Romans and Galatians have received attention from Luther and the Reformation, which resulted in millions of books, articles, sermons, and testimonies. While Colossians wait in the wings as the lesser-known Epistle for many believers. Colossians is a companion book for Ephesians, the two should be studied to gather.

Colossians 1

Verse-by-Verse Study

For joy of Scriptures

For more love toward God

A Letter Written by the Will of God 

Colossians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 1:2 To God’s holy people [saints] in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. NIV

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  NKJV

Paul Shares Authorship with Others

  Paul practiced team humble leadership. Even as an Apostle, he could have stood alone, asserting his authority, permitting no rivals. In his letter to the Colossians, he teamed with Timothy who assisted him in content. Timothy beside Paul writing this letter by the will of God. God used two men to write this letter, Paul and Timothy and Paul was proud of it. We will discuss Paul’s team leadership more, later in this chapter.

• Letter to Colossians, Philippians, 2 Corinthians, Philemon written with Timothy

• Letter to 1 Corinthians written with Sosthenes

• Letter to 1 & 2 Thessalonians written with Silas and Timothy

The Will of God

  This expression is used 21 times in the NT. However, it was not used in the OT. Paul says that this letter was written under the direction and will of God, for all believers. God provided the time, place for this letter to be written, the content was God’s will. Paul “received” the content of his letters not by education but “by revelation from Jesus Christ” (Gal 1:12). The things that Paul teaches us should be regarded as post resurrection instruction from Jesus, through the Spirit.

      In the last instruction Jesus gave to his disciples, just before his trial and death he said, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:12,13). The Spirit of truth was the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Spirit blessed the ministries of the disciples and early believers. The Letters of instruction in Paul, Peter, James and John are the direct fruit of Pentecost. It is called “the truth of the gospel” (Gal 2:5,14). It is also called “the truth that is in Jesus” (Eph 4:21). Which is centered and focused on the Son of God. 

 The last three words that God the Father spoke out loud to the world is, “A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him’” (Lk 9:35). It is the Will of God to listen to what Paul is teaching us about the Son of God. 

Now Before Your Eyes

  Now, in front of you, is a message from God the Father and his Son, preserved for over 2,000 years. It is for us to be blessed every day. This letter carries self-authenticity by each reader, not by some religious authority or highly esteemed scholars. You and me and billions of individual readers know in themselves, with certainty the content of this letter comes from God, the “everlasting God” (Isa 40:28).

  God has directed Paul to author this book of Colossians, and God has preserved it for several thousand years, for us to read today. This book did not come from Paul himself, as is obvious to high esteem millions daily give to this letter.

  Would anyone today read ancient Roman or Greek literature for inspiration? Who would direct their faith to the popular Roman God Jupiter? This letter raises above all Ancient Romen, Greek or Egyptian literature. Even today it is far above all printed literature. It is adored by billions after billions world without end.

God’s Holy People, Saints, Faithful in Christ 

  The word saint has a simple meaning; it says that a believer has made a personal commitment to be faithful to what Jesus taught. We should never forget that God’s holy people are first and foremost faithful to Jesus.

  The word saint in Greek simply means to be set apart, not the newer meaning given today as one who has been canonized. Saint was a common word in the Roman world; it was used by pagan devotees because they were dedicated and set apart in their service to a God or Goddess.

  To be set apart, we become different from this world, “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil 3:20).

In a general sense the word holy has a practical meaning. It means believers are “God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved [by God], clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Col 3:12). And lift up “holy hands without anger or disputing” (1 Tim 12:8). But this is only made possible because we are “sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:16).

All Believers are saints

  This was a general word that Paul used for believers. Because of the practice of calling unusual people saints, today we are called Christians; a term that was only once used in the New Testament in Acts 11:26.

Grace & Peace

  Twin blessings from two sources make it double strength.

Grace Is

  Grace is God’s undeserved favor, seen in always freely leaning toward us. Reaching out to us because of God’s pre-eminent kindness to bless us. To Love us, to care for us, to be Father to us. Grace is like a natural fountain, inside God himself, innate, it is inherent in God, directed toward unworthy and unruly sinners. For “all” of us in this world have “sinned” (Rom 3:23), but now we “are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24).

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from  yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).

  The last words of the book of Colossians are “Remember my chains. Grace be with you” (Col 4:18). Paul is asking the believers in Colossae to remember to pray for him as he has written this letter chained to a Roman Guard. But he does not end the letter with attention to himself. He used the term grace, in reference to “the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11).

      Paul ends the book of Philippians with the similar greeting, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (Phil 4:23). Here grace from God and our Lord Jesus Christ is to be in “our spirit.” This is a place, somewhere inside us, where “the [Holy] Spirit himself testifies with our [human] spirit that we are God’s children” (Rom 8:16)!

Peace From God

  This peace has unique attributes, it is called “the peace of God” (Phil 4:7). It is a gift from God. This unique gift Paul describes as transcending “all understanding” and it “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). It has a protective effect in our lives, when confronted with anxiety and depression, enabling us to rise more quickly above them.

  This peace, sourced from God, can’t be explained on paper or in words. Because it is a Divine Influence that creates peace that does not come from something that is human in origin.

Peace from the Spirit of God

  Peace is a state of inner harmony, sourced from within the body temple by the presence of the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22). When we lose this peace, its absence will create a feeling of spiritual discomfort.

       Peace is sent to us by the Spirit, to dwell in us and with us wherever we go. For “the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom 8:6), for “For the kingdom of God is… righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17). God at creation “fashioned us for the very purpose” to give “us the Spirit” (2 Cor 5:5), so He sow in our lives the spirit of peace. So that the “God of peace, sanctify you through and through” (1 Thess 5:23) so that “Grace and peace be yours in abundance” (1 Pet 1:2).

  This heavenly peace that is God-given through “His Spirit” (Phil 3:3) will “guard” our hearts and minds “in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). The loss of peace warns us to stop and pray for direction and discernment or confession of something in your life that is numbing you spiritually. Peace is the guard of our hearts that spiritually alerts us when false steps have been taken. Peace comes from the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6), made available to us because we “are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Eph 2:22).

  This precious gift is something that unbelievers do not have in the same manner as believers, “There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked” (Isa 57:21).  

Paul’s First Prayer of Thanksgiving

Colossians 1:3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 1:4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people. NIV

1:3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 1:4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints. NKJV

Thank God the Father for You

  This is Paul’s pastoral prayer for thanksgiving. Why is Paul so thankful to God? Because Paul sees their faith in Jesus and their love for one another. 

  “God’s holy people” (Col1:2) are those that have Faith in Christ Jesus and love for all God’s people, believers everywhere they may be. Their faith gave them a big-hearted love that extended beyond their family group, across the Empire.

  Apostle John said, “Dear friends, since God SO loved us, we also OUGHT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER [ALWAYS]. No one has ever seen God; but IF we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us” (1 John 4:11).

  Genuine faith is always in union with love. These two go together making them brighter than if they were all alone. They should be considered as primary doctrines of the church, the most important teaching themes month to month. Paul’s final greetings to the Ephesians were “Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love” (Eph 6:23,24).

  Later in Colossians, Paul says that his “goal” for believers was for them to be “knit together in love” (Col 2:2). Knitting is a reference to whenever a tear occurs in the garment, it is to be knitted back together again. If there is division in the church, love seeks ways to restore and knit all together through faith in Christ. With a “pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Tim 1:5).

Paul is Very Proud of Them

  To the Ephesians Paul proudly said, “ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers” (Eph 1:15,16). Paul was very thankful for the Ephesian believer’s strong faith in Jesus and their love that was not self-centered, including all believers in Christ.

Again, the third chapter of Ephesians Paul returns to this same theme. In his longest public prayer, encouraging believers to let “Christ dwell in your hearts through faith, and I pray that you, being rooted and established in love…” (Eph 3:17).

      Thinking of the Christian life in terms of a Roman Soldier, Paul says they are to put “on faith and love as a breastplate” (1 Thess 5:8). “Which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Eph 6:16). 

Colossians 1:5 The faith and love that springs from the hope stored [reserved] up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel. NIV

1:5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the 

word of the truth of the gospel NKJV

1:5 Your faith and love have arisen from the hope laid up for you in heaven, which you have heard about in the message of truth, the gospel. NET Bible

The Text

       According to the NET Bible “Col 1:3-8 form one long sentence in the Greek text.” Thus they have added the phrase “the faith and love that springs” from their effort to keep the context of this larger sentence from Col. 1:4 “about faith in Jesus and love for all God’s people.” 

Faith in Christ and love for all others who also love Christ (1:4)

       The Greek word for stored up is apokeimai, meaning “To be reserved, to be laid up, to be stored away." It is guarded by God Himself, kept safe so that you can not lose it.

       What is stored up? Your faith in Jesus and your love for all those who are loved by God. 

 This is the treasure, that you learned from the Gospel, which guarantees a place for you in heaven. Hope sees it all there.

The Absolute Truth

1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, 

for love comes from God. Everyone [all] who loves has been born of God 

and knows God [personally].

The Opposite of the Truth

1 John 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God [at all],

because God is love. NIV

The True Message of Gospel Gives us Hope

  Hope sees that you are “qualified you to share in the inheritance…in the kingdom of light” (Col 1:12). It is stored up, meaning God has laid it up in heaven’s storage.

  In fact, it is yours already, but not yet. Perhaps God has your “new name” (Rev 2:17; 3:12) and your new title to your inheritance. Hope see’s it there, as real as can be. However, hope is kept alive as we continue to enjoy “faith in Christ Jesus” and “love…for all God’s people” (Col 1:3). This is the foundation of hope; it is by this means that we know we have our inheritance waiting for us in heaven.

   Paul says, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people” (Eph 1:18). Hope sees our inheritance, which consist of unnumbered responsibilities and activities with eternal life, all stored up in a safe location around the presence of God. It has your new name affixed to this precious document, soon to be handed over to you. Can you see it?

Into—an Inheritance

  Both Paul and Peter say the same thing: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! "In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3,4)

      From being “Born Again” (John 3:3,6) of the Spirit into living hope based on the resurrection of Jesus, will result in receiving an inheritance. What a simple formula! Both conditions are the results of the direct action of God, when God Himself, through “His Spirit who lives in you” (Rom 8:11). Through whom our God takes up residence in “our spirit” (Rom 8:16), “to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Eph 2:22), also called the Holy Spirit. 

  From this wonderful arrangement, we are not unclean or incompatible with His holiness. Amazing, God takes one more step, unmerited by us, we “are shielded by God’s power” (1 Pet 1:5). What God owns, He protects. This is a vibrant living hope—it is our assurance, as we discern the blessing of God in our lives, that God’s promises are real and reliable. become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Eph 2:22), also called the Holy Spirit.

An Inheritance Unimaginable

      This inheritance has nothing like what we could even imagine on earth. Is it possible that somehow, we could earn the right to receive that inheritance? Well, yes and no. Yes, because we believed in the Son of God, to which God has promised He will give us “eternal life” (John 3:16).  Well, no because Christ is God’s “indescribable gift!” to us “because of the surpassing grace God has given you” (2 Cor 9:14,15). God was under no obligation to us, except His desire to give to us His grace—His favor, His blessings, His gifts in your now, His Inheritance, His Holy Spirit, His faithfulness to us all, His “lovingkindness and tender mercies” (Ps 103:4 NKJV).

Hope Looks to and Sees the Future Promises of God

  In Ephesians 1:18 Paul links the words “hope” and “call” together. Hope looks to the future, of becoming family to God in heaven. You see and feel your vast inheritance that God has called you to come and receive it. Your heart longs for it, your eyes envision it as reality. Together, your “heart” and the “eyes” (Eph 1:18) are focused there, with anticipation, it is called:

“Living Hope” 1 Pet 1:3

“Blessed hope” Titus 2:13

“Hope that is sure” Heb 6:11

  This gives us confidence that we really are God’s children and God’s hands are on us leading us to a certain and “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). We are called to destiny where “the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isa 35:10; 51:11 NKJV).

Before they call I will answer;

while they are still speaking I will hear.

The wolf and the lamb will feed together,

and the lion will eat straw like the ox,

and dust will be the serpent’s food.

They will neither harm nor destroy

on all my holy mountain,”

says the Lord. (Isa 65:24,25)

 How Little Do We Know

  How little we know of these blessing, that God has planned. What do we know of heavenly joys and the warmth of enduring love unmixed with disappointment? We know what we are to soon be in possession of our inheritance, therefore we live differently here on earth. The citizens of heaven make the greatest difference on earth.

“Giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you 

to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light” (Col 1:12 NIV).

  Hope is sensitive to unbelief. When we are inattentive to prayer, to spending time with Scriptures, it will affect hope’s vision of heaven. Hope is a valued gift coming from the gospel. There is nothing like it, you cannot buy it, receive it from another. It comes from “truly understanding God’s grace” (Col 1:6).

True message of the gospel

  The Gospel is the Word of Truth to the World. All other philosophies have no inheritance from God, which comes by “faith in Christ Jesus” (Col 1:4), with love.

Colossians 1:6 [The true message of the gospel, 1:5] 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 [the gospel] and truly understood God’s grace NIV

1:6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth. NKJV

Gospel Given to the Whole World

       The last time we saw all the disciples together was just after Pentecost. “Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd…” (Acts 2:14). From that point they all scattered, and we don’t hear from them again. We see in Jerusalem Peter, James, and John, but no other Apostle. They scattered, with their new languages, all over the world. It is believable that news of their travels reached Jerusalem. 

  Also, as Paul and his teamed moved throughout the Roman Empire, would hear news of the other Apostles. As well as those of his converts sent on mission trips. The Gospel quickly spread throughout the known Roman World, which was almost all the world, except the lands of China.

The Gospel is Bearing Fruit and Growing

  The first way to be fruitful is by knowing and understanding God’s wonderful grace as revealed in the gospel. Which is “God’s abundant provision of grace” (Rom 5:17) and “the surpassing grace God has given you” (2 Cor 9:14). Of all the qualities of God that we most appreciate is grace. Why God, the just judge of humanity, should overlook justice and instead give us His favor, His blessing, His peace, His love—in the package of His grace—It is unfathomable.

