Col. 2:1-5, Colossians Bible Study (8)

14.    From Col. 1:28-29 and 2:1-3, what was the goal of Paul’s ministry?  What did he long to see in the lives of those he ministered to?

o   He wanted the Colossian believers to be “perfect” (1:28).  This is not talking about sinless perfection.  The word “telos” means to come to one’s appointed end.  What is the end that God has in mind for believers?  It is that they come to maturity, that infants in Christ will grow to adulthood. 

§  Jesus lived a sinless life.  Yet He learned obedience by the things He suffered and was thus “perfected” so He could be the author of our salvation (Heb. 5:8-9).

§  In 1 John 2:12-14 what three types of Christians was John addressing?  (Children, Young Men, Fathers)

§  In 1 Peter 2:2, what kind of diet do “new born” Christians need?  (The milk of the word.)  In Heb. 5:12-14 what diet should older Christians enjoy?  (Solid food.)  In the same Hebrews passage, how does the Spirit describe a “mature” or “adult” believer?  (Skilled in the word of righteousness and able to discern good and evil.)

§  Back in Col. 2:2-3, how does Paul describe a “perfect” or “mature” believer?  (Attained to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.)  Since all the treasures are in Christ, a Christian matures by growing in his relationship with Christ.  This is what Paul desired in those to whom he ministered. 

o   We should note that this “maturing” process happens as, through the Word of God, our hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love.  Paul had never been to Colossae or to Laodicea; yet he was able to have a ministry in their lives through his letters as well as through those who served the churches such as Epaphras (Col. 1:7).  The word of God given through Paul can also help us to grow in our relationship with Christ so that we are no longer infants in Christ but have come to the full assurance of our riches in Christ.

o   Now one more question from Col. 2:1-5: how could Paul see that the Colossians had put their faith in Christ?  He had been told of their orderliness and steadfast faith in Christ.

Here is a diagram that might help see the flow of Col. 1:24-2:5.

The one who has put his faith in Christ is missing nothing.  He has a complete Savior. Paul already spoke of the “steadfastness” of their faith, but continues to encourage them in Col. 2:6-7: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.  This is amazing advice.  We received Christ by faith, by trusting in the One who died for us and was raised from the dead.  Having become a Christian, we live our lives each day by the same faith in same Christ.  As Rom. 5:10 says: For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Col. 1:24-29; 2 Cor. 11:1-6; 12:11-13, Col. Bible Study (7)

There are four realities that would guarantee that the Colossian believers were, as Col. 2:15 says, “complete in Him.”  First, they needed a Savior who was qualified to be their Redeemer; it pleased God that in Jesus all the fullness dwelt (cf. Col. 1:9-18).  Second, the Savior must provide an adequate redemption (the shed blood of the sinless Lamb of God); it pleased God “by Him to reconcile all things to Himself” (cf. 1:19-23).  Third, the good news of this redemption must reach the Colossians; “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom. 10:14).  This is the subject of 1:24-29.  Fourth, those who hear must properly receive the good news by faith (John 1:12).  This is covered in 2:1-3.

 

13.    In 1:24-29 how was the ministry of Paul a “complete” ministry?

o   1:24: He gladly endured great sufferings in fulfilling his ministry.

§  What does it mean, “fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ”?  It cannot mean that Jesus paid only part of the price of redemption.  We have already seen that His redemption made possible the reconciliation of ALL things.  It is in Paul’s ministry that suffering was required, so the gospel message reaches those who need to hear.  The same is true of believers today.  We “fill up” the sufferings of Christ as we participate in preaching the gospel.  It involves suffering and striving!

