Colossians 1:1-20

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

August 5, 2020

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

We are continuing our study of the five Christology chapters in the New Testament. We have previously shared from John, Chapter 1, Ephesians, Chapter 1, and Philippians, Chapter 2. Today we will start looking at Colossians, Chapter 1. Later we will look at Hebrews, Chapter 1. The common thread of each of the five Christology chapters is the emphasis on the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The words He, Him, His, and Himself, referring to Jesus, occur 21 times in Colossians, Chapter 1. That does not count the many other references to Christ and the Father.

In the natural realm, Colossae was the most unimportant town to which Paul ever wrote. In sharp contrast, Laodicea and Hierapolis, which were both geographically very close to Colossae, in the Lycus River valley, were very wealthy and prosperous. As a result, as many as 50,000 Jews lived in that area in that time period. Paul did not found the Church at Colossae and he never visited it. Paul says, in Colossians 2:1, that the Colossians and Laodiceans had never seen his face. However, Paul's ministry in Ephesus, about 100 miles from Colossae, had a profound effect on the Church at Colossae. Acts 19:10 says that during Paul's stay in Ephesus, the whole province of Asia was evangelized, so that all its inhabitants, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. It is clear that the Church at Colossae was primarily a Gentile church. This is seen from Colossians 1:21; Colossians 1:27; and Colossians 3:5-7.

It is important to understand why Paul wrote the Epistle to the Colossians. It is even more important to understand what application this epistle has for all local churches today. During Paul's three-year ministry in Ephesus, Epaphras had been born again and had carried the gospel to Colossae and to nearby Laodicea and Hierapolis. He helped to establish churches in those towns. Some of them were house churches (Colossians 4:15). Some relatively short time period after Epaphras had established the Church at Colossae, a heresy arose within the believers there.

When Paul first was imprisoned in Rome, Epaphras made a special journey to Rome to support Paul and to ask Paul's counsel concerning how to confront the budding heresy. That resulted in Paul writing the Epistle to the Colossians, which Epaphras probably carried back to his home church. It is not until the Church is confronted with some dangerous heresy or other monumental threat that she begins to realize the riches and the wonder of the Lord and His kingdom.

Epaphras is mentioned only three times in the New Testament: in Colossians 1:7-8; 4:12-13 and Philemon 23. In three sentences across two books of the Bible, we catch a glimpse of this man with a significant heritage of faith. What three sentences might convey your life or my life?

We don't know what spiritual training Epaphras had or anything else about his upbringing. He was a native of Colossae and a zealous worker for the Lord. Through his ministry many of his fellow-countrymen had been converted, and thus the church at Colossae had been founded. We know that he understood the gospel of grace and passionately shared it with others. Even when separated from those he loved, he prayed passionately for their spiritual growth. May our legacy be that we understand the grace of God and work passionately for others to understand and walk in the Kingdom of God. May we be people interceding and wrestling in prayer for the faith life of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul never explicitly names or describes in his epistle the false teaching which had emerged at Colossae. However, we can infer from the Epistle the nature of the heresy, which falls into two categories ... Jewish and Gnostic. It is likely that the Colossian heresy was a mixture of an extreme form of Judaism and an early stage of Gnosticism. One of the most dangerous heresies of the first two centuries of the Church was Gnosticism. Its central teaching was that the spirit is entirely good and matter is entirely evil. Several serious errors flowed from that unbiblical doctrine.

First, Gnosticism says that salvation is the escape from the body, achieved not by faith in Christ but by special or secret knowledge. The Greek word for knowledge is gnosis. Next, Gnosticism not only denied Christ's true humanity; they even denied the supremacy of Christ. They said that man's body, which is matter, is also evil, which led to licentiousness. Since the body was considered evil, it was to be treated harshly, thus an emphasis on asceticism (touch not, taste not, handle not). That led to ceremonialism ... strict rules about the kinds of permissible food and drink, religious festivals, and circumcision. (It is rather interesting that "secret knowledge" is also a part of freemasonry. About 40% of the Presidents of the United States have been or still are freemasons. The Illuminati and freemasonry are integral parts of the Antichrist scheme to bring about the New World Order, devoid of Christ and Christians.)

