THIS WEEK'S FEATURED PROGRAM

Watch Friday Nights at 9 pm (EST) 

Episode: 518 The Apostle Paul's Wonderful Letter to the Colossians Explained

 

 

 

Notes

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS

This message from the Apostle to the gentiles has spiritual and very helpful and inspiring information for believers. However as in all Bible books, much of the message is misunderstood. Colossians focuses on the head of the church, Jesus Christ. Colossians divides neatly in half- with the first half focused on doctrinal issues primarily, and the second half focused mostly on pragmatic, Christian living. Paul has extra concern for this congregation because it is one of those started by his disciple Epaphras. He has never seen them. They only know Paul by reputation.

Colossians 1:4-8 NKJV 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love ... 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit,...7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

They are unknown second generation believers who really need Paul's insights even more.

Colossians 1:9-10 NKJV 9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Therefore Paul wants to fill any knowledge gap they might have not having heard his messages many times as other churches had directly from him. Note also that he expects them to learn to WALK worthy of their calling. This means the grace only doctrine is misleading. All believers need to repent and walk away from sin.

Colossians 1:27-28 NKJV 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man...that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

The goal he says is to lead us all to spiritual maturity and toward Christ in us. Paul is inspiring them toward spiritual growth.

A DEEP INVESTIGATION OF THE DOCTRINAL THREATS THEY FACED

Two threats existed especially for a second generation congregation. The two threats were extreme opposites- accept they both use over regulation. One was from inside the church it was from the circumcision party, even though this issue was solved in the Acts 15 conference for most of the Pharisees inside the church, but the extremists continued secretly anyway. They worked behind Paul's back so these second generation congregations would be a most vulnerable target.

Colossians 2:1 NKJV 1 For I want you to know what a conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

Colossians 2:11-12 NKJV 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,...by the circumcision of Christ, in baptism...

Paul explains that they have spiritual circumcision from Christ himself and can ignore the inappropriate application of laws and Jewish over regulations. These regulations are a wall of separation between Jew and gentile and are blotted out, removed by Jesus. An example is the Jews had a law that they could not even eat with gentiles see Acts 10:28.

Colossians 2:13-14 KJV 13 And you, being dead in your sins...having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 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;

Now we will investigate the threat from outside the church which was worldly philosophies in this case, asceticism. Religious Greeks thought that extreme self denial was purifying. Paul warned:

Colossians 2:8 KJV 8 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.

Paul further elucidates on the nature of this ascetic threat to the new converts.

Colossians 2:20-23 WNT 20 If you have died with Christ and have escaped from the world's rudimentary notions, why, as though your life still belonged to the world, do you submit to such precepts as 21 "Do not handle this;" "Do not taste that;" "Do not touch that other thing" -- 22 referring to things which are all intended to be used up and perish--in obedience to mere human injunctions and teachings? 23 These rules have indeed an appearance of wisdom where self-imposed worship exists, and an affectation of humility and an ascetic severity. But not one of them is of any value in combating the indulgence of our lower natures.

Clearly this was the prime threat to believers to go off and accept a worldly philosophy that does not work. It would only make one more self righteous and proud, the opposite of true spiritual growth and needed humility.

SABBATH AND HOLY DAY ISSUES AND USING THE HEBREW CALENDAR

The verses that are most misunderstood in support of our present day worldly religions are :

Colossians 2:16-17 MKJV 16 Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbaths. 17 For these are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.

Two possible ways of interpreting these verses exists. The most obvious do to the context of worldly philosophies is that their ascetic neighbors judged them for the Sabbath Day feasting and then the even greater Holy Day feasting. They used the Hebrew calendar with no printed calendars they marked the new months with likely more meetings and dinners. All this would seem strange and offensive to many of their ascetic neighbors. Paul is saying ignore your lost neighbors , don't let them judge you. The Holy Days are a road map to our future , a guide line for salvation. Wow! These annual Sabbaths are important.

Our world often takes another view of verse 16. They say the circumcision party wanted them to keep the Sabbath and not Sunday the day of the sun god. There is one huge problem with this assertion. Paul has a long record of keeping Holy Days and Sabbaths in the NT. He would have been a total hypocrite if he meant it that way. He was not one, a hypocrite, he was consistent. Paul believed everything in the Old Testament. Further, he understood it's application properly.

Acts 24:14 MKJV 14 But I confess this to you, that after the Way which they call heresy, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets.

Acts 21:24 MKJV 24 taking them, be purified with them, and be at expense for them, so that they may shave their heads. And all my know that what they have been told about you is nothing, but you yourself also walk orderly and keep the Law.

One example of Paul's clearly teaching other gentiles to keep the biblical Holy Days is in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 5:7-8 MKJV 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For also Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast; not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

This new congregation would have learned from Paul's disciple to keep the Sabbath and Holy Days and like the rest of the church for nearly thirty years, would have been keeping them. Further as Sabbath keepers they clearly knew what Paul meant about ignoring the asceticism around them.

WONDERFUL CHRISTIAN LIVING ADVICE INCLUDED

Colossians 3:1-5 MKJV 1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Be mindful of things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ our Life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (which is idolatry),

Colossians 3:10-12 MKJV 10 and having put on the new, having been renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created Him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythian, slave or freeman, but Christ is all things in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender feelings of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering,