The Colossus of Rhodes towered more than one hundred feet tall above the harbor of the Greek island of Rhodes, making it one of the tallest statues of the ancient world. This gigantic statue of the Greek god Helios was erected about three hundred years before the birth of Christ and was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The English language has adapted the term “colossal” from this monstrous work of art to speak of things of outstanding proportions. Even though the book of Colossians is actually one of the smaller of Paul’s epistles, this little volume seems to deserve the title “colossal” since it packs a mighty theological punch and weighs in as one of the most significant treatments of who Christ is in us and who we are in Him.
If this were a Bible college or seminary text, we would have to begin our study with a certain number of essential fact that many of us would find boring as we impatiently mutter under our breath, “Let’s get on with the good stuff. I want to learn what’s actually in the book, not a bunch of facts surrounding the book.” Well, try to be a bit forgiving as I take the first few lines to deal with these boring facts. Scholars believe that Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul around 60-62 AD from a prison cell in Rome. It has been widely noted that there is a very close parallel between this letter and the one to the Ephesians. Furthermore, many Bible teachers speculate that the letter to the Ephesians was not actually directed to the Ephesian church specifically; rather, they suggest that it is more likely to have been a circular letter that was intended to be read by all the churches in Asia Minor, which is modern-day Turkey. The very earliest copies of the letter to the Ephesians did not bear this title; they simply were not addressed to anyone at all. This lack of a title, along with the general terminology used throughout the book has led many scholars to conclude that Paul had intended it for a much wider audience than just one church. When compared to the way most of his letters give point-blank advice to specific issues in the churches, it is readily observable that the Ephesian letter has a rather unique generalized tone.
But wait—we are studying Colossians, not Ephesians. Well, if we take a little time to consider the full discussion, the significance of these thoughts will eventually become clear. Well, back to Ephesians—it is likely that the copies that do say “Ephesians” were from the copy of the circular letter that was actually sent to that specific city while other copies went to other churches in the same general area, perhaps the seven churches of Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation chapters two and three. Now, to explain why it is necessary to discuss Ephesians in order to understand Colossians: even a cursory overview of the two letters reveals that Colossians is very similar to Ephesians. This similarity has led Bible students to surmise that it is likely that the two were written at about the same time and may have even been based on the same outline—at least the same mental outline, if not the same physical outline. Based on references in Colossians about another letter that had been sent to the Laodicean church, some scholars have gone so far as to suggest that Colossians was also a circular letter that was to be passed between the two churches of Colosse and Laodicea, if not all the churches in Asia Minor. It is an intriguing idea to consider that this “Laodicean letter” may have even been the untitled version of the letter we now know as Ephesians.
Now that we have dragged our way through all these scholarly facts, it’s time to discuss their significance. In doing so, I suspect that we’ll discover that these facts aren’t all that boring after all. If the suggested date and place of writing are correct, then Colossians is one of the last works of the Apostle Paul. It is commonly held that Paul was martyred in Rome around 67 AD. This chronology places the letter during the last five years or so of his life, meaning that this letter gives us the full benefit of his total spiritual maturity. I know that it is almost automatic for us to assume that Paul was instantly matured the moment he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, but we really need to stop and remember that he was still a human, no matter how dramatic his encounter with the risen Christ. Just one quick example of his maturing process can be seen in the seventeenth and eighteenth chapters of Acts. In chapter seventeen, we find the apostle in Athens debating with the philosophers on Mars Hill. No matter how eloquent his presentation was, it yielded almost no fruit. The concluding verse of this chapter suggests that only a handful of followers resulted from his ministry there—certainly not the revival that usually flared up wherever he landed. In the eighteenth chapter, he moved on to Corinth where he was able to establish a flourishing church. In his first letter back to that church, he tells us about his approach in this particular city, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” Essentially, what he was saying was that he had abandoned the approach he had used in Athens and had adopted a different technique with them. He had matured in his ministry between leaving Athens and his arrival in Corinth. If he had changed so significantly on that short journey, imagine how much more seasoned he must have been by the time he came to those last few years and stood poised at the very portal of heaven.
If the letter was indeed a circular letter, there is a certain richness to it that will not be found in the more where-the-rubber-meets-the-road letters like the Corinthian epistles and the letter to the Galatians. In these letters, he offers more practical counsel concerning specific issues. In the Corinthian correspondence, for example, the church members had sent him a list of questions that he enumerates and then addresses. (I Corinthians 7:1-16:18) In the Colossian letter, he is not addressing any specific issues; therefore, he is able to give in-depth revelation concerning the issue—who Christ is in us and who we are in Him! Furthermore, if indeed this correspondence is a circular letter that is associated with Ephesus and Laodicea, we have a parallel with the book of Revelation. Ephesus was the first church addressed, and Laodecia was the last. A further parallel can be seen with the depiction of the Risen Lord given in the Revelation as the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. The fact that the letter was for more than one church parallels with the message of the Revelation, “Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Notice that the point is repeatedly made that the message is to be heard by all the churches, not just one specific one. It is a message of all-encompassing importance: Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith.
