“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, 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. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 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: as ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.” Colossians 1:1-8

Though the Apostle Paul may never have visited the church in Colosse, when he heard of their faith in Christ Jesus and the resulting love these believers had for their fellow believers, he, together with Timothy, gave thanks to God for giving them the confident hope of eternal life in heaven through Messiah Jesus.

The good news of God’s pardon and forgiveness and the promise of everlasting life in heaven because God the Son became true man and redeemed mankind reached the ears of the Colossians through Epaphras (and perhaps others, too) and faith in Jesus was kindled in their hearts.

As the good news of God’s gracious gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven for Jesus’ sake was used to generate faith in the hearts of the believers at Colosse nearly 2,000 years ago, so this same message generates faith in human hearts today. The same Gospel, that Word of truth, tells us of the certain hope laid up for us in heaven, not because of anything we have done or can do, but because God’s own dear Son, Jesus Christ, came into this world and suffered and died for the sins of all people and rose again in victory. God’s Word tells us that His gift to us for Jesus’ sake is life everlasting in the mansions of heaven.

Such a gracious gift of God – the forgiveness of all our sins because of His own Son’s holy life and innocent sufferings and death in our stead and the assurance that we have a place in His eternal, heavenly kingdom – will also move us to selfless love for other believers and fellow heirs of eternal life in heaven, but this love is the result of God’s loving gift of salvation to us, not the cause of it.

What a comfort to know that, though we have sinned and come short of the holy demands of God’s good law, Jesus fulfilled it for us and then took our sins upon Himself, paying the just penalty upon the cross that we might have forgiveness and life everlasting! And this hope which we have is not an uncertain hope, but simply a waiting for of the things assured to us by the promises of God.

God has offered and promised to us a place in heaven through faith in His Son. That place has been made certain to us by the death and resurrection of Jesus. We await that day in confidence and assurance that heaven is ours for Jesus’ sake.

When we face the end of our lives here in this world, we need not doubt and wonder if we will make it into heaven. Heaven is guaranteed to us because Jesus shed His blood for us and paid in full for all our sins. If our salvation depended upon us or anything we did, we could have no certainty and no hope; but because it depends upon Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for us, we have every assurance and hope of everlasting life in the mansions of our heavenly Father’s house!

Paul wrote this letter, while he himself was a prisoner, because there were those who were seeking to rob these believers of the assurance and hope they had in Jesus by placing other demands upon them – suggesting such things as the worshiping of angels, eating of certain foods or observing certain days. Today, too, there are many false teachers who would suggest and say that, to be true Christians, people must exercise certain gifts, eat certain foods or observe certain days.

The apostle’s message, the true gospel, is that we are complete in Jesus – our salvation and everlasting life is certain in Him – there is nothing we need add to His redemptive work!

Dear Father in heaven, thank You for graciously bringing to us the word of truth, the saving gospel of forgiveness of sins and life everlasting for the sake of Your Son, Christ Jesus. By Your Spirit, move us to believe and take heart and be assured that, for Jesus’ sake, our sins are forgiven and, for Jesus’ sake, we have life everlasting with You in heaven. Amen.

“For this cause also, from the day in which we heard, we do not cease praying on your behalf, and asking that you may be filled with the full knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, for you to walk worthily of the Lord to all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work and growing into the full knowledge of God; being empowered with all power according to the might of His glory, to all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has made us fit for a share of the inheritance of the saints in light, who delivered us out of the authority of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins….” Colossians 1:9-14

Though the ancient city of Colosse no longer exists – the old east-west road was moved, causing the once-important city to wane – by the grace of God the believers who once lived there are now reigning with Christ Jesus in His glorious heavenly kingdom.

Paul – probably while he was a prisoner in Rome, along with Timothy, when they heard of the faith and love of these believers in the Roman province of Asia (in modern-day Turkey) – prayed for them that they might continue in the true faith and grow in their knowledge of God.

Paul wrote to them in his letter: “For this cause also, from the day in which we heard, we do not cease praying on your behalf, and asking that you may be filled with the full knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, for you to walk worthily of the Lord to all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work and growing into the full knowledge of God; being empowered with all power according to the might of His glory, to all patience and longsuffering with joy….”

Paul and Timothy continually lifted up their fellow believers in Colosse, requesting that they be filled with the knowledge of God’s will together with all wisdom and spiritual understanding so that they would use this knowledge of God rightly and live a life pleasing to Him, doing God’s will rather than following the whims of false teachers who held up another way of faith and life. They prayed that the believers there would continue to grow in the knowledge of God and be strengthened by Him so that they would endure in the true faith and rejoice in Him and what He had done for their salvation.

Paul and Timothy prayed for these believers that they too would give thanks to God the Father for graciously making them acceptable and fit to be partakers of the eternal inheritance of the saints in light – the blessings of heaven which God graciously gives to all who trust in Christ Jesus. It was God the Father who had delivered them from the rule and power of darkness – the kingdom of the devil – and translated them into the eternal kingdom of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. And, it was in Christ Jesus and for the sake of His blood shed upon the cross for the sins of the world, that they had been redeemed, forgiven of all their sins and made acceptable in God’s eyes.

What Paul writes applies to all of us who believe today. How important it is for believers – for you and for me – to learn and be filled with the knowledge of God through the study of His Word! And it is not enough to just learn facts about God. We need to know Him and His ways and so be strengthened in our faith in Him and rejoice in the salvation He has provided us in His Son. Then, as a fruit of our faith in Him, we will also seek to please Him by walking in His ways.

And, in all this, we have every reason to give thanks to God the Father; for it is He who has made us acceptable for His kingdom by sending His only-begotten Son to die for us and redeem us with His holy and precious blood shed upon the cross! It is in Jesus that we have pardon and forgiveness. It is in Jesus that we have life everlasting and a place in God’s eternal kingdom. God rescued us from the rule and dominion of darkness by sending His Son to redeem us. He translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son by bringing us to know and trust in Jesus for our salvation.

Again, the point of it all is that our salvation is complete in Jesus Christ. Jesus died for us, paid for the sins of the whole world and rose again in victory on the third day. God the Father, through the death of His Son, made us fit and acceptable in His sight; and He, by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit, brought us to faith in Jesus and thus rescued us from the doomed kingdom and rule of the devil and translated us – transferring and carrying us – into the eternal kingdom of His only begotten Son!

We thank You, dear Father in heaven, for graciously sending Your only-begotten Son to redeem us and for mercifully bringing us into His eternal kingdom. Grant that we might grow in our knowledge of You and walk worthy of Your gracious calling. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:15-18

Who is Jesus Christ? The Apostle Paul answers that question in unmistakable terms. Jesus is “the image of the invisible God.” In other words, if you desire to know God, know Jesus, for He is God Himself in human flesh.

The Gospel of John (1:1, 14, 18) states of Jesus: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. … No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”

Jesus is the firstborn of all creation – not in the sense of being created, but in that all was created by Him and for Him, and He is the inheritor of all. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

Again, the Gospel of John says (1:3, 4): “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

Jesus is before all things, for in the beginning He was. He is the great “I AM,” Jehovah God in the flesh (cf. Exodus 3:14; John 8:58).

Jesus is the head of the body, the church, for He loved the church and gave Himself for it – suffering and dying upon the cross for the sins of the word – that He might present it to Himself, “holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight” (Colossians 1:22; cf. Ephesians 5:25ff.).

Jesus is the firstborn from the dead because He died for the sins of all and rose again from the dead on the third day. He is firstborn because all who trust in Him for forgiveness and life will also be raised up with glorified bodies on the last day to live and reign with Him forever in His eternal kingdom.

Paul’s point to the Colossian believers and to us? Jesus is indeed God Himself in human flesh, being miraculously conceived and born of the virgin Mary, and we are complete in Him. He is our creator and He has accomplished our salvation by His innocent sufferings and death in our stead. As He rose from the dead on the third day, so He will raise up on the last day all who trust in Him and grant them life everlasting in His heavenly kingdom. Christ Jesus is our life and hope! We need look nowhere else!

O dearest Lord Jesus, Son of God and Son of man, thank You for creating us and giving us life; and thank You for redeeming us with Your holy and precious blood shed for us on the cross that we might be granted forgiveness, new life and a place with You in Your eternal kingdom. Keep us steadfast in You. Amen.