      In Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian Elders he said, “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance” (Acts 20:32). The end purpose of grace is for God to take us by His hand into life everlasting in His kingdom of heaven. This is grace upon grace heaped up over top of us, fallen and rebellious, human beings of less intelligence, very weak in strength or resolve and often given to despair. Any divine being with less grace to offer would become frustrated with our frequent distractions, indecisions and waywardness. 

  Give God the glory He deserves for his work of offering grace, every day in all locations of our globe where believers are staggering and lost in greed, lust and pride of life. Yet the face of grace seen in the visage of God is not given to anger, although by human standard it would be well deserved.

Really, truly understand God’s Grace

  Grace is God’s favor, his forgiveness of even unconfessed sins we yet to see the need of repentance. Grace is God’s kindness in so many ways we cannot ever count them. Grace is God’s many blessings to us with a personal touch, much undeserved. God’s love that He offers from His grace is dynamic and as living as our heartbeat briming over with much thankfulness and praise to God. His grace is living, re-creating, working powerfully, not static, sweeping in and round our life. Sometimes we are confronted with the grace of God, in unusual ways, making us aware of his “loving kindness and tender-mercies” (Ps 103), when not seen ever before.

If the Lord had not been on our side—let Israel say

If the Lord had not been on our side, when people attacked us,

They would have swallowed us alive, when their anger flared against us;

The flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us,

The raging waters would have swept us away…

Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.

We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

The snare has been broken, and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Ps 124

  Believers today are receivers of God’s gifts, of His grace and love for them. It is God’s profound love for us. It moves, shakes us, inspires us and refocuses us.

  Grace is freely given to the unbeliever as a means of creating faith in God. It is proprietary, built for us, to influence us individually. God’s grace is the foundation of the gospel, the center point of its global appeal to all humanity, everywhere or anywhere faith in God is freely expressed. 

      Once God’s grace has been truly understood, believers will never want to be away from the grace of God, his gift to us. It will be our anchor, our hope, our joy and assurance that we are loved by God. Once God’s grace, mercy and love are understood there is true worship. Those “who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Phil 3:3).

      “Grace has been given according to the measure of Christ gift” (Phil 4:7 NKJV). Thus it is unmeasurable, it is as great as the Father’s love for His son. When we are by faith brought “in Christ”, we are in vicinity where God’s love is reveled, next to his Son. So that, “in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace [toward the redeemed], expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:7).

How do we describe God’s grace that is given to each believer?

Grace is too broad, too all encompassing, too varied, too rich to completely define it.

Grace is too vibrant to measure, too powerful to be contained in one location only.

Grace is too heavy with blessings that no scale could weigh them, as God dispenses it.

Grace is God’s love to us when we have been unloving to Him and others.

Grace is forgiving, not just for our honest mistakes, but our rebellious ones, our evil ones.

Grace counts us worthy and righteous when we are not, and we know it.

Grace is not static, not like a Christmas gift, it is dynamic and explosive. 

Grace is pregnant with potential, it sees our future, when currently we are really a mess.

Grace has an unusual ability to see what needs to be done, to transform our current dismal state.

Grace is like a mother that loves her growing child, even after discipline is needed.

Grace is another name for God the Father, if it weren’t, then grace would not be so real and alive.

Grace is holy because it comes from the person of God, it’s his possession

Grace is God’s gift that he freely gives us, as part of Himself.

Grace is God’s eyes on us, looking for what good His grace can do for us, even as we lean away.

Grace is an intangible as “God” himself “is spirit” (Jn 4:24), it can’t be photographed but can be known.

Grace is too much too much for us ever comprehend or understand in its fullness.

Grace is directly from out of the world, it is the only means to bring us into eternity.

Grace is the best, the greatest, the most sacred and longest of anything that has lived on earth.

Grace is designed by God to be very personal, very uplifting of the inner human spirit.

Grace is God’s undeserved favor, seen in always freely leaning toward us.

Grace is God reaching out to us because of His pre-eminent kindness to bless us.

Grace is God’s love directed toward unworthy and unruly sinners.

Grace is God’s desire to be Father to us, to care for us and make his “home” (Jn 14:23) with us.

Grace is available in China, Asia, Mexico, tropics, and deserts, all receive the “riches of God’s grace”

Grace is from God so huge, as the life of the Father Himself, its unlimited, unmeasured.

  “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (1:7).

  “This grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ” (3:8).

  “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (3:16).

  “God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27).

  “My goal [in teaching and preaching] 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” (Col 2:2).

  "How much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!” (Rom 5:15).

Since the day you heard about the Gospel

   God’s Grace was the chief features of the gospel taught to the Colossians.

Colossians 1:7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf [Paul and his team], NIV

1:7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf NKJV

Fellow Servant

  The Roman-Greek idea of a fellow servant meant belonging to the same master. Paul did not write of Epaphras as belong to a lower religious status, with Paul as the Archbishop. Paul regards him as being of equal in status before God.

  Paul had many co-workers in which he often referred to them in the plural of we, speaking for the whole team Paul said, “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you” (Col 1:3). To Paul’s friends he wrote: “Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again” (1 Thess 3:10).

      The names of some of Paul’s co-workers were Barnabas, Silas (also called Sylvanus), Timothy, Titus, Luke, Aquila, Priscilla, Aristarchus, Mark, Epaphroditus, Apollos, Tychicus, Philemon, Epaphras, Demas, Gaius, Lydia, Phoebe, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and Prisca. Paul speaks of two women, “Euodia and Syntyche” that “contended at my side in the cause of the gospel” (Phil 4:2,3).

  Paul did not often solo preach instead; he surrounded himself with many competent men, women and young people. Jesus did the same thing, when he surrounded himself with a large group, sending out “seventy-two” to teach “two by two” (Lk 10:1). 

  The singular form for Apostles never occurs in Acts, in the 35 times used it is always, plural as Apostles. There was no desire to draw attention to one person above another. Sadly, often today religious leaders can be seen striving for singular attention.

  Even when Paul closed his letters with greetings, they were often in the plural. “Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys” (Rom 16:9). And “our brother Timothy” (2 Cor 1:1; Col 1:1; Philemon 1:1), also “Luke, our dear doctor” (Col. 4:14) and “Phoebe our sister who serves also the Church at Cenchreae” (Rom 16:1).

  “Greet Mary who has worked so hard for you” (Rom 16:6); “Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa who work in the Lord’s service” (Rom 16:12); “Euodia and Syntyche have worked hard with me to spread the Gospel” (Phil 4:2); “Mark is helpful to me in the ministry” (2 Tim 4:11).

  We would not say that the list Paul has given us of his co-workers is exclusive. There was at least one unnamed individual. Paul had written to the Corinthian believers about collecting an offering for the poor. Paul tells the Corinth believers that Titus is coming with “much enthusiasm and on his own initiative”. Then Paul writes about an unnamed individual saying, “And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help” (2 Cor 8:16,19).

   Paul uses the term “we” nine times in the first chapter of Colossians. In the last chapter Paul asked the Colossians to “pray for us…so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ” (Col 4:3). 

Paul Had a Close Friendship with Titus

  To illustrate more about Paul’s team, he relates how he “went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ” and he “had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So, I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia” (2 Cor 2:12,13), to find Titus.

  Even though Paul was teaching at Troas he had lost his peace of mind. He knew he must cut short his teaching to go on the road to find his friend Titus. It was not revealed to Paul if Titus was in trouble or in need, what Paul did know was that his peace was troubled over the absence of Titus who was supposed to meet Paul there.

  Paul had a very close friendship with his co-workers. It was very common for Paul to use the plural “we” in his letters, referring to all his co-workers. They came to depend on each other and keep track of each other. Paul seldom worked on a solo basis, most often he labored in concert with Timothy, Silas and Luke and other named and unnamed individuals.

Epaphras

  Was part of the Colossians fellowship as Paul called him “one of you”, describing him as “our dear fellow servant,” and “a faithful minister of Christ” (Col 4:12).

      Paul speaks of the day you heard [the gospel]” and reminds them that you learned it from Epaphras. Epaphras traveled to Rome to visit Paul, informing Paul about the Colossians’ “love in the Spirit” (Col 1:8).

   Paul gave Epaphras a complement affirming that he was “always wrestling in prayer” (Col 4:12), for his fellow believers. Prayer was always on his mind. He prayed with “boldness” and “confidence through faith” (3:12). He was always “working hard” (4:13), in visiting and praying for others. Practices he learned from Paul. 

Paraphrase of Paul’s Prayer: Col 1:9-14

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 Holy Spirit gives.

Through the Spirit giving you spiritual understanding and wisdom, you will be able to live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way, throughout your life. (Lord, this is our desire).

Through the Spirit you will bear fruit in every good work,

Through the Spirit you will grow in endurance, perseverance and patience in all things.

Through the Spirit you will grow in the knowledge of God, knowing God better and better.

Through the Spirit you will be strengthened with the same power, all power, that raised Jesus from the death.

 While you give joyful thanks to the Father, who has granted you even now, a share in our future inheritance in God’s kingdom of light.

Always remember that God has rescued you from the dominion of darkness and brought you into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, freedom and the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:8 and who also told us [while in prison] of your love in the Spirit. NIV

1:8 who also declared to unto us your love in the Spirit. NKJV

The First Thing

  This was the first thing that Epaphras, a local leader, reported to Paul about the condition of the church. He did not tell Paul that tithe was increasing or how many baptisms there were. How many prophecy and evangelism seminars was the church performing.  But how the entire congregation loved each other, which was made possible by the influence of the Holy Spirit. This was most important to Paul.

Love in the Spirit

       The Greek word for in, is a preposition ev. Meaning “in, with, by or among.” Nearly every Bible translation says, “love in the Spirit.” Some translations say, “love that the Spirit has given you” (GOD’S WORD Translation, 1995). And the Weymouth New Testament (1903) says, “love, which is inspired by the Spirit.”

Clarification

       With the highest sense of confidence, we can safely say this phrase “your love in the Spirit” is an accurate translation. Paul used this same expression saying, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” (Rom 15:30)

Scriptures never say, “love for the Spirit,” for there no Scriptural witness given to us to pray to the Spirit or even to love the Spirit, as we would Love God and is Son.

We are not to even ask the Spirit to come to us personally.

We should only ask God to give us the Spirit. As Jesus taught “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Lk 11:13). This should be our standard approach for seeking for the Spirit to be present in our lives.

  Again, Jesus taught the disciples they he would ask the Father, for the Spirit, in their behalf. “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever” (John 14:16). The Advocate or helper is another name for the Spirit. And again, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (John 15:26 NKJV). The second way to ask for the Spirit is to pray in the name of Jesus to send us the Spirit, which comes from His Father.

What is Love In The Spirit?

       It is love for what the Spirit does for us, personally and collectively among us all. The Spirit has so many functions that no matter how hard we might try; we can never list all the important things the Spirit does for us. We think it is impossible.

       The most important thing the Spirit does for us, the Spirit enables us—to love in a more extensive sense than imaginable. For “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:5). From God’s love, given by the Spirit, there is sourced to us all kinds of good, pure, truthful, and honorable love. We are to “follow the way of love” (Rom 14:1). Through the Spirit we are trained to love, to shun hatred of others and hate evil.

• We love like never before, with a growing, glowing, hopeful love.

• We love God

• We love Scriptures, we love Bible study.

• We love peace

• We love to forgive

• We love others, some we never could love before

• We love to be hospitable

• We love to be compassionate

• We love family and pray for them

• We love what is good.

• We love and appreciate the privileges God has given as his children.

• We love doing the right thing.

• We love doing good deeds

• We love being kind

• We love humility

• We love to bear one another’s burdens

• We love being truthful and honest

• We love being faithful to promise we make to other

• We love moral purity

• We love our husbands and wives

• We love being faithful.

• We love people that God also loves

• We love nature

• We love time in prayer and always want more time in prayer

• We love to praise God and sing praises, often through our day.

• We love to be used by God to share the love we have received from God’s Spirit.

• We love to enjoy “fellowship of the Spirit” (Phil 2:1)

• We love to “walk in the Spirit” (Gal 5:16), all the time.

• We love to “live in the Spirit” (Gal 5:25).

• We love to be “filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52).

• We love the freedom that the Spirit gives us over our old habits that were selfish and hateful.

• We love not being controlled by our sinful nature, which has before ordered us around making us slaves to its debased demands. In Galatians chapter five and Romans chapter eight, Paul describes the victory that the Spirit gives over the flesh.

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify [satisfy, carry out, give in to] the desires [impulses] of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary [opposed] to the Spirit, and the Spirit [desires] what is contrary [hostile] to the flesh. They are in conflict [in opposition] with each other, so that you are not [able] to do whatever you [your flesh] want.” (Gal 5:16,17).

  The Greek word for gratify means “to complete, to finish, to fulfill, to accomplish and carry it out fulfilling it,” the evil desires of the flesh. The Spirit challenges the Flesh and defeats it. The Spirit changes our hearts. Removes the unjust selfish anger toward others. Removes the sexual addictions that have held many in complete bondage to lust, with its twins of adultery and pornography.  

  There are so many hundreds of ways the Spirit sets us free from our own broken self; it would be impossible to describe them all. To those “born of the Spirit” (John 3:6), they know what the Spirit has done for them, countless times. They rejoice every time the Spirit’s superior power pushes back the demands of their flesh. Changes their desires and instill inside us, a sincere pure heart. Giving space for love, the antidote to all sin, to grow and grow. And we love it.

  Our conflict is not with the Devil, but the evil within us, our fallen human nature is against God. Our own nature owns us as its property. We are by nature slaves to it.

  God sends us the Spirit to rescue us from the consequence of the evil that rots our hearts, From our fallen emotions and feelings, which cause us to be indifferent or antagonistic to the claims of God.