The New Testament is not a theology book, although it is the only reliable book on theology. When I say that it is not a theology book, I am intending to say that it is not a systematic study of theology. Rather it is a book of applied theology; it is a practical application of theology to the everyday problems of life. For example, Paul did not write the book of Galatians to impart theological lessons to the believers in Galatia but to correct errors and misconceptions in their church. In doing so, he had to explain a lot of theology along the way. The only letter that he wrote as a theological statement was the epistle to the Romans. This church was not one he had founded; in fact, it was not one he had even visited. Since he was not involved in their lives like he was in the other churches, he could not speak to them in the corrective tone with which he addressed the other churches. To the Romans, he imparted his spiritual gift of teaching in a more methodical manner by laying out a systematic explanation of the theology of salvation. Interestingly enough, he gave a condensed version of this same theology in the book of Ephesians and an even more condensed synopsis in the letter to the Colossians. One interesting observation about the synopsis as recorded in Colossians is that the apostle does not mention the wrestling with spiritual principalities as he does in Ephesians chapter six. Is there a reason why? It seems clear that a truly spiritual believer should not have to be taught how to wrestle since our real position is one of authority over the forces of the enemy. As Dr. Lester Sumrall used to say, “Flies don’t land on hot stoves.” It is only by understanding the “boring facts” about the association between the letter to the Ephesians and the letter to the Colossians, we are even aware of the lack of emphasis on the concept of spiritual warfare—and, therefore, are able to see where the true emphasis of the letter lies. Without seeing the parallel and the omitted emphasis, we could have missed the whole point of the letter. Obviously, we would have seen the fact that we are in great positions of authority through Christ, but it is likely that we would never have noticed his implication that the struggle is over!
In order to analyze the message of the book of Colossians, I’d like to consider six little words that embody the full content of the epistle. These words serve as acrostics that take us through literally every verse and idea in the book.
In the first chapter of the letter, Paul incorporates “The Christ Hymn” (verses fourteen through twenty), a section of scripture that most scholars assume to be a pre-existing creed that Paul saw as a crystallization of who the church saw Christ to be. Using this pre-existing creed or hymn would not be considered inappropriate or plagiarism any more than if you or I quoted from “Amazing Grace” or the Twenty-third Psalm in one of our speeches or sermons. However, I would like to take a minute to remember that poetry was not outside Paul’s abilities. After all, no one has ever questioned that he penned the magnificent words on love in First Corinthians chapter thirteen. Regardless of whether Paul borrowed an existing hymn or composed his own, this section of the epistle epitomizes the revelation of the Risen Christ. By going through each of the letters in the word “Christ,” we will discover all the characteristics attributed to Him in this hymn.
C stands for Creator, an attribute that depicts the divinity of the Eternal Christ. This concept is proclaimed in verse sixteen of chapter one, “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.” There are some interesting messages that are proclaimed in scriptures simply by their parallel structure. For instance, notice the parallelisms between Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” and John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The parallel use of the idea of the beginning in these two verses leads to the understanding that John saw Jesus as equal to God, the Creator. In the book of Revelation, John uses another parallel structure to again show that he saw Jesus as equal to God, the Creator. In verse eleven of chapter four, he records a song of praise sung to the Father extolling Him as Creator, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Chapter five verse twelve presents a parallel accolade offered to Jesus, the Redeemer, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” The basic principle we all learned in Logic 101, “If A is equal to B and B is equal to C, then A is equal to C,” definitely applies here: Jesus is equal to God because both are called the creator. A further note on this verse is that it sets the stage for the idea that we have authority over our spiritual foes since they are nothing more than created entities who were made by Jesus—and for Him. Since they were created by Him, they are not His equal, and certainly not a viable threat to His kingdom. In that they were created for Him, it is unquestionable that they are not going to ultimately disgrace Him or His kingdom.
The H stands for Christ’s position as Head of the Church that depicts the authority of the Reigning Christ. This truth is proclaimed in chapter one verse eighteen, “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.” Parallel thoughts are found throughout the New Testament, but allow it to suffice that we mention only these few: Ephesians 4:11-15, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ,” Ephesians 5:23, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body,” and I Corinthians 11:3, “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.”
The dramatic results of a recent poll showed that seventy-percent of younger Christians and fifty-seven percent the overall church answered that many religions lead to eternal life. However, when a follow-up study rephrased the question to make a distinction between religions other than Christianity and denominational affiliation, only thirty-one percent agreed. That still means that almost one out of every three of us believes that people can still get to heaven without accepting Jesus!! No wonder the church is so powerless in so many areas, we have abandoned the keynote principle of our faith: that Jesus—not Buddha, Vishnu, Joseph Smith, or even a consortium of all the great religious leaders of history—is the victorious head of the church!