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight — if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”Colossians 1:19-23

It was the plan of God the Father to send His only-begotten Son into the world, a true man, to make peace between God and man by shedding His holy and precious blood upon the cross for the sins of the whole world. And that is what Jesus has done through His death and resurrection. He took the sins of all mankind upon Himself and paid in full the just punishment, reconciling the word of sinners to God. His resurrection is proof that God accepted His sacrifice for sin.

The people of Colosse, as well as you and me, were at one time separated from God and alienated from Him in our minds because of wicked works. Instead of loving God and gladly and willingly seeking His perfect will, we were all in rebellion against Him and went our own way, desiring and doing what we deemed to be pleasing and best for us at the moment.

But even while we were yet in rebellion against our God and Maker, He gave His Son to redeem us, pay for our sins and accomplish our reconciliation (cf. Romans 5:6-11). The Colossians – and you and me – were reconciled “in the body of His flesh through death.”

And why did Jesus die for our sins, and the sins of the world? Why did He accomplish our reconciliation and the reconciliation of all mankind? That He might present us “holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.” Jesus died on the cross and paid the just punishment for your sins and my sins – indeed, for the sins of the whole word – that He might present us to Himself without sin and unblameable in His sight! Jesus paid the penalty for your sins and mine that He might pardon and forgive us and present us to the Father free of all sin and guilt.

And how does this forgiveness and reconciliation become our own? How do we appropriate it for ourselves? How can we be presented holy and righteous and unblameable in His sight? Through faith in Jesus! This pardon and forgiveness, this reconciliation accomplished by Christ Jesus, becomes our own simply by believing the Word of God which tells us we are reconciled and forgiven through Jesus’ blood shed for us on the cross! That is how the believers in Colosse became saints in God’s eyes, and that is how you and I can be presented holy and righteous before our heavenly Father.

It is as Paul says, “If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven” The Holy Spirit worked faith in the Colossian believers’ hearts and He continues to call us to faith in Jesus yet today. It is “faith of the working of God” (Colossians 2:12 from the Greek).

Jesus, God the Son in human flesh, reconciled the whole world of sinners to the Father by His innocent sufferings and death in our stead. He reconciled the Colossians, and He reconciled you and me, by paying in full upon the cross. In Jesus, your sins and my sins are paid for and forgiven. In Jesus, we can be presented before God the Father holy and without blame. Simply trust in Jesus – He has done it all and we are complete in Him! Believe what God tells you in His Word. By the working of God’s Spirit, trust that in Jesus, no matter how great your sins have been, you have forgiveness and life in God’s eternal kingdom. Trust that in Jesus you are indeed “holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.” Why, because you are for Jesus’ sake!

O Jesus precious Savior, thank You for going to the cross and shedding Your holy and precious blood to redeem me and make me acceptable and righteous in Your sight. Grant me faith to trust in Your pardon and forgiveness, and preserve me in that faith unto life everlasting. Amen.

“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 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. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.” Colossians 1:24-29

Why was the Apostle Paul suffering? Why was he persecuted, imprisoned and facing death? And Paul, like the other apostles of our Lord Jesus, faced many hardships.

To the Corinthians he wrote (2 Corinthians 11:24-28): “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness — besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.”

Paul suffered all these things because he was a minister of the Gospel – he preached Christ, and Him crucified, as the only way to heaven, as the only salvation of sinful mankind. The Apostle called on men everywhere to repent of their unbelief and sin and return to the only true God through faith in the crucified and risen Son of God. And for that, Paul suffered greatly in this world – though he now wears a crown of righteousness in heaven with his Savior (cf. 2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Paul was a prisoner when he wrote this letter to the believers in Colosse. He was in bonds for preaching forgiveness of sins and life eternal in the crucified and risen Christ Jesus. Paul didn’t hold back from setting forth the truth in order to preserve his own life or to avoid trouble from those who opposed the Word of God. Believers could and still can rejoice in the Apostle Paul’s sufferings because he was suffering for his faithfulness to Messiah Jesus.

So, should we be surprised at trouble and even persecution here in this world? Should we be shocked when people speak evil of us for seeking to be faithful to God and His Word?

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Jesus said, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38).

Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12).

As Jesus said, and as His apostle, Paul, said, those who preach the truth of God’s Word, pointing out sin as sin and proclaiming the redemption accomplished by Christ Jesus as the only source of forgiveness and life everlasting, will be hated and persecuted in this world. People will hate them and persecute them because they don’t want their own sins exposed for what they are – wickedness in God’s eyes. And people will persecute them because they do not believe and trust in Jesus as God the Son and the Messiah and Savior of the world.

Jesus suffered and died upon the cross, paying in full for the sins of the whole world, and He rose again from the dead on the third day. Those who trust in Jesus for forgiveness and life and follow after Him will also suffer in this world. Because the world hated Christ Jesus, it will also hate those who follow Him and proclaim His Word.

For not shrinking back but being faithful to Jesus, Paul suffered and helped fill up that which was lacking in the suffering of the church – the true believers in Christ Jesus. For Paul’s faithfulness to Jesus and His unashamed preaching of the gospel of forgiveness and life in the crucified and risen Christ we too rejoice.

Even though so many within the visible church today would hold back to avoid sharing in the reproach of Christ, when followers of Jesus do hold fast to their Head and unashamedly proclaim His Word of life, we can also rejoice, even in their sufferings for Christ Jesus; for all who follow Jesus and are unashamed to speak His Word will suffer persecution in this world, and great is their reward in heaven!

If we must suffer for our faith in Christ Jesus, if we must face trouble and persecution because we follow Christ and seek to uphold all that God’s Word teaches, we too can rejoice for the privilege of sharing in the sufferings of our Savior. And the Scriptures assure us that a crown of righteousness awaits us with our Savior in heaven!

Dearest Jesus, our blessed Savior and Redeemer, embolden us to speak Your Word faithfully as we should and not hold back, calling upon people everywhere to repent of their sinful ways and trust in You for forgiveness and life. And, if we must suffer persecution – even if that be prison or death – let us rejoice that we were privileged to suffer for Your name’s sake. Amen.

“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.”Colossians 2:6-7 (read Colossians 2:1-10)

The Apostle Paul warns his hearers, both at Colosse and around the world today, to beware “lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words” (v. 4). Much is preached and proclaimed in the name of Christianity which is nothing of the sort. The messages may be persuasive, but the result – even if the spokespersons are well meaning – is to deceive and take people away from saving faith in Jesus Christ!

The believers at Colosse had heard the Gospel message from Epaphras. He had proclaimed to them that Jesus Christ, the very Son of God and Creator of all things, had reconciled them to God the Father by suffering and dying upon the cross for their sins and rising again on the third day. In Jesus they had “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (1:14). Through faith in Jesus, God the Father had “delivered” them “from the power of darkness” and “conveyed” them “into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (1:13). For the sake of Jesus’ shed blood, they were “holy, and blameless, and above reproach in [God's] sight” (1:19-22). And as a result, they had a certain hope of the everlasting blessings of heaven (1:5).

Therefore, Paul lovingly wrote to the believers in Colosse, “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” (2:6-7). They had all they needed in Jesus their Savior – nothing more was required of them to be saved.

Paul warned them: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him” (vv. 8-10).

The apostle did not want them to be stripped of their faith and assurance in Jesus by human doctrines dealing with what foods they should eat, on what days they should worship and regarding spiritual knowledge and angelic intermediaries (cf. 2:16-18). They were complete in Jesus; for He fulfilled all of the righteous demands of God’s holy law in their stead, and He suffered and died and paid in full for all their sins and rose again on the third day. In Jesus they had forgiveness for all sins and the certainty of life everlasting! In Jesus, we too have forgiveness for all our sins and the certainty of a place in God’s eternal kingdom!

The Old Testament ordinances dealing with sabbath days, holy days and foods were only a shadow of things to come and were to point us to Christ (2:17). Now that Christ has come and accomplished our salvation, it would be foolish to return to a mandatory observance of mere shadows and give up the blessings won for us by our Savior!

Rather, we should continue in the faith in Messiah Jesus, as taught to us in the Holy Scriptures. We should continue in the hope and assurance that He has redeemed us from all sin by the shedding of His holy and precious blood for us upon the cross. We have all we need in Jesus – we are complete in Him!