Paul, of course, was always Christ-centered. In the four chapters of Colossians, he uses the title "Christ" 25 times, the title "Lord" (all by itself) nine times, and the phrase "in Christ" eleven times. Unless we are Christ-centered, rather than self-centered, we will not get very far in our journey as a Christian. So how did Paul, in his Epistle to the Colossians, combat the heresy at Colossae? Paul refuted the heresy at Colossae not by arguing against it but by emphasizing the truth of the kingdom of God.

Colossians 4:5-6, "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."

1 Peter 3:15, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" 

We should note that Paul, prior to that point in time, had already had much experience in dealing with heresies, both in the Church at Corinth and the churches in Galatia. Epaphras did not yet have that experience. That is why he deferred to Paul.

Now let us turn to Colossians, Chapter 1. 

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

These first two verses follow the similar pattern of greeting from Paul in his epistles to the various churches and to individuals. However, as we stated earlier, Paul had never been to Colossae. What right, then, did he have to write to the Colossians? at least three reasons ... first, because he was an apostle of Jesus Christ; next because he was chosen by the will of God and not because of his own will or the will of other men; and third, because the saints at Colossae had certainly heard of the apostle Paul. Jesus said, in 

John 15:16, "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you." 

Could that scenario happen today? Is there any church in the United States who would receive and act on a letter from a man they had never seen? I rather doubt it.

Moreover, in a real sense there are only two types of men ... the men whom God has moulded and the men who have refused to allow God to mould them into what He, the Lord, desires. That truth is clearly brought out in the parable of the prodigal son, as recorded in Luke 15.

One more thought for your consideration ... Paul addresses this Epistle "to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae." Is that one category of Christians or two? Christians are called saints because they are called to live set apart, not physically but spiritually, from the corruption of the world. The Greek word is hagios, which means holy or separated. We just shared that Jesus said all Christians are "chosen" by the Lord. Many different verses also speak of Christians being "called," for example, Hebrews 5:4 and 5:10. So we are chosen and called by God. But are all of those who are chosen and called also faithful? Scripture clearly answers that question. The answer is no.

In Revelation 2:10, the Lord says, 

"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." 

If all Christians are faithful to the end, there would be no reason for that verse. Those Christians who are faithful to the end are called "overcomers." Moreover we have previously shared two messages about the "in Christ," which means much more than being born from above. Therefore I tend to believe that the "saints" and the "faithful brethren in Christ" represent two categories of Christians.

3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

 

Paul says that he prays always for the saints at Colossae, even though he had never seen them. Three days after the Lord sovereignly touched my life, a Christian brother who I only knew by sight, told me that he had been praying for me every day for the past year. In Matthew 22:35-40, we read,

"Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Of course, for us to try to fulfill those two greatest commandments on our own is a fruitless endeavor. No man can do that. Only the Lord, by the power of the Holy Ghost, can work those two qualities within us, as we cooperate with Him.

Verses 4-8 are typical of Paul's epistles. He tells the saints what they are doing "right" before he gets to the exhortations, warnings, and the truth of the gospel.

4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 

Faith in Christ and love for our fellow man are the two pillars of the Christian life. The Christian must be loyal to Christ and loyal to men. The Bible never gives thanks to man for his faith and love, but rather to God, Who is the source of these virtues. Paul speaks about how the Colossian church has been growing in faith and in their love for one another. These are words of compassion and admiration!


5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

We must not have faith in Christ Jesus and love for all the saints because we are motivated by a reward that we hope to receive when time is no more. Our attitude, our motivation, in all things must be that the Lord might be glorified and magnified in whatever comes our way. Verse 5 declares that the gospel, or good news, is truth, Jesus said, in 

John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." 

Christ IS the gospel or the good news of God.

6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

He says the gospel has been bearing fruit around the world in the same way that it began with them, when they heard the gospel from Epaphras and understood God's grace for the first time. Epaphras is the one who brought the gospel to the Colossian church! He was their spiritual father and shepherd.

7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

Epaphras is a beloved friend and evangelist, who shares Paul's passion for spreading the gospel and helping people to grow in Christ. Paul describes Epaphras as his "dear fellowservant". There was a special reason for referring to him in this way. At the time this epistle was written Epaphras was with Paul in prison, and he had visited Paul to seek his advice and counsel concerning errors which were creeping into the church at Colossae. But he did not only seek help, he comforted Paul and ministered to him in a number of different ways. What a great privilege it was for Epaphras to minister to God's honored, suffering apostle, and how natural that Paul should feel a deep affection for Epaphras!

Epaphras was undoubtedly a servant of the Lord - but Paul emphasizes that he was "a faithful minister of Christ". Can there be a greater commendation than this? Epaphras was a minister of the church at Colossae, but more important than that, he was a minister of Christ; he was directly responsible to the Lord Himself. He received his orders from the One who sat upon the throne, and he was faithful to Him. Many verses emphasize the importance of being faithful to the Lord.

8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

Nobody knew the church members at Colossae better than Epaphras, but he praised their virtues and kept silent about their shortcomings. Be careful never to criticize your church or assembly or any individual believer; your careless criticism may breed alienation or separation among the members and bring dishonor upon the Name of the Lord. Bitter, unworthy and un-Christ-like criticism is a dead fly causing the ointment of many a good life to send forth a stinking savor. Shield the faulty ones in the flock; expose no-one's dirty linen to the eyes of the public. If you do not altogether agree with a preacher, be silent about him before the godless. To drag the failure of a church, preacher or Christian before the world is to act as a traitor in the camp. This is a sin of which we are all more or less guilty. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.

Isaiah 58:5-7, "Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?"

In the book of Philemon, Paul refers to him as a fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, and sends greetings to Philemon on his behalf. This brief mention tells us that Epaphras shares Paul's spiritual conviction and is working with him in Rome. It also shows us that he shares a personal relationship with Philemon of Colossae, a fellow believer.

Colossians 4 gives us a deeper picture of Epaphras. In Colossians 4:12, Paul says "Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you." He is a servant who is obedient to Christ Jesus. He has followed God's leading and works with Paul as a messenger of God's kingdom. Epaphras is known by the congregation in Colossae, he is a member of their fellowship, and they are his spiritual family.

Verse 12 goes on to say that, 

"... always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God."

Epaphras is diligent and faithful in his work. He is wrestling in prayer for those brothers and sisters in Christ, whom he loves. He prays they are staying strong in their faith, are maturing in their faith day by day, and have confidence that they are claimed by God. Epaphras is fighting a spiritual battle on behalf of his beloved brothers. Three characteristics of his praying are:

It was persistent prayer ... "always..." This is where we so frequently fail. We give up instead of holding on. In Genesis 32:26, as an angel wrestled with Jacob, "And he said, Let Me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."

It was agonizing prayer ... "wrestling" or, quite literally, "striving in an agony ..." This is the idea of intensity in prayer. Luke 22:44, "And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."

It was effective prayer ... "that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." We need such Spirit-led and Spirit-taught praying. Romans 8:26, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

In Colossians 4:13, Paul says, 

"For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Paul wants to be sure they know how faithfully Epaphras is working to spread the gospel. His efforts on their behalf are significant! Epaphras had a deep concern, not only for the Christians at Colossae, but also for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. Do we have any concern for the millions who have never heard the gospel? Do we pray for their salvation? Do we have any concern that all Christians might mature in Christ and fulfill the purpose for which they were created?

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Paul says that he and Timothy join Epaphras in prayer for the Colossians. In their prayer they make two requests ... they ask for the discernment of God's will and then for the power to perform that will. Every prayer should begin by asking that we might be filled with an ever-increasing knowledge of the will of God. Prayer consists not so much in trying to make God listen to us; rather we should be trying to make ourselves listen to God. We should not try to persuade God what we want Him to do. Instead we should try to find out what He wants us to do. In what men call the Lord's prayer, we should always pray, "Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven."

When Paul prays that the Colossians (and us) might have wisdom and spiritual understanding, he is praying that they (and we) may understand the great truths of Christianity, and that they (and we) may be able to apply those truths to the decisions which confront us in everyday living. A man can have a master of theology or a doctor of divinity degree and still be a failure in his every day decision making. He may be able to write or preach about the great eternal truths but unable to apply those truths in everyday living. The knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding must produce fruit in the form of right conduct. Faith without works is dead.

It is very important to note that Paul, Timothy, and Epaphras are praying for Christians who are born again and baptized with the Holy Ghost. No one needs to pray for what we have already received and are walking in. Therefore when they pray that the Colossians might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that implies there is a greater level available in their, and our, walk with the Lord.

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

The word "that" means "in order that." Verse 10 implies that unless we are filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, then we cannot walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. Further, only after we walk in Verse 9 can we be fruitful in every good work, and increase in the knowledge of God.