R is for Redeemer, depicting the mission of the Suffering Christ. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” (verse 1:14) According to I John 3:8, the whole purpose that Christ was manifested in human flesh was to destroy the works of the devil. He did this by redeeming mankind from the fallen state that Satan had brought them into. We have already taken a brief look at the song of exaltation in Revelation 5:9-10, but it might be worthwhile to take the time to read it in its entirety here to see exactly what made Jesus worthy of the praises lavished upon Him, “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” He is worthy because He has redeemed mankind—He has fulfilled His redemptive mission on the planet. Revelation 13:8 goes on to say, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Here again is reaffirmation that the redemptive work of His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection is what makes Him worthy of praise. This verse proclaims that Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth. If we were to go all the way back to the time of Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15), we would discover that since “day one” this redemptive work has been intimately intermeshed with God’s plan to redeem His fallen creation. As a—no, the—major theme of the Old Testament, the message of Christ’s vicarious death is woven like a scarlet thread throughout the Jewish law, prophets, and writings. Two passages that unmistakably depict the crucifixion as the predetermined plan for redemption are Psalm 22:1-31, written a thousand years before the event, yet accurate to the most minute detail; and Isaiah 52:13-53:12, written some seven hundred years prior to the crucifixion yet totally precise in its depiction of not only the details but also the purpose of Jesus’ death, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed…because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
I stands for the Image of God, depicting the Identity of the Present Christ. Verse fifteen reads, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.” The author of Hebrews expands on this theme, when he writes, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (verse 1:3) In other words, the only way we will be able to see the invisible God is to behold Him in the person of Jesus Christ, exactly what Jesus Himself said when the disciples asked Him to show them the Father, “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; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (John 14:9) Perhaps this is why God has always been so adamant in His hatred for idolatry and His command that there not be any images made to depict Him—He wanted our only revelation of Him to be in the person of Christ, who would not only be a wise teacher, miraculous healer, and victorious conqueror, but also a suffering sacrifice and a humble servant all at the same time. The fact that Jesus is the only true source of revelation of the Father is actually repeated twice in the hymn. In verse nineteen Paul adds, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
The S in “Christ” represents Sustainer, a depiction of the necessity of the Living Christ. In verse seventeen Paul writes, “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” He is the glue that holds creation together. Without Him, our whole universe would either explode or implode. This is especially true of our own “personal universes.” When Christ is left out of our lives, they immediately disintegrate into the nothingness of despair, hopelessness, misdirection, and self-destruction. In his message on Mars Hill in Athens, Paul alluded to this truth when he said, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” (Acts 17:28) He continued to reaffirm this principle as he wrote to the churches under his watch care, “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (I Corinthians 8:6), “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (II Corinthians 1:20), “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him” (Ephesians 1:10), “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Ephesians 4:4-7). Perhaps that last verse sums it up most appropriately: Christ is above all, through all, and in all—Christ is all; without Him there is nothing!
T stands for the Totality of Everything that depicts the victory of the Risen Christ, a theme that is closely related to the last thought and also to the idea that He is the image of God. In verse nineteen, Paul wrote, “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.” Ephesians 1:20-23 expressed the same reality, “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all,” as does I Corinthians 15:23-28, “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” Jesus is not just the path to life; He is life itself. He is not just the way to God; He is God Himself. Jesus is not just a good teacher; He is truth itself. Jesus is not just a prophet; He is essence of history itself. He is not just a means by which we can be saved; He is salvation itself. He is all; without Him there is absolutely nothing!
No good story teller gives away his punch line until the climax of the story, but I think that it might be worthwhile to violate that principle just this once and tell you that the punch line of the book comes in verse 1:27 when Paul speaks of the “riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The point of his whole epistle is that this incomprehensible Christ—the Creator, the Head of the Church, the Redeemer, the Image of God, the Sustainer, the Totality of everything—actually lives inside us!! How phenomenal!! How powerful!! How victoriously liberating!!
But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:6-10)
Through the first word, we were able to learn what Colossians has to say about who Christ is. In the second word, we will discover what it is that He has given us. This theme is based on the reference in Colossians 1:13 where Paul says that we have been delivered from the power of darkness and are now translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Let’s explore what exactly comprises this kingdom in which we now have citizenship by looking at the letters that spell “kingdom.”
K stands for Knowledge, our key to the Divine Nature. Twice, Paul addresses the believers concerning the significance of the knowledge that we have received—or at least, should have received—concerning our new life in Christ. First he stresses its importance through the fact that it is an earnest prayer on his part that they be awakened to this life-changing knowledge, “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; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (verses 1:9-10) As the apostle Peter would tell us, we are stewards of the manifold grace of God. (I Peter 4:10) Next Paul confides in them that he feels that the treasures they will obtain through this knowledge are worth the great conflict he has to endure in order to get them to receive the revelation, “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; 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; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (verses 2:1-3) In verse 4:5, he makes one additional reference to wisdom, the by-product of properly applied knowledge when he admonishes them to walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time—in other words, he wants them to live their lives before unbelievers in light of the knowledge they have received when they were translated out of the kingdom under which they lived their lives and into the new kingdom under whose rule we now live. In his parallel book of Ephesians, Paul makes essentially identical statements, in what I consider to be the greatest apostolic prayer recorded in the scripture, concerning the significance of this knowledge, “[I] Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” (verses 1:16-18) However, it is the Apostle Peter who gives us a really clear comprehension of the power of this knowledge, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (II Peter 1:2-4) Notice all the benefits that come to us when we comprehend and apply this knowledge: grace, peace, all things that pertain to life and godliness, exceeding great and precious promises, and the divine nature. But before we go too far in considering this passage, I want to point out something that is hidden in the Geek text of this verse. The words for “knowledge” and “lust” both bear the prefix epi that means “all-encompassing.” In other words, the apostle is not talking about just a casual knowledge or desire, but a full-throttle revelation and a raging craving. The all-encompassing knowledge of God means that we will see every aspect of our lives from God’s perspective. In business, we will see God’s hand in the way we make transactions; in the home, we will see God at work in every relationship; in planning our future, we will see God guiding in each step; in everything, we will see God as ever-present. On the flipside of the coin, there is an all-encompassing lust, a me-centered attitude that is always looking for what I can get out of every deal and relationship. This me-centered lust goes far beyond sexual attractions that we customary associate with the term; it reaches into the arenas of finance, power, position, and prestige—every aspect of life. Peter concludes that a life lived under its domination will be characterized by corruption like a putrid, running sore. The life characterized by the all-encompassing knowledge of God culminates in the divine nature—we actually take on the character and qualities of God Himself!! Romans 12: 2 says that we actually have the capability of not conforming to this world but being transformed by the renewing of our minds through this knowledge of God. The result is that we will prove (or live out) the good, acceptable, perfect will of God in our lives!
I represents our Inheritance, our invitation to the Divine Promises. “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” (verse 1:12) “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” (verse 3:24) When speaking of the inheritance we have awaiting us, it would be good to back up a bit and remember that we have been made heirs to these promises and provisions due to having been adopted into the family of God. The practice of adoption in biblical times was for providing an avenue of passing on an inheritance. If a man had no son, he would usually adopt a nephew to become his heir. This practice kept the wealth inside the family rather than letting it be lost to outsiders. Notice in the story of Abraham and Lot that it was only after Lot had separated from Abraham (Genesis 13:14) that Abraham became concerned about the fact that he had no heir (Genesis 15:2). Unlike adoption today, which may be based on sympathy for orphaned children or the loneliness of childless couples, biblical adoption was based solely on the desire to pass on benefits. If we see our position in Christ in this light, we will understand that God wants to make an investment in us. We don’t have to beg or coerce Him into blessing us. He went out of His way to make His blessing available to us. Andrew Wommack likens our pursuing after the blessing that God has already given us to a dog chasing its tail—he’s trying to get something that he already has. Passages from Ephesians parallel and enhance the ideas we find in Colossians. “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” (verse 1:11) “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (verse 1:14) “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” (verse 1:18) “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” (verse 5:5) God has prepared an inheritance for us and He is actually more eager to get it to us than we might be about receiving it. Deuteronomy 28:2 says that the blessings of God are pursuing us and chasing us down. Maybe some of us need to slow down a bit and let them catch up.
N is for our New Identity, our translation to a Divine Position. Although I have already quoted verse 1:13, we need to look at it again because of its significance at this point, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” Before we accepted Jesus, we were subjects of the kingdom of darkness, having an identity with the carnal, natural—even diabolical and demonic—realm. Once we accepted Christ into our lives, we passed from death unto life (I John 3:14) and took on the identity of the spirit—even the divine nature. The classic description of this transformation is found in II Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” But it might be beneficial to go back to the Garden of Eden to see the dramatic change that originally occurred when man first became subject to the kingdom of darkness; in doing so, we will get a glimpse of how significant a change we should expect when leaving that kingdom to re-enter the kingdom of light. Prior to their disobedience, Adam and Eve lived in splendid harmony with God. They were loyal subjects of His kingdom; and, as such, they were not even mildly influenced by the flesh or the law of sin and death. A clear demonstration of this freedom is seen in Genesis 2:25 that says that they were naked and not ashamed. They were so spiritually minded that they didn’t even notice the nakedness of their flesh. However, all that changed instantly with the first taste of the forbidden fruit. Genesis 3:7 records that they instantly saw that they were naked and started trying to fashion clothes from fig leaves. Furthermore, this carnal orientation was not just an addition to their spiritual side; carnality actually became a replacement for spirituality, demonstrated by their unwillingness to meet with God because of their nakedness. (verse 3:10) Their obsession with their flesh had routed out their fellowship with God. Now that we have been offered the possibility of being translated into the kingdom of God’s dear son, we have the opportunity to reverse this situation and become spiritually minded rather than carnally minded. (Romans 8:6) I’m not advocating nudism but a mental change that is so radical that our focus changes as dramatically as did that of our first father and mother—only our new mentality is now back on the positive spiritual side of life and off of the negative carnal side. When Paul writes to the Ephesians about this new identity, he goes a step further than just being invited to walk with God as Adam and Eve did; he adds the dimension of having been actually invited to sit with Him in His dominion. “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6) “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” (Ephesians 1:20-21) We are invited into this new kingdom, not only as citizens who are privileged to have fellowship with the King but also as ones who are bidden to share with Him in His kingdom’s authority.
G reminds us of Grace that is our blessing of Divine Favor. Paul writes to the Colossians not only about their experiencing grace, but also showing grace to others. “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.” (verse 1:2) “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.” (verse 1:6) “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.” (verse 3:16) “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (verse 4:6)
Someone once defined grace as “God’s resources at Christ’s expense.” This seems to be a fairly accurate description in that it makes us aware that our forgiveness and acceptance are not merited by our own good deeds or altruistic works but by the unmerited favor of God toward us that was purchased on Calvary. (Ephesians 2:8) When we show grace to others, again it is not our own meritorious deeds or altruism at work but the unmerited favor of God manifesting through us. In the companion volume of Ephesians, Paul speaks of grace at least ten times (Ephesians 1:6, 7; 2:5, 7, 8; 3:2, 7, 8; 4:7, 29); however, I want to focus on only one specific phrase. In verse 1:7-8, Paul speaks of “riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded toward us.” In chapter two verse seven, he amplifies his description of grace to speak of the “exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 1:7-8 in the New International Version reads, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” To understand what the word “lavished” means, I need to give another little illustration. I stopped by a fast food restaurant one day and ordered a sandwich. I watched as the little girl with a plastic glove reached into a bin of meat and took out a handful. She then dropped it onto a scale and began to pick off little pieces of meat to make sure that I was not going to get more than four ounces. Becoming a bit offended as I watched her meticulously guard the company’s profits, I made a decision that my next meal would be across the street at the all-you-can-eat steak house where I could choose from salads, hot entrees, grilled-to-order steaks, and desserts and I could eat until I could barely waddle out. My son once ate twelve steaks at this place for essentially the same price I paid for my four ounces of shaved roast beef! When it comes to understanding the grace of God, we need to realize that He is like the smorgasbord—He spreads a lavish table before us, more than we could ever use and even more than we could ever think to ask for! (Ephesians 3:20)
The letter D is to remind us to Demonstrate the Fruit of the Spirit, our manifestation of Divine Life. It is interesting that all of the nine manifestations of the fruit of the spirit as listed in Galatians chapter five are addressed in this tiny book of Colossians.
