Colossians 1 The Truth of the Gospel

 

Colossians 1

The Truth of the Gospel

Scripture (ESV): Colossians 1:3-5a, 12-14, 15-23 

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Observation

Paul is giving thanks to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for:

-          the Colossian believers’ faith in Jesus, and

-          that the Father qualified them to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Paul reminds believers of the essence and truth of the Good News, the gospel, of Jesus Christ. He reminds believers that:

·       Our hope is laid up in heaven with Jesus Christ (v5)

·       God the Father qualifies us to share in this inheritance, laid up in heaven (v12) – we cannot qualify ourself, it is the work of God

·       God the Father has delivered us from the kingdom of darkness (in)to the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of light (v13)

·       We are forgiven of our sins and have redemption in Jesus Christ (v14)

·       Jesus is the image of the invisible God (v15)

·       Jesus is the firstborn of all creation (v15), and the firstborn from the dead (v18) – his earthly body was resurrected

·       By Jesus (through him and for him) all things were created (v16)

o   In heaven and on earth

o   Seen and unseen

o   Thrones, dominions, rulers and authorities

·       He (Jesus) is before all things, the beginning (v17, v18) – before the earth was created, he was there

·       In Jesus all things are being held together (v17)

·       Jesus is the head of the body (the church) (v18)

·       In Jesus the fullness of God was pleased to dwell (v19)

·       In Jesus all things (including us) were reconciled to himself – peace was made on earth and in heaven by the blood of Jesus on the cross (v20,21)

·       Because of the blood of Jesus, we are blameless before him (v22)- No one is good enough to save himself, if we want to live eternally with Jesus, we must depend totally on God’s grace and come to Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life.

Application

We must continue in this faith (v23) – keep on trusting, believing that we are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ alone. There is no other way to live in eternity with God.

Is this still your truth – the truth of the gospel, of the good news of Jesus Christ? Don’t be lead astray that anything you do (good works) can lead to eternal life – it is not true, it is false teaching.

Good works is the fruit of the Holy Spirit:

-          through abiding in Christ –

-          in response to His love and His sacrifice –

-          that we may live with Him, in heavenly places, in eternity.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for fellow believers, for their faith and changed lives. Lord, may my brothers and sisters in faith know what you want them to do. Give them deep spiritual understanding, help them to live for you, give them more knowledge of you Lord, strengthen them for endurance in the race to the end, fill them Lord with your abundant joy, strength and a grateful heart. To you be all the glory and honour and praise. In Jesus name we pray. Amen

-----------------------

PASTORA HESMA - JCRC CAPETOWN