Colossians
Introduction
Written by the Apostle Paul in (ca. A.D. 60–62) while Paul was a prisoner in Rome.
Warren Wiersbie writes;
Many people today, like the false teachers at Colosse, will give Jesus Christ a place of eminence, but they will not give
Him His rightful place of preeminence. He is not a “great man among great men”; He is God’s Son, preeminent in all
things!
I. The City
Colosse was one of three cities (Hierapolis and Laodicea being the other two) located about 125 miles southeast of
Ephesus in the mineral rich Lycus Valley These three cities were almost within view of each other. Although Colosse’s
population was mainly Gentile, there was a large Jewish population as well. Colosse’s mixed population of Jews and
Gentiles manifested itself both in the composition of the church and in the heresy that plagued it, which contained
elements of both Jewish legalism and pagan mysticism.
II. The Church
Paul had never visited Colosse (see 2:1). During his three years of ministry in Ephesus, “all Asia” heard the Gospel
(Acts 19:10, 26). One of Paul’s converts in Ephesus was a man named Epaphras, whose home was in Colosse.
Epaphras had taken the message of the Gospel back home, and through his ministry the church was founded (1:4–7; 4:
12–13). This fellowship may have met in the home of Philemon, for he lived at Colosse (Col. 4:9 and Philemon).
III. The Crisis
Paul was now a prisoner in Rome. Epaphras had come to visit him and to report that a new teaching was invading the
church and causing trouble. This heresy today is generally called “gnosticism,” from the Gk. word gnosis which means
“to know.” The Gnostics were “in the know”—that is, they professed to have a superior knowledge of spiritual things.
Their doctrine was a strange blending of some Christian truth, Jewish legalism, Greek philosophy, and Eastern
mysticism.
For one thing, these heretics taught that all matter was evil, including the body; and therefore God could not come in
contact with matter. How, then, was the world created? By a series of “emanations” from God, they claimed. And, since
Christ had a human body, He was only one of these “emanations” and not truly the Son of God. The Gnostics proposed
a complex series of “emanations” (including angels) between man and God and thus denied the preeminence of Christ.
Their system was supposed to give the believer a special “full knowledge” not possessed by others. The Gnostics loved
to use the word “fullness,” and so you find Paul using it many times in this letter. Their doctrine called for legalistic
practices (2:16) and strict discipline of the flesh (asceticism, 2:18–23). “Touch not, taste not, handle not!” was one of
their rules. They taught that certain days were holy and certain foods sinful. The Gnostic system had a semblance of
spirituality but was of no real spiritual value (see Col. 2:21–23).
IV. The Correspondence
It is likely that Paul sent O-nes-i-mus and E-pap-hras, along with Tych-i-cus, back to Colosse with the letters to the
Colossian Christians, to the Ephesians (Eph. 6:21–22), and to his friend Philemon.
Colossians emphasizes the preeminence of Christ.
Paul’s theme is that “Christ is all and in all” (3:11) and that we are “made full in Him” (2:10).
Since believers are made full in Christ, Christ is all they need!
Legalism, man-made philosophies, strict diets, compulsory observance of holy days, discipline of the flesh—all of these
must go when Christ is given His place of preeminence.
Colossians is a letter pleading for spiritual maturity (note the prayer in 1:9–12).
Religious practices done in the flesh may appear to be spiritual, but they are of no value in the inner life of the person.
How easy it is even for evangelical Christians to substitute man-made rules for true spirituality.
The Message
Today I am going to do something a little different than usual, I am going to read the opening scripture from the NIV
rather than the Nasb. The word translation is almost exactly the same but he sentence structure is a more easily
understood in the NIv than the Nasb.
The foundations of the Gospel message..
Faith in Christ Jesus and Love for our fellow man
The Two extremes of Pseudo-christianity Salvation by works and Salvation by knowledge.
Some would teach that works are the foundation of faith and are required for salvation.
That in a real sense we are saved because of our works.
We see this in some churches today where many strange and oppressive doctrines are taught.
Works are the result of Grace, not the means of grace.
Romans 3:28
For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.(ESV NT Rev. Int.)
Galatians 2:16
nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have
believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the
works of the Law no flesh will be justified.(NASB95)
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of
works, so that no one may boast.(NASB95)
Others lean to the opposite side of the spectrum. Faith is expressed in the knowledge of Christ and nothing more is
needed.
Some have jettisoned works of righteousness altogether and instead, have embraced the mistaken notion that since
righteous works and obedience to God’s will are not efficacious (or a cause) for salvation, (as I just stated) they are not
necessary at all. Thus, they have reduced faith to a mere mental assent to the facts about Christ.
We know that James Chapter 2 says clearly that faith without works is useless and dead.
James 2:20
But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?(NASB95)
So there are dead works without faith, and dead faith without works.
Love for our fellow man (beginning with believers) is one of the visible fruits of true saving faith.
John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”(NASB95)
1 John 2:10-11
The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his
brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has
blinded his eyes.(NASB95)
1 John 3:13-14
Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we
love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.(NASB95)
Calvin reminds us that He employs the expression, love towards the saints, not with the view of excluding others, but
because, in proportion as any one is joined to us in God, we ought to embrace him the more closely with special
affection. True love, therefore, will extend to mankind universally, because they all are our flesh, and created in the
image of God, (Genesis 9:6;) but in respect of degrees, it will begin with those who are of the household of faith.
(Galatians 6:10.)
You will see as we go through Paul’s letter that we will revisit these two extremes often..
Here we find too in this passage the idea of hope in that is found in the Gospel. I will not go into further detail because I
feel that we covered hope pretty thoroughly last week, but I wanted mention it here so you again see the thread of hope
that winds its way throughout the Gospel message.
Now having laid the foundation of the letter and the premise of the Gospel as being bound up if you will in Faith, Hope
and Love I want to move on to one more aspect of Paul’s encouragement to the Church.
We could say that this is the purpose of Paul’s letter
Follow along with me as I start back in verse 5 with “because of the hope to help bring the thought to fullness and I
would like you to start reading with me starting in verse 9
Colossians 1:5-8
because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has
come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you
also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; just as you learned it from Epaphras, our
beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, and he also informed us of your love in the
Spirit.(NASB95)
Colossians 1:9-11
For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled
with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the
Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience;
(NASB95)
knowledge of His will
spiritual wisdom and understanding,
you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,
to please Him in all respects,
bearing fruit in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God;
strengthened with all power,
according to His glorious might,
for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience;
The purpose of Paul's letter is not to lay another foundation, but to build on what the Colossians already have so that
their faith and the faith of those around them will increase.
As Christians we can never be stagnant
We must constantly be pressing closer and closer to God and becoming more like Jesus.
And He promises to guide us in the process and help us in the process.
We are not left alone to figure this out, we have the Holy Spirit as our guide to bing us into a full understanding of our
salvation
Benediction
Philippians 4:19-20
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the
glory forever and ever. Amen.(NASB95)