Love: “Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints. (verse 1:4) “Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.” (verse 1:8) “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.” (verse 2:2) “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.” (verse 3:19)
Joy: “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.” (verse 1:11)
Peace: “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.” (verse 1:2) “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.” (verse 1:20) “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” (verse 3:15)
Longsuffering: “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.” (verse 1:11) “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.” (verse 3:12)
Gentleness: “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.” (verse 3:16) “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (verse 4:6)
Goodness: “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (verse 1:10)
Faith: “Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.” (verse 1:4) “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.” (verse 1:23) “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.” (verse 2:5) “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” (verse 2:7) “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” (verse 2:12)
Meekness: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.” (verse 3:12)
Temperance: “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (verse 3:5)
O represents the Overcoming Power that is our guarantee of Divine Victory. Notice the emphasis Paul places on the power of God that is at work in us. He says that we are “strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power” (verse 1:11) and that the efforts he put forth in the gospel were actually the strivings of God working through him mightily (verse 1:29). He recognizes that it is not his or our ability, but the mighty ability of God working through him and us that makes a difference. Verse fifteen of chapter two is the climax of the discussion on this powerful authority, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” The historical context of the imagery used in this passage comes from the ancient practice of humiliating conquered enemies to show that they have been totally subjugated. The term “spoil” means “to strip naked,” a reference to the practice of stripping away every vestige of position, authority, honor, and respect from a defeated foe. No longer would the king have his crown, the general his stripes, the athlete his accolades, the soldier his medals, the judge his regalia, the scholar his mortarboard, or the priest his rosary. Now, naked as the day they were born, they would be marched through the streets for all to see that these once feared and respected individuals have nothing to trust in or boast of. Paul furthers this imagery in his second epistle to the Corinthians. In chapter two verse fourteen he says that God always causes us to triumph in Christ, and in chapter ten verses four and five he speaks of the weapons of our warfare that are mighty through God to pull down strongholds, to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. The mention of “triumph” is a reference to the Roman practice of marching defeated enemies and all the confiscated treasures through the arch of triumph in celebration of the victory. In this parade, the enemies who were formerly threats are now displayed as slaves with no power or authority. Paul says that God is working in us to bring the enemy of our souls, the devil, to this public display of humiliation in our lives.
The key word “kingdom” concludes with the letter M signifying Mystery, our participation in the Divine Plan. In verses twenty-six and twenty-seven of the first chapter, Paul says, “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 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.” He also mentions this mystery in chapter two verse two, “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,” and chapter four verse three, “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ.” We have already mentioned that the fact that Christ in us is the punch line of the letter. The full message of this epistle is that the very Christ of God is not just on His exalted throne far above but right inside of us, a second throne from which He can exercise His majestic authority! This revelation is a mystery in the same sense as the punch line of any story has to be kept “under wraps” until just the right time for it to have its full effect. The unfortunate thing about this mystery is that all too many of us who actually have Christ inside of us haven’t yet caught on. We are still living as if Christ is somewhere far removed from us and that we still have to fight our battles in our own strength. It is time we catch on to the punch line and put a lot more “punch” into life by letting the Christ of the universe rule from inside our personal universes! In Galatians 2:20, Paul made an excellent distillation of this reality when he wrote, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” This was his personal revelation of the mystery—his hope of glory!
One of the most significant (in reality, every word of this epistle is significant) passages in the little book is Colossians 3:1, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” A second verse of parallel significance is Colossians 2:12, “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” These two verses speak of the fact that we have been raised up by Christ but then go on to show us that we must live different lives as a result of what Christ has done in us. Because we have been changed, we should show forth some real changes. Let’s look at the word “raised” in order to see how we are expected to respond to the change that Christ has made in us.
R represents our obligation to Receive Him, allowing Christ to Enter into us. “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” (verses 3:24-25) “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.” (verse 1:21) In the book of Revelation, John expresses the heart of the Lord who has been locked out of the hearts and lives of men, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (verse 3:20) Once we were alienated from God and were without an inheritance, but our simple act of opening our heart’s door to Christ is all that is required for us to come into this radically new relationship that Paul is describing in this letter.
A stands for Advance, allowing Christ to Motivate us. Paul makes the point several times that we must not stand still, or stagnate, in our experience with Christ. Instead, we are to make positive, forward steps to walk out our faith and experience. “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (verse 1:10) “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” (verse 2:6) “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” (verse 4:5)
In Galatians 5:25, the Apostle Paul admonished us, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” There is a tremendous difference between living and walking. Our being alive is dependent on others, but walking is self-dependent. It is our mother and father who are responsible for our being alive, but we are individually responsible for our walking. Any time we let someone else do our walking, we cease to walk and start to ride. In the spiritual realm, we are alive because of God’s action, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (I Corinthians 15:45) Yet God allows us to do our own spiritual walking. He will guide our steps and support us if we falter, but He will not do our walking for us. One fast food restaurant boasts, “We do it all for you.” But God doesn’t make that same claim. He will give us dramatic instant deliverances, but then He commands us to follow through with the day-to-day disciplined walk that lives out that deliverance.
Walking has to do with progression. Unlike plants that are stationary, man can advance and move forward. In Japan I saw a Bonsai tree the size of a seedling although it was seventy-five years old. In the mountains of California, I once viewed the Bristol Pines that are almost four thousand years old but about the size of regular trees. A few miles away, I marveled at the giant sequoia trees and redwoods that are almost as old but massive enough to prove their age. Regardless of how long these trees had lived, none of them had moved even an inch away from where they first sprouted. They had life, but not progress. Man, on the other hand, has the potential to progress; he can move forward; he can achieve; he does not have to remain stationary and stagnant. If a man does not progress, he is considered to be “vegetating”—becoming like one of those stuck-in-the-same-spot trees. Perhaps this is why the Bible speaks so frequently and pointedly about walking. God wants us to be progressive achievers.
