Monday, October 4, 2010

Colossians

The church of Colosse is located in ancient Rome, which is now Turkey. Epaphras planted this church in the small city around 60 A.D. There were problems of false teachings and deceptive influence within the church. These teachings are called syncretism; which combines ideas from other philosophies and religions. Paul is writing from prison to the Colossians to inform them that Christ is all they need. He is teaching the church about the salvation of Jesus and the fullness that is provided when living in Christ. Vs.2:9.

1:9-10 Spiritual wisdom and understanding leads to bearing fruit.
With spiritual wisdom comes the understanding that nothing of any worth is possible without Jesus. There is absolutely no good thing without Christ. Once a person accepts Christ as their savior and begins to absorb the love that God has for them, they then begin to bear fruits. These fruits include love and joy. Joy of the Lord is when someone is going through a trial in life, and is still producing goodness. The evidence of Christ is when someone is going through a storm, yet still produces fruit. Love is the definition of who Jesus is and why he came to save us.

2:3- In him lie all hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Wisdom and knowledge are “hidden treasures” of Christ. We do not know about this wisdom until we know Christ. Finding out who Christ is, involves reading and digesting the word of God, and letting it penetrate to the soul. I remember when I didn’t know who Jesus was, and therefore I was ignorant to his ultimate grace and love for me. When I discovered who Jesus was, it was like discovering a treasure that was meant just for me. My soul salvation lies completely in Christ. Proverbs 2:4-5 explains how seeking wisdom like you are seeking treasure will lead to understanding the love of Christ. If I am diligently seeking and pleasing God in all I do, then my life will become a living vessel for him to dwell in.

2:7- Let roots grow deep into Him; then overflow with thankfulness.
As we take care of our roots and our foundation, our perception of what exactly to be thankful for changes. Our roots should be planted firmly in the word of God. The more we are filled with Christ, the less the worldly desires and temptations will affect us. I used to be thankful for money and materials. Now that I have experienced the goodness of God, I am now forever grateful for salvation. I could never run out of things to be grateful for because I overflow with thankfulness at the joy of my salvation.

3:8- Rid yourself of anger, rage, and filthy language.
We are faced with the choice of how we behave. The people in Colosse have plenty to be angry about. They were being deceived and led astray by false teachings. The point Paul is trying to make is that these behaviors do not lead to fullness and joy. We must get rid of all anger and rage so that we can rely solely on the love of Jesus. If we have the love of Jesus, then we can love even the people who have led us astray. We can also forgive them and move on towards setting our hearts on things above (3:1). We can set our minds on heaven and not on earth.

4:2- Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Paul instructs us to pray at all times to remain in the will of God. Being devoted to prayer is demonstrating the faith that we have that God hears us and will answer us. Prayer is a constant connection to Christ. We should watch for the faithfulness of God and always thank Him.

4:5- Live wisely, make most of every opportunity.
To me, living wisely is following the word of God. I choose to not depend on people or the world for my knowledge. I choose to follow Jesus and live an abundant life. I could choose to be foolish and follow the ways of the world, but that would lead to spiritual death. The command here is to make the most of every opportunity. That means living out my life to the fullest in Christ. It is to be joyful in all situations and love my brothers and sisters equally. Making the most of every opportunity is living my life on the sole purpose to serve Christ. Hallelujah! Christ fulfills every promise he has made to me.

In conclusion, the letter Paul wrote to the Colossians is based on living in the fullness of Christ. Paul emphasizes that we should let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts (3:15). Christ should be the center and full attention of our lives. When we let go of our worldly desires and let Jesus take his rightful place within us, the miracle of salvation happens.

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