Verse 1. “Paul, an
apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our
brother,”
Paul was an "apostle,"
which in the Greek language, referred to a "sent
one." In secular usage an apostle was an ambassador
sent by his king to represent him in another country.
Notice that the offices and gifts we have in Christ are "by
the will of God." We act because of God's call and
for that reason only. "Timothy"
was the younger minister who accompanied Paul and helped him
for many years. Paul SPOKE the words of this letter and
Timothy was the "amanuensis,"
the secretary, who physically WROTE the words as Paul said
them.
The Letter of Paul to the Ephesians
largely centered on the Church as the Body of Christ. The
Letter of Paul to the Colossians is much more about the HEAD
of the Body, Jesus Christ. Its original name was "Pros
Kolossaeis," "To the Colossians."
Colossae was about 100 miles east of the city of Ephesus and
it appears, from Colossians 1:4-8 and 2:1, that Paul never
visited the place. This letter was written about the same
time as Ephesians and Philemon, probably in 60 or 61 AD.
Verse 2. “To the
saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.”
"Saints"
in Paul's usage within verses such as these, carried the
meaning "holy" in the Greek
language of the time, and literally meant "set
apart." Those who receive Christ are "set
apart" for God's purposes. Our lives are no longer
our own - we are His to do with as He wills. Holiness is
only found "in Christ" as it
says in this verse, which is addressed to ALL "in
Christ" at "Colossae,"
the city of the Colossians.
"Faithful
brethren" means just what it says - trustworthy,
steadfast and unswerving brothers and sisters in Christ.
Note that true faithfulness is only possible in Christ, who
is "the author and finisher of our
faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Paul greets them with "grace"
(unmerited favor) a Greek greeting of the time, and "peace,"
which is "eirene" in Greek, from "shalom" (fullness), a
traditional Hebrew salutation. If you want grace and peace,
look to "God our Father."
Verse 3. “We give
thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying
always for you,”
The expression, "WE
give thanks," could be written, "Timothy and I (Paul)
give thanks." It may also mean that the whole church at
Rome, the place where Paul wrote this letter, was
continually thanking God and praying for the believers at
Colossae. And there was good reason to be thankful, as we
shall see in the verses that follow.
Some versions of Scripture translate
this verse as: "We give thanks to God
(AND) the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ," but the "and" was not in the original and is
misleading. The "Father" IS "God,"
as is the Son. Paul had said in another place, "Pray
without ceasing" and "in
everything give thanks" (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18) and
we see in this verse that Paul not only knew what to do, but
he also did what he said.
Verse 4. “since we
heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you
have for all the saints;”
The believers in Rome had received
word that the Colossian's "faith in
Christ Jesus" had abounded and their faith actually
grew in the years since they had first received the Lord.
Their "love" had proved through
events to be genuine. They not only talked about love, but
best of all, they SHOWED that love "for
ALL the saints."
You may have loving thoughts, but it
is essential that, whenever possible, and as led by the Holy
Spirit, you EXPRESS that love toward others. Love in action
demonstrates the love that is in the heart. I teach the
elderly in convalescent facilities and have done so for
years. The feeling of many who are elderly is that they can
do little - because they are elderly. But all of us can
pray as Paul did (verse 3). You bring the greatest force
within this universe into the lives of people - when you
pray.
Verse 5. “because of
the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously
heard in the word of truth, the gospel”
We take little out of this life -
some say we take nothing out of it, but that is not actually
true. In speaking of eternity, when we shall see the King
of Glory Face-to-face, Paul spoke of "faith,
hope (and) love," which
he said, will "abide" (1
Corinthians 13:12-13). "Hope,"
as in this verse, along with "faith"
and "love" (verse 4), will
abide on this earth and "in heaven"
- forever.
Most people, when they think of "heaven,"
think of material things, such as mansions, halos, golden
streets, crowns, and the like, but the material reality of "heaven"
will likely not be what we think. "Faith"
is an actual "substance;"
something you can have, right now and for all eternity
(Hebrews 11:1), and so is "hope,"
along with love. What should we do? Hope in the Lord, have
faith in Him, and love both Him and your neighbor - You CAN
take it with you.