§  A reading of 2 Cor. 11:1-12:13 will emphasize this idea.  Paul seeks to demonstrate to the Corinthian believers that he was a true apostle.  The proof he gave were not the large crowds or the many churches he started and encouraged.  The proof was in his sufferings.  False ministers of Christ are seen in their unwillingness to fill up Christ’s suffering for His Church!

o   1:25-27: His ministry was given to him by God, a ministry involving a message (“mystery”) that fulfilled “the word of God” (v25).  Previous generations looked forward to this message, but in God’s plan Paul revealed this mystery in detail.  We will consider this in more detail later in Col. 2 but Rom. 16:25-26 and Eph. 3:3-10 give a good summary of this message.

o   1:28-29: Paul’s ministry was complete in that it involved “warning” (call to repentance) and “teaching” (call to faith) (cf. Ac. 20:21).  Paul proclaimed his innocence of “the blood of all men” because he had “not shunned to declare … the whole counsel of God” (Ac. 20:26-27).

Psalm 119:130-144

 

Psalm 119:129-136 Pe:  Commit to soul-obedience to God’s word.

The life-goal of the believer is to be like Jesus Christ (Ro. 8:29-30).  This likeness is not merely external but goes to the depth of our being.  We think like Christ; we desire what He desires.  It is a soul-likeness.

Perhaps this stanza has this in mind.  He speaks of soul-obedience to God’s wonderful testimonies (129).  Wonderful is the same word used of the Christ, the Living Word in Isa. 9:6.  Our love for and obedience to the testimonies of God is equivalent to our love for the Master.   “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

The soul in Hebrew has to do with the essential life of living creatures.  While animals are living souls (Gen. 1:20-24,30)  humans have been created in the image of God.  Thus man lives and moves out of his soul, his deepest thoughts and passions being anchored there. 

The preceding references to the “soul” in Psalm 119 have indicated man’s deep struggle in affliction (20,25,28,81,109).  His soul breaks with longing, melts with heaviness, and faints for salvation.  One may be reminded of David’s brokenness (Psalm 51) or Peter’s bitter tears (Lk. 22:62) when they came to the end of themselves.  Yet both were restored to service.  Like the Psalmist who pants for God’s commands (131) and weeps over disobedience (136), their souls were changed.  Nothing would come between them and God, neither sin (133) nor oppressor (134).  Truly their obedience was from the soul.

For this deep likeness to Christ the Psalmist prays that God’s eyes would look upon him in mercy (132) and that His face would shine upon him (135).  God does this as His word enters our lives.  It is a light (130) reaching every corner of the soul.  As Heb. 4:12-13 affirms, God’s word permeates the dividing of soul and spirit, revealing and cleansing the sin (cf. also Eph. 5:27).

Today, allow the Word to penetrate deeply as you contemplate the obedience of your soul.  Do you see hesitation, reluctance or resistance to God’s revealed will?  Confess the sins that no one else knows but you and your Lord.  Allow the light of His word to shine on you that you might truly walk in the light.  That is soul-obedience.  That is Christ-likeness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 119:137-144 Tsadde:  Affirm God’s righteousness in your trial.

Evidence that one is learning God’s lessons in affliction is often indicated by the saint’s confession that "God is righteous".  This was common among God’s men in the time of the Babylonian exile.  Many questioned God’s promises since Jerusalem was destroyed and Israel was removed from the land.  Yet those who knew God recognized that they were the sinners and God was right in all that He had done.

 (See this in the confessions of Ezra, Ezra 9:15; Nehemiah, Neh. 9:33; Daniel, Dan. 9:7,14.  It also is central to the unfolding judgment on the world in Revelation where men criticize God but angels proclaim His justice, Rev. 15:3-4; 16:7; 19:2).

The Psalmist, enduring a great time of affliction, yet affirms the righteousness of God (137) and His word (138).  The great value of a God who is righteous is seen in the attending words used in this stanza.

o 137: righteous and upright or straight.  God’s word, coming from a righteous God, is correct in it’s judgments.

o 138: righteous and very faithful.  His word is enduring.

o 140: righteous and pure.  His word is tested, proven.

o 142,144: everlasting righteousness.  His word is right in all ages.

o 142: righteousness and truth.  His word is without error.