O dearest Jesus, thank You for fulfilling all the holy demands of the law for me, and thank You for paying the just penalty for my sins that I might have forgiveness and life everlasting with You in heaven. Graciously keep me in the true faith and let no false teaching rob me of Your blessings. Amen.

“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.” Colossians 2:11-14

Why would anyone want to insist that it is necessary for a Christian to be circumcised and follow all the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament to be saved when believers are complete in Jesus and are blessed with all that they need through their baptism into Messiah Jesus?

Old Testament circumcision (Genesis 17) was a cutting away of the flesh, performed by human hands, which indicated that one had entered into God’s covenant with man in which God promised to send a Messiah and Savior of the descendants of Abraham to redeem fallen mankind. It signified that a man could not stand before God in the power of his own flesh, but through the promised Seed of Abraham – Jesus Christ.

Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19; cf. Acts 2:38-39) has replaced and superseded circumcision as the sign and means of becoming a part of God’s covenant with man. But baptism is so much more.

Circumcision was performed by human hands. Baptism, though administered by the hand of a minister or believer, is a work of the Triune God and administered in His name.

Baptism is called “the circumcision of Christ,” because the one who is baptized into Christ is joined to Christ in His death and in His resurrection.

The sins and fallen nature of man – his sinful inclination, the flesh – are buried with Christ in baptism; for Christ Jesus, on the cross, paid in full for the sins of the entire world. He died our death for us and took the just condemnation of God’s law in our place. He blotted 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.” Though God’s holy law condemned us all, Jesus suffered our punishment and we are acquitted.

Not only is the Christian joined with Christ in His death through baptism, having all his sins paid for in full and washed away; he is also joined to Christ in His resurrection, so that as God raised up Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day, after He had made atonement for the sins of all, so also He through the “operation of” the Holy Spirit raises up to faith and new life those joined to Christ.

As Paul writes, “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

In his letter to Titus, Paul writes by inspiration of God’s Spirit: “But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).

Thus, we see that through Baptism God washes away sins and grants His life-giving Spirit, who creates and strengthens faith in Christ Jesus. Through baptism, God offers and gives to us all the blessings which Jesus won for us upon the cross and makes them our own. In and through baptism, God offers and gives forgiveness of sins and life eternal in His Son, Jesus Christ!

Baptism is so much more than an outward profession of faith in Jesus. Rather, it is the means through which God graciously works to make all of the blessings won for us by Jesus our own!

Therefore, if one has been baptized into Christ and has God’s forgiveness, His life-giving Spirit and the certainty of life everlasting for Jesus’ sake, why would he want to go back to Old Testament circumcision and the old covenant which pointed ahead to Christ and the salvation he has provided for all? In Baptism, Christians are joined to Jesus and are complete in Him!

Thank You, gracious Father, for working through our baptism to wash away our sins for Jesus’ sake and to raise us up to new life in fellowship with You through the gracious working of the Holy Spirit. Keep us in the true and saving faith unto life everlasting for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

“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…” Colossians 2:16-17

The Apostle Paul, writing these words by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, makes his point. Believers in Christ are not to let anyone judge them in regard to their food or drink, in regard to observing certain holy days or religious festivals, or in regard to observing the Sabbath Day.

Why? Because believers in Jesus Christ are complete in Him. They are no longer subject to Old Testament laws which served only to point to the coming Messiah and the salvation He would provide for all mankind by His holy life and innocent sufferings and death upon the cross – the promised Messiah and Savior has come!

The word “therefore” is there for a reason. It gives the basis for the apostle’s assertion, referring back to what was already written in the epistle. God the Father has made us meet and fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light through the sacrifice of His Son. He delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we have redemption though His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Christ Jesus is the very image of the invisible God and the creator of all things. In Him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells, and He made peace through the blood of His cross and reconciled all mankind to God by His atoning sacrifice in our stead.

Believers in Christ, even though they were at one time alienated from God and enemies in their minds by wicked works, are now reconciled to God by the death of His Son, Messiah Jesus, that He might present them holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight. And how? Not by being circumcised, obeying dietary regulations or observing certain days, but by faith in the Son – by continuing in the faith, grounded and settled, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel.