Father, let us be like the
Colossians, full of faith in the Lord, overflowing with love
and let us become men and women who truly PRAY. In
Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Colossians 1:6-10
Verse 6. “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;”
"Euangelion," is the Greek word for "gospel" in Verse 5,
a word that leads into this verse. The word originally meant a "reward for good tidings" (W. E.
Vine), but the "reward" part was dropped by the
Early Church, and it came to mean simply the "good news."
The good news about Jesus Christ, His life, death, and resurrection, came to the
Colossians and thousands of others in the area of the Roman Empire. As a
result, many
in Colossae and elsewhere were trusting in and "bearing
fruit" for the Lord.
The "gospel" is "constantly
bearing fruit and increasing" to this day, and indeed, the good news has
been heard "in all the world." Jesus Christ
IS the "grace of God in truth," offering
forgiveness and salvation to all who simply BELIEVE in Him. As we shall
see, in Him "we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins" (Verse 14). If you are
reading these words and are drawn to trust in the Lord, then the "grace
of God" is "bearing fruit" in you.
Verse 7. “just as you learned it from
Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ
on our behalf,”
Paul mentions in Colossians 4:12, that "Epaphras"
was "one of you." In other words, the man
was from the city of Colossae, and
as Paul said to the Colossians in that verse, "he is always laboring fervently
for you in prayers." In Verse 8, Paul reveals that Epaphras "informed us of
your love in the Spirit," suggesting that the man may have RECENTLY come to
Italy to visit with and help the Apostle Paul.
It seems that the Colossians "learned
it," or rather learned about the "gospel"
(Verse 5), from this man, Epaphras. He was a gifted teacher and/or
evangelist, who was a "faithful servant of Christ."
Note that Paul says Epaphras acted on "our behalf,"
which is to say, on behalf of Paul and the other apostles of the Lord.
Paul and others could not BE at Colossae, so Epaphras faithfully did the work
they might have done if they could have been there. The apostles are not
in the world today, so you (and I) are to be that "faithful
servant," responding to the need of those who live in this present time.
Verse 8. “and he also informed us of
your love in the Spirit.”
Epaphras had come from the City of Colossae, to visit
the Apostle Paul and the other Christians who were in Rome. He brought
news about the Colossian believers. He had excitedly told Paul about their
abounding "faith in Christ Jesus and
the love which (they)
have for all the saints" (Verse 4). He told
Paul that the "gospel" (good news about Christ) "constantly
(was) bearing
fruit and increasing" among them (Verses 5-6).
He reported they "understood the grace of God in
TRUTH" (Verse 6) without distortion.
And their love, as we can see in this verse, was based,
as it should be for us all, "in the
Spirit." The love of those in this world is
conditional. Those in humanity love because they expect something in return;
often to be loved in return. The love of the
Spirit, on the other hand, is different, and it is perfectly expressed in Christ
Jesus, who gave Himself utterly for us. "Let this
mind be in YOU which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5).
You are to LOVE as the SPIRIT leads you to love.
Verse 9. “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,”
If you encounter or hear about someone who needs the Lord;
or if you
even HEAR of someone who has RECEIVED the Lord, it is not by chance you
have heard of them. God is bringing other people to your mind; He is REVEALING them
to you for a
purpose. And a very great purpose is to PRAY for them. As the Spirit leads
you, help others in every way possible, and especially, keep on praying for them.
Do you know those who have faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ? Hopefully you do, and if the Holy Spirit is leading you to pray for your
Christian friends, they are in NEED of those prayers, even if their lives
outwardly seem
sufficient. You and I need prayer as well. We ALL need to “be filled with the
knowledge of (God’s) will…” None of us are as smart as we
should be, for we
desperately need the “wisdom and understanding” that comes from God. You need to
pray! We all do.
Verse 10. “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;”
When you look at the Church through the centuries and
consider the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the disputes between “Christian”
groups and people, you may well conclude that many in the Church lack “wisdom
and understanding” (Verse 9). Such abilities are needed for this world, not only in
history, but also right now. As a group, we have not walked “in a manner worthy of the
Lord.”
Before marrying, you should be aware that you are being
CALLED to first please your spouse and only secondly to please yourself. Most
important of all, the purpose in your creation is to please the Lord “in all
respects.” When you plant a fruit tree in your yard, the purpose is so it will
bear fruit. You have been planted into this world to bear “fruit” for the Lord.
