when they perceive their wife as not meeting their needs. Much of the confusion comes from just reading the first verse and not the rest.
To understand this a little deeper, Ephesians 5:21-6:9 gives us a little more depth. Both parties, husband and wife, have a dedicated function in a Christian household. The husband, the leader of the home, is supposed to affix spiritual clarity in the household. This sets a godly compass for how the household operates. Wives have a different function: it is to secure that godly direction tending to the home in a different way then the man does. This is a partnership more than a dictatorship. But, both must be secured in their own individual relationship with God. This is where the breakdown in many households occurs. It is when the man doesn’t step into his role. When he can’t fulfill the spiritual calling as the head of the household, then typically the woman will step in. But that isn’t her position. Suddenly we have a man who isn’t stepping up and a wife trying to do a job that isn’t meant for her in God’s plan.
When men and women understand their roles in God’s plan for a Christian household, they do it with mutual respect and love. There is no lording of rules, there in no opulence. There is no greater or lesser position. There are only the two sides of the same coin, the husband and wife, with their roles realized, with their relationship with God intact, that can be displayed to the child. The husband and wife, when there is mutual respect, shows the child the correct way that a godly relationship works.
21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
In the course of life, it is important for fathers (and mothers) to realistically show their children the correct way to live life. This isn’t through belittling, discouraging or shaming them to do what you want them to do. That is a form of control. Parents have a job in this scenario: it is to bring their child up mirroring the very things Paul talked about starting in verse 12: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. When a child grows up in that, they grow up with a great understanding of how to treat others.
22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.
In the modern application of this principle, we are to show proper submission to our employers. Unfortunately, many of us rebel against authority. The bible teaches that we must submit to God and to the governing leaders, for God had put them there. Rebelling against them is to rebel against something that God put in place. Therefore, we are rebelling against God. So, submission to God, to human authority, and even to our employers, is a biblical practice. We are to submit in a real sense, not a sense that “appears” we are following, but in the sense of true submission.
The only exception to this is when a human authority is directly going against the will of God and demanding that you follow suit. This willful disobedience to the creator is noteworthy. In Acts 5:29 says this: Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!
Peter was brought before the Sanhedrin due to the preaching he and others had done in the name of Jesus Christ. The Sanhedrin (the ruling body of priests and businessmen over the affairs of the Jewish people) forbade the apostles to speak in Jesus’ name. This ruling body (the Sanhedrin) was telling the apostles something contrary to the truth of Christ. Therefore, Peter and the others rightly said, “We must obey God rather than human beings!” In our world we have much authority to submit to and it is proper for us to do so. We pay taxes, obey traffic laws, send our children to school and collect Social Security. Whether we agree or disagree with any of the laws governing these things, we nonetheless submit to the authority of them. But if any of these things fly in a contrary nature to the truth of Christ, we are not subject to them. Our authority, after all, is with God.
When we fail to submit properly, there is a price to pay. If we are lazy, cheat on time cards, steal office products, we are not submitting to the authority. The bible says that we will be repaid for the wrongs committed when we can’t submit. The big point is this: life is all about submission and we all submit to higher authorities all the time. Everyone on this earth has another they must submit to. This is important to understand, for if we can’t submit to human authorities, then how will we ever submit to God?
Colossians 4
Further Instructions 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
Paul gave the Colossians an example of prayer in chapter 1. This prayer contained 11 points of interest:
Live a life:
1. Led by the spirit 2. That displays your heart 3. To please God 4. Showing God’s heart 5. Of study and growth 6. of dependency on His strength 7. of Patient endurance 8. of thankfulness 9. of understanding our importance 10. of realizing we are saved 11. of following Jesus
When we see how fervently Paul prayed for the Colossians, a congregation he had never met, we learn something important about prayer: it must contain passion and depth. When Paul says to “devote” oneself to prayer, he means to steadfastly dedicate yourself to it. Day in, day out, through the good and the bad, through circumstance and season. Prayer life, in this context, is marked by two items: watchfulness and thankfulness. Watchfulness because there is false teaching all around them.
Jesus said, ““I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16). He spoke to the apostles as they prepared for a missionary journey of which they had to rely on God for their provision. In the same way, we must understand that the world surrounds us with false theology and philosophy and desires us to be brought into its worldview.
Thankfulness is also an important attribute because even in the tumultuous times we live, filled with uncertainty, distrust, anguish and anger, God is still in charge and desires the best of us. For our daily breath and daily bread we must give thanks, not because things are perfect around us but because our loving father takes care of us in the midst of the storm.
Next, Paul asks that the Colossians, the very people he aimed to help, to pray for him as well. You’ll notice that Paul doesn’t pray to be let free from prison, for the proper attire he needs or good transportation when he is free, but Paul asks for prayers that He may open doors (and hearts) to the message. The selflessness of this request is important to understand. Paul has a servant’s heart.
5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
It is a fact of life that we can’t live in faith isolation. Life is meant to be lived amongst others, a faith is meant to be shared. When dealing with the world around us, we are to do it with grace, confidence and love. When we speak, it should be to build others up and to bring them into an understanding of who God is and why it matters that we know Him. Each conversation, whether it be of the spiritual or temporal, must be seasoned with the knowledge of the eternal. When we deepen our relationship with God and move into the ungodly world, we must be centered in the foundational truths of our faith so that when questions come along, our answers will be strong, knowledgeable and carry the weight of light for others.
Final Greetings 7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
Tychicus is mentioned in Acts 20:4. He was one of the men who accompanied Paul to Asia. Like Paul, Tychicus is an unknown Christian to those in Colossae. Epaphras, the man who brought Christianity to Colossae in the first place, wasn’t able to return, so Tychicus was dispatched by Paul in his place. He is also the bearer of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 6:21-22). Onesimus, the other man referenced here,is regarded as a faithful brother. His story is told in the epistle of Philemon.
10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.
Aristarchus has an interesting through-line in the book of Acts. He was with Paul when Paul was attacked by an Ephesian gang of hostiles (Acts 19:29), was one of the men who accompanied Paul to Asia (Acts 20:4), ad also was with Paul during his sailing to Rome (Acts 27:2). There is also Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (Acts 15:36-40) and Jesus, also named Justus. There is no further scripture of this man.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Epaphras, the man who brought Christianity to Colossae, is always at work praying for Colossae. He understood the gravity of the of the problems in Asia Minor and Paul acknowledges his love and prayer life for Colossae. Epaphras’ prayer isn’t for them to get out of their situation, but to be mobilized to stand firm and mature int he midst of it.
14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea. 17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.” 18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
The final verses of this letter mention Luke, the physician who wrote the book of Luke and later Acts, Nympha and Demas. Demas is mentioned also in 2 Timothy 4:10 as a man who has forsaken Paul. 2 Timothy is the last of Paul’s letters and Demas is one of the many who has abandoned Paul in his last days.
Paul asks for the Colossians to “remember my chains.” There is much passion in these final words, but they are followed by “Grace be with you.” As always, Paul’s present situation is not of supreme importance, but the grace he can share through his understanding of the Lord and what Jesus has to offer is of greater importance.