Believers in Christ are joined to Him in baptism, have their sins washed away, and are regenerated and given new life by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit, who also raised Christ from the dead on the third day.

Since believers in Christ Jesus already have forgiveness of sins, life and eternal salvation for the sake of His holy life and innocent sufferings and death upon the cross, why would they want to go back to mere shadows meant to point them to Jesus? Why would they listen to anyone telling them that to be saved and pleasing to God they must eat only certain foods, observe certain feasts and festivals and do no work on the Sabbath?

Jesus has already fulfilled all righteousness for us, and He has paid in full for all our sins. We rest from our labors when we place our trust in Him and the salvation He has won for us (cf. Hebrews 4).

In the early church, when certain men said it was necessary for salvation to be circumcised and keep the laws of Moses, the apostles and believers in Jerusalem laid no such burden upon the churches but simply asked them to refrain from “pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood” because of the large numbers of Jews in every region (cf. Acts 15).

“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 …” You have all you need in Jesus; He won your salvation for you and gives you forgiveness and life through faith in His name! Simply hold fast to Jesus!

Dearest Jesus, thank You for fulfilling all righteousness in my place and paying in full the penalty for my sins. Graciously keep me trusting in You unto life everlasting. Amen.

“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. 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.” Colossians 3:1-4

In our baptism, we have been joined to Christ in His death and in His resurrection. Our sins and our old sinful nature were crucified, punished and put to death in Christ Jesus, upon His cross; and as Christ was raised from the dead by the working of God’s Spirit, so we have been raised to new life – brought to faith in Christ – by the operation, or working, of God the Holy Spirit (Colossians 2:10-15).

We are no longer dead in our sins and the uncircumcision of our flesh; we have been made alive to God through God-wrought faith in Christ, and all our sins have been forgiven and washed away in Jesus’ shed blood (cf. Colossians 2:13-14). In Jesus, our salvation is complete. In Jesus, we have all we need – God’s forgiveness and the promise of life everlasting!

Therefore, since we as believers have been raised up with Christ Jesus, He is our life.

As the Apostle John writes, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

By our natural birth, we all shared in the nature and sin of our first father, Adam, who disobeyed God’s commandment and brought sin and death upon us all. By our rebirth, the result and working of God’s Spirit in us through the “washing of regeneration,” “the washing of water by the word” (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 5:26; cf. Colossians 2:11-12), we are joined to Messiah Jesus. His death on the cross for the sins of the world was our death and the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Being raised up from the dead, His life is our life and the guarantee that we too shall be raised up unto life everlasting with Him in heaven.

Therefore, since our “life is hid with Christ in God,” and since we look forward to His return and being changed into His image and likeness, why would we want to set our love and affection on the things of this world – things which will pass away with the using and things which will be burned up with unquenchable fire at Jesus’ return?

Not only does this apply to man-made doctrines and rules about the foods we may eat, the days we must observe or ways in which we ought live to prosper in this world (cf. Colossians 2:20-23), it has application to the very focus of our lives. Are we focusing all our energy and all our resources upon this life – on such things as our homes, cars, clothing, recreational activities and the like – or are we focused on Christ, who is our very life and our only hope?

Paul’s point to us is this: If we have been joined to Christ in His death and resurrection – if we are indeed risen and alive in Christ – the focus of our lives will not be here in this world or on man-made teachings and rules to better life in this world; our focus will be on Christ and on those things He is working to achieve – the salvation of lost souls and the building up of His church, that we all might be saved and reign with Him in everlasting glory!

And so, while so many are focusing their attention on the betterment of life in this world – whether it be through the foods we eat, our lifestyles or teachings about love and charitable deeds – the true focus of Christians is on Christ and reaching out to lost and condemned sinners with the saving gospel of forgiveness and life in Jesus. You see, Christians know that this world is hopelessly under the sway of sin and will soon be judged and pass away. Christians know and believe that the only way to have life is Jesus.

One might also say it this way: Rather than using Christ and religion in an attempt to better one’s life and the lives of others in this world, the Christian uses his life and the goods entrusted to him in this world to save lives for the world to come. Does that include works of kindness and charity to help people in this world? Most certainly! But the focus is always on the chief work of Christ – the salvation of souls for His eternal kingdom, a kingdom which is not doomed to pass away as will this world!

