Download Colossians - Newton Church of Christ

AUTHOR
• The apostle Paul, joined in his salutation
by Timothy (1:1), and signed by Paul
himself at the end of the letter (4:18).
Colossians is one of the “prison epistles”
sent by Paul from his first confinement
as a Roman prisoner about A.D. 60 or 61
It was delivered by Tychicus and
Onesimus (4:7-9)
THE CITY OF COLOSSE
• The city was located about 100 miles east of
Ephesus in Asia Minor in southern part of
Phrygia, a kingdom in west central Asia
Minor – modern day Turkey. Together with
Hieropolis (4:13) and Laodicea (2:1; 4:1316; Re 3:14-22), Colosse made up a tri-city
area.
• Colosse was mostly a pagan city, with a
strong intermingling of Jews (in 62 B.C.,
there were 11,000 Jewish freemen in the tricity area). This may explain the nature of
some of the problems that arose among the
church in Colosse (problems with both
pagan and Jewish origin).
The City:
• They claimed to be the
most ancient people of
the world
• A rather small,
insignificant town that
had seen better days at
the time of this letter
• When the gospel was
preached there, it was
subject to the Roman
government
4
The Church:
• The name “Colosse” [or Colossae] is
not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible
• Located very close to Laodicea and
Hierapolis (4:13)
• “Laodicea mentioned only in this
book [4 times] and Revelation [1
time]
• Paul and Silas preached throughout
Phrygia on Paul’s second and third
journeys
(Acts 16:5,6)(18:23)
• And, “churches” were established
5
The Church:
• It is possible, however, that Paul did
not establish the church at Colosse
• Epaphras was one of their members
(4:12,13)
• He was a faithful gospel preacher
(1:7; 4:12,13)
• He was with Paul when this letter
was written
• Notice the term “Epaphras…greets
you” (4:12)
• He also gave Paul a report (1:8)
6
PURPOSE OF THE EPISTLE
The danger of relapse into paganism
with its gross immorality (cf. 1:2123; 2:6; 3:5-11)
The danger of accepting what has
come to be known as
"The
Colossian heresy". This heresy was a
involved four elements of both
pagan and Jewish origin:
PURPOSE OF THE EPISTLE
Philosophies of men - which denied the
all sufficiency and preeminence of Christ
(2:8)
Judaistic ceremonialism - which attached
special
significance
to
the
rite
of
circumcision,
food
regulations,
and
observance of special days (2:11,16-17)
Angel worship - which detracted from the
uniqueness of Christ (2:18)
Asceticism - which called for harsh
treatment of the body as the means to
control its lusts (2:20-23)
PURPOSE OF THE EPISTLE
To guard against these dangers, Paul
writes to:
Warn the Colossians against relapse
(1:21-23)
Warn them against the "solution"
being urged upon them by those
denying the all-sufficiency of Christ
(2:8-23)
Direct their attention to the "Beloved
Son",
the
"All-Sufficient
and
Preeminent Savior" (1:13-18; 2:8-10)
The Problems:
• A serious threat to the faith and
stability of the young Christians at
Colosse had arisen
• It was in the form of false
teaching about the Person and
place of Jesus Christ in God’s
scheme of redemption
• This error had developed into a
religious system that combined two
schools of thought that usually
were divergent in most respects.
10
The Problems:
• First, the error was laced with
a philosophy of Greek origin
• Second, a strong influence of
Jewish traditionalism had been
infused into the teaching being
done at Colosse
11
The Problems:
In jeopardy were many of the basic
tenets of the gospel:
1. The supremacy of Christ in all things
in the world and in the church (1:13-19);
2. The adequacy of the divine Nature of
Jesus to procure reconciliation and
salvation for wicked men (1:20-23; 2:9);
3. The completeness of the redemption
provided by Him (1:20-23);
4. The worthiness of sufferings and
sacrifices for the gospel (1:24-29);
12
The Problems:
In jeopardy were many of the basic
tenets of the gospel:
5. The inability of human religion to
benefit the spirit of man (2:8-10);
6. The removal of God’s authority
from Moses’ Law (2:13-17);
7. The superiority of divine wisdom
over other wisdom (2:3,7; 18,22).
