3/31/18
Tom Lowe
Lesson 1b: Thanksgiving and prayer (Colossians 1:3-14)
Scripture: Colossians 1:3-14 (NIV)
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. 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 (Or slave), who is a faithful minister of Christ on our (Some manuscripts your) behalf,
8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
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 (, or all spiritual wisdom and understanding),
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 (Some manuscripts us) 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.
Lesson 1b:
3 WE ALWAYS THANK GOD, THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHEN WE PRAY FOR YOU,
After the opening salutation it was usual, in an ancient letter to add a few conventional words of thanks for the welfare of the persons addressed. Paul, too, likes to start with a thanksgiving though it is always a Christian and not merely a conventional one. The thanksgiving in Colossians, addressed to "God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"—that is, the God whom Jesus Christ has revealed to us as Father—is woven around three short but very important words, which we are given in verse 4.
“We” in this verse probably refers to Paul and Timothy. Paul is directing thanks where it should be directed: “we always thank god, the father of our lord Jesus Christ.” It is God, the Father of Christ, whom we should thank, for in His relationship to us He is our God—but He is also our Father. He is “the father of our lord Jesus Christ,” our Savior; we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ; therefore, in the sight of God, we have the same standing as Christ the Son, and God is our Father-God. The spirit-directed heart pours itself out to God in praises and thanksgiving.
Paul is pouring out praises and thanksgiving to God even though he was chained in a Roman prison cell. Why was he so happy? It was because he and Timothy had heard of the spiritual growth of the church at Colossae and instead of congratulating each other on their fine work among the Colossians, they both glorified God. The hearts of Paul and Timothy were so closely knit together in love and fellowship that Paul did not hesitate to say, "WE give thanks to God."
“WE ALWAYS . . . PRAY FOR YOU.” Paul prayed continually for the believers at Colossae, so deep were his interest in them, so great was his sympathy with and for them. He bore them always on his heart, and from his heart he carried them to the throne of grace in ceaseless prayer, even though he is in jail, cut off bodily from their presence. Paul prayed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man, and such a prayer always brings success—regardless of whether the need is for rain, grace, strength, mercy . . . or "whatsoever God supplieth."
4 BECAUSE WE HAVE HEARD OF YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS AND OF THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR ALL GOD’S PEOPLE—
There are three very important words here; "faith," "love," and "hope." We are all familiar with this trilogy from 1 Corinthians 13:13: "So faith, hope, love abide." These may have summed up for Paul the essence of the Christian life. They could even have been a common early Christian way of describing, in a nutshell, the Christian life.
Paul was in prison, but he had received the good news through Epaphras, who was his co-laborer in the Colossian church. His heart was gladdened by the news of their consistency, spiritual growth and expansion. With a heart full of joy, he offered thanks to God for the Colossian Christians, and especially “the love you have for all god’s people.” Please note: it is not their love for all men as such, but for all God's people. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also, ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11).
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
THE FAITH AND LOVE THAT SPRING FROM THE HOPE STORED UP FOR YOU IN HEAVEN
“Faith and love . . . spring from hope.” This states the cause or reason for their love. What does this imply? Simply, HOPE is the source of FAITH (the plant) and of LOVE (the fruit). In other words a believer's hope or confidence in what God will do in the future leads to a greater faith or trust in God and a deepening of love for others.
Paul places hope last, because he saw faith and love springing from it. How does the hope of heaven cause faith & love to come forth? I would explain it this way: As pagans, the Colossians had been “without hope and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Then Epaphras came to them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Some believed and for them Hope is “put in safekeeping” (“stored up for you in heaven”) which could have referred to a Royal Persian custom. Hellenistic rulers would lay up in store goods for faithful servants. This reminds us, “We can labor in the present without ever receiving a reward, for we look for a reward in the world to come.” Faith rests on the past; love works in the present; and hope looks towards the future.