Dearest Jesus, my Savior from sin and death and my life and eternal salvation, graciously keep my eyes on You and on those things You seek. Let the focus of my life be on You and the glories of heaven which await us at Your return, and grant that I seek what You seek, the salvation of lost souls, that they too might partake of the everlasting joys of Your kingdom. Amen.

“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked sometime, when ye lived in them. 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.” Colossians 3:5-11

“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth … 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.” Since Christians are joined to Christ Jesus in His death and resurrection – their sins and sinful nature being crucified with Christ, and having been raised up with Christ by the mighty working of God’s Spirit to new life in fellowship with the LORD God – they are to put to death (mortify) their sinful nature with all its desires and put on the new man which is created by the Holy Spirit and seeks to be like Christ.

Christians in this world have two natures, called in the Bible the old man (inherited from sinful Adam) and the new man (created in them by the regenerating work of God’s Holy Spirit). In the beginning, man’s nature was single and united in love for God, trust in Him and the desire to honor and glorify His holy name, for the first man and woman were created in the image of God and knew Him and His will and desired to live for Him (Genesis 1:26-27). When Adam and Eve fell into sin, that nature was lost, for they doubted God’s Word, were afraid of God and even tried to hide themselves from His presence (Genesis 3). A reading of the pages of the Bible which follow the fall reveals the sinfulness and depravity of mankind.

Those who have been raised up from spiritual death and darkness to faith in Messiah Jesus – whether it was the Messiah yet to come in Old Testament times; or as it is now, the Christ who has come and accomplished mankind’s redemption – have a new nature which loves the LORD God, trusts in Him for salvation and all things and desires to live for Him and serve Him. But, as long as Christians are yet in this world, they have as well their old sinful nature, inherited from Adam.

Thus, the Christian life is a life of struggle, not only with the world without, but with the sinful nature within. Christians, thankful for the shed blood of Jesus and the blessings of forgiveness and life eternal He has won for them, love God and want to live for Him in accord with His Word. Yet, there remains within them a nature which loves self, doubts the Word of God and would rather go its own way and seek its own glory and pleasure.

St. Paul writes of this internal struggle to the believers in Rome: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do … For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members …” (Romans 7:18-19, 22-23).

This is why Christians rejoice in the fact of God’s continuing forgiveness for sins and shortcomings. They continually acknowledge their sins and trust that God is merciful to them and forgives them for the sake of Jesus and His blood shed upon the cross for the sins of the world. Christians do not deny or cover up their sinfulness, but walk in the light, trusting that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth [them] from all sin.” They agree with God and confess their sins, trusting that He is faithful and just to forgive their sins and cleanse them from all unrighteousness for the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation – the atoning sacrifice – for the sins of all people (cf. 1 John 1:5 – 2:2).

It is also why believers look forward to the day of Christ’s return, for then the image of Christ will be perfectly restored in them – they will no longer be subject to sin and their old sinful nature. As the Bible says, “Our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself … We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2).

And so, while believers in Christ await His glorious return and the redemption of their bodies (cf. Romans 8:23), they put to death the old man and all that is contrary to God’s Word and put on the new man which gladly and willingly seeks to live as God commands. They agree with God’s Word that such things as fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication and lying are wrong; and they acknowledge their sins and failures, trusting in Christ’s shed blood for forgiveness, and then seek God’s help and strength to live for Him in accord with His Word.

The battle is not easy, for the old sinful nature and inclination is strong and is encouraged and incited by the devil and the sinful world in which Christians live. No matter how hard people try, they cannot drive out the darkness of sin from their lives. But Christians, by the grace of God, turn to Christ Jesus, the Light of the world. He cleanses them of all sin with His own holy and precious blood, and He strengthens and keeps them in the true and right way unto life everlasting!

O Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for the sake of Your blood shed for me upon the cross, forgive me for my utter sinfulness and for my many shortcomings and transgressions in regard to Your holy commandments. Fill me with Your Spirit, give me the desire to walk in Your ways, and keep me in the true and saving faith unto life everlasting. Amen.

