Do Not Be Judged

 “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.”

(Colossians 2:16-19 ESV)

If there’s one accusation that’s routinely lobbed against the church, it’s that we’re judgmental. And, while this accusation is sometimes false, while it’s often thrown out in response to our belief in the truth of God’s Word, it can also be very true. And it most often plays itself out among our fellow church members.

In fact, Christians can be more judgmental toward one another than we are toward anyone else. We judge one another’s faithfulness based not on clear matters of right and wrong. We do so based upon issues that aren’t even addressed in Scripture. And we judge one another based upon ideas that we read into Scripture. 

In the above passage, Paul tells the Colossians that they’re to let no one pass judgment on them in questions of food and drink, a festival, a new moon, or a Sabbath. While it’s possible that some of these customs had Gentile roots, it seems that most of them flowed from the ceremonial law that was observed by the Jews. And this would be consistent with the struggle we observe in other New Testament churches as well.

The Jews observed laws that stated which foods were clean and which were not. In short, they were forbidden to eat certain things. They had various festivals that they were required to observe, in remembrance of God’s deliverance and provision. And they had all kinds of laws that defined what they could and couldn’t do on the Sabbath day.

However, the Colossians were to allow no one to judge them in such matters.  And they weren’t to do so because these were a shadow of the things to come. They weren’t to do so because the substance was found in Christ.

Paul was telling them that all of these ceremonial practices and principles merely pointed the people to Christ. They had revealed to the people, in Old Testament times, that the Christ was coming and what he was to accomplish. And, for this reason, they’d been fulfilled in Jesus.

In other words, they would not be saved by following them. They were not the means by which the people received God’s blessing. All of this was received only in Jesus.

Paul also said that they were to let no one disqualify them, insisting on asceticism, which is a strict self-denial, or the worship of angels. The source of this teaching was not Christ, but the prideful and sensual minds of those who brought it. And it couldn’t contribute in any way to their growth in Christ.

This tells us that, as believers, we’re not to allow others to judge us in these ways. Nor are we to let them lead us astray. We must not do so because it’s in Christ alone that we are saved.

Dead or Alive?

 “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

(Colossians 2:13-15 ESV)

Most of us have been to a funeral. In fact, most of us have been to several. And, for this reason, it’s safe to say that we’ve seen a corpse. We’ve seen someone who is dead.

More often than not, we see such a person at the visitation, prior to the funeral. Or, we see them before the casket is closed at the funeral itself. And one thing we know is that, when a person is dead, he’s dead.

Although we’ve seen horror movies where the dead come out of their casket and terrorize the living, we know that this isn’t reality. We know that a person who is dead is incapable of doing anything. They’re incapable because there is no life in them.

This is the image we need to have in mind as we consider the gospel. It’s this image that we need to have in mind as we read the words of Paul, above. He begins by referring to our natural state. He refers to the condition that results from our sin. And he tells us that we were dead in our tresspasses and the uncircumcision of our flesh.

What this tells us is that we could do nothing. We could do nothing about our condition. And we could do nothing to save ourselves from it. We were absolutely helpless. 

Most of us tend to struggle with this truth, when it comes to our spiritual state. We want to believe that we can do something to help ourselves. We want to believe there’s something we can do to save ourselves or, at the very least, to contribute to our salvation. However, as long as we’re in this mindset, we’re unable to receive the blessing that Jesus has provided for us.

Paul speaks of this in the following words. And he makes clear to us that he’s done everything necessary to save us from our deserved fate. He’s done everything necessary to rescue us from death.

He tells us that God has made us alive together with Christ. He’s done so by forgiving us of our trespasses, and by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. And he’s done so, he’s set them aside, by nailing them to the cross.

Death is the penalty of sin. And because the penalty of our sin was paid by Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross, we’ve been released from this fate. Because our sin is no longer counted against us, we are no longer subject to its penalty.

In this way, also, he’s disarmed the rulers and authorities, putting them to shame. He’s triumphed over them. They no longer have anything that they can hold over our head. And, for this reason,we have been freed from their authority and condemnation.

Our faith, then, cannot be in ourselves. It cannot be in our goodness or efforts. And, if it is, we are forever lost. We must, rather, trust in Christ alone and the sacrifice he offered on our behalf. We must do so because it’s in this way, and only in this way, that we are saved.