8. The importance of observing the
moral and ethical standards
established through the laws of God
13
The Themes:
1. The preeminence and sufficiency
of Jesus Christ in all things;
2. The spiritual completeness of
believers in Christ;
3. The superiority of divine wisdom
over other wisdom;
4. The obligations of union with
Christ in the church;
5. The importance of honoring
relationships with others.
14
Colossians - Opening remarks
Colossians 1:1-8 Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ by the will of God, and
Timothy our brother, (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.
(3)
We give
thanks to the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for
you, (4) since we heard of your
faith in Christ Jesus and of your love
for all the saints;
Colossians - Opening remarks
(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, (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; (7) as you also learned from
Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,
who is a faithful minister of Christ on
your behalf, (8) who also declared
to us your love in the Spirit.
Paul’s Greetings
Colossians 1:1-2
• Paul follows his usual pattern
• Identifies himself and those to whom he is
writing
• Extends his prayer for their well-being
• He then adds other personal remarks and
launches into the reason for which the letter
was written
• He calls himself an “apostle”
• Timothy was well-known among the Gentile
churches
• To the “saints” and “faithful brethren”
• To those “in Christ” which are at Colosse (v.2)
17
Paul’s Greetings
Colossians 1:3-18
He has several things to say about
the Colossians before he addresses
the things he wants to say to them
18
• His thanksgiving and prayers for the
Colossians sprang from two things:
• Faith in Christ Jesus and
• Love for all the saints
• Also, his prayers and thanks were
because of the precious hope laid up
for them in heaven
• Other passages provide information
about the value and benefits of the
Christian’s hope:
19
Rom. 5:2--
The Christian hopes to
receive glory from the Lord;
1Cor. 9:10-- The Christian hopes to be
rewarded for his service to
Christ;
1Cor. 15:19--The Christian hopes for a
bodily resurrection;
Gal. 5:5-The Christian hopes for
righteousness before God;
20
Eph. 1:18--The Christian hopes for God’s
great power toward believers;
Titus 1:2;3:7--The Christian hopes for
eternal life;
Heb. 6:19--The Christian hopes for
entrance into heaven;
1John 3:3--The Christian hopes to have
an eternal nature like Christ’s
21
• The gospel had been taken to Colosse by
faithful preachers just as it had been
proclaimed in all parts of the [Roman] world
• The success of God’s word in Colosse had
occurred because
• many “heard” and “knew” [“to know
completely, accurately”] the blessings of
God’s grace when it was first declared to
them
• The truth of the gospel was bringing forth
fruit
• As they had learned it from Epaphras
22
Colossians 1:6-8
• Epaphras
• He was “one of them” (4:12)
• A “dear fellow servant” and a
“minister of Christ” on their behalf
• He also declared to Paul their love
in the Spirit
• He had come to Rome
• To report on the spiritual
condition at Colosse
• To lay the problems caused by
false teachers before Paul for
solutions
23
Walking worthy of ChristColossians 1:9-13 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 understanding; (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; (11) strengthened with all might,
according to His glorious power, for all
patience and longsuffering with joy; (12)
giving thanks to the Father who has
qualified us to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in the light. (13)
He has delivered us from the power of
darkness and conveyed us into the
kingdom of the Son of His love,
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Redeemed by ChristColossians 1:14-18
in whom we have
redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins. (15) He is the image
of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation. (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. (17) And He is before
all things, and in Him all things consist.
(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.
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Reconciled in ChristColossians 1:19-23 For it pleased the
Father that in Him all the fullness
should dwell, (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. (21) And you,
who once were alienated and enemies
in your mind by wicked works, yet now
He has reconciled (22) in the body of
His flesh through death, to present you
holy, and blameless, and above
reproach in His sight—
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Reconciled in Christ-
(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.
Paul’s Prayer For The Colossians
Colossians 1:9-13
• Paul did not cease to pray for them to ask that –
• They may be filled with the knowledge of His
will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
(v.9)
• Not the intellectual “progress” of gnostic
philosophy
• Not the acquisition of “special knowledge”
• They may walk worthy of the Lord (v.10)
• Being fruitful in every good work and
• Increasing in the knowledge of God
• They be strengthened with all might (v.11)
• According to God’s glorious power
• For all patience and longsuffering with joy
28
Paul’s Prayer For The Colossians
Colossians 1:9-13
• Paul did not cease to pray for them
to ask that –
• They give thanks to the Father
• Who qualified us to be partakers
of the saints inheritance (v.12)
• Who has delivered us from the
power of darkness (v.13)
• Who has translated us into the
kingdom of the Son of His love
(v.13)
29
Christ Has Pre-eminence
Colossians 1:14-18
• In Christ, “the Son of His love”
• we have redemption through His
blood (v.14)
• we have forgiveness of sins (v.14)
• The conclusion Paul has in mind is
advocated in verse 18: “...that in all
things He may have the pre-eminence.”
30
Christ Has Pre-eminence
Colossians 1:14-18
• Here are several profound reasons
why Christ has pre-eminence:
• Reason One:
• Christ is the image of the invisible
God (v15)
• Reason Two:
• He is the firstborn over all creation
(v.15)
• Reason Three:
• He was the Creator of everything
that was created (v.16)
31
Christ Has Pre-eminence
Colossians 1:14-18
• Reason Four:
• Everything was made for Him (v.16)
• Reason Five:
• He existed before any created
things existed (v.17)
• Reason Six:
• He maintains everything that He
has made (v.17)
• Reason Seven:
• He is head of His church (v18)
32
• Verses 1:19-23…
• The Godhead had one great
purpose in mind in the formulation
of the “mystery” plan which called
for the Word to “become flesh and
dwell among us” (John 1:14).
• The “Colossian Heresy” troubling
the church promoted a multiplicity
of intermediaries between man
and the “True God.”
33
• Verses 1:19-23…
• These aoens (higher angels) had the
elements of man’s salvation
distributed among them and were
jointly responsible for whatever
progress seekers might make
toward heaven.
• The pre-eminent Christ offered a
simple and effective route to the
throne of God because He was God
in the fullest.
34
• Verses 1:19-23…
• The total nature of Divinity was the
nature that dwelt permanently in the
body of Jesus as He worked on earth
to save man from his sin.
• “All things” in heaven and on earth,
whoever and wherever they might be,
can be reconciled to God by Christ.
• Jesus can make peace between God
and man because He alone was able
to atone for the crimes man had
committed against God.
35
• Verses 1:19-23…
• “All things” is a rather generic
category of persons and powers that
were reconciled by Jesus.
• You were enemies in your mind.
• You were also guilty of doing
unspeakably wicked works, and such
actions often drove the apostle to
insist that Gentiles “put off the old
man” and his deeds and “put on the
new man in righteousness and true
holiness.”
36
Verses 1:19-23…
You, nevertheless, have been
reconciled
despite
your
unworthiness of forgiveness for
what you thought and for what
you did.
You can now expect to be
presented as holy, blameless, and
irreproachable.
37
• Verses 1:19-23…
• There were some “ifs” that stood between
them and the happy ending they
anticipated:
• If they continued in the faith of the gospel
• If they remained grounded and steadfast
in the truths about Jesus that were vital
to salvation;
• If they didn’t move from their convictions
about the pre-eminent Christ that had
first given them the hope of heaven (1:5).
38
• Verses 1:19-23…
• Surely, the Colossians knew that the
gospel of Christ had been taught in
places other than in their own city.
• Paul had worked hard to spread the
good news into as many places and
to as many lost souls as possible.
39
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Perfected in Christ-
Colossians 1:24-2:7 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, (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, (26) the
mystery which has been hidden from
ages and from generations, but now has
been revealed to His saints.
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Perfected in Christ(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. (28)
Him we preach, warning every man and
teaching every man in all wisdom, that
we may present every man perfect in
Christ Jesus. (29) To this end I also
labor, striving according to His working
which works in me mightily.
• Verses 1:24-29…
• Paul was concerned that his
imprisonment might become a
hindrance to the faith of other
Christians.
• Paul maintained a very optimistic
outlook on his imprisonment.
• Paul’s sufferings “for the sake
of...the church” were a continuation
of the trials endured by the Lord at
the hands of oppressive men.
42
• Verses 1:24-29…
• Paul’s conversion and apostleship were
to be attended by “many things” to be
suffered for the name of Christ (Acts
9:16), so imprisonment was not
unexpected.
• Paul called the gospel a “mystery”
several times in the book of Ephesians.
