We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
Colossians 1:3-8
A Language of Grace, Peace, Truth, and Love
The thankfulness that Paul has for God’s work in the Colossian church is actually quite moving. The overflow of the thankfulness in Paul’s heart spills out here in verses 3 through 14. One of the lessons that we can take from Paul’s words here is precisely how he pours out that thankfulness.
(1) All things first happen or exist by God’s will or permission: When Paul heard of the faith of the Colossian church his first reaction is not, “What wonderful people. Let’s give praise to Epaphras who first gave the gospel to these people. Let us rejoice first in ministers of the truth and the minds of those who receive it.” Quite the contrary. Paul, realizing that all things first happen or exist by God’s design, gives God the praise, the glory and all the honor. Paul always puts the praise of God above the praise of people. This is, in many ways, a counter cultural message in America today. All you have to do is watch TV for one half hour to see the truth that so many things in America are self-motivated. By studying biblical language we can learn how to flip our thinking and our speaking. We can learn how to truly place God first in all things. This is certainly what Paul does here.
(2) The praise of people should always come 2nd to the praise of God: After Paul gives thanks to God for what God is doing at the Colossian church, he then begins to praise the faithful actions of the servants in Christ at Colossae. This is a representation of the proper order of praise. If God is working powerfully in your life or in your church, do not first be thankful solely of the gifts that God is bestowing. Be first thankful for the fact that God’s will is enduring among you. Be first thankful that God is displaying his righteousness and holiness by making the riches of the glories of His grace known among you and other fellow believers. Begin your thankfulness by first celebrating God as God. By doing this we set ourselves in the proper biblical framework to proceed with the encouragement or affirmation of others.
Establishing the Gospel as Truth
Separating truth from fiction will forever be important. Many people see the gospel as nothing more than a work of fiction. Those who would rather be god of their own life often meet the doctrines of the Bible with cynicism and contempt. Paul never fails in driving home the resounding certainty that the gospel is the truth of God. The latter half of verse 5 and the entirety of verse 6 ring out clearly that the Colossian church has not embraced some clever work of fiction. They have set their minds on the things of God because they have embraced the truth of God’s word. Paul affirms that this same gospel, which will forever sound out truth, is bearing fruit not only amongst them, but throughout the rest of the world. By God’s determination of design and will, He set his servant Epaphras among them with that truth burning brightly in his heart. By God working through Epaphras the Colossian church saw the truth of the grace of God. From that day the Holy Spirit filled them with the great power of the truth of the gospel of God. If it were not truth, then it would not have given birth to lasting fruit. Yet today, over two thousand years later, the gospel continues to endure. It continues to bear fruit all over the world. It continues to make the purpose of God known. It continues to make the glory of God known. The gospel accomplishes all these things because it is the truth of God and nothing can quell the purpose of our great King.
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:9-14
What We Should Desire in Every Church
It should be the desire of every church to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” This is what Paul, and those surrounding him, pray would happen in the Colossian church. This is a great prayer not only for individual churches but also for churches everywhere. We should desire to see churches like this because it is the will of God for churches to exist in this fashion. God does not want lukewarm churches. God doesn’t want churches that walk only in world-centered ways. God commands that our churches exist in a manner that is pleasing to Him. Therefore, it should be our desire to grow in our knowledge of God. It should be our desire to be strengthened in His power according solely to his glorious might. It is God who has called us together for the sake of His will. May all churches exhibit endurance and patience with joy in the glorious light of God.
Why do we find so many churches devoid of joy? Why do we find so many churches devoid of works for the sake of God’s kingdom? Why do we find so much spiritual stagnation in churches today? The hard truth is that many churches have lost their way. They no longer truly desire to walk in a manner worthy of God in such a way that is pleasing to Him. They instead desire to walk in a manner that is worthy of public acceptance and fully pleasing to the comfortable traditions of people who exalt in themselves, not in God. This exhortation is coming from many different sources within the church community today. I believe it is the same exhortation that Paul would give to the American church. There are some difficult questions that arise from the text here.
(1) What does it mean to, as a church, walk in a manner worthy of God?
(2) How are we pleasing to God as a church?
(3) How do we bear fruit in good works as a church?
(4) How do we increase in the knowledge of God as a church?
Some might be inclined to ask, “Why all these church questions?” It is important to focus on how we function as a community of believers. We are not merely an autonomous group of individuals with no common purpose. At Oasis, we are a church body. We are a gathered group of believers. When we exist in community as the church it is important to do 2 things for the sake of growing in wisdom and understanding.
(1) Strengthen Ourselves as Individual Servants: It is important to work on self-discipline as a servant. We cannot deny that each one of us needs marked improvement in certain areas of the stewardship that God has entrusted us with. Therefore, we must maintain a commitment to personal discipline in God’s commands.
(2) Strengthen Ourselves as a Church: Paul wanted to see the Colossian church continue to grow in strength, spiritual maturity, and the knowledge of God’s will. What church would deny growth in these key areas? To grow in such things is vital to the continued life of every church. This means that the church can no longer be viewed as a passive entity. Many people like the idea of church because they feel that church asks very little of them. God, however, demands much from the life of every believer. There are no passive roles within the church. God has given all of us stewardship over something. Therefore, those who truly serve God have great responsibilities because God has entrusted that individual with an area of service for the sake of the endurance of God’s will. This usually varies from person to person but the bottom line is that we all have responsibilities as servants of the most-high God. As a church we carry those responsibilities together. You’ve heard it said, “Each of us has a job to do.” This is true within every church all over the world. Therefore we should pray for a clear understanding of God’s will so that we would not fail in serving God. It is right and biblical to pray, “God, fill us with your power according to your glorious might so that we might glorify You.” Our aim as a church should be the glorification of God and the spread of the gospel. To that end we should seek to strengthen ourselves as a unified body of believers, i.e. the church.
From this point Paul segue’s into a discussion about the proper perspective of God and what God has accomplished through Christ. Verse 13 sends chills down my spine. What has God done for those whom He has chosen for adoption? Verse 13 says, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Memorize that verse. Sink it deep into your heart. This is the God that we serve. This is the power that He displays in conquering. This is His righteousness and holiness on display for all to see. Oh, how the glory of cross resonates in all of time. And on that note…we will pick it up from right there in our next installment.
Chad,
I'm really enjoying these Colossian notes. I've been reading and rereading it in the mornings as I look over your notes.
Thanks!
Travis
Posted by: Travis | April 01, 2008 at 01:41 PM