To affirm our sin and His righteousness in our times of difficulty is critical if we are to maintain our perspective.  Though the enemy forgets God’s word the saint is confident and bold (139).  Though small and despised by the world, and perhaps even in his own eyes, yet he continues in God’s precepts and knows he will be proven right (141).  No wonder he delights in His commandments (143). 

The story of Job is a struggle with this very issue.  He desires to speak with God because he is sure God has brought difficulty on the wrong person.  In the end, when confronted by the Sovereign God, Job can only say “I am vile … I abhor myself” (40:3-5; 42:1-6).  He has run squarely into the righteousness of God and knows he has sinned in questioning God’s plan.

It has become almost popular for those in affliction to go through phases of anger at God.  Perhaps this is normal, but if you are at that point in your trial be very clear: you have not come to the end of your journey.  God is right.  If you take issue with Him, then you are wrong.  Affirm His righteousness today.

Col. 1:19-23; Acts 9:10-16, Colossians Bible Study (6)

12.    1:19: What two things pleased the Father?

That in the Christ, in Jesus of Nazareth, the fullness of deity would dwell.

That through the work (death) of Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, there would be fullness of reconciliation.

·       What is reconciled?  “All things” on earth and in heaven.  The fall of Man in Genesis 3 did not just bring sin and death on the Man.  It created issues in the entirety of creation, in all the universe(s).

·       How is it reconciled?  “By Him/the blood of the cross.” 

·       1:21-23: Even sinners?  Yes!  All have been reconciled so that the preaching of the gospel is a declaration of this reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-21).  The reconciliation has been secured, but it is only realized by faith.  The good news is that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.” The implication of this good news is, “we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”  The sinner must receive the reconciliation by faith!

·       1:22: “In His sight.”  All that matters is how God sees a person.  It is not your own self-assessment but His!

Summary to this point:

The heresy Paul is dealing with says that having Christ is good but not sufficient; you need more!  To this point Paul has made it clear: Jesus the Christ is the fullness of God (He is complete) and His work is complete.  But perhaps the heretic would try to tell them that they had not received the full message, and that Paul’s ministry was “inadequate.”  Further, they might say that the faith of the Colossians was not “true faith,” that their faith was in some way inadequate.  The full and complete gospel must be delivered fully and it must be received fully.  What does that mean?  That is where Paul takes us now, first to explain the fullness of his ministry (1:24-29), and then to confirm the fullness of their faith (2:1-5).

Here is one additional thought on the “fullness” and “preeminence” of Christ.  There were two heresies in NT times.  Judaism sought to deny Jesus’ deity.  To them it was blasphemy that a Man could be God, that the Word became flesh!  The Greeks, and particularly Gnosticism, sought to deny Jesus’ humanity.  To them it was blasphemy to think that God would have such contact with this world.  The “gods” were above us, different than us, and would cease to be “god” if they came into contact with the physical and temporal world.  Paul’s letter to the Colossians enables us to contradict both of these heresies.  Both His true Deity and true Humanity are true and essential for us to have a Reconciler who can reconcile all things!

Col. 1:13-19; Ex. 13:11-16, Colossians Bible Study (5)

8.    1:12: What does it mean to be “qualified” to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints?

For any inheritance one must be an “heir.”  We have been made “heirs” because God has made us “sons.”  Here are important scriptures on this subject: John 1:12; Rom. 8:14,19; Eph. 1:5; Gal. 3:26; 4:4-7; 1 John 3:1-2; Heb. 12:5.

9.    1:13: Therefore, what did God do so we could partake of the inheritance?

The inheritance of the Father belongs to Christ.  He is the “heir of all things” Heb. 1:2).  As Romans 8 says, we are “co-heirs” with Christ.  It all depends on our relationship with Christ.  Thus God has “conveyed” us (simply “to transfer from one place to another”) into the kingdom of His Son.  Rom. 5:20-21 speaks to this transfer from the kingdom where sin reigns in death to the kingdom where grace reigns to eternal life (5:12-19 is talking about this transfer in detail, should you want to dive deeper into the subject.)