• The “mystery” preached to the Gentiles
was “rich” in spiritual blessings that
they might enjoy if they chose.
43
• Verses 1:24-29…
• The pre-eminent Christ was real
wisdom, the wisdom of God.
• Paul had worked hard for the
salvation of many.
44
• Verses 1:24-29…
• The working of Christ in Paul
assumed two roles:
• Christ worked in him through
motivating him to satisfy his Lord’s
expectations for him as a preacher
and as an apostle (Acts 26:16-18);
• Christ also worked in him through the
support of signs and wonders given
to him to assist in his effectiveness as
an evangelist-confirming the words
he spoke. (e.g., Acts 14:3).
45
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Perfected in Christ-
(2:1) For I want you to know what a
great conflict I have for you and those in
Laodicea, and for as many as have not
seen my face in the flesh, (2) that their
hearts may be encouraged, being knit
together in love, and attaining to all
riches
of
the
full
assurance
of
understanding, to the knowledge of the
mystery of God, both of the Father and
of Christ, (3) in whom are hidden all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
The Colossian Heresy...
• Verses 2:1-3…
• A genuine love for one another that
emulated the love he had for them
would greatly strengthen their
mutual desire to stand together
against the doctrinal perversions
with which disciples were being
confronted at Colosse, Laodicea,
and, no doubt, in other churches in
the area.
• Verses 2:1-3…
• Not only was a sense of unity a key
factor in resisting error but also the
possession of a good understanding
of God’s “mystery” would provide a
defense that deception and falsehood
could not penetrate.
• The “mystery” of God and Christ was
not beyond their understanding and
commitment.
48
48
• Verses 2:1-3…
• Heaven’s revelation was now hidden
from men only in the sense of being
a precious treasure for which men
must “dig” diligently if they were to
share in its inestimable riches.
49
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Perfected in Christ-
(4) Now this I say lest anyone should
deceive you with persuasive words. (5)
For though I am absent in the flesh, yet
I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see
your good order and the steadfastness
of your faith in Christ. (6) As you
therefore have received Christ Jesus the
Lord, so walk in Him, (7) rooted and
built up in Him and established in the
faith, as you have been taught,
abounding in it with thanksgiving.
• Verses 2:4-7…
• “ Persuasive words ”
can be
destructive to faith if they are not
used to speak the truth.
• Paul was always “in [the] spirit” with
disciples who were trying to do the
right thing in serving God.
51
• Verses 2:4-7…
• His commitment to supporting their
battle against error was strong
because he knew of their previous
achievements in the religion of Christ:
• They had “good order.”
• They also had displayed a
“steadfastness” of faith.
52
• Verses 2:4-7…
• Unless someone could teach
them some truth that would
change their initial understanding
of the Lord’s excellency, why
should they even listen to a
teacher who wanted to move
them away from their original
faith?
53
• Verses 2:4-7…
• Their “walking” in Christ would be
blessed by:
• Being rooted with a sound
foundation of “first principles” upon
which to build a “perfect” knowledge
of God’s “mystery”
• Being established in the faith so
that any future attacks by human
wisdom could be more easily and
efficiently dispatched.
• Being abundant in the faith that had
been taught by apostolic authority.
54
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Complete in ChristColossians 2:8-23
Beware lest
anyone
cheat
you
through
philosophy
and
empty
deceit,
according to the tradition of men,
according to the basic principles of
the world, and not according to
Christ.
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Complete in Christ-
(9) For in Him dwells all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily; (10) and
you are complete in Him, who is the
head of all principality and power.
• Verses 2:8-10…
• In Christ, the Colossians could enjoy
innumerable spiritual blessings:
• “All wisdom and spiritual
understanding” that would provide
strength (1:9);
• Redemption and forgiveness of sins
(1:14);
• Spiritual peace through
reconciliation to God (1:20);
• All spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3).
57
• Verses 2:8-10…
• Paul and other inspired teachers
had been working hard to teach
gospel truth about the rewards of
“Christ in [among] you, the hope of
glory” (1:28,29).
• False teachers were working hard
to teach other “truths” they claimed
were superior to the gospel.
58
• Verses 2:8-10…
• These pretenders had three
powerful weapons in their arsenal
of errors:
• Philosophy and vain deceit.