Always Thankful

 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV

 

It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is almost upon us. This year has, in a sense, rushed by rather quickly. But, in other ways, it seems that it’s drug on and on and on.

 

Even though I see them approaching on the calendar, I don’t find myself quite ready for them. I don’t yet have a sense of excitement for the celebrations that are to come.  I don’t find myself yet in the spirit of Thanksgiving or Christmas.

 

This is partly due to the circumstances in which we find ourselves. After all, this year has been anything but normal. It’s been one of difficulty. It’s been one of hardship. And, for this reason, we’d rather that it just came to end.

 

Difficulties, of course, are completely normal. Because we live in a world of sin, because we live among a sinful people, and because we ourselves are sinful, our lives are full of hardships. And there’s no way to keep ourselves from them. They are simply the reality in which we live.

 

Yet, even though they are normal, and even though they are to be expected, they can also leave us in a state of discouragement, frustration, and despair. They affect our attitude. They affect our mood. They even affect our faith.

 

When this takes hold of us, we’re told by multiple sources that we’re to focus on the positive rather than the negative. We hear this from mental health experts. We hear this from counselors. We hear this from our religious leaders. And, although he doesn’t state it in this way, the apostle Paul says something very similar.

 

In the above passage, he encourages his readers to rejoice always. And because we’re to do this always, this is something that we’re to do not only when we feel like it. It’s something we’re to do even when our circumstances do not seem like a cause to rejoice.

 

He tells us to pray without ceasing. This means that we’re to never stop praying. We are to pray often. We’re to pray regularly. In fact, we’re to be in a continual state of prayer as we live in a constant state of dependence upon God and trust in him. We’re to do so even when we don’t feel like praying. We’re to do so even when it doesn’t seem that he’s working for our blessing.

 

We’re told to give thanks in all circumstances. And, again, because he tells us to do so in all circumstances, this means that we’re to give thanks even when we don’t feel like it. It means that we’re to give thanks even when we don’t feel all that thankful. It means that we’re to do so even when our circumstances don’t give us reason for thanksgiving.

 

This, Paul says, is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus. In other words, because of Jesus, and because of the hope we have in him, this is what God desires of us. He wants these practices to be a part of our everyday life.

 

Although we might say that this is easier said than done, and although we might find it easier to grumble and complain, we do have good reason to rejoice, to pray, and to give thanks. We have good reason because, in Jesus, God has provided us with everything we need that we might experience his blessing. He’s provided for us everything necessary that we might receive his forgiveness and salvation.

 

As we, then, approach the holidays, may we keep this in mind. Regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves, we have received God’s blessings. Regardless of the difficulties we’re facing, we’re living in God’s blessing. This has been provided for us in Jesus, and it gives to us every reason to rejoice, to pray, and to offer up our thanksgiving.

The Circumcision of Christ

 “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.^”

(Colossians 2:11-12 ESV)

 

Circumcision is something that is widely practiced in American society. However, that being said, the reason it’s practiced is very different from that of the people of Israel in Old Testament times, or even the Jews of today. We do so primarily for cleanliness. But their practice of circumcision had, and continues to have, major religious implications.

 

They were commanded by God to circumcise their boys on the eighth day. And, in this way, they were marked, they were identified, as part of the people of God. In fact, if they were not circumcised, they were to be cut off from the people.

 

This is the image that Paul is referencing in the above passage. Only, he relates circumcision to a practice more recognizable in the Church. He relates it to baptism.

 

Paul tells us that, in Christ, we were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands. In other words, it wasn’t performed by a doctor, a priest, or a mohel. In fact, it wasn’t performed by a person at all. It was a work of God.

 

This was done, he says, by the putting off of the body of flesh. This, again, brings us back to the image of circumcision, where the foreskin is removed from the body. But, here, Paul speaks of the removal of the body of flesh. This speaks of the removal of our old, sinful, nature that it might be replaced by the new.

 

This is referred to as the circumcision of Christ, which took place in our baptism. It took place as we were buried with Christ in baptism and raised with him through faith. This, he tells us, is the powerful working of God.

 

What this tells us is that, in baptism, God makes us to be his people. In baptism, we are marked as the people of God. And, in baptism, we are recipients of both his gracious promise and blessing.

 

For many Christians, today, baptism is nothing more than a ceremony. It’s something that we do. It’s a confession of faith that we make before the body of Christ. However, when we look to Scripture, we find that it’s so much more.

 

Baptism is not a work of man, but a work of God. And although we confess our faith at the time of baptism, it’s so much more. In baptism, we receive the blessings provided by Christ on the cross. In baptism, we receive the blessings won by Christ in his resurrection from the grave. And each of these blessings become ours through faith.

 

All We Need

“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”

Colossians 2:9-10 ESV

 

Many of us take in interest in a wide range of subjects. We like to read and study a whole variety of topics. And we do so in an effort to be well-rounded.

 

This is true of us, even as believers. Although we read and study the Bible, and although we regularly hear it as it’s taught and preached, we still feel that we need something more. And we think that looking to these other sources is needful that we might be complete.

 

However, as a result, we have a tendency to fill ourselves up with things that contradict our faith. We allow ourselves to be filled up with things that are opposed to Christ. And we often think and act as if this is good and acceptable. We think and act as if this promotes our personal growth.

 

Although there are certainly things that we can learn from people around us, and although we can learn useful information from sources outside of the Bible, we have to draw a clear distinction. We have to distinguish those things that are helpful, and that do not contradict the Word of God, from those that are clearly opposed to Christ. We must do so because this philosophy, this empty deceit, is the invention of man. It flows from the elemental, from the rudimentary, spirits or principles of the world.

 

For this reason, they have the ability to take us captive. They have the ability to carry us off, like the spoils of war. In other words, they have the ability to lead us astray from Christ.

 

What we learn from the above passage is that we don’t need these vain and empty philosophies in order to be made whole. Nor do we need them to attain personal growth. We don’t need them because, in Jesus, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. In Jesus, the fullness of God dwells bodily.

 

And, according to Paul, we have been filled in him. We’ve been filled in him who is the head of all rule and authority. We have a unique relationship with Christ. And, in him, we’re satisfied. In Christ, we are imbued with everything needful.

 

So, rather than seeking fulfillment outside of Christ, and rather than seeking it in addition to Christ, we must understand that it’s found in him. It’s found in him alone. Jesus is all that we need in order to be filled. He's all that we need in order to be complete.

 

 

 

 

Discerning Falsehood

 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Colossians 2:8 ESV

 

It’s often assumed, falsely, that Christians reject the sciences. It’s assumed that Biblically minded Christians reject science because they reject the theory of evolution. It’s assumed that they reject psychology because they believe in the spiritual. And it’s assumed that they reject sociology because they believe that there is only one right way to know God.

 

It’s often assumed that, as Christians, we find no value in anything the world has to offer. However, such is not the case. In reality, we accept many of the teachings and benefits brought to us by the sciences. Much of what they offer is not contradictory to our faith in any way whatsoever. In fact, many of the early scientists who identified many foundational truths about the world in which we live, were themselves believers.

 

That being said, much of what is believed and taught in our society today is contradictory to the Christian faith. Much of what is portrayed as science is not scientific in the least, nor does it fit with a Biblical worldview in any way whatsoever. And we must take care to recognize the difference.

 

We must do so, we must make this distinction, that we aren’t led astray. We must do so that our children are not led astray. And we must do so that our fellow believers are not led astray.

 

In the above verse, Paul warns the Colossians to take care that no one takes them captive by philosophy. And, again, in saying this, he’s not declaring that all philosophy is bad. He’s not suggesting that all philosophy is contradictory to our faith.

 

They were also to ensure that they weren’t taken captive by empty deceit. They were to ensure that they weren’t taken captive by the vain or empty lies of the world around them. They were to ensure that they weren’t led astray by the dishonesty of the world in which they lived.

 

The type of philosophy, to which he’s referring, is dangerous, and it’s dangerous because of its origin. The philosophy and the deceit that was attractive to his readers was in accordance to human tradition. It was in accordance to the elemental spirits, or the elemental principles, of the world in which they lived. In other words, it was man made.

 

It was, then, in contrast to Christ. It was not according to Christ. In other words, it was contradictory to Christ.