10.    1:14: Why does Paul speak of “redemption” and not salvation, reconciliation, justification or some other work of the cross?  This is not a trivial question; it speaks to the precision of God’s word.

In the Bible there are two pictures of “redemption:” the redemption by the kinsman redeemer (Ruth) and the redemption of the firstborn (Exodus 13:11-16).  Paul has in mind the latter as he describes Jesus as the “Firstborn” of the Father.  In Exodus the firstborn of men or animals belonged to the Lord and was given to Him as an offering.  But the Law allowed for a substitute for the firstborn of men.  Jesus was both the Firstborn (see Col. 1:15,18) and the Substitute Passover Lamb who died in place of all the firstborn sons from families that placed the blood over their doors.  In Colossians Jesus is our Passover Lamb. 

“In Him” was redemption, the forgiveness of sins.  It does not say “by Him” or “through Him” but “in Him.”  Believers in Christ have a right to the inheritance of the Firstborn because they are “in Him.”  Thus, God is our “Portion” (our part of the inheritance, as the Psalmist said in Psa. 73:26). 

11.    1:15-19: Paul says Jesus has “the preeminence” in all things.  What two titles grant Him this preeminence?  What is involved in these two realities?

He is the “firstborn over all creation” (1:15-17).

He is the “firstborn from the dead” (1:18).

Following is a diagram and a chart relating to Col. 1:15-23.  Jesus has the preeminence because He is the Christ, and the Christ is the Son of God to whom has been said He is the heir of all things.  He is Lord of Creation and of the New Creation.  Remember that the “completion” of the Old Testament people of faith did not become a reality until the cross and resurrection of Christ and the resulting New Covenant (Heb. 11:13,39-40; 1 Peter 1:12).  Thus all the “people of God,” Old Testament and New Testament times, the tree of Romans 11 to which the Gentiles have been grafted into and into which future saved Israel will be grafted, all are under the Lordship of the Christ who is the King of Israel to rule from David’s throne in Zion and who is the Head of the Church, His Body!

 

Fullness of Christ, Col. 1:12-19	Fullness of Christ’s Work, Col. 1:19-23
Col. 1:12: What does it take to be qualified to be partakers of an inheritance?	John 1:12; Rom. 8:14,19; Eph. 1:5; Gal. 3:26; 4:4-7; 1 John 3:1-2; Heb. 12:5
Col. 1:13: What did God do so we could partake of the inheritance?	He “brought us out” to “bring us in” Conveyed: transferred from one place to another Partake: to have a part or portion of an inheritance
Col. 1:14: Why does he speak of redemption and not salvation or reconciliation or some other blessing of the cross? What is important about redemption “in” Him rather than “by” or “through” Him?	Exodus 13:11-16: the Law of the Firstborn Passover     Joshua 13:33; Psalm 73:26

Col. 1:9-12; Titus 3:1-8, Colossians Bible Study (4)

 

e.     In all pleasing: Don’t fail to note that we have one of those key words here, “all.”  As we are filled with the full knowledge of His will in all its practical applications, we are led to walk a walk that is worthy of belonging to Christ.  That walk is able to please God in all things.  This is not a walk “doing the best that we can” because in the flesh we cannot please God (Rom. 8:8).  I believe this phrase is explained by the following three phrases.

f.    In every good work being fruitful and increasing in the knowledge of God: Our good works are intended to bear fruit (John 15:16; Rom. 6:21-22 and 7:4-5).  But also, as we do these good works we come to know God more and more.  We come to learn what it means that “God is love,” for example, as we see His love at work in our hearts (1 John 3:16-19).  Likewise, we learn His forgiveness as we forgive others (Matt. 18:21-35).  In the process of making sure we have a faith without works that saves us (Eph. 2:8-9), remember that good works are an essential product of our new life in Christ.