  Our love in the Spirit, love coming from the Spirit’s influence, is greater than any power on this earth, because the Spirit comes from God our Father. It is the Father’s gift to us.  “Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live” (Rom 8:12,13).

More On Love of the Spirit

• This is a divine love, made available directly from God the Father to us. Eleven times in the New Testament the Spirit is called “the Spirit of God.” And fourteen times in the Old Testament starting with the second verse in Genesis “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Gen 1:2).

• Love in the Spirit encompasses, love for God, His Son and love for others. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God…because God is love” (1 John 4:7,8). Because “God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5). It is not love for the Spirit, as one would love God.

• Love received from the Spirit is love, influences us day after day.

• Love in the Spirit is a power that moves us, not by our choice.

• Love received from the Spirit is not akin to romance. Because it is “the Spirit of holiness” (Rom 1:4). Because we are “sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:16).

• Love in the Spirit is a moving love that motivates individuals for service in the world where selfish and self-centered love, predominates.

• Love from the Spirit makes us alive to live out in our lives the “fruits of the Spirit.” Which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22,23).

• Because of the Spirit’s love, moving in us we easily become good friends to others. It is a protective love of family and neighbors.

• We do not receive the Spirit of love by means of sermons and preaching. It is received because we are “born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

• Love in the Spirit is an overflowing love. An ever-increasing love, that never is meant to be stagnant.

• Love for God and the Spirit creates a warm softening influence that percolates all through the days of our lives. It is the most precious gift, for nowhere else in this world can we receive peace, joy and love in steady streams running into our lives.

Through the Spirit we become a dwelling place for God. (Eph 2:22)

We become God’s temple where God dwells by His Spirit (1 Cor 3:16)

We are to serve God in the Spirit (Phil 3:3)

We are to have fellowship in the Spirit (Phil 2:1)

We are given access to the Father through the Spirit (Eph 2:18)

Love in the Spirit

  The Greek preposition word for in is “ev”, which stand for “in, on, at, by, with or among”. It can be the means of being “by, on, at with or among” someone. It the very word that Jesus used to describe the presence of the Spirit.

  Jesus told his disciples on the day before his trial: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate [helper] to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth… you know him, for he lives [abides] with you and  will be in [ev] you” (John 14:16,17). The Spirit of truth exposes error and highlights truth. The Spirit “will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).

       The Greek ev is “a primary preposition denoting a fixed position in place, time, or state, which is inside us. For example, it is recorded that “Jesus was born in [ev] Bethlehem in Judea” (Matt 2:1).

       The Spirit is to be in us, that is inside us. The Spirit’s operation is not from the outside, but from the inside of us. Because we can’t see the Spirit, we are privileged to sense His presence, through the means of the Spirit, the presence of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ is, “God with us” (Matt 1:23).

  This heavenly love becomes intertwined with all human activities, coming to live in us, by being “Born Again”. John says, “Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7). The Spirit will create an atmosphere, sometimes lively, at other times quiet and devotional. But always Spirit worship is accompanied with praise and “joyful thanks” (Col 1:12).

  The sign of the Spirit’s presence is a call to “love for all God’s people” (Eph 1:4). Without this, worship is “sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor 15:1 NKJV).

  Can you imagine what kind of worship the Colossian believers experienced when the entire congregation was filled with love in the Spirit? Imagine the close trusting friendships and care for each other that would exist in the Spirit’s presence. Imagine the united love for God and the gift of His Son is felt inside the hearts of all. Imagine their thirst for Scriptures. Imagine an environment when children, young women and men are safe and nourished with spiritual values. Imagine a group of people that have no fear of rejection or being made to feel unwanted, unfavored. 

Love in the Spirit

  It is a love that is made available to us from the Holy Spirit because we are “born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

  This is a divine love, creating warm-softening influences in our hearts, not of human origin. It is a God centered love that percolates through all the days of our lives. It is the most precious gift and treasure that we could posses here on earth. It is golden and silver lined. This is love that comes to us, in us and with us from the Spirit. It is not love for the Spirit, as one would love God. It is love for God and others, which comes because the believers are in the Spirit.

  It is love in the Spirit that connects with others who love God with the “same Spirit” (2 Cor 4:13). John writes: “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us [abides, resides] and His love is made complete in us. This is how we know [for sure] that we live in Him [abide, reside] and He in us: He has given us His Spirit” (1 John 4:12). God’s abiding love in us, by His Spirit, is what makes us a complete human being, “perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).

Signs of the Spirit’s Presence

  The Spirit moves on us, like a “wind” (John 3:8) through hearts and emotions. It is beyond the intellect, past human reason. It cannot be controlled by any individual or organization. The Spirit does not come to our demanded request. When the Spirit does come, it comes on its own terms.

  The Spirit’s presence will give us a real sense that something is different in our feelings and our hearts-desires, giving us a God centered love. It touches us like the power of the “wind” (John 3:8), through the human hearts and emotions. It is beyond the intellect, past human reason.

  The visible “fruits” of the “Spirit is love, joy, peace” (Gal 5:22) these are the three sisters of the Spirit. They are the engines that pull the train of the remaining six other fruits of the Spirit—patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal 5:22,23).

The following is from an article we published elsewhere

“Who told us of your Love In The Spirit” Col 1:8

  This, Love in the Spirit, is not sourced from any human origin, brotherly love, or love of family and friends. This Spirit Love is a gift from God, thankfully. Love divine, love sublime, love that is verbally indescribable to another. Spirit Love from God becomes increasingly joined with peace and joy, radiating from inside our human emotions, governing and moving our words, thoughts, and actions toward more kindness everywhere, with continual promptings to spend more personal time in praise and thanksgiving to God our Father.

  This Spirit Love must be replenished daily, by devotion to Scriptures, by more prayer and responding to the Spirit’s high calling to be “blameless and pure” (Phil 2:15). This Spirit Love casts us adrift, on the grace and great mercy of God, when we know we are so undeserving. Spirit Love is knowable, for Spirit is connected to our heart-mind-emotions.

  This Spirit Love calls us daily to do good, as often as we are able, and to “find out what pleases the Lord” (Eph 5:10). This Spirit Love dwelling inside us, seeds our hearts with a living and growing plant that loves God more, that loves praise songs, with an insatiable robust desire to know Scriptures. It imparts to us love for others that have hurt us and a thirsting love for more and more about Jesus and the grace and mercy of God. This Spirit Love is at the same time creating rest and peace inside us while it moves us into deeper repentance and humility. If it doesn’t, it is not genuine! 

  This Spirit Love will unsettle us, with loss of peace, when we are accommodating ourselves with selfish sins or are spiritually lazy. If these private warnings go unheeded, we will lose the Love of the Spirit and become spiritually dead.   

Paul’s Second Prayer for the Colossian Believers 

Colossians 1:9 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 [to us], NIV

1:9 For this reason, we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual [the spirit] understanding. NKJV

For This Reason

  Because of the love you have received “in the Spirit” (Col 1:8), as illustrated by the first “Fruit of the Spirit is love” (Gal 5:22). Here Paul is not thinking of their faults and mistakes, but he is thinking of them as people he is thankful to God. For their faith in Christ. This is a positive thankfulness.

To the Philippian’s Paul prayed: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Phil 1:9-11).

Not Stopped Praying for You

  Paul had a very active prayer life, as did “Epaphras who…always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Col 4:12). The expression “fully assured” is at the heart of a joy centered life of faith in God. We can be assured that today we are living in the “will of God” and God has “assured” us that this is so.

  Paul’s prayer for the church was modeled after Jesus’ prayer: “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours” (John 17:9). When we are “raised with Christ” (3:1) we also belong to God. He becomes our Father, similar to the way God was the Father of Jesus. God adopts us through His son, living in us, “Christ in you that hope of glory” (Col 1:27). The glory is to be realized at the resurrection of the just.

Praying for You

  Jesus set the first example of praying for others. To Peter just before Jesus was arrested and tried before the Jewish leaders, Jesus said, “I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.” It may appear that Peter’s faith did fail him in his thrice denials. Jesus added to his prayer, “and when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Lk 22:32). Meaning that Peter will recover from his denials and once again become a strong leader.  

      In the true Lord’s Prayer, the final chapter before his arrest, Jesus prays to his Father. In this prayer he prays for those whom he trained and taught in his life saying, “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours” (John 17:9). Then Jesus prays for you and me, saying “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message” (John 17:20). If you believe in Jesus from the gospel letters, Jesus is praying for you, right now. This is the reason why you do believe, His prayers are answered on your behalf.

Wisdom…That the Spirit Gives

  When the Spirit gives us wisdom it enhances our better sense of what is right and wrong. It makes active ideas that arise from within our heart a sense of direction we should go. It may be what should be done for order, safety and preservation of life and health. The Spirit may urge you to bear “with one another and forgiving each other” (Col 3:3), when someone has lied to you and kept you in darkness.

  This Spirit given wisdom should not be regarded as the voice of God, but the better part of wisdom, acting wiser, to the glory of God.

  Spirit given wisdom will give you assurance that the course you are moving in is the will of God. The Spirit will give you wisdom to know how to wisely respond to difficult situations. This Spirit given wisdom is never out of harmony with “the Spirit of truth”. It is built up on a growing love of Scriptures.

Mothers with several young children. Father’s going to work for the day. The Spirit is there to give needed direction, to make wise decisions. It is important to be “always in prayer” (Rom 1:9), even as the great Apostle Paul. So that at every turn of our lives, we are privileged to ask God for wisdom, for understanding, to know with certainty, what to do, as well as how to do it.

Wisdom

  Is connected with knowing God’s will for our lives, this wisdom is given to us so that we can avoid foolish mistakes in our lives. How to know quickly and be able to discern what is right or wrong. To see the effect of false beliefs. The Spirit gives us insights, warnings, amid the many of the small decisions we daily make, while looking to God in prayer. Paul prays that every believer should have this gift from the Spirit.

      Wisdom is associated with self-control, the last of the nine “Fruits of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22). A large portion of self-control is wisdom and understanding based. It gives us reasons why certain actions that are addictive should be limited or abstained. Wisdom from the Spirit offers us solutions that will work for us. This is what it means to be “led by the Spirit” (Rom 8:14; Gal 5:18).

  In Paul’s first prayer for the Ephesians, he prayed to “the glorious Father” that the Spirit would give them “wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better” (Eph 1:17). That “you may know the hope to which He has called you” and best of all, “the riches” of our “glorious inheritance” (Eph 1:18).

“Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men” (Pro 2:12).

“I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths” (Pro 4:11).

“Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her” (Pro 8:11).

“Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning” (Pro 10:13).

“Know also that wisdom is like honey for you” (Pro 24:14).

  In Psalms 90 Moses reflects the meaning of life. He writes that our lives are “like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered” (Ps 90:5,6). In view of the uncertainty of life, we should still pray to God: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps 90:12). “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe” (Pro 28:16).

  Beyond just knowing the will of God, we are honored to be filled with this certain and sure knowledge, that today you are doing the will of God in your present duties. There is confidence about this personal knowledge, which brings peace and awareness of God’s presence.

  Being filled, means knowing God’s will with a sense of certainty, that you are living your life as God has directed you. At home and at work you have heard the same call that Jesus gave to Levi, “follow me” (Lk 5:27). At the close of his life, in his prayer to His father, Jesus was glad to say, “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe” (John 17:12). Knowing the will of God places us under the care of our Savior. This thought gives us immense rest of soul.

  This understanding and wisdom are not for sale; it cannot be marketed. What the Spirit gives us cannot be received from any university degree. We don’t receive these twin gifts, wisdom and understanding, from UCLA or Berkeley. Because the condition to receive them is faith and “love in the Spirit” (1:8). God has “lavished on us… the riches of” His “grace” (Eph 1:7,8). It is by grace that we are given a sacred sense of the will of God.

What does Paul pray for? 

 It is that God will give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.

      1st To have the Spirit of wisdom—This is a spiritual gift of knowing the best path in the many angles and choices we have in life. When to be silent, to speak up and in understanding and teaching Scriptures as the Spirit gives insights.

      When the disciples chose the first church deacons they wanted “seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). We should never underestimate the Spirit’s gift of wisdom. It maybe you are given the ways of wisdom, to order your life, family and church affairs. Wisdom means to have an intelligent clear-sightedness, soundness of spiritual and good sense. Men that will not act with folly or taking advantage of position to enrich themselves. The companion to wisdom is love, without which all wisdom is foolishness. “We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28).

  The Spirit gives the “born again” (John 3:3) believer in Jesus, what we could best describe as a wisdom modular. It is not the Spirit’s voice, but it is something instilled inside the believer giving them skill and understanding to accomplish the task God has given to them in their life-calling, with all its obligations. This Spirit given wisdom never leads to boasting or in pride to seek the attention of others. Pride cancels out Spirit given wisdom. Furthermore, Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount If you “practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matt 6:1).

  What a precious gift is wisdom the brother of Jesus tells us, in our need, our ignorance, in our folly of many mistakes assures us that “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5). This God given understanding is called “wisdom of the righteous” (Lk 1:17). So that our “faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Cor 2:5).

Understanding

  This gift includes intellectual discernment; that arises from the heart. This gift is given individually so that we can know for sure:

The “true message of the gospel” (1:5)

Can “truly understand God’s grace” (1:6)

How to “live a live worthy of the Lord” (1:10)

How to “please our Lord in every way” (1:10)

Full riches of complete understanding, to know the mystery of God, namely, Christ (2:2).

Word of caution

  We cannot always rely on our conscience as the voice and will of God. Because it is part human and is connected to our environment, education, and worst of all our fallen nature that is never correct. Because there is no one who does good” that is by themselves, “not even one” (Rom 3:12). Over time our conscience becomes educated, in the school of Christ, from Scriptures, from studying of the Gospels and Epistles. The conscience when soften by the love of God, by His compassion to you, it becomes a tool that the believers can use to know the will of God.