 

In the same way, we must discern the difference between what is helpful, and that which contradicts the faith that we confess. We must recognize that, just because a certain teaching or idea is held to strongly by the world around us, does not make it true. We must identify that which contradicts Christ, and that which agrees with him, that we might not be taken captive.

Living in God's Grace

 “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

(Colossians 2:6–7 ESV)

We tend to believe that receiving Jesus is a one time event. We tend to think that we come to faith in Jesus at one point in life. And, after we receive him, after we come to faith in him, we seem to think that nothing else matters.

Some of us may have heard the gospel and responded to an altar call. We may have encountered the gospel and prayed the sinner’s prayer. And we remember this day, we mark this day, as the day we came to faith.

In the Lutheran tradition, we may have been baptized as a baby or a small child. And we think of this day in the same way. We consider this as the day we came to faith. We consider this day as the point in which we entered into the blessing of God.

However, after this day has come and gone, we do as we please. We live as we please. And we don’t believe that it matters in the least.

We don’t think it matters because, on that one day in the past, we came to faith. We don’t think it matters because, on that one day in the past, we received the gospel. We don’t think it matters because, on that one day in the past, we were saved.

But, in the above passage, we see that receiving Jesus is not just a one time event. We find that it’s ongoing. Paul tells us that, as we received Jesus the Lord, we’re to walk in him.

This phrase indicates that our faith is to be an everyday part of our life. It indicates that it’s a continuing state. It indicates that it’s something to which we hold each moment of every day.

Paul tells us that we’re to be rooted in Jesus. He tells us that we’re to be built up in him. He tells us that we’re to be established in the faith. And this, again, indicates something more than a one time event.

We not only come to faith in Jesus, but we’re established in that faith. We grow in that faith. And we become firm in that faith. 

Even though these events in the past are important, and although they shouldn’t be disregarded, there is something more involved. We must not only ask when we came to faith in Jesus, but if we trust in him now. We must ask not only when we first received the promise of God, but if we’re now living in that promise.

Gullible?

 “I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.”

(Colossians 2:4–5 ESV)

If there is one weakness of the American Church today, it’s that we’re easily deceived. We’re gullible. We’re quick to accept every convincing argument that is made by those both outside of the church and within. 

We are convinced that the gospel is not true. We’re deluded into thinking that our faith is merely a system of rules, regulations, and morality. We’re led to believe that the message of Scripture is simply one of acceptance.

We’re led into these warped beliefs by the false teachers who surround us. We’re led to do so by the false teachers we’ve allowed to infiltrate the church. We’re quick to trust those with the nicest smile, with the best stories, and with the greatest speaking skills.

This was the very concern that Paul possessed for the Colossian Church. This was the concern he had for the Laodiceans and others who had not seen him face to face. He had been struggling for them, that they might be encouraged and built up in the faith. He agonized over them, desiring that they would come to a full assurance of faith. And, as we see above, he did so that they might not be deluded.

This word, deluded, can also mean deceived. So, he did not want them to be easily led astray by those who came to them with persuasive language. He did not want them to be easily led astray by those who spoke with enticing words.

Like the Colossians, and like the Laodiceans, this is the reason that we need to be encouraged and built up in the faith. This is the reason we need to come to the full assurance of faith. It prevents us from being captivated by fine sounding arguments.

This makes it clear that our faith, as well as that of the church as a whole, is a valid concern. In fact, it’s the greatest concern. It’s the greatest concern because it determines not only our life here in this world. It determines our eternal destiny.

The Unseen Brother

 “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

(‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2:1-3‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

We are naturally concerned for the welfare of those who are close to us. We are concerned for the welfare of those who are near and dear to our heart. We want the best for them. And we don’t want to see anything bad happen to them.

When it comes to our fellow believers in Christ, we’re concerned for their welfare here in this world. But, more than that, we’re concerned for their spiritual welfare. We want to see them grow in faith, escape from temptation, and overcome the struggles and doubts they may face.

While we know there are believers all around the world, and while we hate to hear of the persecution they sometimes face, we’re not as concerned for their welfare. The thought of them rarely crosses our mind. And, for this reason, our prayers for them are infrequent at best.