He has called you to “every good work” and to be “increasing in the knowledge of
God.” Give your whole life to pleasing the Lord – you’ll be glad you did.
Lord, we give ourselves to You now. We
surrender our will - to Your will. Increase in us the wisdom and knowledge
that comes from God. Fill us with Your Spirit. Let us walk in a
worthy manner, that pleases You in all respects. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Colossians 1:11-15
Verse 11. “strengthened with all power,
according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and
patience; joyously”
Notice the progression in these verses. The Colossians
had placed their faith in the Lord and found His love (Verse 4). They learned to
HOPE in Him and were learning of the Gospel (good news) about Him (Verse 5). They were
“increasing” continually (Verse 6), and were filled with “love in the Spirit”
(Verse 8). They were continually being prayed for (Verses 9-10) which was the
mechanism that was enabling their growth in the Lord.
This is the progression that should be occurring in all
of our lives. Almost to the end of this process we become “strengthened with all
power, according to HIS glorious might” – not our own. The purpose in all this
is not the freedom from trouble that some expect. We are to receive “steadfastness and patience.”
When you call out to the Lord, “increase my faith,” His answer is “Yes!” and
this process in your life will lead to (as in this verse) – joy!
Verse 12. “giving thanks to the Father,
who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.”
A final step in the progression of these verses is that
we become filled with “thanks.” Instead of only
working hard to practice the tenets of your religion, you’ll indeed be “giving
thanks to the Father,” as in this verse, and you’ll be doing it “joyously”
as we saw in Verse 11. Where is the JOY in your life and mine? The spirit of joy is
right here in these verses – it is in the Lord who shares everything with you and me.
And here’s why: You have been “qualified…
to share in
the inheritance of the saints!” We are not failures after all. We somehow passed
the course! In Christ, we are “qualified” for the Kingdom of Heaven. Our lives matter! And
God is our "Father!" And notice that our lives come into the “Light.” We don’t
need to hide or be ashamed, for He has “qualified” us for the “inheritance” of
God in Christ.
Verse 13. “For He rescued us from the
domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,”
“Darkness” in this context
denotes confusion and misunderstanding. We like to believe we understand a lot,
but in this world we actually know very little. We misread the motives of other
people (and even our own motives) – continually. This world IS a “domain
of darkness.” Humanity essentially consists of a race of blind
individuals who pretend they can see. But those who trust in the "Son"
are "transferred" to a better place.
The "Son" gives us good reason for us to be “giving
thanks to the Father” (Verse 12), for He has “rescued” you
and me. Notice that ALL is done through “His beloved Son.” We have been “transferred”
into another realm of existence altogether, though we did not deserve it. To
trust in the beloved Son of God is to receive His stamp of approval on a
passport from an infinitely better kingdom. We are indeed “rescued” – in Him.
Verse 14. “in whom we have redemption,
the forgiveness of sins.”
To have “redemption” is to be bought back. As a race, we
have sold ourselves into slavery to sin. Our earliest ancestors sold us all into
the power of the enemy when they went against the clear command of God. They
KNEW they had sold out all humanity for all time in this world system, and they
covered themselves as a result. That is the chief reason why we need to wear clothing
that covers the reproductive areas of our bodies – because we are ashamed of our
sin, which ruins not only ourselves, but others as well.
Scripture reveals in a variety of ways that,
individually and collectively, we are a race of sinners, unfit for the “kingdom
of God’s beloved Son,” as mentioned in Verse 13. John the Apostle said, “If we
say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1
John 1:8). We must receive “the forgiveness of sins” offered in Christ,
reasonably finding in it, in HIM, the JOY mentioned in Verse 11.
Verse 15. “He is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”
The phrase “the image of…
God” in Scripture has been
argued about for centuries – what is it? Mankind was given that “image,” as we
can see in places like Genesis 1:26-27. And you wonder, what is it? How does it apply in our
lives? In Colossians 3:10, in a context describing the changes wrought in us
through receiving Christ, we are urged to “put on the new man who is renewed in
knowledge according to the image of HIM…” In 2 Corinthians 4:4, “Christ” is
described as “the image of God.” Something, Someone crucial was lost when mankind fell,
that is renewed in us when we give ourselves to Jesus Christ.