      We cannot rely on the voices we may hear in our heads that may be demanding or ordering us to do something with threats. Any threatening or insistent voice, in your head, is not the way of the Lord. Beware of any test given by priest, pastor or prophet that adds duties, additional test for fellowship among them, more than Scriptures have given us. Be careful, “Watch out that no one deceives you” (Matt 24:4).

  When Paul met with the Elders of Ephesus, for the last time, he warned them saying, “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men [believers] will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:29-30). They substitute new teachings that in error, which are not in the Gospels to develop a network of followers.

  We cannot rely on our feelings to know the will of God; they are often fickle and vain. Yet over time our feelings become soft and tender, providing insight with prayer to know the will of God. Yet, feeling should be always considered a secondary reason for action and decision, not primary. God has many ways of revealing to us His will for us and we will know it when He is leading us.

  The safest way to know the will of God for you. Is to first have experience being Born Again or “Born of the Spirit” (John 3:6). Having been “made alive in Christ” (Eph 2:5) and “made alive in the Spirit” (1 Pet 3:18). This experience is due to God’s mercy, love and grace that awakens and regenerates us. It is what God as done for you, not what we have done, not even the smallest part is from man. We are in His hands.

Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh 

but are in the realm of the Spirit,

if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.

Rom 8:8,9

1:9 We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives [to us]. So

Colossians 1:10 So that you may [1#] live a life worthy of the Lord and [2#] please him in every way: bearing fruit in [3#] every good work, growing in the [4#] knowledge of God. NIV

1:10 That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God NKJV

1:10 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 NAS

1:10 That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God (Iwith fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition)Amplified Bible, Classic

So That You May

  Since you have been “filled” with “the knowledge” of God’s “will” through the “wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives” (Col 1:9)—now you may be able to live a life that pleases God. Wisdom from the Spirit will guide and direct you. Even in small matters of your life. This will make all the difference in the many outcomes and encounters we have in life. The Spirit will never lead you into darkness but instead into the goodness of the Lord and affirm God's will for you. 

       In his letter to the Ephesians Paul says, “I urge [encourage] you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Eph 4:1,2). There is a deep sense of life satisfaction that comes from doing good to others. It brings health and life to us, giving us a healthy glow inside our spirit.  

[1#] Live a life Worthy

  Live a life corresponding to the value that the grace and “love” (1 John 3:1) that God has placed on us. Like young lovers, they don’t look at their marriage license as an obligation, instead they are eager to express love in heartwarming ways.

      Paul takes a different approach then the Torah of the OT, which commands obedience. “Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee” (Dt 4:40 KJV).

      Paul takes a soft-hearted approach to live our lives so as to honor and please God. Instead of just the command to obey. Since we have been given “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (Eph 1:17) and give to us a willing spirit.

  Since through the Spirit, Scriptures are opened to us. We receive a personal understanding or revelation of the love and the goodness of God. God gives to us a strong “desire for goodness” (2 Cor 1:11), to bear fruit in every good work we can in life. We don’t need a commandment to do good; we naturally want to do good to others, if we can. This is made possible because of the Spirit that was given to all believers after Pentecost. 

[2#] To Please Him

  To want to do good to others, from the heart, pleases God.  We are to “never tire of doing what is good” (2 Thess 3:13). We are to be persevering in doing good. We are “not (to) grow weary of doing good” (2 Thess 3:13). It was remembered of Jesus that “He went about doing good” (Act 10:38), all his life.

  How simple it is to please God! No need for detailed theological statements. No need to be reminded to keep the Commandments. Doing good gives us pleasure. It does not feel like an obligation, instead it is a natural impulse to support others in need of comfort, care and love. It opens our eyes to see where God wants us to do good, and we long to do so. God has placed inside us a sense of pleasure in doing good.

[3#] Bearing Fruit in Every Good Work

  Jesus taught us in the Sermon of the Mount, to never be abusive, hurtful, mean, unkind or impatient with others.

Blessed are those who mourn,

Blessed are the merciful,

Blessed are the peacemakers,

  In general terms doing good will bear wonderful fruits. It will make our home happy and society a better place. Believers will look to do good. To be fruitful in kindness, wherever they can. We will follow the Golden Rule as taught by Jesus, which does bring fruitfulness into our lives.  

  Doing good work parallels the good news of the gospel. “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness” (Matt 9:35). The gospel brings good things to people and inspires us to do good.

  May the Spirit who gives us “All Wisdom” and All “Understanding”  (Col 1:10) equipes us with the talents, skills and abilities—everything we may need, do good works. That the good “Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Heb 13:20,21).

So in everything,

do to others what you would have them do to you,

for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Matt 7:12; Lk 6:31

[4#] Growing in a Knowledge of God

  For us today this is found in studying Scriptures with prayer.  This is the idea of steady daily walking, learning to “walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16). Walking “in paths of righteousness” (Ps 23:3). So that we can experience regeneration and grow in spiritual strength. While under the direction of the Spirit’s “wisdom” (Col 1:9) given freely to us we will grow in the knowledge of God. Knowledge of God is combined with our faith and trust in “the very God who give(s) you His Holy Spirit” (1 Thess 4:8). The source for lasting fruitfulness that brings an ever longing to know more and about God.

  Paul sees that our life of faith is to be progressive. Always growing. For a good Fruit Tree will bear fruit year after year. Always learning more about Jesus. More to experience about love and knowing the will of God for you. As Jesus has taught us, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:8). Made possible because it is “God who gives you His Holy Spirit” (1 Thess 4:8), which alone can make us very fruitful. For the Spirit is always fruitful. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, self-control,

against such things there is no law.

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh

with its passions and desires.

Gal 5:22-24 NAS

Colossians 1:11 [We are] being strengthened with ALL POWER according to his [God’s] glorious might [strength] so that you may have great endurance and patience [with joy], NIV

1:11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with joy NKJV

1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of all patience and steadfastness, joyfully NET

The Text

      From the preceding verses Paul prays for the believers to be filled with the “knowledge of God’s will”. Which comes from the “Spirit” giving us “wisdom” and “understanding”. Thus, we can live our “life worthy of the Lord”, doing “every good work” for others and looking to “please” God, always, “in every way”. This is made possible because of God’s all power.

  To us is made available triple power. God’s All Power. The power of Jesus who said, “All power in heaven and on earth is given to me” (Matt 28:18 NCV). The third power is the “power of the Spirit” (Lk 4:14).

God’s Move is First and Foremost of Importance

       “In the beginning” (Gen 1:1) God is seen moving first. He is the first cause. God is so far ahead of our needs, because “He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy” (Eph 1:4).  God offered to us “eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time” (Titus 1:2). We cannot ever be ahead of God. We cannot be unseen by God or lost sight of. God’s first move is to strengthen us, before we even know we need it. God knows we are weak by nature and first moves to give us strength.

What is God’s First Move?

  God’s first move is to display to us His All Power.  Which is not sourced from our wood or oil. It is from His own glorious strength, from His own self-powered eternal existence. Because He is our “glorious Father” (Eph 1:17). The Father of our faith and salvation from sin and eternal life.

  The source of God’s All Power, for us, sent to us, is from His glorious might. Power that rightfully belongs to God. It is reliable, honorable coming from the largest and brightest light in the cosmos. It is limitless. Thus, we should “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name” (Neh 9:5).

      God does not spare his resources to do something great and good for us. To spend and be spent, for our good God does not consider it wasteful of His natural resources. God is All Power, more than needed, it comes backed with his honor, his dependability, his reliability that has been proven to be true to millions and millions who turn their face toward Him.

  There is no limitation, no exhaustion, God does not need to refill His All Power. His power can blow past every obstruction, remove every barrier in its way. God’s All Power is not on half power, but always on full power, more than needed. A power that reflects the glory of God, His goodness and his honor “Through the power of the Spirit of God” (Rom 15:19),

  Sadly, we humans often miss the intervention of God’s power in our lives. Because we credit them to circumstances in our favor. Worse yet we think we are blessed because of our skill and intelligence. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” (Eph 3:20).

God’s All Power is Not Sent For…

  Paul does not say that of God’s All Power is given for miracles or military success. It is not given to us so we can be like Samson. As when Samson “took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron” (Judges 16:3). Not given so we can be the best and greatest in our profession and business.

God’s All Power Is Sent For…

  It is given to us so we can possess in our souls with—endurance and patience. That is a joyful patience. A steadfastness that waits for the coming of the Lord. For God to open doors, to answer prayers, to provide direction or financial help. “By your endurance you will gain your lives” (Luke 21:19 NET). And “he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt 24:13 NKJV).

  God will give us power and strength to endure hardships with apparent broken hopes. It is by God’s All Power that gives to us great endurance in faith, in love, doing “every good work” (Col 1:10), even when the results are meager. We are to “imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Heb 6:12).

  God’s All Power is given to make us strong, to keep the faith.  In the parable of the seeds Jesus taught us that “the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop” (Lk 8:15). Because “he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt 24:12 NKJV).

  Paul was very proud and boastful of the Thessalonians believers, not because of the large offering or growing attendance but, he could “boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring” (2 Thess 1:4). This is not a theme that modern Christianity is likely to publicly boast about.

  Paul learned that God’s power is more clearly seen, not in wealth, not political power, not in status in society, but in weakness. Listen to Paul’s prayer to God.

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:8-10). 

Joyful Patience

  God has given the first church in Revelation a warning for us all. “I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Rev 2:4). So this does not happen to us, remember to call on God’s All Power to give you, His endurance. Not just endurance, but with joyfulness, makes it unique and special. Even while answers to prayers seem to take a long time. We are not sad but joyful, while we experience patience in the long term. Joyful when every reason tells us we should be impatient over delays and difficulties. “If we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Rom 8:25).

God’s All Power Will Strengthen us

      Make us strong, empower us to keep the faith, even in the face of loss and disappointment. To have endurance. Because we hold on to God's promises with patience, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb 13:5). I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Eph 3:16).

  In a very clear way, God Himself has accepted the task of assisting, providing strength from his All Power available to us. So we can be faithful, patient, and persevering. So we do not lose sight of our heavenly goal, the promise of eternal life. “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” (2 Thess 3:5).

“We also glory in our sufferings,

 because we know that suffering produces perseverance.

Perseverance, character; and character, hope.

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.

Rom 5:3-5

Colossians 1:12 and giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.  1:13 For [God] he has rescued us from the dominion [authority, kingdom] of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. NIV

1:12 Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers [Greek: share] of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 1:14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. NKJV

The Text

      In the previous verses we learned that God’s “All Power,” with nothing lacking. Is given to us so that we “may have great endurance and patience.” To enable us to hold on to the promises of God in face of difficulties. God has pledged his power to protect us, shield us, from a source of strength that we do not have in ourselves. Now Paul continues to draw of picture of God’s great power, His action on our behalf in rescuing us from the kingdom of darkness we have long lived in.  

Giving Thanksgiving to the Father

  Before Paul describes the actions of God, he begins with thanksgiving. Only God can do what is needed to bring us close into the circle of his special love.

  Our thanksgiving is based on God’s rescue, so that we have a right to claim His inheritance. It is a fact, none of us, can qualify ourselves to be able to be a claimant to God’s inheritance. It is the reason why we should celebrate with praise and thanksgiving and joyful songs.

  It is by God’s “All Power” (Col 1:11), not our free will, which conveys us into the kingdom of the Son He loves. “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God” (2 Cor 3:5). How true this is!

How God Qualified us

  The Father makes us ready, fully qualified, whereas before we were disqualified, to receive any portion, any share of the inheritance of the saints in the light. It is not that we qualified ourselves, but God qualified us. Our Father makes us able, fit, to freely enter. “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God” (2 Cor 3:5).

God’s Deliberate Choice

  How has God transferred us, brought us into, moved us, into the Kingdom of Light? Of course it can only be, by His deliberate choice. He picked us up; He rescued us from our birthplace in the kingdom of darkness. He moved us into the kingdom of the Son He loves. 

  Although this points to the second coming of Christ where “the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matt 13:43). It is more than that single event, at the resurrection. God is continually keeping us safe, shielding us in the kingdom of light that He has moved us into, while still living in the environment of darkness.

  We are born under the authority of darkness over our lives, blocking out rays of God’s love. We were living “dead in your transgressions and sins… gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts… But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Eph 2:1,3,4-5). God’s love and mercy cannot be separated, and we are glad of it.

What Is the Kingdom God Moves Us Into?

  It is the Kingdom of Christ Jesus, where we are given pardon for all our sins, full justification.  But more, we now stand beside our Savior, where all the love of God is being showered on us equally as much as His Son. It is our Father’s love, on his Son, which qualifies us to receive an inheritance in His kingdom of light. Because God places us next to the Son He loves. For the “Son is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:16), to love us both through His love for His Son.

Kingdom of Light is Internal

  Most important inside that kingdom is found all the love of God in Christ Jesus, in which we share together with other believers in “heavenly realms” (Eph 1:3) as “co-heirs with Christ” (Rom 8:17).

      When God calls “you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Pet 2:9), and you become “the elect of God” (3:12). In Christ by faith, we have redemption and forgiveness of sins, forgiven in a second. In Christ you are showered with the same love God has for his Son that you “may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Tim 2:10).

  What a wonderful privilege to be placed in such a rarefied kingdom where the love of God the Father is so pronounced on his Son. The point is we are not bystanders of God’s demonstrative love for His Son. No, we are not on the sidelines. No, we are not guest applauding the actions of God. No, we are not left in the dominion of darkness where we are totally unaware of the grand display of God's love for all of us. 

      We are invited to be part of this experience. Not in some future time, not alone when we are in eternity. Yes, right now in Christ by faith, we are present amid the display of God’s love. “This is how God showered [displayed] His love among us: He sent His one and Only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love, not that we loved God [we didn’t], BUT that He loved us [first]” (1 John 4:9,10).

This Is Love—Seen in the Kingdom of the Son He Loves

      God does not love the worthy, the good, the excellent, the trustworthy, the gracious, the lovely, the blessed, the talented, the useful, the kingly and queen like—God loved humanity, messed up, sinful, defiant, broken, heartless, cruel, unfaithful, disloyal, mean spirited, immoral, criminal and unjust. He loves them all. Even when we have done unforgiveable wrongs, His love reigns supreme when it comes to sinners. “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still [bad] sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).