• Traditions of men.
• Basic principles of the world.
59
• Verses 2:8-10…
• Not one of these things was
“according to [the truth about] Christ.”
• Christians could be “complete” in
Christ because He possesses the
“fullness of the Godhead bodily.”
60
• Verses 2:8-10…
• He imparts all the wisdom we need
to guide us in our service;
• He makes atonement for sin so
that we can be free of guilt;
• He is the merit by which sinners
can be justified before God;
• He provides grace to sustain us in
the trials and duties of life.
61
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Complete in Christ(11) In Him you were also circumcised
with the circumcision made without
hands, by putting off the body of the sins
of the flesh, by the circumcision of
Christ,
(12)
buried with Him in
baptism, in which you also were
raised with Him through faith in the
working of God, who raised Him from
the dead. Question- How do we get in
Christ? See Gal. 3:27 for the answer.
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Complete in Christ(13)
And you, being dead in your
trespasses and the uncircumcision of
your flesh, He has made alive together
with Him, having forgiven you all
trespasses, (14) having wiped out the
handwriting of requirements that was
against us, which was contrary to us.
And He has taken it out of the way,
having nailed it to the cross.
(15)
Having disarmed principalities and
powers, He made a public spectacle of
them, triumphing over them in it.
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Complete in Christ(16) So let no one judge you in food or in
drink, or regarding a festival or a new
moon or sabbaths, (17) which are a
shadow of things to come, but the
substance is of Christ. (18) Let no one
cheat you of your reward, taking delight in
false humility and worship of angels,
intruding into those things which he has
not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly
mind, (19) and not holding fast to the
Head, from whom all the body, nourished
and knit together by joints and ligaments,
grows with the increase that is from God.
Colossians- Rooted in Christ
Complete in Christ(20) Therefore, if you died with Christ
from the basic principles of the world,
why, as though living in the world, do
you subject yourselves to regulations—
(21) "Do not touch, do not taste, do not
handle," (22) which all concern things
which perish with the using—according
to the commandments and doctrines of
men? (23) These things indeed have
an appearance of wisdom in selfimposed religion, false humility, and
neglect of the body, but are of no value
against the indulgence of the flesh.
Colossians- Living in Christ
Seeking things aboveColossians 3:1-4
If then you were
raised with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ is, sitting
at the right hand of God. (2) Set your
mind on things above, not on things on
the earth. (3) For you died, and your
life is hidden with Christ in God. (4)
When Christ who is our life appears,
then you also will appear with Him in
glory.
Colossians- Living in Christ
Putting off worldly habits-
Colossians 3:5-11
Therefore put to
death your members which are on the
earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion,
evil desire, and covetousness, which is
idolatry. (6) Because of these things
the wrath of God is coming upon the
sons of disobedience, (7) in which you
yourselves once walked when you lived
in them.
Colossians- Living in Christ
Putting off worldly habits(8) But now you yourselves are to put
off all these: anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy language out of your
mouth. (9) Do not lie to one another,
since you have put off the old man with
his deeds, (10) and have put on the
new man who is renewed in knowledge
according to the image of Him who
created him,
(11)
where there is
neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor
uncircumcised,
barbarian,
Scythian,
slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Colossians- Living in Christ
Putting on heavenly habitsColossians 3:12-17 Therefore, as the
elect of God, holy and beloved, put on
tender mercies, kindness, humility,
meekness, longsuffering; (13) bearing
with one another, and forgiving one
another, if anyone has a complaint
against another; even as Christ forgave
you, so you also must do.
Colossians- Living in Christ
Putting on heavenly habits(14) But above all these things put on
love, which is the bond of perfection.
(15) And let the peace of God rule in
your hearts, to which also you were
called in one body; and be thankful.
(16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly in all wisdom, teaching and
admonishing one another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing with
grace in your hearts to the Lord. (17)
And whatever you do in word or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through Him.
Colossians- Living in Christ
Honoring spiritual relationshipsColossians 3:18-4:1 Wives, submit to
your own husbands, as is fitting in the
Lord. (19) Husbands, love your wives
and do not be bitter toward them. (20)
Children, obey your parents in all things,
for this is well pleasing to the Lord. (21)
Fathers, do not provoke your children,
lest they become discouraged.
(22)
Bondservants, obey in all things your
masters according to the flesh, not with
eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in
sincerity of heart, fearing God.
Colossians- Living in Christ
Honoring spiritual relationships(23)
And whatever you do, do it
heartily, as to the Lord and not to
men, (24) knowing that from the
Lord you will receive the reward of
the inheritance; for you serve the
Lord Christ. (25) But he who does
wrong will be repaid for what he has
done, and there is no partiality. (4:1)
Masters, give your bondservants what
is just and fair, knowing that you also
have a Master in heaven.
Colossians- Living in Christ
Showing concern for othersColossians 4:2-6 Continue earnestly
in prayer, being vigilant in it with
thanksgiving; (3) meanwhile praying
also for us, that God would open to us
a door for the word, to speak the
mystery of Christ, for which I am also
in chains, (4) that I may make it
manifest, as I ought to speak. (5)
Walk in wisdom toward those who are
outside, redeeming the time. (6) Let
your speech always be with grace,
seasoned with salt, that you may know
how you ought to answer each one.
ColossiansClosing remarks and instructionsColossians 4:7-18 Tychicus, a beloved
brother, faithful minister, and fellow
servant in the Lord, will tell you all the
news about me. (8) I am sending him
to you for this very purpose, that he may
know your circumstances and comfort
your hearts,
(9)
with Onesimus, a
faithful and beloved brother, who is one
of you. They will make known to you all
things which are happening here.
ColossiansClosing remarks and instructions(10) Aristarchus my fellow prisoner
greets you, with Mark the cousin of
Barnabas (about whom you received
instructions: if he comes to you,
welcome him), (11) and Jesus who
is called Justus. These are my only
fellow workers for the kingdom of
God who are of the circumcision; they
have proved to be a comfort to me.
ColossiansClosing remarks and instructions-
(12) Epaphras, who is one of you, a
bondservant of Christ, greets you,
always laboring fervently for you in
prayers, that you may stand perfect
and complete in all the will of God.
(13) For I bear him witness that he
has a great zeal for you, and those
who are in Laodicea, and those in
Hierapolis. (14) Luke the beloved
physician and Demas greet you.
(15) Greet the brethren who are in
Laodicea, and Nymphas and the
church that is in his house.
ColossiansClosing remarks and instructions(16)
Now when this epistle is read
among you, see that it is read also in
the church of the Laodiceans, and that
you likewise read the epistle from
Laodicea. (17) And say to Archippus,
"Take heed to the ministry which you
have received in the Lord, that you may
fulfill it." (18) This salutation by my
own hand—Paul. Remember my chains.
Grace be with you. Amen.
Once a person is obedient to the Gospel,
Heard (Rom. 10:17), Believed (Mark
16:16), Confessed (Acts 8:37), Repented
of the sins they have committed, and is
Baptized for the remission of those sins
(Acts 2:38), they are a Christian and
saved from the fire of hell. But, we read
that we must remain faithful unto death
(Rev. 2:10.)
Why?
Do we have to be concerned about sinning
after we are saved?
These verses say we do!
Col. 1:21-23;
2 Tim. 2:16- 18;
Heb. 3:12-19;
2 Pet. 2:1;
Heb.5:8, 9;
Jam.2:24, 26;
John 15:1-6;
1 John 2:24;
Rom. 14:13, 15;
Gal. 5:4;
Heb. 6:4:8;
Heb. 10:26- 31;
Jam. 5:19, 20;
1 Pet. 5:8;
2 Pet. 2:20- 22;
Rev. 3:5 & 20:15.
Passages wrongly applied to say that
once you are saved you are always
saved.
John 10:27, 28;
John 14:19;
Romans 5:20, 21;
Romans 6:23;
Rom. 8:1;
Rom. 8:38, 39;
1 Cor.10:13;
Ephesians 1:13, 14;
2 Tim 1:12;
Heb. 6:19;
Heb. 12:6;
Heb. 13:5;
1 Pet. 1:4, 5;
1 John 2:19;
1 John 3:9;
Psalm 97:10.
A Christian can lose their
salvation and be condemned to
eternal damnation, if on the day
of judgment if they have any
un-repented, unconfessed,
unforgiven sins which they have
committed after they are saved.