“Firstborn” was a Hebrew concept, used mostly of men,
but also of animals. The firstborn of Israel was kept safe at the time of the
first Passover, and therefore, every firstborn man and beast was consecrated to
Jehovah (YHVH), as you can see in Exodus 13:2 and 34:19. The beasts were
sacrificed whereas the men were redeemed (Exodus 13:13, 5, 34:20, Leviticus
27:6). In Israel, the firstborn son became the inheritor of the father and
received a double portion of the inheritance. Jesus, “the firstborn of all
creation,” was sacrificed; He died so WE would receive the inheritance of God. And note that Jesus
is not PART of this creation, for “In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily” (Colossians 2:9). He is not created – He is God.
Thank You, Father, for the Son, for in Him we have
redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Let us truly UNDERSTAND and receive
the JOY of the Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Colossians 1:16-20
Verse 16. “For by Him all things were
created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created
through Him and for Him.”
A better translation of these words is actually, “IN Him all things were
created,” and “all things” is a way of saying, “this physical universe.” The
interstellar vastness of outer space; all of it, the galaxies, nebulas and
likely more than any of us are aware of; “ALL THINGS were created in Him.” As
John said, “All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made
that was made” (John 1:3). And note that much of “all things” is “invisible” to
us.
Paul’s description of ultimate reality includes, of
course, the “black hole,” anti-matter and the
microcosm. We acknowledge that such things exist,
but know little about them. There is also much more found within the “invisible” universe.
Included are “thrones, dominions, rulers…
authorities” – beings and systems of
government that are shockingly alien to us all. This
Jesus, this Christ, the “Him” of this verse – He, in concert with the Father, is
the Creator of us all. And note that “all” is “for” Him.
Our lives are not for your
whims or mine – we were created “FOR” Jesus Christ.
Verse 17. “He is before all things, and
in Him all things hold together.”
Jesus Christ, the “He” of this verse, is before –
everything! Before the Laws of Physics existed, He was! Before there was energy as
we know it, or matter, including atoms and galaxies – He already was! John said
this: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God” (John 1:1). In John 1:14, the “Word” was identified as the One who “became
flesh and dwelt among us” – Jesus Christ.
Why do you “hold together?” Why don’t the atoms of this
world, of your body, fly apart like the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics would
indicate? Some years ago, scientists, who, like everybody else, don’t have
complete answers to all this, postulated that an “atomic glue” holds all things
together. The true "Glue" is the One who is “before all things.” Even when He
was dying for our sins and then was dead in that tomb, He held the atoms of His
persecutors “together.”
Verse 18. “He is also head of the body,
the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He
Himself will come to have first place in everything.”
There have been many who have thought of themselves as
the “head” of some group called the “church.” There is actually only one
“church,” which the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, called “the body.”
And note there is only one leader, one “Head” of that “body,” and His Name is
Jesus Christ. God Himself defines what the church is and who leads it - we
are merely a part of what He does.
He is the “beginning” of everything. Especially,
in
this context, He is the “beginning” of the true church, consisting of those who
really believe in and follow God. Because of Him, at least millions will live
with Him in the wonder and love of eternity. He became the “firstborn from the
dead,” so that others may be “born” to life in a similar manner. Now and forever, we
will know this is not some act of our own that has done this thing - it is for
God's “pleasure” (verse 19) that we are saved. He will always “have first place in
everything” – forever.
Verse 19. “For it was the Father's good
pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,”
Do you want to please God the Father? Even those
who are angry at Him for perhaps some very real event in their lives - somewhere
down inside, ALL of us would like to think we have PLEASED the Father.
Often our REASONS for wanting to please Him, however, have been because we want
something in return; to be healed, to get the job, to be liked, and so on.
He HAS your needs in mind and now it is time to also think of what HE wants.
Please note: the “Father’s good pleasure” is found in
Jesus Christ. What that means to us is crucially important. If we try to
approach God with our good works, our religious or theological understanding, or
by heroic deeds; nothing about us will be sufficient. We are sinners and we need
the sinless One, Jesus Christ. We must be “reconciled…
in His fleshly body
through (His) death” (Verse 22). There is no other way.