  To prove it God gave something of himself in His Son, in that His Son is part of Himself. Part of God in a way not understood in human relationships.  It was God’s one and only Son, one of a kind. God did not have two sons so one could remain behind. If God lost His Son, there could be no replacement. True love is self-giving, the opposite of selfishness and self-serving. There is no example in human experience, we can find, that would match the self-sacrifice of God Himself.

  When we look at the life and public teachings of Jesus, here is where the miracles of change take place. Love springs up into our hearts, in stealth mode. We don’t feel it all at once, but slowly our attitudes change and the seed of Divine love is placed into our hearts begins to grow. Because Jesus retained the quality of love from the Father. By and through looking at him, faith and love grow. Because God’s charisma of love, could not be hidden in His son, in His human form.

  While John the Baptist was in prison, he began to question whether Jesus was the Messiah. So he sent two of his disciples to go and ask Jesus, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” They stayed a few days with Jesus and then returned to John, telling him what Jesus said and did. “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” (Matt 11:2-6). 

  John was convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. A Messiah not of military power, not of wealth, not of a large following of very wise educated men. No, instead of a person who loved the sick. Who healed all who were in physical or mental suffering. “News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them” (Matt 4:24).

  When you look at Jesus, your eyes will open. Thank God when they do, it was Him that opened your heart into love.

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast save in the death of Christ, my God!

All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them through his blood.

See, from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down.

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small.

Love so amazing, so divine,

demands my soul, my life, my all.

Isaac Watts (1707)

Our Inheritance

  The Greek word means to have an oversight of an allotted part of what God owns. Paul prayed that the Ephesians would have “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people” (Eph 1:8).

Kingdom of the Son He Loves

  John said the same thing, “See what great [privilege] love the Father has lavished on us [in abundance], that we should be called children of God! And that is what we [really] are!” (1 John 3:1).

  This opening expression is a question. John is asking can anyone describe this kind of GREAT love God has for us? The Answer John is looking for is “NO”. Nobody can, nobody ever will. Not now, not ever.

  The question of what manner of love can this be? Expresses the idea that there is no comparison to anywhere in the long history of our world—to God’s love. It is so great, its greatness has no equal, it is unparalleled in human experience. It implies great astonishment that such love would be given to us. 

  The love of God is so matchless in human experience that John cannot find comparison. It is beyond explanation. It is love that does not come from this world. God’s love is expressed in preparing us, by faith, by forgiveness, by redemption, by “cleansing” (1 John 1:9) turning our lives from “darkness” and “hate” (1 John 2:9), into love. 

  Then picking us up and carrying us to be in His presence, “And to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24). That is a mutual joy, the joy from God, which is the fruit of His love, in having you in His presence and your joy while being with God’s overwhelming presence—facing into eternal life. As an adopted child of God, for “if we are [His] children, then we are heirs—heirs of God” (Rom 8:17). Now we can anticipate the wonder and exploration of being members of God’s family, as eternity opens before us with all power, honored by God. 

The Kingdom of Light is Our Shield

  Peter says, “This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet 1:3-5). King David knew about God’s shield saying, “But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high” (Ps 3:3).

Invisible Father and the Visible Son

Their Sustaining Influence in the Cosmos

Colossians 1:15 The [visible] Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 1:16 For in him [the Son] (1) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; (2) all things have been created through him and for him [the Son] 1:17 He [the Son] is before (3) all things, and in him [the Son] (4) all things hold [held] together [in Him]. 

1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. NKJV

1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,1:16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created in him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him. 1:17 He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him. NET

The Premise

1st The Son of God is the image of the invisible God. “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

       2nd The Son of God is Firstborn over all creation, he existed prior to all other things.

1. All Things: He was first

             1st Things in Heaven; Things invisible.

             2nd Things on Earth; Things visible.

3rd All Thrones, powers, rulers, and authorities; heaven or on earth. Unlimited authority.

2. All Things: That have life

             1st Have been created through the Son, God the invisible through His visible  Son.

             2nd Have been created for the Son, God the invisible on behalf of His visible Son.

3. All Things: He was first

             The Son of God was before everything else that was created.

4. All Things: He is connected to everything created

             The Son holds together everything he has created.

Conclusion:

  “For God [The Father] was pleased to have all His fulness dwell in him [His Son]” (Col 1:19)

The Son: Is the Exact Image of the Invisible God

  The Son is a mirror-like representation of God the Father.

  The Son is not God the Father and God the Father is not the Son. “For God was pleased to have all His [God the Father’s] fulness dwell in him [His Son]” (Col 1:19). All the fullness, all the abilities, all the qualities, all the eternal nature of the Father—All of it is found in the Son of God. Nothing is missing that is in the Father God, “the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth” (Isa 40:28), that is not in the Son of God. As God spoke out loud to everyone “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17). Everything in the Son reflects the will of the Father, as Jesus affirmed, “The one [Father] who sent me is with me; the [Father] has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him” (John 8:29).

God’s Testimony About His Son Is Public

  If “we accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about his Son” (1 John 5:9). More has been written, spoken, preached, taught, listened to, read, printed, and publicly proclaimed—then any other person in all human history.

  God’s testimony concerning His Son—is greater, has been explained more than any other person living or dead. God’s testimony is compelling, engaging and moving on the most harden hearts. Nobody can match the testimony God has given to his Only Son, that he loves. It is impossible. Because humans have limited influence on their time and place in history. God’s son transcends all time, found in all history, is compared to every culture, it appeals to all tribes and languages of the earth. It is as present on earth as the sun and rain. It is impossible for anybody encompassing all of humanity to blot out the testimony of God about his Son. It can’t be done. No, it can’t!

  Why? Because the “glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor 4:4).

Every year there a more believers, more lovers of God, more and more voices heard in prayer, song, petition, praise, conviction that moves millions all at one time in their individual space they occupy on earth. Jesus said, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one [His Son] He [God] has sent” (John 6:29). The expression work of God is understood as God is always creating faith in His Son. It is His primary labor on earth to open human minds to receive faith in His Son. When we receive from God faith in His Son, we are the product of God’s work. 

  Peter testified: “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36).

Two Creator Redeemer God’s

  There are two eternal God’s—the Father the invisible God and the Son, the firstborn visible God. The two are in unity and in full harmony, as if the identity of both is nearly the same.

But they are different, as was made plain by the redemption of the Son of God, so that the Son can “present you [and me] holy in His [God’s] sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Col 1:22).  As the Amplified Bible reads: “Now has [Christ, the Messiah] reconciled [you to God] in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you holy and faultless and irreproachable in His [the Father’s] presence” (Col 1:22 AMP).

  Only the Son of God, one in the exact image of God, could present sinners who have faith in him—before his Father God.

  The whole idea of sending His Son for our redemption was God’s idea as much as it was His Sons. The Father was fully involved, as much as the Son was, and is fully involved in our prayers and needs. These two God’s are not indifferent to us; they can’t be when we call on their names. As in Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving, “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 5:20).

  In Revelation there is seen an “angel flying in midair and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth… He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory… Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water” (Rev 14:6,7). This is a call to the world, to worship the Son and the Father, who together created all things and together have loved us.

Doubled Blessed

  Best of all, for sinners here on earth—"Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given” (John 1:16). Grace can be called the “riches of God’s grace” (Eph 1:17) and called the “grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). Grace is DOUBLE SOURCED so that believers in the Son of God are DOUBLE BLESSED. Grace from God the Father and grace from the Son of God. “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11).

God and His Son: Invisible and Visible; Both Before All Other Things Existed

  God the Father and the Son of God, as best as we can understand, are a mystery to us. There is nothing on this earth that can represent the union that exists between God and His Son. Except to a limited degree, identical twins.

  God and His Son are not the same, with different names. They are always presented separately, yet so similar it appears that no differences exist. The Father God shares all his honor and authority with his Son, and the Son returns it to the Father. As Jesus prayed, “Father…glorify your Son, that your Son my glorify you” (John 17:1).

Jesus Prays to His Father in the 3rd Person

  Jesus “prayed: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. As You have given Him [God’s Son] authority over all flesh, that He [God’s Son] should give eternal life to as many as You [Father] have given Him [Jesus Christ].  And this is eternal life, that they may know You [Father], the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:1-3).

• Eternal life is sourced to humanity---From both God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

• Eternal Life is sourced to humanity—By knowing the true God the Father and His Son He send to redeem us from our human will that is inclined to sin.

God Send His Spirit to Ground Us in Love For His Son

  Paul prayed, “I pray that out of his [God’s] glorious riches he [God] may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Eph 3:16-19).

  God sends His Spirit to dwell in your hearts, so that we can know the depth of the love of Christ, God’s Son. Which includes being filled with all the fullness of God the Father Himself. Love for Christ and love for the Father are to always to be held together.  

  One of the most significant changes in Judaism, which was monotheistic, was the focus of dual worship. Since AD 30, billions and billions and billions of people that believe in the true God, have said, the name of God the Father and the name of Jesus in the same breath.

• God the Father holds out his hand to Jesus, to give to us mortals Eternal Life

• Jesus takes from the His Father Eternal Life, for us.

• We hold out our hands to Jesus to receive the eternal life, which comes from the Father through the Son to us.

• Simple as it may sound. Eternal life is available to everyone, by faith in Jesus (John 3:16).

  The invisible God, in the heavens, holds out his hands to Jesus, through which he holds His hands to us here on earth. It is but a short step, even the blind, crippled and confused can find it, It is not a long journey, there is no gate or wall to enter or climb. “‘The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,’ that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:8-9). Notice the interplay of words. Belief in Jesus and belief in God who raised His Son from the dead. The Father was very much involved in the resurrection of Jesus. In the gospel story of the life and resurrection of Jesus, God the Father was involved at every step.  

      Repeat after me: "Jesus is Lord, my Lord. The Lord of my life, today and forever."

      “We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.

  And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son, has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:9-12).

      “I write these thins to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know [be assured] that you have eternal life. This is the confidence [boldness, assurance] we have in approaching God [in prayer] that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know [truly] that He hears us—we know that we have what we asked of Him” (1 John 5:13-15)

God the Father and God the Son are Co-Creators

  Paul further explains this union saying, “for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live” (1 Cor 8:6).

  Their roles are different, when the Son of God came to earth and became a man “bringing salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:37). God remained in heaven, yet was also present in his inseparable Son, while His Son came to earth. All due to his own divinity, equal with the Father, could He provide atonement for our sins. Now the Father can offer to have us join His family as His Children, “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Rom 8:17).

  Let us bear in mind that if the Son has set us free from sins and justified us declaring us as faultless before his Father—The Father adopts us. What does this adoption mean? We will find out some day, how much of the likeness of God and his Son we will share, as children of God? John says, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him” (1 John 3:2). Meaning that we will be similar, in ways we don’t know, not identical, to the Son of God! 

  “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Tim 1:17). Why, because God has opened His home, His heart, His very being for us sinners to be shared, with His Son. Not for a few years—but as eternal as God is Himself. God does love us, no doubt about it. Jesus said, “The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:21).

      It is only because of Jesus’ connection with the Father, which are we able to call this invisible God our Father. An honor not available to anyone but sinners, through death and resurrection into new birth, we are united with the son and through his connection with the Father, we are also united with the Father, “the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come” (Rev 4:8). Which is summary of God’s eternal nature. He was always in the past. He exists in the present. He is also always in the future.

God’s Power Through Him & For Him—His Son

  In this expression we see the invisible God acting through His visible Son. “For God was pleased to have all his [God’s] fullness dwell in him [Son]” (Col 1:19). God’s fullness, which is invisible is seen in His visible Son. “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands” (Jon 3:35). Nothing belonging to the Father, does not also belong to His son. 

  The invisible God created all things through the Son, with the Son, and for or behalf of the Son. Thus, both God the Father and His Son are called both creators, they are co-creators, of everything that exist. God created life through the Son, together they are the creators. The Father did not create anything alone; it was a joint creation between Father creating all things through and for his Son.

  The Father God does not act alone; he always acts in concert with his Son. Although separate, one the invisible God and the other the Son—they never act apart from each other. As Jesus declared to the temple leadership, “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him” (John 8:29).

      The Father does not self-promote himself, but creates by passing everything through His Son, for it is the Fathers honor to the Son, to create all things through His Son.  

  God is the ultimate delegator of authority, not taking on Himself all the honor of creating all things, instead His creative powers are seen in His Son. In the life of Jesus, he followed the same example of his Father, in giving authority to his disciples, telling them to do all in the name of Jesus (see John 14:13,14).

      Let it be known that the Father delegated all power and “all authority” to his son (Matt 28:18). Thus we, believers in Christ, are included in all the honor given to God’s Son, including you and me.

Why does God co-create through the Son? Although we don’t know the mind of God, it is to our advantage. By faith we can join into the Kingdom, government of God, and welcomed, as extended family of God. God co-saved us sinners. He sends his Son, through whom we believe in, and in receiving his Son, after the resurrection, God receives us in His son. “In him [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Eph 1:7).

Firstborn

  A title in Ancient Israel that allowed the oldest son to be the inheritor of all the father’s estate. The property was not divided equally as is our western standard.

  For Jesus the Son of Go he title of firstborn implies authority in the cosmos. The one who has the birthright or title, to manage and control all creation. Nothing in all the cosmos was before him. The Son is the oldest in authority, above all other things. The Sons’ existence is prior to everything; both the Son and His Father are before all things. No creation is above his authority; God's Son has an unchallenged right to hold this position.

  All the display of the "invisible God" (Col 1:16) creating everything through his Son is especially important to us. All of us sinners that have been “loved by God” (1 Thess 1:4), are adopted through faith in Christ, and thereby become entitled to an inheritance that we have no natural title, no natural rights, because we are earth born. We have a beginning and an end in death. Yet, in God’s mind, “before time began (1 Cor 2:7) God gave a way for us former sinners to be accepted, adopted, welcomed and loved by God himself because we are in His Son by birth of the Spirit. By the new birth, and by faith alone which justifies us, forgives us, and redeems us, so we can do good works and abide by faith in the Son of God.