When Paul challenged the Roman believers to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), he seemed to have handpicked his terms. He chose the Greek word for “walk” that means to progress at one’s own volition rather than the term that implies a regimented march. Thus, he suggests that the Christian walk is to proceed from the freshness of the spirit man rather than from a mechanical following of the letter of the law. The term “newness” means new in nature rather than simply new in time. Three Greek words were available for the apostle to choose among for the word “life.” His choice was zoe (the life of the spirit man), rather than bios (the life of the physical man), or psyche (the life of the soulical part of man). In other words, our Christian walk is not to be an emotionless march through life dictated by a disciplined system of “do”s and “don’t”s barked out at us by a spiritual drill sergeant; rather we are to be always progressing, but not on a regimented timetable that prohibits us from stopping to smell the roses along the way. Walking in the newness of life is walking in the spirit where there is liberty, righteousness, peace, and joy.
I comes next to remind us of the significance and necessity of Initiation Rituals that demonstrate that Christ is Transforming us. The apostle speaks of two different initiation rituals—circumcision, an Old Testament practice to demonstrate that the recipient is in covenant relationship with God, and baptism, the New Testament symbolism of identification with the death and resurrection of Christ. The first of these two rituals shows that we have been cut off from the old kingdom and made recipients of the blessing of the new kingdom. The second of these rituals signifies that we have died to the old sin-dominated life and been raised with the freedom to live a new sin-free life now that Christ has erased the rap sheet that Satan held against us. “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” (verses 2:11-14)
In verses eight through thirteen of the third chapter, he furthers the discussion with some allusions that may not be immediately understood in our modern culture. “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” The first-century church practiced an additional step in their baptisms that has been lost somewhere along the way. When the candidate went down into the river for baptism, he would wear his old cloak that was certainly soiled from daily wear and possibly tattered and stained. As he came up from the waters of baptism, he would discard the old cloak for a beautiful new cloak that was spotlessly white. Paul admonishes his readers to follow through with the symbolism and apply it to their own lives by ridding themselves of motivations, actions, and habits that are spots ruining their spiritual garments while accepting the new spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness.
The S brings us back to the fact that Christ has Spoiled Principalities, the reality that Christ is Empowering us. Although we have previously discussed this point, it is worthy to be repeated here since it is a key to the whole book. “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (verse 2:15)
E is for Established, the fact that Christ Secures us. Notice the powerful adjectives, “perfect” and “complete,” used in the following passages: “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” (verses 1:28) “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” (verse 4:12) “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” (verse 2:10) If only we could really grasp the reality and significance of these verses, we would never again allow the “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven” bumper stickers on our cars or make apologies like, “Well, I’m only human,” or “Well, none of us are perfect.” In reality, we are perfect in God’s eyes because His perfect Son lives in in us!
“Raised” concludes with a D signifying that we are to Demonstrate our faith in Practical Ways, allowing Christ to Manifest through us. Here, Paul gives us some where-the-rubber-meets-the-road counsel on living the Christian life. He writes, “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 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. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (verses 3:14-17) The following verses show how this love will play out in our home and business relationships. He then wraps up the discussion with the admonition, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 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.” (verses 4:2-6) I find it significant how often he says “let.” For Paul, the Christian life isn’t about what we are doing; it’s all about allowing the new life of Christ manifest itself through us.
Twice in this little epistle Paul refers to our being holy. This concept might seem foreign to many modern-day believers who look at their failure-ridden lives and wonder what the Colossians might have had that they do not. The fact that we are holy refers to our position in Christ more than what we normally consider holiness to be—perfection. I’m sure that we’ve all heard the expression, “a face that only a mother could love.” The imagery here is that the mother loves the baby or child and sees him as beautiful even though he is ugly in everyone’s eyes. I remember one friend coming to me for counseling over a jealousy issue because he felt that all the men around were “hitting on” his beautiful wife. When I met the wife, I thought to myself, “This guy doesn’t need counseling; he needs an eye exam.” As rude and crude as these examples may be, they help to explain the point that when others—or even we ourselves—look at our lives, we probably wouldn’t use the term “holy” to describe them. Jesus, on the other hand, can’t help but see us as holy because He is looking through eyes of pure love. Again, we can get a better understanding of this truth by using the letters of the word as an acrostic to investigate the elements that comprise this truth.
H stands for His viewpoint. It is God’s perspective, not our own, that is important when we consider our relationship to Him. If we look at our mistakes, accidents, and even deliberate misdeeds, we will never feel that we are acceptable to God; Satan, the accuser (Revelation 12:10) will see to that. However, if we could only look at ourselves through God’s eyes, we would see that the filter of Jesus’ blood that has been applied to our lives filters out all these shortcomings. (I John 1:9) Notice that Paul’s statement in chapter one verse twenty-two says that we are “holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.” We may not necessarily be in such good standing in our own eyes; but it is His perspective that counts, not ours! Though one single reference in scripture would be sufficient to prove a point unquestionable, let’s take just a minute to peruse the scriptures to confirm that God anticipates that His people be without fault and blameless. The scriptures teach that our perfection should not be just in the way God sees us, but that we should actually mature into our Christ life to the point that the lives that He sees as faultless also become manifest to the world. “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (I Thessalonians 3:13) “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” (Ephesians 1:4) “Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 1:8) “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:15) “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” (Philippians 3:6) “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Thessalonians 5:23) “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach.” (I Timothy 3:2) “And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.” (I Timothy 3:10) “And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.” (I Timothy 5:7) “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.” (Titus 1:6) “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre.” (Titus 1:7) “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” (II Peter 3:14) “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” (Jude 1:24) “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14) “And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” (Revelation 14:5)
O helps us to remember to always be Oriented toward heaven. In chapter three, Paul instructs us to “set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (verses 2-4) This was the same principle that he lived his own life by as he testified in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul was able to endure incredible hardships in life because he was so focused on the heaven he was going to that he hardly noticed the hell he was going through!