Verse 20. “and through Him to reconcile
all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through
Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”
“Reconciliation” may be defined this way: “A change of
relationship between God and man based on the changed status of man through the
redemptive work of Christ” (T. Alton Bryant). The active agent in our changed
status is – “the blood of (Jesus Christ’s)
cross." The passive agent is your
faith in what He has done. He has produced enough reconciliation for all of us
to be saved, but only some say “Yes!” to what He has done.
“Peace” is interesting in this context, for it relates
to true “peace,” rather than the temporary ending
of hostilities produced in this
world. That unease in the heart of man; that unrest which is in us; the uncertainty in
us all – comes because humanity is at war with God. We have challenged Him for
sovereignty of our lives. He offers “peace” through His “blood” on the “Cross.”
We know “peace” at last, when we accept Him and His
Word.
Father, give us this peace we have needed for so
long. Let us be reconciled to You through the blood of the Son of God.
In Jesus Name. Help us. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Colossians 1:21-25
Verse 21. “And although you were
formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,”
In this verse we find the real nature of sin and
our true problem in life - something was wrong inside of us all, right from the
beginning! We've been "hostile in mind"
toward God. Somehow, as a human race and as individuals, we became genetically
(and spiritually) "alienated"
from God. We think of "sin" in terms of actions like murder, robbery and
so on, and yes, those truly are sins, but the problem is deeper and more
insidious than we have thought.
As a race, we have been involved in "evil deeds" from
the beginning, because we are "hostile in mind" toward God. We have been
"alienated" from Him because we want to live life OUR way, instead of following
Him. To accept Christ is to reverse the process, to be forgiven of our
latent and overt hostility. It is to be given a new start; to be "born
again" (John 3:3, 7), a revolutionary event needed by ALL in the
human race.
Verse 22. “yet He has now reconciled you
in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and
blameless and beyond reproach—“
To be "reconciled" in this context is to be made right
with God. You might say, "I'm sorry" to someone, and if they accept your
apology, you may be "reconciled" to them - that is to say, the two of you can be
friends once more. Sometimes an intermediary is needed. The person
won't respond to you, but someone else might be acceptable as a 'go-between."
The One who is acceptable to God the Father is Jesus Christ - you and I need
His Son.
Jesus Christ is the only innocent member of the human
race who has ever lived, and He is also the Son of God, acceptable to the
Father. God makes the rules and He ACCEPTS the death of His Son as
sufficient payment for our sins. If we have faith in Him and what He has
done (Verse 23) we become "reconciled" to God. WE are rendered "holy and
blameless and beyond reproach," in Jesus Christ's "fleshly
body through death". And He gives
us His Holy Spirit, who helps us live the life we cannot live on our own.
Verse 23. “if indeed you continue in the
faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the
gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven,
and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.”
Part of the proof showing that you are truly "born again"
in Christ (John 3:3, 7), is that "you continue in the faith." The fact is that all must be brought to a place where we can effectively
and continually RESPOND to the "hope of the
gospel that (we) have heard." It is not your success in creating or
following religious formulas, though they can be helpful, but it rather is
"faith" in the Lord that makes us "holy and blameless" before God" (Verse 22).
We all confuse "religion," to some extent, and think it
is "faith," and therefore all of us do not "continue in the faith" as we should.
Some drift away from the Lord for years and only return to Him as the result of
great trouble in their (our) lives. In such an event, are we saved or are
we lost when we fall and then attempt to trust once more? The answer is
that to return to Him is to "continue in the faith." We have lost years
when we might have served Him, but we have not lost the Lord.
Verse 24. “Now I rejoice in my
sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body,
which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.”
Paul was the writer of this letter as we saw in Verse
23, and he suffered greatly for the "sake" of others. He gave his time,
his energy, his attention, and his prayers to the Colossians, the Ephesians and
others over thousands of miles and during many years in the Roman Empire. His
efforts have reached through time, over thousands of years, reaching even to you
and me.
He did things on behalf of the Lord's "body," which he
defined as the "church," the called out ones of God. The question in
this verse is: How could Paul or anyone else be "filling up" anything that is
"lacking" in the "afflictions" of Christ? The answer is that NONE of us
can add to what our Lord has done - He did it all. The "filling-up" is
when we do our part; when we become willing to give up something of ourselves
for the benefit of someone else.
