Lessons From Colossians – Lesson 2


The bible is clear about this the truth always needs to be given in love.

Eph_4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:15 tells us in just a few words that we are to speak the truth in love. And that is what we see in Colossians.

Several dangerous teachings had been entering into the church at Colossae. Paul hears about this and writes a letter to them. Paul stands for the truth and boldly declares it and he gives it with authority. But it is done in love. No belittling, no anger, no putting down. And no casting doubt on their salvation.
In fact quite the opposite. Look at the first verses again and notice how many times Paul makes reference and gives assurance to them that they are saved.

Col 1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Col 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Col 1:4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
Col 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven,
Col 1:6 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:
Col 1:7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
Col 1:8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

Nine references to them being saved in the first 8 verses. That gets the point across. You can make mistakes, even start believing some errors. You can fail to stand up for the truth and still be saved.  Life is not static. Life has ups and downs. Good times and hard times. There are mountaintops and there are valleys. Sometimes your fellowship with God is close and other times not so close.

There are times when you really feel saved. And there are times when you don’t feel it much. I am so glad that salvation does not rest upon your feelings. Salvation is a gift from God and once given it is eternal. Once saved always saved.  All you did to get saved was choose to believe. Agree with God that you are a sinner and turn to Him and say God be merciful to me a sinner. Since you did not do anything to get saved you can’t do anything to get unsaved. No such thing.
And yet many Christians do struggle from time to time with their assurance of salvation. Many Christians don’t realize it, but the beginning of Colossians is a great place to go read and meditate upon especially during those times when you don’t feel saved.

Paul is telling them you are saved, saved, saved. 9 times it is referred to. Let’s pick up today in verse 14.

Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Paul has laid a foundation, and showed that he is for them. Now he is going to start to deal with the false teaching. And he does it by teaching truth. It is God’s truth that will set you free.  It is what sets you free from the bondage of sin. It is what sets you free from an eternity in hell. And it is God’s truth that will set people free from false teaching.

The truth is we have redemption and forgiveness of sins thru Jesus and what He did on the cross. We do not have redemption thru works and we do not have redemption thru any kind of intermediary being. Paul is starting to address the false teaching of having to have an angel as intermediary.
In our day you don’t hear much about that. However, the false teaching of having an intermediary between you and God is very big today. It is called Mary worship. Some worship saints and put them between man and God.  What was being taught in Colossae was a form of what is called Gnosticism. We know from early church writings that one of the things that the Gnostics taught was that you can’t know God. Verse 15 is starting to address that.

Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. Jesus is God. You could see Him and touch Him and talk to Him and ask Him questions. Paul is teaching the truth. You can know God.

Joh_1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Joh_14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father;

Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit are one. The great 3 in one God. One God manifested to us in 3 distinct personalities.
Jesus is the image of the invisible God. God is knowable. If you want to know what God is like all you have to do is look at Jesus. And Jesus has all power.

Col 1:16 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:

Jesus created all things. Colossians those angels you are concerned about. Guess what they were created by Jesus. That makes Jesus greater. Jesus is more important. It is Jesus who is God. All things were created by Him.  And the reason why is given. All things were created for Him. Paul is presenting Jesus in His proper place. High and lifted up. Above all things and before all things, and greater than all things.

Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Not only did He create all things but He is the one who holds it all together.
The message here is over and over again. It is all about Jesus.

Rom_11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

You put Jesus in His proper place and that right there solves a huge number of problems.
Worldliness, lust, greed, people can be freed from all of that if they would put Jesus in His proper place. All glory belongs to Him.
This old sin stained world is not going to last. Our lives are just a vapor. Most things that really get people all worked up are not going to matter in eternity.
Jesus is the image of the invisible God, He created all things, and all things were created for Him. Jesus should be given 1st place. In reality He already is first, but everyone is given a free will to put Him there in their lives or not.

Col 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 might have the preeminence.

Jesus is to be the head of the local church. There are a whole lot of groups that call themselves a church, but the sad truth is that Jesus is not allowed to be the leader. In fact today there are a whole lot of churches like the one Jesus writes to in Rev.

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: The picture there was Jesus knocking at the door trying to get into what was supposed to be His church and no one will open the door.