11 Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Verse 11 declares that to fulfill Verses 9 and 10 requires nothing less that the dynamite power of the Holy Ghost working within us. Then we must have patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. The Greek word translated as "patience" means not only the ability to bear things, but the ability to turn those things into glory. It is a conquering patience.

Isaiah 30:18-19, "And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him."

The word translated as "longsuffering" means a quality of mind and heart which enables us to bear with people all unpleasantness, maliciousness, and cruelty. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Finally, if joy is not rooted in the soil of suffering, it is much too shallow.

Hebrews 12:2-3, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Ephesians 5:20, "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;" 

The inheritance of the saints is the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord told Abram, in 

Genesis 15:1, "I am your shield and your exceeding great reward."

"Made us meet" means "enabled" to enter into the presence of, to encounter or experience the Person of the Lord.

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Enoch and Elijah were not the only men who were translated without seeing death. Every true born-again believer is translated spiritually into the kingdom of His dear Son, the Church. It means we have been transferred from darkness into Light, from slavery into freedom, from death to life, from condemnation to forgiveness, from the power of Satan to the power of God.

Verses 15-20 speak of the omnipotence, the supremacy, the centrality, and the preeminence of Jesus, His creative power, what He has done for all men, particularly those who receive Him, and the purpose of Calvary, namely to reconcile all things unto Himself. We do well to read those six verses over and over again and let those truths sink deeply into our mind and heart. We should note that these six verses are Paul's answer to all the evils of Gnosticism.

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

When Paul says that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, he means that Jesus is the perfect manifestation of God. Jesus shows us not only what God is like; He also shows us what man was meant to be. Recall, from Genesis 1:26, that God said, "Let us make man in our image." Jesus is the full and the final revelation of God, and nothing more is necessary. Note the six occurrences of the phrase "all things" in Verses 16-20 plus the phrase "all fullness" in Verse 19. 

16 For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him:

17 And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist [or cohere].

It is the Son who holds the world together. Every law of science and of nature is an expression of the mind of God. It is by these laws, and therefore by the thought and mind of God, that the universe does not disintegrate in chaos.

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 might have the preeminence.

Jesus is the firstborn from the dead. Now it is true that several people in the Old Testament were raised from the dead. For example, Elisha raised a child from the dead in 2 Kings 4:32. In the New Testament, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. But all those before Jesus who were raised from the dead, died again. The difference is that Jesus, because of his resurrection, is alive for evermore. Christ is not a dead hero but a living presence. This fact is at the center of all the belief and all the experience of the Church.

19 For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell;

20 And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

The initiative in reconciliation always was and always will be with God. That reconciliation of God extends not only to all persons, but to all creation, animate and inanimate. The lion shall lie down with the lamb. The aim or end product of reconciliation with men is holiness.

1 Peter 1:15-16, "But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

Verse 20 presents us with a mystery, the significance of which only the Holy Ghost can reveal. That verse says that the purpose of Calvary was to reconcile all things unto Himself, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. Verse 21 makes very clear that through the blood of His cross, things in earth, we mortals, were reconciled unto Himself, but what about the things in heaven? Verse 20 says the purpose of Calvary was also to reconcile all things in heaven to Himself. What things in heaven? This phrase has been the subject of numerous Bible commentators, who have put forth numerous, different explanations, none of which seem to ring true. I do not fully understand the reconciliation of all things in heaven, but perhaps we can shed a little light on this truth. Whatever this phrase means, it does NOT verify the heresy of ultimate reconciliation, which says that all men, all angels, and even Satan himself will be saved. Many scriptures, such as 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6, and Colossians 2:15 refute that heresy.

Job 4:18, "Behold, He put no trust in His servants; and His angels he charged with folly:"

 

Job 15:15-16, "Behold, He putteth no trust in His saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in His sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?"

Those three verses from Job make it very clear that only the Lord can reconcile all things to Himself.

1 Peter 1:10-12, "Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into."

That last verse says that not even the angels in heaven understand all of the significance of the salvation of man.

Hebrews 1:4, "Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."

Hebrews 1:13-14, "But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"

When God created man, and the angels were told that they were to minister to the heirs of salvation, that undoubtedly infuriated Lucifer who saw that he was no longer to be number 1 in God's economy. So he rebelled, became Satan, and persuaded one-third of the angels to join him in rebellion.

Revelation 5:11-13, "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

So when the Lord returns and time is no more, all angels, beasts, men, and every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and in the sea will all join together to sing praises to the Father and to the Lamb. What a day that will be! Amen.