  Who could even conceive of such a plan, from so far back in time when the cosmos was empty? Only God could!

  So, if you are “in Christ” (Rom 8:1) and are “born of the Spirit” (John 3:8) we will do good works. We will love others and love God supremely. We are in good hands that will never let us go. 

  Jesus has promised, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29). Jesus is telling us that God the Father participates in keeping us safe. Jesus a protective nature.  He is greater by far, than any problem that would separate us from Himself.

  If you get lost, God and His Son will bring you back. God has done this to so many people, we can’t keep count, ever. In heaven we will join millions in worship and “lay their crowns before the throne and say:

You are worthy, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they were created

and have their being.

Rev 7:10-11

Thrones, Powers, Rules, Authorities

  All the citizens of cosmos are subjects to their creators, the invisible Father with His Son.

Soon enormous changes are about to take place in God’s limitless cosmos He and his Son have created. We as former sinners are soon to enlarge the small ruling family of the heavens. God is about to have a large family, the size of which he promised Abraham. When God told Abraham that his children would number the stars. God was thinking of Himself also, when He would welcome His redeemed to their inheritance as part of His personal family of God.

“He [God] took him [Abraham] outside and said, ‘Look up at the sky and count the stars—If indeed you can count them’. Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be [this is how many descendants you will have]’. Abram believed the LORD [85 years old, no children], and he credited it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:5,6). The deposit of God’s righteousness, a part of Himself, to Abraham, is the longest credited ever conceived. We today share in God’s endless, boundless, inexhaustible credit of being declared righteous, by the Invisible God to you and me and thousands of generations. Listen, and you will know that God has declared you alright in his eyes. By faith alone, nothing to do except hold on to the promise.

All Things were Created

  A catch phrase, nothing is excluded in the whole wide cosmos.

“[God] Through him [Christ] all things were made; without him [Christ] nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3).

Hold together

  The Greek means to continue, endure, exist or to hold together. In essence, the Son is the source of eternal life, connected to him all the cosmos is under His authority to give and sustain eternal life. 

  Created things owe their existence and life to Him.  All living creations are connected to Him as their original source. Yet more, He holds them together in ways “past finding out” (Job 9:10; Rom 11:33). How he holds all things together in such a vast cosmos of unlimited space and numbered galaxies is unknowable, an understatement, yet still keeps His attention, His care, His love on us often troubled fallen and easily misled children on earth—calls for praise and thanksgiving that is unceasing.

  Christ Also Has Supremacy Among Believers

Colossians 1:18 And he [the Son 1:15] is the head of the body, the church; he [the Son] is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 1:19 For God [the Father] was pleased to have all his [God’s] fullness dwell in him [His Son]. NIV

1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.1:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell. NKJV

1:18 He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things. 1:19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in the Son. NET Bible

Preeminence in Everything

There is fullness of God the Father, in and of Himself. God gave to His Son all His fullness, not half of it, but all of it. This pleased the Father God for His Son to become:

• First in all things that have been created.

• Head of the whole body of believers, the Church.·   We are thankful that God has not left his church, where we his children gather to learn and worship, in the hands of priest, clergy or church denominations. None of us are worthy or even capable to giving management of God’s free offer of salvation. “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Isa 55:1). Jesus told a parable saying, “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready” (Lk 14:16,17). Come right now, for God has anticipated your arrival.

• Firstborn from dead. Christ was born as a man into the world, setting aside his God-Fullness. Then he was born from the grave, returning to eternal life and fullness.

• In Everything—In all things. He is to have preeminence, supremacy, no exceptions at all. He is above everything: “thrones, powers, rulers, authorities, invisible or visible” (1:16)

Head of Every Church

  The whole body of Christian believers, worldwide, Christ hold supremacy in all authority. Every religious leader should remember this and never ever make themselves the center of attention.

   As our head, the Son possess the fullness of God in himself. Thus, he deserves prime time in the church. More time than prophecy, more time than praying to saints, more time than history, more time than the good books of Moses.

      Believers are part of his body that consist of faith in Christ. It is all because “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” which is “in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Eph 1:7).

      Here is the point: When we have faith in the Son of God, as he himself has all the fullness of God, we become part of God the Father’s embrace. All because we embrace His son. All because we embrace His son. How simple can this be? How inexpensive is it to receive eternal life? If the “Good news is proclaimed to the poor” (Matt 11:15).

God Is Very Serious About the Church Believing in His Son.

      The apostle John relates to us God’s Two Commandments. And this is His [God’s 1st] command: to believe [have faith] in the name of his [God’s] Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He [God’s 2nd] commanded us [He gave this commandment to us]” (1 John 3:23).

God’s Two Commands Given to Us

First command: Have faith in Jesus.

Second Command: Love one another.

  To believe in the name, the authority, of His Son, Jesus Christ, is the command or the commandment of God the Father. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Not Moses, not Abraham or King David. The words, the life, the death, the resurrection, the promise of his return to earth being eternal life—are all wrapped up in the authority of Jesus the Son of God. Nowhere else is there salvation.

      Nobody that has ever lived can say, “The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63). John summarizes the life and teachings of Jesus as simply calling it “the Word of life” (1 John 1:1), who alone can “forgive us of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “As the Apostle Paul publicly declared, “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you” (Acts 13:38).

  This is a command from God Himself. He wants us to fix our eyes on Jesus. To follow him in discipleship. To study his words, his parables, his teachings. To listen to his Apostles, he trained. To believe in the promises. To believe his promise of his return to earth and the resurrection.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

Helen Howarth Lemmel (1863-1961)

First-born From Among the Dead

  Christ is the reason why believers will be able to rise from the grave. Before Christ died as a man, this was the one area that He was not Lord over. He came first, enabling others to follow because he is preeminent, meaning He holds the first among all of us other believers that will also come up out of our graves. And we know it.

  Now that death is defeated, “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor 15:54). Soon, death will be utterly and forever vanquished. Soon, death will lose all its power and threat. Soon, death will not exist anymore. It cannot exist, ever again. Because Christ has risen from the dead, and we have, by faith, also risen to a “new life” (Acts 5:20), starting right now. Jesus has promised: “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me [Father God] has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24).

  Now Christ has risen with God’s pleasure as the First Born of all humanity. If Christ had not risen first, we would be hopelessly dead forever.

In everything—Jesus Reveals the Father

  “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Lk 10:22).

  “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God” (John 13:3).

God Was Pleased

  God was pleased that we sinners, can be united by faith to His son, due to all the fullness in the Son, we are also united with the Father. Which is what the Father desires and finds great pleasure in adopting us through His Son. “He [God] predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His [God’s] pleasure and will— to the praise of His [God’s] glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves [His Son]” (Eph 1:5,6).

All the Titles and Crowns of the Son of God

   Christ is fit and qualified to be our Savior. “On his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself” (Rev 19:12). There are many titles of authority that Jesus possesses, from his Father. In addition, he has a name that has never been revealed to us, the name that the Father calls him between themselves.

Crowns of Authority

1.   Image of the invisible God (1:15)

2.   First born of all creation (1:15)

3.   In Him all things were created and have been created (1:16)

a.   Heaven & \Earth

b.   Visible & invisible

c.    Thrones or Powers

d.   Rules or Authorities

4.   All things created through Him and for Him, God creating through the Son (1:16)

5.   He is before all things (1:17)

6.   He holds everything together (1:17)

7.   Head of the body, the church (1:18)

8.   The beginning and firstborn from the dead. (1:18)

9.   He has Supremacy; he is preeminent of everything (1:18)

10.  All fullness dwells in Him, all authority, all power, all of everything is subject to him. (1:19)

11. He has reconciled to Himself all things (1:20)

12. He is the king of peace, having made peace on earth and heaven by the cross (1:20)

  No one else in the cosmos can experience this unique place, that we, as sinners can experience in our resurrected state as adopted children of God the Father and his Son. As Christ is not separated from the Father or the Father from the Son, so likewise we will not be separated from either Father or Son. Since Christ is supreme to all creation, the head over everything that has ever existed and all authority, so likewise we, in Christ, will share a place in his authority and honor not conceivable nor or ever can be. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:10). 

  All the new creations of the Father and Son will be with them. With the redeemed adopted on earth and made fully pledged children in heaven, will carry an “eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor 4:17) and responsibility unlike all earlier creations of God’s endless creations.

• For from Him [out of God Himself] and through him [Gods plans and workings] and for him [Christ Honor and supremacy] are all things to him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Rom 11:36)

• “To be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Eph 1:10).

• Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matt 19:28)

Note: This is spoken directly to the disciples so they could understand, but in a wider context the reason why anyone at all will be judges along with Christ, is that they are in Christ and thus in the Father. In consequence they, even as former sinners, can share in Father-Son roles of authority.

  “For those [us] God foreknew [choose] He [God] also predestined to be conformed to the image [likeness] of his [God’s] Son, that he [God’s Son] might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters [all believers]” (Rom 8:29 NIV).

      When we are Born Again of the Spirit, it was made possible by Christ first, when at his baptism he was filled with “the Spirit” (Matt 3:16). Christ was even place in the womb of Jesus by “the Holy Spirit” (Lk 1:35). We likewise have the privilege of being Born of the Spirit, all because we are “in Christ” abiding by faith.

Father and Son Join their Efforts to Rescue Humanity

1:19 For God [the Father] was pleased to have all his [God’s] fullness dwell in him [His Son].

Colossians 1:20 and through him [Christ] to reconcile to Himself [God] all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his [Christ] blood, shed on the cross 1:21 Once you were alienated [estranged] from God and were enemies [hostile] in your minds because of your evil [wicked] behavior [planning and action]. 1:22 But now he [God] has reconciled you [to Himself] by Christ’s physical body through death [on the cross] to present you holy in his sight [God’s], without blemish and free from accusation— NIV

1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 2:21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 2:22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight. NKJV

  At the start of Paul’s five verse discussion on the Son as the image of the “invisible God,” now, Paul speaks to the individual believer. What does all the preceding discussion of the very close relationship between the Father and the Son mean for us? Paul now explains what this all means for us, today.

  In Colossian 1:20-23 Paul speaks six time to “you” or “your,” which was not used at all in the earlier discussion.

First: We—All of Us—Here Have a Serious Problem

      It is a fact. We are alienated from God, in every way conceivable. Were it not for God’s love, for us, even while alienated from God, regarded as His enemies—we would all be doomed and ruined.

·       Our evil and wicked behavior.

·       Our lies, our “tongues practice deceit” (Rom 3:13).

·       Our “mouths are full of cursing and bitterness” (Rom 3:14).

·       Our “feet are swift to shed blood” (Rom 3:15).

·       For “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and  wickedness” (Rom 1:18).

·       Our bold sins are done with no or little regret.

·       Our refusal to love someone that we just hate.

·       Our evil behavior toward our neighbors, families, and friends.

·       Our repeated actions of ill intent, make us God’s enemies.

  This is not a good position for us to be found in, when we “all” will “stand before God’s judgment seat” (Rom 14:10). There we will have no excuse. We do wrong, from a power that is present inside us. It is the way we are. Human history is full of mass murder, rapes, stealing of property, allowed by wars of aggression.

Enemies In our Minds

  Our understanding, our thoughts, our imagination, are the opposite of truth. All evil streams from our minds or our hearts thoughts. We would do more evil, if we could get away with it. We would strike back at those who have hurt us. We would take advantage of another if our actions would bring no consequences. We have all experienced this!

God, Before All Things Were Created—Had a Plan, One that Would Work

      God’s plan was good for us, not so good for Him. His plan involved a great deal of personal costly involvement. God’s plan was painful to Him, yet it was “according to His good pleasure” (Eph 1:19). His plans were “in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Eph 1:7). Grace is embedded in the management style of God.

      God sees things as they are now, we are His enemies due to our inability to love. God sees us also, as He had planned for us. He sees us standing in his presence, not as sinners. No, but in His sight without blemish and free from accusation.

  God had a plan built just for his enemies, to do them good. To give them eternal life. To make them his children. To include them, not like the created Angels, but those who as so close to Him, that he writes then into his will as “heirs of God” (Rom 8:17).

  God’s plan He set in motion was “in love, He predestined us for adoption to sonship” to Himself, “through Jesus Christ…to the praise of His glorious grace which He as freely given to us in the one he loves [His Son]” (Eph 1:5,6).

  We must not miss this point. God’s plan is to have us find in Christ, by faith alone, forgiveness of sins, for the purpose of bringing us to Himself. God wants to love us in-person. God wants to, by his arms, embrace us to share with Him, His life, and His love.

First: We have Become Reconciled to God the Father

      God’s first action. He sends His Son to us, His enemies, here on earth. Not an ordinary son. But a son that is “firstborn over all creation” and the “image of the invisible God,” the Father (Col 1:15). 

` This closeness between Father and his Son, unlike anything here on earth. Brings to view a God that was also in Christ, drawing us, through His Son, to Himself.

  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Eph 1:3). Think about this. God’s plan was to “rescue us from the dominion of darkness” here on earth and in ourselves, “and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves” (Eph 1:13). Thus, through His son, we receive "freely" (Rom 3:24) forgiveness of sins and share in peace of God.

  Paul and Barnabas were preaching in Antioch loudly proclaimed: “My friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able [could not] to obtain under the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38-39).

Reconciled to Himself by Christ physical Body

       In the above verse Paul has explained how very close God the Father is to His Son. The Son is the “image of the invisible God.” God created all things “through” His Son and “for” is Son. Even on earth Jesus bore the image of God, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Jesus also said, “The one who sent me [God the Father] is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him” (John 8:29). Jesus could affirm to his Father, “you loved me before the creation of the world” (John 17:24).

      In that God and the Son are close to each other in ways we have no example on earth. When the Son suffered for our sin in his physical body through death, his Father also suffered. There was no way for God the Father to feel pain, since “God is Spirit” (John 4:24), but only through the anguish of His Son could God the Father know firsthand, pain.