L is a reminder to be Loyal in our own homes. Paul knew that if our faith doesn’t work in the microcosm of your own home, there is no hope of its ever working in the macrocosm of the world; therefore, he made a point to instruct both the Colossians and the Ephesians to carefully put their faith into practice at home. Essentially, he was trying to tell us that if we can’t make our faith work in our own houses, we can’t expect it to work in God’s house. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” (verses 3:18-21) “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:21-6:4)
Rounding out the word is a Y representing Yielding to Authority. In both Colossians and Ephesians, Paul instructs employees to submit to their employers as if working directly to God and for employers to treat their employees fairly, remembering that they too are employed by the Lord. “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.” (verses 3:22-4:1) “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.” (Ephesians 6:5-9)
We might question why exactly we are to give heed to the authoritative teaching of Paul. What right does he have to speak so boldly into our lives? Paul couches his teachings on the one simple statement that he is an apostle. But what exactly does it mean to be an apostle and what weight does apostleship carry? Again, let’s use the word as an acrostic to explore what clues we can find in the book of Colossians and Paul’s other writings.
The A tells us that he as Appointed to this mission. Twice, he assures us that he is not acting of his own will and volition, but under direct mandate of God. “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother.” (verse 1:1) “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.” (verse 1:25) Similar affirmations are given at the opening of all his letters, including the companion volume, Ephesians. “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.” (verse 1:1) In I Timothy 2:7, he goes a bit further and expands his job description to include a couple other hats, “Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.” His insistence that his mission was not of his own choosing but one thrust upon him by God is reminiscent of the words of Jesus 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.”
When a person has a God-given ministry and appointment, that calling is not negotiable. In my own case, I have the calling and ministry of a teacher. In addition, I have other gifts that I can use to serve the Body of Christ, and on occasion I have been asked to serve in ministries where I could have functioned efficiently because of my gifts. However, taking these positions would have interfered with my calling, so I declined the offers. Once I was asked to pastor a church, but I explained to the denominational superintendent that my calling was to teach rather than to pastor. Amazingly, this high-ranking church leader didn’t even understand the difference between the two ministries. Paul knew his calling, appointment, and ministry—and was dedicated to fulfilling it. We must also have that same clarity and commitment.
The P reminds me of one of the significant attributes that makes any leader worthy to speak in to the lives of those under him—that he is a Prayer Warrior who genuinely holds them up in prayer before the throne of God. “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.” (verse 1:3) “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.” (verse 1:5) 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.” (verse 1:9) Each of his letters opens with the same reassurance that he is baptizing his followers in prayer continually; however, the letter to the Ephesians contains the content of some of his prayers which give practical demonstration of how he interceded for them. “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (verses 3:14-20) “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (verses 1:15-23)
O stands for another qualification that is often lacking in the lives of leaders and would-be spokesmen of God—Offering oneself for the followers. “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.” (verse 1:24) “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.” (verse 2:1)
In II Corinthians 11:23-28, Paul describes all the tortures he has experienced as a messenger of the Lord but concludes the section with the statement that the internal spiritual burden he bore for the churches was greater than the external physical weight he carried. “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” Later in the same book he declared that would very gladly spend and be spent for their sake. (verse 12:15) However, it is in the book of Romans that he makes the ultimate expression of concern saying that he would be willing to be accursed from Christ for his brethren if it would bring them to salvation. (verse 9:3) Truly, Paul had the heart of a leader that Jesus described as a true shepherd. (John 10:15) He is a true shepherd, not a hireling. (John 10:12-13)
S stands for Sharing, the quality of getting into the yoke with others and helping carry the burden and get the job done. Many church leaders today see themselves in positions of prominence rather than understanding that their calling is one of service. In Nigeria, I discovered that certain privileges (including even the brand of soft drink they were to drink) were reserved exclusively for bishops. In essence, they have set themselves apart from the general Christian population and even from other pastors. What a contrast from what we read in Paul’s writings. In this letter, Paul mentions a number of individuals with whom he has become partners. “As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ.” (verse 1:7) “All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts; With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;) And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you. Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.” (verses 4:7-18)
In II Corinthians 8:23, he speaks of Titus as his partner and fellowhelper. Timotheus was a close associate to Paul, who was listed as his workfellow in Romans 16:21, his brother, minister of God, and fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ I Thessalonians 3:2, and the only one likeminded who will naturally care for the state of the believers in Philippians 2:19-20. It is impossible to have a fellow laborer unless you are also working. In other words, a true apostle doesn’t mind rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty with the work of the gospel.
The T draws our focus on Truth. “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 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.” (verses 1:5-6)
A genuine minister is one who tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help him God! Paul tells his followers on at least four occasions that he is telling them the truth and will not lie to them. (Romans 9:1, II Corinthians 11:31, Galatians 1:20, I Timothy 2:7) Something other than the truth or something less than the full truth may be more convenient, but in the long run will be harmful. A true minister knows that a half-truth is a full lie, and he will always lovingly speak the full truth. (Ephesians 4:15) He knows that the truth may hurt but that the lack of it will kill! The fact that ministry is founded on truth may seem to be so obvious that we would think that it need not even be discussed. It would be interesting to further this study in the three tiny books of First, Second, and Third John that have a combined total of only slightly over one hundred verses, yet over thirty references to the necessity of eliminating lies and turning to the truth.