In the above passage, we see Paul’s concern not for the churches with which he was acquainted. We see his concern not for those among whom he’d ministered. We see his concern for those who had not seen him in person.

Paul says that he is struggling for the believers in the Colossian Church, for those at Laodicea, and for others who had not seen him face to face. The Word “struggle” means that he was in agony because of them. It means that he was worried about their welfare.

He desires that they might be encouraged. He longed to see them being knit together in love. And he desired that they would come to the full assurance provided by the gospel.

Personally, I spend a great deal of time in prayer for my family. I also do so for the members of my congregation. However, that being said, I confess a lack of concern for my brothers and sisters who are unseen and unknown to me. I certainly don’t want anything bad to happen to them. But I certainly haven’t struggled for them.

As we’re called to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation, as we’re called to make disciples of all nations, and as we’re called to bear witness of Christ’s death and resurrection to the entire world, I pray that God would make this true of me. I pray that I would share his concern for each and every one of his people. I pray that he would cause me to agonize over them. And I pray that he would cause me to continually long for their growth in faith.

Gladly Suffering

 “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”

(Colossians 1:24-29 ESV)

We are not fond of suffering. In fact, we avoid it at all costs. We like to remain at ease. We like to enjoy a peaceful life.

For this reason, we do all that we can to avoid it. We do so even if it means compromising our faith. We do so even if it means ignoring the needs of those who surround us.

We’re not generally willing to endure suffering for the sake of others. We’re not willing to endure hardship that someone else might be blessed. If helping someone, if blessing someone, is going to bring discomfort upon us in any way, we typically refuse.

Being perfectly honest about it, it’s not even suffering that we refuse. We shy away from any discomfort whatsoever. If it means giving up some of our recreation to help another, if it means doing something that we don’t typically enjoy, if it means sacrificing some of our expendable income, or if it simply means work for us, we tend to decline.

However, looking at the above passage, we see that the apostle Paul endured suffering for the sake of the Colossians. And he did so not for them only. He did so for the sake of the Gentiles.  He did so for the sake of the lost.

This is what we see in the above passage. He states clearly that he suffered for the sake of the Colossians. He states clearly that he suffered on behalf of the church.

And not that our suffering can ever compare to that of Christ, he does draw a parallel between his own suffering for the church and that of Jesus. He says that he is filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body. He says that he completes the things lacking of the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body.

As Jesus suffered for his church, so too did Paul. As Jesus laid down his life for the church, so too did Paul. He endured them because of the stewardship of God that had been entrusted to him. He did so that the Word of God might be made fully known. He did so that the gospel might be known among the Gentiles.

And not only did he suffer. He rejoiced in his sufferings. It brought him joy to do so.

As believers in Jesus, this ought to be our attitude as well. We should not only be willing to suffer for our fellow believers. We should not only be willing to suffer for the sake of the gospel. We should rejoice in it.

We should do so because of the stewardship of God that's been entrusted to us. We should do so that the gospel might be fully known. We should do so that we might make disciples of all nations.

My hope and prayer is that this will be true of me and also of you. I pray that, as the body of Christ, we would be more than happy to suffer for the sake of our brothers and sisters in Christ. And I pray that we’d be more than happy to suffer for the sake of the lost.

Our Source of Assurance

 “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 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, 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.”

(Colossians 1:21–23 ESV)

The assurance of salvation is something that we desperately need. It’s needed because, quite frankly, we don’t always feel saved. Circumstances arise that cause us to question or even to doubt it. 

It could be our outward circumstances. Our life situation may not be everything we want or hope it to be. And it causes us to feel that we’re outside of God’s blessing.

A struggle with sin can have this effect as well. As we face an ongoing battle with a certain temptation or sinful tendency, we begin to wonder if we are, in fact, saved. We begin to wonder if our hope has been misplaced.

We know that we’re saved by the grace of God. And we know that we receive this grace through faith in Jesus. But, as we face these struggles, where is the assurance of our salvation found?

Our tendency, when we face these struggles, is to look at our behavior. We think that, if we’re truly saved, it will be seen in our life. We think that an internal change should be evident.

While it’s true that the grace of God indeed produces fruit in our life, and while it’s true that it produces changes within us, the ongoing presence of sin can lead us to lose our sense of assurance. When change seems slow or even nonexistent, we begin to question our faith. When it seems that, perhaps, we’re less sanctified today than we were last week, we begin to question or to doubt our salvation.

