The Growing Church - A Study of Colossians 1:3-14

A BIBLICAL EXPOSITION OF COLOSSIANS 1:3-8; 9-14.

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

Bible scholars say that the Letter of Colossians was written around 60 AD during Paul's first imprisonment when he was under house arrest (Acts 28:16-31). Colosse was a city in Asia Minor (present day Turkey), which was located on the Lycus River on the great East West trade route from Ephesus on the Aegean Sea to the Euphrates, in present day Turkey.

The Letter to the Colossians was written to encourage the Colossians in the walk of faith and to contend with Gnostic heresy.

Gnostics were a Christian sect that denied the humanity of Christ and effectively put into doubt His divinity and the atonement that He brought to us. They could not reconcile the incarnate coming of Christ because Greek mythology rejected the idea that the divine could mingle with human flesh, which was considered sinful.

PASSAGE ANALYSIS

In the passage of Colossians 1:3-8, Paul was thanking God for the spiritual growth of the Colossians even as he prayed for them. He wrote this letter in the company of Timothy. It is therefore instructive that the passage is written in the first person plural noun.

He begins by appreciating the Colossians for the fellowship they shared with him in Christ even though he was locked up in Rome. No circumstances, however unpleasant, can take away our Christian fellowship and identity in Christ. The free and the bound share equal heritage in Christ. 

Paul reveals that the Colossians had grown in faith and in their love towards all the saints (vv. 3-4). This is evidence of their spiritual maturity as a Christian community and their ministry outreach to neighboring congregations. 

That is precisely what ought to happen in any growing Christian community. As they grow deeper in Christ, they grow wider in taking the gospel to the unreached and in edifying the saints.

Paul further admits that the Colossians were beneficiaries of Paul's missionary effort. The gospel had spread far and wide, thanks to faithful Christian missionaries that Paul had raised in ministry (vv. 5-6). 

Bible scholars believe that Paul wrote the Letter to the Colossians alongside the Letter to the Ephesians in order to encourage the congregations and to teach against early Gnostic heresy that had reared its head. 

This possibly explains his distinct focus on high christology, which the theological defense of Christ and His mission (cf. Colossians 1:15-23). This teaching mirrors on the passage dedicated to the building of the Christian community in sound doctrine  (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Paul deeply longed to see the Colossians. He looked forward to witnessing for himself what he had heard from Epaphras who is here introduced as a faithful minister among the Colossians. He was possibly the overseer of the Colossian congregation. This stands out Epaphras as a faithful teacher of the word of God.

Elsewhere in the New Testament Scripture, we learn that Epaphras was present when Paul wrote the letter of Philemon. At that point in time, Epaphras was imprisoned alongside Paul (Philemon 1:23). This letter was possibly written after Colossians.

Now back to the Letter of Colossians...

Paul had apparently sent Epaphras to minister to the Colossians and he had come to Rome to check on the welfare of the Apostle Paul who by then under restriction by the Roman authorities for preaching the gospel (vv. 7-8). Epaphras was possibly the bearer of the Letter to the Colossians.

Colossians 1:9-11 captures Paul's utmost wishes for the Colossians. He prays that the Colossians: "...may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy" (NKJV).

This statement is significant in underscoring Paul's desire for this growing Christian community that they may continue to abound in Christ. His writings beyond this passage reveal Paul's earnest desire to strengthen the knowledge of the Colossians in Christ.

Let us briefly evaluate the passage of Colossians 1:9-11.

Notice the spiritual growth contemplated in this passage...Paul prayed that they may walk worthy of the Lord... This prayer addresses their moral conduct in a sinful world. A Christian community should watch their walk, lest they bring disrepute to the body of Christ and hinder their Christian witness.

They should be pleasing unto Him, holding Him in esteem and awe as Lord and Savior (v. 10). They are to be fruitful in every good work. 

This fruitfulness should be understood in the context of the passage. It relates to the things of God, the work of ministry. It has nothing to do with material prosperity as some teach.

The Colossians also ought to "increase in the knowledge of God" (v.10). This refers to the spiritual increase that comes from the dedicated study of the word of God and in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, Paul's prayer is that the Colossians may be "strengthened in all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy" (v.11). 

This spiritual empowerment comes from a life that is yielded to Christ in truth, and in his word; a life of patience with God even in afflictions (James 1:2-4). 

Colossians 1:12-14 says "...giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

This concluding section of the passage recognizes that a life that is increasingly transformed in Christ is lived in thankfulness of heart.

The Colossians, like us, were privileged to be partakers of the inheritance that we have in Christ through the finished works of the cross. Our sinful condemnation was taken away at the cross of Calvary.

God delivered us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light; from death to life; from despair to the eternal hope in Christ; from sinners to saints! Praise God!

Glory to God indeed for the glorious work of redemption in Christ! 

Christian sanctification continues to the day in which Christ shall appear to take away His church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). It is a life long experience. Up till then, we ought to watch and pray even as we serve God.

Are you growing in Christ?

We should never neglect opportunities for building our faith in Christ, no matter how many years we have walked with Him! No believer outgrows the Christian sanctification process!

Instead, we should be daily conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

Shalom