The L in “apostle” is there to remind us of Love, the foundation of all ministry. “Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.” (verse 1:4) “Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.” (verse 1:8) “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” (verse 1:13) “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.” (verse 2:2) “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.” (verse 3:19) Though the entire New Testament is a treatise on the topic of love, we all know that First Corinthians chapter thirteen is the apex of the discussion for in that passage we learn that no ministry—no matter how spiritual it may seem, how dynamic it may appear, or how outstanding it may be—is worthwhile unless it is founded on and functioning through love. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” (verses 1-3)
The word “apostle” ends with the letter E, appropriately symbolizing Eternity, the end focus of all ministry. True ministry will certainly help us deal with the issues of the here-and-now, but the ultimate goal is to prepare us for the return of the Lord and our eternal life with Him in heaven. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (verses 3:1-2) In Titus 2:13, Paul calls this eternal life our “blessed hope,” and in I Corinthians 15:19, he adds that if our only hope is in the present life “we are of all men most miserable.” John built on this truth to explain to us that every man who has this hope in him will purify himself and have a life that makes a difference in the here-and-now because of its focus on eternity. (I John 3:3)
We learned earlier that one of the key verses in Colossians is chapter two verse fifteen where Paul says that Christ has spoiled principalities and powers and made a public display of them as He triumphed over them. Before we conclude our study, it is appropriate that we re-visit this idea one last time—only this time we need to look at the flipside of the coin. Paul warned that it is also possible for our opponents to spoil believers, leaving them disarmed, disrobed, and humiliated just as Christ has done to the devil. In the word “spoil,” we see five areas that we must guard to ensure our spiritual lives and the victories promised us in this letter.
The letter S stands for Seduction. When the enemy realizes that he can’t take us down by force, he switches to a second approach. His plan B is to seduce us into believing his lies. Just as more women lose their virtue to men through seduction than to rape, it is more likely that Christians will be overcome by the enemy through his enticing lies than through outright onslaught. Paul warned the Colossians to be on guard “lest any man should beguile you with enticing words” (verse 2:4) and to “beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (verse 2:8). In the companion letter to the Ephesians the apostle gave two powerful keys for preventing such deception. In chapter four, he told them to submit themselves to the God-appointed leadership in the church so that they could mature to the point that they were no longer “children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” (verses 11-14) In the following chapter, he instructed them to be followers of God, as dear children; and to walk in love, while avoiding fornication, all uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting, guaranteeing that no one would deceive them with vain words.” (verses 1-5)
P stands for Pride, which we all know is the precursor to destruction. (Proverbs 16:18) In the case of the Colossians, their weakness toward pride seemed to be camouflaged as humility—a false humility that actually boasts of how humble you are. It is possible to define pride as not how highly we think of ourselves but how often we think of ourselves. Unfortunately, in their quest to be humble, the Colossians had submitted themselves to spirits that demanded their obedience. As a result, they lost the freedom that Christ had purchased for them and they became subject to trying to merit their salvation. “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.” (verse 2:18) Paul clearly explains that none of our good works are worthy of our pride. “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:9) “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” (Romans 3:27) He even goes so far in Philippians 3:4-8 to say, “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
O represents Obligate, adding requirements to the grace of God. It has been said that Jesus plus nothing equals everything but Jesus plus anything equals nothing. In other words, we negate salvation by grace alone through faith if we allow ourselves to be bound by any obligations other than simple trust in Christ. Paul warned the Colossians, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” (verses 2:16-17) When writing to the Galatians, Paul spoke extensively of this bondage (verses 2:4; 4:3, 9, 24, 25) and summed up the discussion in chapter five verse one by saying, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
I speaks of Ignoring the wonderful provisions that have been made available to us. He warns the Colossians not to let their relationship with Christ, the Head, slip. If they do so, he warns that they will forget that they are dead to the ordinances of this world and will fall again into trying to earn their salvation. “And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.” (verses 2:19-23) The author of Hebrews gives us the bottom line on the topic in chapter two verse three when he writes, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?”
The L that finishes out the word “spoil,” represents the fact that we are Loosed from the things that once held us enslaved. “For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.” (verses 3:6-7) The parallel idea is presented in Paul’s companion letter to the Ephesians, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience…Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” (verses 2:2, 5:6) “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)
The nineteenth-century Quaker author, Hannah Whitehall Smith wrote, “Dear friend, I make the glad announcement to thee that the Lord is in thy heart. Since the day of thy conversion He has been dwelling there, but thou hast lived on in ignorance of it. Every moment during all that time might have been passed in the sunshine of His sweet presence, and every step have been taken under His advice. But because thou knew it not, and did not look for Him there, thy life has been lonely and full of failure. But now that I make the announcement to thee, how wilt thou receive it? Art thou glad to have Him? Wilt thou consult Him about everything, and let Him into thy innermost chambers, and make Him the sharer in thy most hidden life? Wilt thou say ‘Yes’ to all His longing for union with thee, and with a glad and eager abandonment hand thyself and all that concerns thee over into His hands? If thou wilt, then shall thy soul begin to know something of the joy of union with Christ.” If we do as Sister Smith has asked, we will have learned the colossal message of the book, that there is a mystery that has now been revealed—Christ living in us is our hope of glory. At that point, the message will become colossal within us!