AND ABOUT WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD IN THE TRUE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL
“The true message of the Gospel” is very similar to a statement in Ephesians 1:13?“In Him (Lit. whom), you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed (Or believed in Him, you were sealed?Eph. 4:30; Acts 2:33), you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.” If the Gospel were not true, it would not be good news but only cruel deception. It is just possible that here the apostle has in mind the false teaching that is currently invading Colossae, which he will soon attack openly in his letter. In his other controversial epistle he refers twice to the truth of the gospel (Gal 2:5, 14). The best way to deal with false teaching is to hold it up to the light of truth which God has revealed. “The true message of the Gospel” is the contents of the Word, and the Gospel defines the character of the truth. In this context “the true message” is a proper definition for the Gospel. The phrase “The true message of the Gospel” is used instead of simply the word of the gospel to form a contrast with the false teachings being spread in their midst. There is a true Gospel and there is a "different" Gospel, which is really not another (Gal 1:6-9). Have you heard the true Gospel? Do you tell others the true Gospel? The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the ultimate, eternal reality!
6 THAT HAS COME TO YOU. IN THE SAME WAY, THE GOSPEL IS BEARING FRUITAND 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.
The apostle continues his discourse on “hope,” which became yours when the Gospel was first brought to you. It is, of course, part of the Gospel itself, which has reached you as it spreads all over the world. Wherever that Gospel goes, it produces Christian character, and develops it, as it had done in your own case from the time you first heard and realized the amazing fact of God's grace. It is that Gospel which they have already received, not the local perversion of it that has recently been urged upon them, but that which is spreading throughout the whole world?its truth authenticated by its ever-increasing popularity and the growing influence it has on its supporters, and which manifests the same excitement and energy among the Colossians themselves, in the form in which they learned it from their teacher Epaphras.
The Gospel:
• The Gospel has snuggled close up to the Colossian saints and they have taken it into their hearts.
• The Gospel is present among you, that is, it has come to, and remains with, you. The Gospel had not only come to them, it was an abiding force among them.
• He speaks of the Gospel as if it were a living person present among them.
• The Gospel is universal. It is for all the world (see Mat. 24:14; 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15; Rom. 1:8, 14, 16; 1Thess. 1:8) It is not confined to any one race or nation, nor to any one class or group. Very few things in this world are open to all men. A man's IQ decides the studies he can undertake. A man's social status decides the circle in which he will move. A man's material wealth determines the possessions he can accumulate. A man's particular gifts decide the things he can do. But the message of the Gospel is open without exception to all men.
There was nothing new here for the Colossians, because they had heard all these things before in the Word of truth, the Gospel (1:5). “Before” probably means, “before the heretics began unsettling you with their false doctrines.”
7 YOU LEARNED IT FROM EPAPHRAS, OUR DEAR FELLOW SERVANT (OR SLAVE), WHO IS A FAITHFUL MINISTER OF CHRIST ON OUR (SOME MANUSCRIPTS YOUR) BEHALF,
“YOU LEARNED IT FROM EPAPHRAS,”
The Colossians owe their knowledge of the Gospel to Epaphras, who had evangelized Colossae under Paul’s direction and whom Paul calls “our beloved fellow servant,” or “slave”; that is, our partner in that voluntary bondage to Christ; to serve Him is the only true freedom.
We cannot tell today who this Epaphras was; but it is likely that he was a Colossian, and became, by the call and grace of Christ, a deacon of this Church, who faithfully worked side-by-side with the apostle. Some think he is the Epaphroditus of another passage; Epaphras being a contraction of that name, like Demas is of Demetrius. It appears evident from Colossians 4:12{TL7.1] that this Epaphras was a citizen of Colossae, and Paul adds that he is . . .
“OUR DEAR FELLOW-SERVANT”
This shows that Paul had developed a strong friendship with Epaphras. There is no reason to believe that he had known him before, but his acquaintance with him now had served to attach him strongly to the apostle. It is possible, as has been conjectured, that there was a party in the church at Colossae opposed to Epaphras and to the doctrines which he preached, and if this were so, Paul‘s strong expression of attachment to him would do much to silence the opposition.