      Yet, God did not feel angry to us for causing Him all this trouble. God does the unthinkable. He reconciles us to Himself. Because the debt of sin, God and his Son paid dearly to claim the right to recreate all who have faith in His Son to be holy in His sight.

      But more, much more. Listen to Jesus words to His Father. “My prayer is not for them alone [his disciples]. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:20,21). The pain that purchased our deliverance from darkness, is more than enough to unite us, somehow, we will know in heaven, into the oneness between God and His Son.

      Is God angry with our addictions to sin that caused Him to alter the dynamics of His relationship with His Son. No, God is pleased to make us his Children, purchased through pain, like birth pains, we become indeed, “Born of God” (1 John 4:7;5:1).

      Now all things in heaven and earth are at peace. We are reconciled to God, just as He wanted. We are wanted. We are wanted by God and His Son, to be with them—forever. Forever free from all and every accusation. As if we were always, “fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household” (Eph 2:19).

Free From Accusation

       When we clearly see our true spiritual condition can we come to appreciate God’s redemption plans for us. God, by His love God can overlook past conditions when we were “dead in your transgressions and sins” (Eph 2:1). And God can see hope. God can move to put in place plans so that we can stand before all the cosmos and all the Angels free from accusation. 

  But more without even a blemish left from the sins we used to practice, so we appear to all without, any blemish. With perfect form, face of joy with innocence in every way possible. It means to be “accepted in the beloved or One he [God] loves” (Eph 1:6).

5:17 If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here! 5:18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself [God] through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he [God] has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 5:20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Cor 5:17-21

Reconcile All…Things in heaven—

  “Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him” (Rev 12:7-9). Ever since there was war in heaven, there has been a need to bring reconciliation, to bring harmony again to all of heaven. Christ death on the cross has sealed Satan’s doom.

  Eternal life was given to angels since the coming of Christ eternal life is now offered in new terms of “faith in Christ.” This doomed Satan, because he refuses to have faith in Christ, he forfeits eternal life because he lacks faith in the Son. Now all in heaven and on earth are reconciled to God.

      A common theme of Paul is God’s plan to bring “unity to all things in heaven and on earth” (Eph 1:10). Sins alienated us from God (1:21), in heaven. Now, God is not alienated from sinners on earth, due to the death of Christ in their behalf. By making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. This peace is accessed by faith alone, giving us access with God and “hope” (1:5) of eternal life; John wrote: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 NIV). Now all is reconciled. Satan along with all unbelievers are judged. The redeemed of the Lord are with the Lord, forever. 

More Crowns

All things —were created” (1:16)

All Things—have been created” (1:16)

He is before All Things (1:17)

In him All Things hold together (1:17)

Reconcile himself All Things (1:20)

All these titles give us assurance of acceptance

when we find redemption through his blood shed on the cross.

Paul Reflects on his Commission from God to Teach the Gospel 1:23-29

1:22 But now he [God] has reconciled you [to Himself, past tense] by Christ’s physical body through death [on the cross] to present you holy in his sight [God’s], without blemish and free from accusation.

Colossians 1:23 if you continue in your faith, established [grounded, standing] and firm [steadfast, settled, stable], and [so you] do not move [drift] 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 [the earth], and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. NIV

1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. NKJV

Every Creature Under Heaven Has Heard Paul Preach the Gospel

       Paul could not be saying he has preached in all of Asia, North Africa, Italy, or Greece. He did not live long enough, and furthermore his ministry was severely shortened by imprisonment.

       The expression the gospel you heard that has been proclaimed, is Paul’s expression of hope, which is not just wish or a dream. It is hope that is able to see the future as reality. He sees the gospel, has been given over and over again to every place that is inhabited by men and women. All north, all south, all west and all east of any location on this globe.

       Paul knew the gospel story was destined to be carried everywhere. His hope is not hope today, it is reality. Where on earth is the internet the printed page, or the spoken word—not to be found? Nowhere.

  It is everywhere. Always available, even if forbidden by a government. It cannot be hidden for God speaks through the Word of His Son in Scriptures. He speaks to our conscience individually. In some cultures where the Gospel is forbidden, God speaks about His Son in a dream. As John says, If “we accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God [Himself], which He has given to about His Son” (1 John 5:9).

       God’s testimony is greater by far than any great person of the past. They are just footnotes in history. Whereas Jesus is living in song, words, prayers and in human hearts by the billions. Every day. Every month. Every year. Every Century. Every village. Every city. Every place.

       Because its God Himself giving His witness to His Only Son. Nobody, no person can ever stop God’s testimony to earth about having faith in His Son. Paul’s letters are part of God’s testimony to you and me.

Gospel Proclaimed Because it is God’s Testimony

       Because it is God Himself that is speaking to the world. There is nothing greater, more truthful, more long lasting, with irresistible power, because all “Power belongs to you, God” (Ps 62:11).

More has been written, spoken, preached, taught, listened to, read, printed, and publicly proclaimed—then any other person in all human history. God’s testimony concerning His Son—is greater, has been explained more than any other person living or dead. God’s testimony is compelling, engaging and moving on the most harden hearts.

  Nobody can match the testimony God has given to his Only Son, that He loves. It is impossible. Because humans have limited influence on their time and place in history. God’s Son transcends all time, is found in all history, is relative to every culture, it appeals to all tribes and languages of the earth. It is as present on earth as the sun and rain.

  It is impossible for anybody encompassing all of humanity to blot out the testimony of God about his Son. It cannot be done. No, it cannot! Why? Because the “glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor 4:4). Has proclaimed this Gospel Himself. He has given Paul’s letter a weight of influence unseen in any human literature past or present.

The Gospel in Colossians is not Paul’s Creation

  Paul states that the gospel he is writing in this letter, that he is just a servant, the one who carries out an assigned task. To the Galatian fellowship, he wrote, “I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.”

       Paul’s gospel was not his own invention, if it were, it would be entirely forgotten today. Just as, nobody prays to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, the chief Roman Gods. They are forgotten and are regarded as false gods, just a human invention. Instead, the Gospel is regarded by billions to be alive with power, which is never exhausted.

If—The Condition

       This is Paul’s only conditional statement in this entire letter, using the word IF. To those of us who want to be found in God’s sight free from accusation, there are just two conditions.

  Simple enough for all to grasp and lay hold of God and His Sons, promise of eternal life. “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Isa 55:1). Just come just as you are.

The First Condition: To be Found in God’s Sight to be Free From Accusation

       This condition is to continue, to be steadfast, settled, stable in your faith. Of the Gospel promise.

  Paul does not give long lists of commands. What one is forbidden to do or must do that a church may demand. He does not require acceptance of well worded creeds and doctrines.

Paul: Continue in Your Faith

  The Greek word for continue is epimenó, meaning “to remain, to continue, to persist, to stay and to persevere.” Paul restates this first condition to the Corinthian Church, their need to stand firm. “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain” (1 Cor 15:1,2).

  Paul sent Timothy to the church to spread “the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith” (1 Thess 3:2). The gospel is all about Jesus Christ and faith in him.

Jesus: Continue in the Faith

  Jesus taught us that we could lose our faith, just because we have been compromised by societies focus on materialism, cultural and political hatreds. He gives a simple gospel of not losing the love of the gospel as of primary importance. “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matt 24:12,13). How simple, how easy yet the results are lasting and eternal. The grave is a short visit compared to the endless time with God, with His Son, with the all the redeemed of all the ages—forever.

Hebrews: Continue in the Faith

  “We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end” (Heb 3:14).

John: Essentials for Faith

  The Apostle John’s one condition, above all others, is to continue in Love. He writes. “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister” (1 John 4:20-21).

  To John this is neighborly love. A love that would do them good, help and support them, if you can. Never hurt them. Never give private judgmental accounts about them. Never betray their trust. Follow the Golden Rule as a consistent pattern.

The Second Condition: Not to Drift Away From Hope

Truth, Hope, and the Spirit

  Truth and hope are very closely connected. Hope is Spirit given assurance that you will receive answers to prayer, and a resurrection from the dead. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:13).

  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:5-7). This is our future hope of entering into our Father’s presence and seeing Him in person.

  Love for others that God loves, and faith in his Son, are burnt in the hearts of every believer around the world. “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope” (2 Thess 2:16).

Hope and Our Future

       The word hope looks to the future, were we “see God as He is” (1 John 3:2).

       John knows his dear children have vibrant hope. With a clear vision they see Christ when “he appears” in full color hope. Thus, he wants them to watch themselves, as Jesus said, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:41).

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.

Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress,

 I will not be shaken.

Psalms 62

  Hope looks to the future, of becoming family to God in heaven. You see and feel your vast inheritance that God has called you to come and receive it. Your heart longs for it, your eyes envision it as reality. Together, your heart and the eyes are focused there, with anticipation. This vision is God-given to you, an indication that God is planning for you to be there.

  Hope knows that you are “qualified … to share in the inheritance…in the kingdom of light” (Col 1:12). It is an “inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Pet 1:4). God has laid up our inheritance in heaven’s open storage.

It is yours already, but not yet. Perhaps God has your name on the title to your inheritance. Hope see’s it there. However, hope is kept alive as we continue to enjoy “faith in Christ Jesus” and “Love…for all God’s people” (Col 1:3). This is the basis of the hope; it is by this means that we know we have our inheritance waiting for us in heaven.

  Hope sees our inheritance, stored up in a safe location around the presence of God and all the heavenly Angels, with your name affixed giving you all the right and privileges of a son or daughter of God the Father. Soon to be handed over to you. Can you see it?

Now, right now, ask God to give you a certain and living hope for this new life, eternal life, consisting of an inheritance unimaginable.

The word trust is developed over time because of the faithfulness of God and His love for us. “Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies [heavens]” (Ps 36:5).

The word faith most often looks to God, to the cross, to the promises, to Scriptures, to prayer for the present moment in time. Faith grows in strength as we see God moving in our lives and come to trust Him, with greater faith. Faith uses hope, in viewing the promises of God as already fulfilled, in the future. Faith, hope, and trust give us rest, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul” (Ps 23).

Colossians 1:24 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. 1:25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— NIV

1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 1:25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, NKJV

1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my physical body—for the sake of his body, the church—what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ. 1:25 I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship from God—given to me for you—in order to complete the word of God. NET

  As we learned from earlier verses that God the Father suffered with His Son, they suffered together. As a result, we are called to “be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20). We can come to God through His Son and receive “peace” with God. Made possible “through His blood shed on the cross” (Col 1:20).

I Rejoice What I am Suffering For You

  Paul views his Roman imprisonment, his loss of freedom and hardship of prison life, as direct results of his preaching the gospel. If he had remained in Judaism, Paul would have been an esteemed Rabbi, living in safety and comfort.

  If Paul just thought of himself, his ease, with no discomfort from imprisonment; he would have stepped away from his role as an Apostle. He would have counted the cost as too great and stopped teaching the gospel.

  But Paul did not. He viewed his sufferings as appointed by God, because of his faith in Christ. He said, “five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea” (2 Cor 11:24,25). Yet, Paul never complained, never blamed by name his accusers.

Just as his Lord Jesus Christ suffered for us, so Paul will suffer for Christ. Paul followed His example as Jesus suffered for the body, the church, “the household of faith” (Gal 6:10 NKJV). You and I and all the others that come to believe, is the direct results of the suffering of God and His Son.

This is the truth. We would not have redemption and reconciliation to God unless Christ first suffered for us. So, Paul suffered in his ministry, so that he could teach the gospel of Christ to you and me. And million, billions of uncountable people have come to faith in Christ, due to Paul’s ministry. Paul’s ministry was not an ordinary ministry. Like a district pastor that lives with several cars, nice home and is appreciated by the congregation with an above average salary. He and his family live in peace with all the comforts of life with long vacations.

  Paul’s letters and his ministry have a staying power, a freshness, an insight into heavenly things, unreported anywhere by anyone else. This kind of ministry, as Apostle called by God, carries a cross. A heavy one. Yet this does not destroy Paul, it elevates him to the highest esteem, intellectually, morally, socially—far above almost any other inspired prophet, priest, professor, or teacher of the Gospel—over all time. Paul’s thirteen letters, about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, are unmatched, unrivaled, above and beyond all other books on theology. His teaching gives us peace, trust, faith, endurance, hope and most of all point out the way salvation. Because God has chosen to breathe life into his words.

Let us not be mistaken. Paul has life in his words, because they are based on the gospel that was given to us in the life of Jesus Christ and His Father. They are not Pauline in origin. They point to the Christ Jesus, nearly at every sentence. This is the source of their power. A power that is made perfect in suffering. Just as it is said about Jesus, “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Heb 2:10 NKJV).

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.

       What does this mean? Paul knew that in his ministry he would be abused unjustly. That he would suffer pain and discomfort unfairly. He knew, even while still in prison, as he is writing this letter, that there was still more suffering to come.

He did not quake before it. He did not shun the cross of suffering. He did not compare his life with other believers that sleep safely in their homes, next to their wives and children. That had no fear of poverty. That would have a wife or daughter to give to them loving care.

Paul boldly accepted the path laid out for him, prophesied by Ananias.

The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Acts 9:11-19

  Where would our understanding be without the instructive letters of Paul? If Paul withdrew from suffering, we would not be reading Colossian’s, or Ephesians right now.

Self-denial and Suffering for all Disciples

       Jesus did not promise his followers that their life will be all roses and prosperity. He clearly and often taught just the opposite. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matt 16:24).

Beware of Prosperity Teachers—False Prophets

  A prosperity preacher teaches that faith and positive thinking lead to financial and material blessings and wealth. Their messages focus on the idea that God wants his followers to be healthy, wealthy, and successful. They teach that financial success and physical health are always God's will for faithful Christians. The atonement of Christ on the cross is interpreted to include not only forgiveness of sins, but also the guarantee of physical healing and financial prosperity in this life.