It does so because, internally, our hope has shifted from Christ to ourselves. It’s shifted from a dependence upon Christ and the salvation he accomplished for us upon the cross, to a dependence upon ourselves and the works that we perform. It has shifted from a reliance upon the grace of God to a reliance upon our own inherent goodness. And this contradicts the very gospel we confess.

However, as we see in the above passage, we can have an assurance of salvation. We can, in fact, know that we are saved. And this assurance is provided by our faith.

Just as we are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus, so too are we assured of our salvation. Paul tells us that our salvation is certain as long as we have faith. It is certain as long as we remain stable and steadfast in our faith. It is certain as long as we do not shift from the hope of the gospel we have heard.

This makes perfect sense. It aligns perfectly with the message of the gospel. Because we are saved through faith, we are assured of our salvation by that same faith.

More Than a Man

 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 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. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 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. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

Colossians 1:15-20

The beliefs that we have about Jesus are many. Many of us believe that although Jesus was a great man, he was a man. We think that he was a great teacher. We think that he was a great moral example for us to follow. We think that he was a great religious leader. And some of us would say even that he was a prophet.

Jesus is a man, to be sure. He is fully man. He is a man in every way as you and me.

However, by believing this way about him, we bring Jesus down to our level. We do so because, although he is a man, we make him into a mere man. Instead of seeing him for who he is, we make him weak and sinful, just like us.

However, according to Scripture, Jesus is so much more. And this is something we see in the above passage. Paul tells us, in several different ways, that Jesus is God.

He describes Jesus as the image of God, meaning that he shares God’s likeness. It expresses the fact that he is the embodiment of God. He is the manifestation of God.

He’s described as the firstborn of creation. And this does not imply that Jesus was created. It implies his authority. As the firstborn son, in Biblical times, received the largest share of the inheritance and leadership of the larger family, this is Jesus’ role. He possesses authority over all creation.

He is the creator. By him, all things were made. And this includes things both visible and invisible. They were made by him and for him, which tells us that all things belong to him.

He’s before all things, indicating that he preexisted all things. In other words, he is eternal. In him all things hold together, meaning that everything continues to exist only by his power and authority. He is the head of the church. And he is the firstborn from the dead, once again indicating his authority and the fact that he was the first to rise from the grave.

All of this is true of him that he might be preeminent in everything. This is true of him that he might be prominent, the greatest, and the foremost of all. Again, he is more than we could ever aspire to be.

The fullness of God was pleased to dwell in Jesus. This tells us that Jesus is God in every way. He isn’t partially God, nor does he simply possess some of the characteristics of God. He is fully God.

In Jesus, God was also pleased to reconcile to himself all things. And this was accomplished, peace was made, through the blood of the cross. It was by his sacrifice, it was by his death upon the cross, that our relationship with God was restored.

Jesus, then, is God and man. He is our maker and redeemer. He is the one to whom we look that we might be reconciled to God.

Qualified?

 “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 1:11-14 ESV)

I recently saw a study, conducted among Christians. It revealed that more than half of professing Christians, even in denominations that have a high view of Scripture, believe that they are saved by their own efforts. They believe that, by performing good works, they are enabled to receive the blessings of God. And, among Catholics, the number reached seventy percent.

While I’m not endorsing this study in any way, it does match my experience as a pastor. Over the course of my ministry, I’ve found that a majority of those who consider themselves Christian trust not in Christ for salvation, but in themselves. They find comfort not in Christ and what he has done, but in themselves and in what they have done.

This is not Christianity. It is not the Christian faith. In fact, it is another gospel. It is a gospel that cannot save.

It leads to one of two results. It can lead us to continually question our salvation as we’re regularly confronted with our shortcomings. This ultimately leads us to despair, as we realize that we do not and cannot live a life good enough to merit salvation. Or, it leads us to pride, as we sincerely begin to believe that we are good enough and that we’ve one enough to merit salvation.

According to Scripture, we are lost and can do nothing to save ourselves. As we see in the above passage, we are part of the domain of darkness. We are a part of the domain of sin, and the enemy of our souls.