“A FAITHFUL MINISTER OF CHRIST.”
Some think that he was the first to preach the Gospel among these people, and therefore he is called an apostle. He lived among them, and was trained by Paul to be their minister in the absence of the apostle, and he showed himself to be worthy of this calling by a faithful discharge of his ministry, and by laboring zealously for them, and by urging them forward, so that they might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
WHO IS A FAITHFUL MINISTER OF CHRIST ON OUR BEHALF,
Epaphras is described here as “A FAITHFUL MINISTER”; the designation of minister was a title he had in common with many others, whereas the praise of faithfulness was given to only a few. It is all that the apostle required in a good steward of the house of God?“This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). To have this praise the minister of God must?
1. Seek the glory of his Master, and not his own.
2. Obey his Master; not stingily concealing from his sheep any of the things committed to him for their edification; and without setting before them anything of his own invention beyond, or contrary to, the will of the chief Shepherd.
The Church ought therefore to love their minister for the dignity of his office, and for the benefits that their association with him has brought to them. For though we are bound to love and respect all the faithful servants of God in general, yet, no doubt, we owe them particular affection and reverence who especially consecrate their ministry to our edification.
[TL7.1} “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.” (Colossians 4:12)
8 AND WHO ALSO TOLD US OF YOUR LOVE IN THE SPIRIT.
Paul is continuing to heap praise on his fellow-servant, whom he says “ALSO TOLD US OF YOUR LOVE IN THE SPIRIT”; the love wrought in you by the Holy Spirit. It was not mere natural affection, but love worked in their hearts by the work of the Holy Spirit. The love of which the apostle speaks is love IN the spirit. What is this spirit? Spirit which is equivalent to spiritual love? To be more precise, Paul means love in the Spirit of God, love which He teaches and inspires. But this does not exclude the former. For our spirit is the better part of us which the Spirit of God has come to set at liberty, that part of our being which holds communion with God. This love, then, is--
1. According to the Holy Spirit.
2. A spiritual love towards the true, just, divine, immortal.
Some would print “spirit” with a small letter, as though referring to the human spirit of Paul’s readers. We take the Revised Standard Version to be right in thinking of their love as inspired by the Holy Spirit, which is “the life of God in the soul of man,” making Christians aware of God’s love for them (Romans 5:5{TL8.1) and prompting them in turn to love the brethren. Doesn’t Paul set love first among the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and declare it the greatest of all spiritual gifts? (1 Corinthians 13).
The greatest example of this love is Christ. In Him we know what love is, but it was manifested in Him, so that it might be diffused. His disciples are to reflect His love.
Hell is the absence of this love. It is that empty heart which has been violently severed from its affections without being united to God, a heart which has need of love, and which finds no object to supply this want.
[TL8.1} “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5).
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 (or all spiritual wisdom and understanding),
Paul’s special object of supplication is now revealed. He prayed “we continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the spirit gives” (Compare Ephesians 1:17.). Paul desired for the Colossians to have a complete knowledge of the divine will of God in all its revealed elements and aspects. He wanted them to have perfect, complete knowledge of God’s perfect will for them, which will result in corresponding moral conduct. Every Christian should desire to know God’s perfect will for his or her life.
If God fills a believer with the knowledge of His divine will, certainly the sphere of the spiritual vision is enlarged. The mind of such a believer is trained and taught in divine things. The birthright of every believer is enjoyment of the Spirit of light in his life. The enjoyment of the Spirit of light is a special privilege, a singular blessing belonging to all believers who will yield unreservedly to God.
When a believer completely yields to the divine will of God and permits God to fill him with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, God then removes the mist which obscures the inner vision of that believer. . . A mist which hinders spiritual understanding and robs the believer of the depth of great spiritual truths and promises laid down in God’s holy Word. When a person is completely yielded to God’s divine will, God gives to that person a deep love for divine truth and a deep, burning desire for a better understanding of that truth. When the believer is so completely yielded, such surrender enables him to see through the spiritual eye of understanding, and thereby receive blessings that the average Christian knows nothing about. “Oh, God! Give to us spiritual understanding.”