Poverty and sickness are viewed as curses to be broken through faith and righteous actions, rather than as potential parts of the Christian experience. One very popular prosperity preacher has a net worth of roughly $100 million. He lives in a $10.5 million mansion.

  This teaching is what Jesus has warned as to “Watch out for false prophets” (Matt 7:15).

Peter Did Not Teach the Prosperity Gospel

  In Peter’s general letter to the world he said, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Pet 2:21).

Jesus Did Not Teach Prosperity Gospel

  “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also” (John 15:18-20). Persecution is the opposite of prosperity; it belongs to the world.

Paul Did Not Teach the Divine Right to Prosperity:

  Paul said that become and heir of god and suffering accompany each other. “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Rom 8:17)

       Paul modeled a prayer for us saying “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Phil 3:10,11).

Suffering for You—Colossian Believers

       Paul had a far different view of human suffering than is contemplated by modern believers. Since Christ suffered on the cross for the good of humanity, the church. Paul thought of his imprisonment for the good of the Colossian congregation. Paul wrote this letter while in prison because he was unable to visit personally. His prison suffering has resulted in good to the whole church for centuries later we can read Paul’s letters.

  In this way Paul’s imprisonment is a source of strength for the church, which in turn is the body of Christ. Which we all are a part of as believers that dwell in Christ.

Paul was happy about the thought that his sufferings. His four prison letters, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon, have been read millions of times. Over and over again, blessing its readers.

Paul’s Prayer that He Would teach the Word of God in its Fulness—

       Paul did not pray for wealth, prosperity, new clothes, or a carriage that was conveyed from village to village. Instead, Paul recalls, “I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked” (2 Cor 11:27). Does this sound like a prosperity gospel message?

Paul, He did not ask, never did he ask, the people for tithe or offerings for his ministry. Instead, he worked day and night so he would not need to ask them for support. To the Thessalonians he recalls

“We cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless we were among you who believed? (1 Thess 2:8-10)

“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate” (2 Thess 3:7-9)

Paul’s Model Prayer for Grace in Suffering

  Paul’s Prayer to God is just opposite of the prayers of the prosperity preachers. They live in luxury, they worship in million-dollar churches, they collect huge royalties from their books, they employ family at their church, they demand respect as they teach the wrong way of salvation.

       Instead listen in to Paul’s private prayer to God:

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:8-10)

  God told Paul that trusting in His grace will enable him to cope with his handicap. God’s grace will give him the extra encouragement he needed in preaching the gospel. In living with and above his physical thorn, which caused him discomfort at every step. Paul looked to God’s grace to be evident in his ministry. It is clear that God’s grace steams and boils out of the letters and life of Paul. As is witnessed by millions every day as they read, meditate on Paul’s Letters that move them to also find the grace of God for themselves.

       As usual Paul boasted in this God given plight, knowing that when he trusts God, His grace was more than enough to compensate. Boasting about his handicap is far better than complaining, which Paul refused to do.

  If only Paul could see the world of believers in our day, holding their Bibles with reverence turning its pages being inspired to love God. See them treasure and love the story of salvation. Paul would emphatically say: “The Lord’s grace was overwhelmingly sufficient, with room enough to save billions of believers.

 (Repeated) Colossians 1:25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— NIV

1:25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God, which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God. NKJV

Commissioned by God to Teach Us

       Just think of how many commentaries exist just in two of Paul’s books of Romans and Galatians? They are countless. Paul’s letters engage the greatest thinkers and teachers, of every generation and age. They hold an endless wealth of information, about God and His Son. Those religious teachers that neglect Paul, are mostly likely to “follow cunningly devised fable” (2 Pet 1:16).

Paul’s letters have led countless billions, to trust in God and to love Him. Paul has fulfilled his mission, his commission from God very well, indeed.

  Nobody can equal the content of just the book of Colossians. Let alone, Ephesians. The hand of God, the Spirit of God, pours out of the instruction Paul gives to us. If we would take all the spiritual books ever printed, since the day of papyrus scrolls, no secular author can compare to the Apostles of Jesus. 

  Considering all the books and authors –none can equal to Paul. But we must see the effectiveness of Paul’s letter is all due to the commission of God Himself. God willed it. God inspired it, by His Spirit; God provided the ideas that so warm our hearts and best of all give us peace. 

  They open our spirits to know the truth. Provide us with peace, joy, and love in the Spirit. However Paul’s words and instructions are not designed to make us wealthy, except spiritually wealthy in understating the power of God in our lives.

Paul Was Commissioned by the Working of God’s Power

  “I became a servant [or minister] of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His [God’s] power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given [to] me: [for the purpose] to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ” (Eph 3:7,8).

  When Paul writes his letter, he does not relate what he learned from books or his studies in Jerusalem. Instead, it was all by grace, not external as in knowledge of a subject, but inside Paul.

How can we know that Paul did receive this gift of grace he claims? Because the words Paul has written in this letter are never out of date, even if it is 2,000 years old. It appeals to us powerfully, personally, enlightening us from the inside out, to our understanding of this treasure for ourselves. It transcends time, culture and appeals to men, women and children of any culture, any language, any location, with or without education. It is heart based. The mind agrees, with the instruction learned, while the heart that is convinced and is moved with emotion and conviction.

  Through Paul’s letters we come to a better understanding of God’s grace. Which is seen in God always freely leaning toward us. Reaching out to us because of God’s pre-eminent kindness to bless us. To Love us, to care for us, to be Father to us.

  Paul felt that he was lower in importance than the humblest, least likely believer among all other Christians, to be a recipient of such profound understanding of God’s grace in Christ. Up to today, there has been millions of books of Paul’s letters. Millions and millions more articles, sermons and even thousands of theses prepared for universities. Yet, none of them are as complete as the less than 50 pages of Paul's letters, just as they read, because they present the boundless riches of Christ and the Grace of God—in all humility.

  Paul considered the source of his letters, was not due to his academic accomplishments—but the gift of God. Its source was from grace, undeserved favour, of God.

  “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man [Adam], how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” (Rom 5:17). 

  The one man, Jesus Christ is the means by which God’s abundant provisions of his wonderful powerful grace comes into our hearts, our outlooks on life, our souls, our inner being, our values, our choices, our loves, our hopes, our dreams, our visions of the future, our worship, our prayers, our songs—permeating everything we own, we possess, we claim as our own, our families, our homes. The light of God’s grace in Christ is so bright that it is like standing in the full sun. Such was the messages that Paul came to teach us. Two thing this does really mean is more love all around and more peace, that is settled inside us.

Colossians 1:26 [Word of God in its fullness is] the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 1:27 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. NIV

1:26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. NKJV

The Text

       The NKJV is a more accurate description, saying, God willed, that is God made something to happen. Just like creation when “He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Ps 33:8 NKJV).

  God wanted, but more importantly God made it possible for the whole world to hear the gospel message. So, all can see from themselves the glorious, the honorable, the super-brightness of “the kingdom of light” (Col 1:12). What it really means to have Christ Jesus in our hearts. Two things this does really mean is more love all around and more peace, which is settled inside us. 

Mystery Revealed

       Paul was “commissioned” by “God” (Col 1;25), to open to the world the mystery how God was going to bring the Jews, His people since the time of Abraham. To be expanded beyond the borders of Israel, to encompass the rest of the world’s peoples, cultures, and nations. To bring all peoples by faith into “our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 1:11).

Wall of Hostility Between Peoples of Faith—Broken Down

   Starting from Ephesians 2:11-22 through  3:1-12, a total of 24 verses, Paul has shown us God’s plan, how He is going  to unite both Jews and Gentiles, by breaking down the “wall of hostility” (Eph 2:14) between Jews and Gentiles and create “one new humanity, out of the two, thus making peace” (Eph 2:15). This has wider applications of uniting all of humanity “in Christ through faith” (Eph 3:12).

 Now that Jews and Gentiles, peoples of the world all have the same privileged access “to God with freedom and confidence…through faith” (Eph 3:12). Thus, it is imperative that we learn how to get along with each other.

   The prayer that follows was revealed to Paul by God to bring all humanity “together of one body and sharers together in the promise of Christ Jesus” (Eph 3:6). It is the fruit of the Gospel, the “everlasting Gospel” (Rev 14:6 NKJV). The gospel that we take to heaven with us, not alone all on our own, but together with the “bond of peace” (Eph 4:3) and love with others that God loves.

Paul Writes as the Whole World had Already Heard This Message

       Paul’s faith-vision of the future advancement of the Gospel, he saw it fully accomplished. So, this should be the faith-vision of every gospel teacher to his city and town.

  We wish we could take Paul on a global trip to visit congregations every part of the world. Peoples of the world, thousands of cultures with hundreds of languages—all centered on One Man, Jesus the Son of God. Paul is most like to say to us: “I already knew the Gospel would touch billions.”

  God has revealed this mystery so openly today, that we cannot even think of a time when this mystery was not known.

Christ in You the Hope of Glory

  This mystery was something that was unknown in Old Testament times. They could not see that every Babylonian, Assyrian, Hittite, Moabite including all pagans, in Rome, Greece and Egypt and everywhere could be fully “reconciled” (Col 1:21) to God. Just by having faith in Christ. Such a concept was inconceivable without all the Mosaic laws of temple worship, sacrifice, and uncleanness due to many reasons. With their “special days and months and seasons and years” (Gal 4:10). With their seven festival Sabbath based on the lunar calendar. They would wonder by what means would it take the create a worldwide people who worship God.

Christ in You—A New Kind of Worship

       Jesus the Messiah, inaugurated a new style of worship, telling the Woman at the Well, “a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23,24). Now Worship would no longer be formal, or ritual based. Instead, it will change us into a glorious state of “peace” (Eph 1:20; 3:15) and “love” (Eph 1:4,8,13), with “joyful thanks to the Father” (Eph 1:12). All OT worship was “a shadow of things to come” (Eph 2:17).

  This new kind of worship is emotional, heart based where love, joy, hope, faith, and trust reach out to God from within us, because of the Spirit’s temple is in-dwelling inside the believer. The Spirit in us, causing us to reverence and love God.

  Jesus taught that “the first and greatest commandment” of all the commandments was to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:39,37-38).

  This kind of love is only possible through the Spirit, because “God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:5).

  Love of God, in the Spirit and from the Spirit, is the foundation of true worship, all other forms of worship spring forth from it. This is gospel-based worship. Christ in me, in you, bring a new kind of worship, filled with “powerful energy” (Col 1:29).

Mystery…Hidden

  How God will reconcile us when our sins have separated us from God. As Isaiah spoke to the peoples of Israel, “your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you” (Isa 59:2)? Answer: By bringing Christ in you the hope of glory. Glory now and more to come.

Colossians 1:28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 1:29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. NIV

1:28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 1:29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. NKJV

1:28 We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ. NET Bible

Fully mature / perfect in Christ

  The Greek root tel- means “reaching to an end or an aim." One author has said that this is illustrated with an old pirate's telescope, unfolding and extending out in one stage at a time. At each stage it is at full-strength in its capacity effectiveness. This is compared to understanding the gospel, as taught in this letter. Each time we pray and read this letter we understand more. We see more clearly. We have more mature understanding, while our former understanding was shallow in some points of faith.

  It is by God’s “all power” (Col 1:11) giving us spiritual understanding as we pray over the instruction that God gave to Paul for our maturity. Recently we watched a sermon, from a well-known Christian, he taught for over an hour with no Bible open—and brief reference to Scripture. This kind of teaching will retard spiritual growth.

  Paul declared that Christ worked powerfully, mightily, in him. god’s wisdom and power is found in the Apostle Paul. If we want to have spiritual strength we will often be found in Paul and the Gospels.

  The following list gives plenty of room to grow into Spiritual maturity. The list is just from Colossians, and it is far from complete. No list is ever complete. Never can we say we have arrived at a point and there is nothing more to know about Christ the Son of God. As if we have it all together. As if we own all the fullness of every truth. Of course not!! This is very presumptuous. It violates the first Beatitude “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3).

1.     Faith in Christ Jesus (1:4)

2.     Hope in what God has stored up for us (1:5)

3.     Truly understanding God’s grace (1:6)

4.     Love in the Spirit (1:8)

5.     Understanding the knowledge of God’s will (1:9)

6.     Knowing wisdom and understanding from the Spirit (1:9)

7.     Pleasing the Lord in every good work (1:10)

8.     Pleasing the Lord in growing in the knowledge of God (1:10)

9.     By God’s, all power we can have great endurance and patience (1:12)

10. That we would be united in love (2:2)

11. Learn how to stand firm in your faith (2:5)

12. Rooted, built up in faith with overflowing thankfulness (2:7)

13. Making us alive with Christ and forgiving all our sins (2:13)

14.  Setting your hearts on things above where Christ is at God’s right hand (3:1)

15. Known for fact that when Christ appears we will appear with him (3:4)

16. Know how to put on the New Self in knowledge and image of Christ (3:10)

17. Know how to clothe ourselves with compassion, forgiveness, and kindness (3:12-14)

18. Let the peace of Christ rule our hearts and always be thankful (3:15)

19. Let Christ dwell in us by psalms, songs from the Spirit, with gratitude (3:16)

20. Always, by word or action, give thanks to God (3:17)

21. Devote yourself to prayer, be watchful and thankful (4:2)

22. Make the most of every opportunity (4:5)

Energy of Christ Worked Powerfully in Paul

       The Greek word for energy used in the NIV, is energeia, which in English sounds like energy. It means, “energy, working, operation, activity.” It stands for a power that is felt, that brings conviction of sin, and we become “filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52). We now “worship in the Spirit” (John 4:24). 

  This happens to us, to millions of us, all at the same time for “there is one body and one Spirit…one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph 4:4-6). This is power that is off the chart. Power that moves, matures, billions of believers, all over the world, all on the same day, into faith and love of God.

Written by: Brothers & Sisters in Scripture Fellowship

The End of Colossians Chapter 1

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Colossians 2

Read & Study More

1 John 1

Ephesians 1

John 3:1-8

Matthew 17:5

Luke 6

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