Verse 25. “Of this church I was made a
minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit,
so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,”
Paul did not choose to become a minister; he was "MADE a
minister" by Almighty God. The "stewardship" given to Paul is better
translated "house-steward," which referred to a special kind of servant who was
usually a trusted slave. This was a person assigned to watch over a large
home or business, and such a person reported directly to the master. Paul
also spoke of "stewardship" in 1 Corinthians 4:1, where he observed that not
only he, but also others held such offices.
It is GOD who has "bestowed" such offices on persons of
His choosing. And such offices are given not merely to make the one in the
office happy; but "for YOUR benefit!" In other words, so that others might
be helped, and especially brought closer to the Lord because of what has been
shared with you. God blessed Paul mightily, as He has done with others
through the centuries. The purpose in choosing them is to bless those in
the church (Verse 24); ordinary people such as you and me.
Lord, we are ALL ordinary people, and we ask that we
might have faith in You, and do our share on behalf of Your people. Help
us, Lord, to be all that You would have us be. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Colossians 1:26-29
Verse 26. “that is, the mystery which
has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested
to His saints,”
The Greek word "musterion" or "mystery" as it is in
English, was in common usage at the time this letter was written. It
originally referred to the Greek mystery religions, in which secret religious
doctrines and practices were only made known to key initiates of those religions.
Outsiders were not given the truth and often the great majority of the members
of a religion only knew just a little of the truth. It was "hidden"
from them.
Something like that has occurred in relation to the church, though
not as you might expect. It is not PEOPLE who are concealing information
from one another, but actually GOD is REVEALING something we were previously unable to
comprehend. Before, we could not understand, but when we accept Christ,
something is fundamentally CHANGED inside us, so that we can now "see."
The mystery
has been "manifested" to "His saints" - those who TRUST in the Lord.
Verse 27. “to whom God willed to make
known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which
is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
The word in the Greek for "willed" was very emphatic in
the language of the time. Something important had happened; something so
important that human history was forever changed, and yet the world was
blind to what had occurred. Only the WILL of God is sufficient to make us
understand. What God is revealing will give you "riches"
deep inside your heart; riches greater than anything this world can offer.
This "hope of glory," was not given to some
small, obscure group in a certain part of the world, but it was instead made
available to ALL men and women of all time - those who are willing to simply
TRUST in the Lord. The word "Gentiles" was a Hebrew term which meant
"nations." Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would actually be "IN" those
of all nations who merely
believe. The "mystery" of God (Verse 26) is made "known" to you and me.
Verse 28. “We proclaim Him, admonishing
every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every
man complete in Christ.”
The "wisdom" of Paul, the author of this letter,
was very
real, but he was not wise because of his intelligence, but instead what he had
was "according to His (God's)
power," which he said, "mightily works within me"
(Verse 29). "Admonishing" others only has relevance and it can only help
others to be "complete in Christ," when the "wisdom" is from God. The Holy
Spirit, through the Bible, teaches truth, whereas men by themselves are limited
to mere opinions.
You and I need the wisdom of God. According to
this verse, it is possible for us all to be "complete in Christ." It is
God's WILL that you know "what is the riches of the glory" of God (verse 27).
God's intent is that Christ will emphatically be "IN you" (Verse 27), and that you
will understand. Read your Bible; pray you will understand, and
you WILL, for God intends that you will be "COMPLETE in Christ."
Verse 29. “For this purpose also I
labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.”
"Labor" in this verse is the Greek "kopio," which is to
"labor to weariness," a word in common
use at that time for the work of a manual
laborer, and it was a word often used by Paul. "Striving" was the kind of
organized activity one would find on the battlefield or in the arena at Rome, where gladiators killed
one another. Paul had suffered physically and
emotionally (Verse 24), but notice that he did nothing in his own strength.
You and I must "see" this great truth - that it was
always intended for us to serve the Lord "according to HIS power" and not our
own. The Lord said it to Paul in this way: "My
(God's) grace is sufficient
for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
It was never intended that we live this life by ourselves. We are to live
"according to HIS power." He has every intention of
"mightily" working in your life and mine.
Father, we give You the glory and ask that You will
show us how to labor according to the Lord's power and not our own. Let us
understand the mystery of Christ and let us be complete in Him - forever.
In Jesus Name. Amen.
Ron
Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
The First Church On The Net
www.FridayStudy.org
www.FirstChurchOnTheNet.org "While
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
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