Notice the little word, “all” . . . “all the wisdom and (all) understanding.” Wisdom and spiritual understanding are not limited. They may be enjoyed by the surrendered believer to their utmost bounds—and heaven only knows the bounds of God’s wisdom and spiritual understanding. “Christ is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30).
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,
To “live a life worthy of the Lord” means to love Him so much, and to cherished and worship Him, so that the very image of Him is continually before us. To “live a life (Or to walk) worthy of the Lord” means to yield to His Spirit and to live in such harmony with the Spirit that we will exhibit His purity, His piety, His humility, His love and His very life. We are to walk in His steps; we are to get into the yoke with Jesus and walk beside Him.
Paul prayed that the Colossians would “bear fruit in every good work, and grow in the knowledge of God,” live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way.” The greatest pleasure for the Lord Jesus is to see Himself—His own likeness—in those who accept His Lordship in every phase of their life . . . in their thoughts, and their actions, in their purpose in life, in everything they do. His desire for His children is that we walk worthy of him, and by so doing secure His approval. “Whether therefore we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do,” let us do it all to the Glory of God. We should never do anything selfishly or for vain-glory.
Paul wanted them to be believers interested in and performing every good work. . . “and increasing in the knowledge of God.” True knowledge of God is the only food that will bring about spiritual growth. The more we learn about our God the more we know of His love, His power, His longsuffering, His grace and His majesty. The more we trust Him the more confidence we will have in Him, and the more confidently we will rest our life—past, present and future—in His hands. The more we know about Him the deeper our own experience with Him will be. We will lean upon His arm anytime we need strength. We will rest upon His bosom and confide in Him in every phase of life. The more we know about Him the more we will love and trust Him, the more we will grow in spiritual things, and the more we will enjoy our spiritual life. If we would walk worthy of our Christ, this fruit bearing and knowledge set forth in verse 10 must be our experience.
11 BEING STRENGTHENED WITH ALL POWER ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS MIGHT SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE GREAT ENDURANCE AND PATIENCE,
This verse describes the spiritual condition in which a believer brings forth fruit. From God comes the power and strength to bring forth fruit. The power to bring forth fruit is imparted strength?not strength worked up or brought about through our ability or wisdom—but strength imparted by God, the very power of God Himself within us. Paul clearly refers to the impartation of divine strength and divine power to believers. The natural man is feeble. Fallen humanity is weak, but rises to power when yielded to God’s grace, grounded in truth and filled with spiritual understanding.
The branch cannot bear fruit apart from the vine (John 15:1-8). We cannot bear fruit apart from the power of God within. A fruit bearing Christian must be yielded—soul, spirit and body. Our members must be dedicated to Him, instruments of righteousness. We must present our bodies a living sacrifice. The power to be an effective minister is imparted from God Almighty—we do not pray it up, pray it down, working it up, work it down, nor acquire it in a seminary—it comes from Almighty God, and it comes according to His glorious power.
12 AND GIVING JOYFUL THANKS TO THE FATHER,WHO HAS QUALIFIED YOU (some manuscripts US) TO SHARE IN THE INHERITANCE OF HIS HOLY PEOPLE IN THE KINGDOM OF LIGHT.
The normal life for a truly born again believer is to walk worthy, bear fruit, grow in grace, and be strengthened by the power of God in the inner man, in all things giving thanks—for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.
Here Paul is praying for the Colossians that they might walk worthy of the Christ, even in the immediate spiritual battles through which they were passing as false teaching (error) tried to make inroads into the church. Even amidst these difficulties, Paul prayed that they would be strengthened in patience, and that they would rejoice.
As sons of God, we have an inheritance (allotment), because we have trusted Jesus; in Him we become God's sons, thereby becoming heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus. The inheritance belongs to God’s “holy people” (saints). The saints are not the Jews; they are not the righteous ones in the Old Testament era. The saints are a specific company—those who belong to Christ because they have trusted Him and are saved upon the merit of His shed blood, having believed in His finished work, having trusted in His saving grace. They are the peculiar company referred to in the epistles as "saints."