Everything necessary to attain our salvation has been performed by Christ, and by Christ alone. We are not qualified for salvation because of anything in ourselves or anything we’ve done. We’re qualified by God himself.

It is he who has delivered us from the domain of darkness. It is he who has transferred us into the kingdom of his Son. And it is in Christ that we have redemption, and the forgiveness of our sins.

For this reason, we must not trust in ourselves. We must trust in the Lord, who alone can save. And when he enables us to do good works, praise be to God. 

Forgotten Prayers

“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…”

(Colossians 1:9-12 ESV)

 

Quite often, our prayer life is very self-focused. We pray to the Lord only about our needs and desires. But most of us, at times, do pray for others as well.

 

We pray for those who have various health needs. We pray for those struggling with addictions or other self-destructive habits. We pray for those who may have lost a job. And we pray for the lost, that they might encounter the gospel and be led to faith in Jesus. But rarely do we pray for our fellow believers.

 

When we do pray for our fellow Christians, it’s for an obvious problem. Perhaps they are struggling with their faith. Perhaps they are questioning God or struggling with a sinful tendency. But, even more rarely, do we pray for those who seem grounded in the faith.

 

There are those in the church who seem rock solid in their faith. They seem to have an unwavering trust in Christ. And they’re active in the ministry of the church.

 

They participate in Bible studies. The teach Sunday School or help with youth ministry. They serve on the church council. They help to serve funeral lunches, make repairs to the church building, and reach out to the lost.

 

People like this don’t seem to need prayer. They seem to have it all together. And, for this reason, we rarely, if ever, lift them up to the Lord.

 

Paul, however, prayed regularly for a group of believers. He prayed for a group of believers who had a sincere faith and a great love for one another.

 

He prayed for their growth in faith and understanding. He prayed for their life of faith. He prayed that they might bear fruit. He prayed that they might be strengthened for endurance and patience.

 

In the same way, we can pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can pray for those who seem strong in faith. We can pray for those who are active in ministry.

 

We can pray for God’s ongoing work in their life. We can pray for their continued growth in faith and service. We can pray that fruit would be borne from their faith that brings glory to God.

 

 

Our Source of Hope

“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 increasing-- 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 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.”

(Colossians 1:5-8 ESV)

 

Hope is something for which we all yearn. And, while this has always been the case, it’s something that’s become even more true in light of our present circumstances. It’s become more true as, right here in America, as well as around the world, we’ve been dealing with new and unfamiliar difficulties.

 

As we face trials of many kinds, it’s common for us to feel hopeless. We want to know that this is not all there is to life. We want to believe that there is something better coming to us. We want the assurance that the trials of life will not continue forever.

 

We see, in the above passage, where this hope is found. Paul had been speaking of the hope possessed by the Colossians. And of this, he says, they had heard before in the word of truth.

 

This word of truth, he goes on to tell us, is the gospel. It’s the good news of Jesus. So, from this gospel, the Colossians had heard of the hope laid up for them in heaven.

 

In the same way, we hear of this hope. As we hear the gospel, as we hear the word of truth, we learn of this hope. And it is the only source where this can be found.

 

Although there is much wisdom in this world, to which we ought to pay attention, nothing else can provide to us the good news of Jesus. Nothing else can reveal to us the hope that is laid up for us in heaven. Nothing else can enable us to understand the grace of God in truth. This is something that can only come to us through the Word of God.

 

This is why it’s so important for us to make use of it. This is why it’s so important that we do not neglect it. Apart from this Word we will not learn of this hope. Apart from this Word there is only despair. We need to be continually filled with the hope that the gospel brings to us.

 

And this hope is needed, of course, not only by us. It is needed by the world around us. It is needed by a world that is trapped in despair. It is needed by a world that seeks hope from sources that cannot provide it.

 

The Colossians had received the gospel, they had heard it, from a man named Epaphras. He was the founding missionary of the Colossian Church. It was he who had brought to them the message of the gospel, which provided this hope of which Paul was speaking.

 

In the same way, believers in Jesus bring this message to the world around us. We bring this message to a hopeless world. As we proclaim to them the Word of Christ, as we proclaim to them the gospel of Christ, they are enabled to receive the hope that it provides to one and all.