g.     In all might made mighty by His power: In the flesh we cannot please God.  But when our strength is “in the Lord” (Eph. 6:10-20) we are strengthened by His power.  That pleases God.  If my good works are my best effort I am seeking to please myself.  Other passages to consider: 2 Cor. 10:3-5 (the weapons of our warfare) and 2 Chron. 20 (Jehoshaphat’s prayer: “we don’t know what to do but our eyes are on You).

h.    In all endurance and long-suffering with joy, giving thanks: In the wilderness wanderings of Israel they often grumbled and complained in their trials.  That did not please God.  But the worthy walk that pleases God has joy and thanksgiving in trials.  As Jeremiah said in Lamentations (3:21-29), he came to the place where, in hope, he would “hope and wait quietly.”  He realized that it was a good thing to bear the yoke of affliction.

i.     Now let me add something profound about this prayer.  Paul said he was thankful for the faith, hope and love in the Colossian believers.  But now he has prayed that they be filled with the full knowledge of God’s will so that they might walk the worthy walk that pleases God. That “walk” involves good works (acts of love) energized by God’s power (done in faith) and carried out with joy and thanksgiving (the essence of hope).  He is praying these things will increase.  This prayer embodies the basics of sanctification.  It is lived in submission to Christ, meaning it is dependent on the work of the Helper (the Holy Spirit whom Christ sent) in conjunction with the word of God.  It is good to take time in the Bible Study on this prayer.  In Christ we have what we need to please God.  We need nothing more than Christ!

Col. 1:9-12; Psalm 19:7-14, Colossians Bible Study (3)

Here are some helps on each phrase in the diagram of Col. 1:9-12a.

a.     Filled:

                   i.      The key terms in Colossians are words like this: filled, fullness, complete/perfect, all, every, always, and so forth.  The teaching being reproved tried to say that having Christ was good but not sufficient, that there was more the believers needed beyond Christ and the Bible.

                ii.      The meaning of this word is illustrated in Acts 20 by Paul’s teaching continuing until midnight, and then to daybreak; in Acts 17 by the Jews in Berea who searched the Scriptures daily; and in 1 Thess. 2:13: receiving the Word not as the words of men but as it is in truth, the Word of God!

b.    The full knowledge of His will:

                   i.      This is a specific word used by Paul.  Most English translations translate this as “knowledge,” which is why we use the literal translation.  It is the Greek word for “knowledge” with a prefix “epi” which indicates it is the full knowledge.  These believers did not need something else from outside the Bible, the Word of God, but they needed to understand the “full” knowledge. 

                ii.      To facilitate this the Apostle Paul, in his ministry, kept back nothing that was helpful (Ac. 20:20), taught publicly and from house to house (Ac. 20:20), and preached “the whole counsel of God” (Ac. 20:27).

             iii.      It is important to note that this is the only “prayer request” in Paul’s prayer.  Everything else (the worthy walk that pleases God) is the result of the fulfillment of this request.

c.     All spiritual wisdom and understanding: The Bible (the source of knowing what is the will of God) must be understood in terms of its practical application.  These two words, wisdom and understanding, tell us this.  As we learn Scripture, the Holy Spirit must be allowed to show us where Scripture reproves and corrects us and instructs us in righteousness so that we might mature in our Christian life (2 Tim. 3:16-17).  This calls for study of God’s word but also meditation on God’s word whereby we reflect on what we study.  Consider what God’s word can do for the believer in Psalm 19:7-14.  It is intended not only to help us think differently but to act and talk differently and to have different goals in life.  Heb. 4:12 speaks to this also.  This approach to Scripture will help us …

d.    To walk worthy of the Lord: The worthy walk is what we as Christians are called to walk (Eph. 4:1). It is the Christ-life for He alone is worthy (Rev. 4:11).