Jesus gave clear instructions on what His churches are to be doing. Getting the Gospel out everywhere is number 1. Most churches are not involved in that at all.
We are to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. We are to care about the fatherless and the poor. And we are to stand for the truth of His precious word.
Jesus’ leadership is clear. The problem is never with His leadership, when there are problems it is always with a groups followship.
And the end of verse 18. That in all things he might have the preeminence.
Might have. That is free will. Jesus has the preeminence. He is higher than and over all things. That is just the reality of things. However, He does not force anyone to admit it and He does not make anyone give Him the preeminence in their lives.
Paul is teaching and encouraging them to put Jesus and what He taught first. Put His truth over any other teaching that contradicts His.

Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Giving Jesus the preeminence is the will of God the Father. And in Jesus is where all fullness dwells. That is a deep truth. So deep that we cannot even plumb the depths of all that it means.

Col 1:20 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.
Col 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

The truth just keeps on pouring out in this letter. There is no narrative story. It is just powerful truth after powerful truth.
Paul is telling them you have peace with Almighty God and you have it only through the blood of His cross. You were past tense alienated and were enemies of God. You did wicked works. But now you are reconciled to God. Once again Paul gives them assurance of their salvation. God has made them unblameable and unreprovable in His sight.

When someone gets saved, in a judicial act of God their sins are separated as far as the east is from the west. It is like they are buried in the deepest sea.
You are in Christ and so when eternal judgment falls, what will be seen by God is the blood of Christ. You are declared righteous and will spend eternity with the Lord.  After you are saved, you will have to stand before God and give an answer for how you lived for Him. You will have to watch as your works are put thru the fire. Wood hay and stubble are burned away and any precious stones and gold survive and you are rewarded for.
Look at verses 22 and 23 they are connected with a semi colon. So you cannot understand verse 23 without verse 22.

Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel,

Verse 23 is not talking about if you continue in the faith then you are saved. No that would be works. Paul has already given them assurance of their salvation over and over again.  It is saying you are unblameable and unreproveable in His sight if you continue in the faith grounded and settled.
If you don’t and you be moved away from the hope of the gospel, then you are still saved, but you will have to stand at the judgment seat one day and give an answer.  Paul then talks about the gospel.  which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

The mystery is the gospel. The Old Testament foretold that God would turn to the gentiles. But how that all would work was kept a mystery. Full revelation did not happen until Jesus came and lived a perfect sinless life, died and then rose again.

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
The mystery is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Paul is big upon getting the gospel out. Whom we preach, warning every man. We should want to do the same. We should have the same heart to see people saved. And connected with this Paul uses words like labor and striving.  Getting the gospel out should be a big deal. One that churches really work at.
Paul now shares his heart for them and for those at Laodicea. He wants more for them. He wants more assurance for them, and for them to have more understanding and more wisdom and more comfort in their hearts and more love.
This is really a great list of what we should also want for other believers.

Col 2:1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Paul gave them assurance at the start of the letter. He also showed some of his heart from them, then did a bunch of concentrated truth. A bunch of wonderful teaching about Jesus.  Paul then gives them assurance again, then some more teaching and then he shows more of his heart for them. He truly wants what is best for them, a closer walk with Jesus.  And now a warning against being pulled away from all of this wonderful truth by enticing words.

Col 2:4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

To beguile is to deceive; to impose on by artifice or craft. The first use of beguile is when Eve said the serpent beguiled me and I did eat. Enticing means having the qualities that entice or allure. Flattery or persuasion to allure.  Satan beguiled Eve with enticing words and look at what happened to the world. Sin, Sin, and more Sin. And the wicked one and his minions have not changed their method. 6 thousand plus years later they are still at it.
Paul is saying beware. Open your eyes to it. Don’t fall for it. Hold to the truth. The reason the letter is written is in verse 4. And this I say refereeing to what he is writing. This I say lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

Without the truth that I am teaching and you holding to it, you are at risk of being beguiled and enticed. I am giving you what you need and if you accept it and hold to it, then you have what you need to not fall for it.  And remember Paul is writing to saved people. Saved people can be beguiled and led into strange false beliefs. The solution is twofold. One, recognize that you could; in the right circumstances be led off track. No one is above temptation and no one is above the attacks of the devil.  And 2 and most important. Know and hold to God’s truth, which we hold in our hand. And we stop in verse 5 today. And Paul is going to show his heart for them again and he is going to assure them of their salvation again.

Col 2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

Are you liking Colossians? I think it is great. Our Lord is to have the preeminence in all things. He is high and lifted up. And because of who He is and what He has done for us then… there should be some practical things that we do because of that truth. And that is what Paul gets into next.

More Lessons From Colossians