Heaven is a place of light. We learn from Revelation 21 that there is no need of a sun or stars there—the Lamb is the light of the city. The radiance of Him will furnish the light for the city where the saints will live and move throughout eternity. Only saints will dwell in that city—those who are clothed with purity and perfection, and nothing short of God's holiness, the righteousness of the Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). No such being exists on this earth in this body. Man is incapable of enjoying the inheritance of light in this body. By nature the natural man is darkness. His mind is darkened, his thoughts are impure, his heart is desperately wicked and must be changed before that man can enter the kingdom of light here, and inherit the inheritance of light at the end of life's journey (John 3:3; 1 John 1:7).
But if unregenerate man should enter heaven, heaven would be hell to him. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. The natural man must be changed, because the natural man is not subject to the will of God. No man in the flesh has ever obeyed God's command. There must be a change of heart. Let me hasten to say that what God commands, God provides and makes possible to the individual. Christ is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. He who knew no sin was made sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. . . Christ in you, the hope of glory!"
13 FOR HE HAS RESCUED US FROM THE DOMINION OF DARKNESS AND BROUGHT US INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE SON HE LOVES,
The Colossians had been translated out of the realm of “darkness”; they were at that same moment translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son. They had changed their citizenship and had become citizens of another kingdom, which was a present possession, not a future inheritance. (The kingdom of light in its fullness is a future inheritance, but the transition referred to in verse 13 is a possession here and now!) The split second an unbeliever puts his trust in Jesus, that split second he becomes a member of the kingdom of light. Believers are not immigrants in search of a home; they are not a company of dissatisfied exiles looking for a place to call their own. Believers are settled in the kingdom of God's dear Son. We are now the sons of God; we are now the possessors of eternal life; our citizenship is now in heaven. We sit together in heavenly places now. We are looking forward to that glorious morning when we will receive our glorified bodies, but our spirits are already citizens of the celestial City, the inheritance of light.
14 IN WHOM WE HAVE REDEMPTION, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
The moment an unbeliever exercises faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the heart is pardoned and forgiven all sin. Sinners become sons instantaneously; salvation is a sudden miracle, not a gradual process. But had not God provided redemption, had he not made possible free and perfect salvation, man would be destined to be dammed!
Redemption makes no distinction with regard to sin . . . it knows no "little sins" or "big sins." Redemption shows no discrimination among transgressors . . . All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Jehovah God laid on Jesus the inequity of us all, and the loving invitation is, "Whosoever will, let him drink of the water of life freely. They that come unto Me, I will in no wise cast out. Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." If you close your eyes in sin and opened them in hell, it will be because, in the words of Jesus, “He will not come to me, that he might have life!" (John 5:40).
We are justified by faith in the finished work of the Lamb of God, and to be justified is to be just as just as Jesus is just. Justification is the act of the Sovereign judge—the great God who gave His Son that redemption might be ours through His blood. Then I ask who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? By what authority can redemption be revoked or canceled? Please study carefully Romans 8:31-39.
Forgiveness!! How sweet the sound of that word! Forgiveness is more closely connected with the redemption we have in the blood of Jesus than any other blessing provided by the salvation we enjoy in Christ. Forgiveness comes to us in a split second. Many other blessings follow after we have been redeemed, but forgiveness is instant. It is the first blessing—the joy of knowing that forgiveness is ours, guilt is gone, and the burden is lifted! Peace is ours because we are pardoned.
Application:
I am so thankful that the Lord sees where we are in our spiritual journey and then takes us to a deeper level with Him. Paul's letter to the Colossians applies to you and to me. You can be so very thankful for what the Lord has done in your life. But, there is so much more! You can find the knowledge of God's Will for your life. You can live a life worthy of the Lord. You can please Him in every way. You can do this if you focus on Jesus and are obedient to Him. "It's All About Christ!" May the Lord find us faithful. Let's pray