“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.” Colossians 3:12-13

As the elect and chosen of God, holy and dearly-loved children of God through faith in Christ Jesus and for the sake of His innocent sufferings and death in our stead (cf. Galatians 3:26-27), we are called upon to put on the image and likeness of Christ Jesus. We were baptized into Christ. All our sins and our old sinful nature were crucified on Christ’s cross. We have been raised up to new life by the working (operation) of the Holy Ghost (Colossians 2:10-15). We daily – through repentance and faith – put off the old sinful nature and put on the new (Colossians 3:5ff.). And so we are called upon to be like Jesus in our dealings with others, and especially with our fellow believers.

We are to put on “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.”

From our innermost being – from the heart – we are to be merciful and kind toward others. Why? because we know God’s mercy and kindness toward us. Even when we were spiritually dead in our sins and living in rebellion against God, He showed mercy to us and sent his only-begotten Son to die in our stead and redeem us (Romans 5:8; John 3:16). Even though we continually sin and come short in our lives, He shows us mercy and washes away our sins in Jesus’ blood (1 John 1:7 – 2:2).

When we remember how Jesus humbled Himself, not appearing in a display of all His divine glory and power but living humbly as a man and even permitting His enemies to crucify Him that He might redeem all of fallen mankind, certainly we have every reason to live humbly and not usurp ourselves or our position over others. As Jesus lived in this world as a servant to meet our needs and win our eternal salvation, so we ought to think and live as servants in this world to meet the needs of others and bring to them the message of God’s redeeming love.

Longsuffering and forbearing with one another means that we are to be patient with others and put up with their failings and shortcomings – we suffer much and long and are yet patient. And, indeed, when we consider the patience, longsuffering and forbearance of God toward us, we again have every reason to show the same longsuffering and forbearance toward others. Again and again each of us fails to live as God intends – we go our own way, think we know better or just neglect to listen – and yet God doesn’t cast us off or condemn us. He continues to deal with us in mercy and patience.

And, instead of holding another’s sins and misdeeds against him, we are called upon to forgive as Christ has forgiven us. And, indeed, if we consider the great debt of sin which Christ has forgiven to us – even going to the cross and shedding His holy and precious blood to pay our just penalty – what is the small debt of sin against us by others? Jesus shed His blood to redeem all and to win pardon and forgiveness for all; how can we not forgive as He has forgiven?

The Apostle wrote the same things to the believers in Ephesus: “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).

We must remember that it is our old sinful and fallen nature – our nature which was condemned and punished on Christ’s cross – which would have us be unmerciful, impatient, unkind, proud, haughty, quick to condemn and unforgiving. The new nature, created in us by the Holy Spirit when we were baptized into Christ Jesus, seeks to be like Christ: with “bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any.”

Once again, we see our own sinfulness and failures to live as God’s redeemed children and we turn to Him for mercy and forgiveness for the sake of the shed blood of Jesus, who died for the sins of all and rose again in victory. In Jesus, we find mercy and forgiveness. His blood cleanses us from all our sins (1 John 1:7). And, in Jesus, we find help and strength to amend our sinful ways and to live each day for Him as God’s elect and chosen children.

Dear Jesus, forgive me for living according to my old evil and sinful nature. Wash away my sins in Your holy and precious blood and give me a heart like Yours, full of mercy, kindness, patience and forgiveness toward others. Amen.

“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” Colossians 3:14

A mark of the new nature created in the heart of believers by the Holy Spirit is “charity” – not just as we think of the word today, but in its older meaning: selfless love – the kind of love that God showed toward us in giving His only-begotten Son to die for us and redeem us.

The Greek word translated as “charity” in the King James Version and “love” in most modern translations is “agape” (agape). The Bible speaks of such love when it says: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

This is the kind of love spoken of in what is often called the “love chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13.

Paul calls this love the bond of perfectness (or completeness) because it is such love which God requires in the hearts of all, and it is such selfless love which moves people to obey God’s commandments.

Paul wrote to the believers in Rome: “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:8-10).

When asked what was the greatest commandment in the law, Jesus responded: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).

Why is it that love for God and love for our neighbor are the greatest of the commandments and the fulfilling of the law? Simply put, love is the motivation of the heart – which God requires in us – which moves people to obey all of God’s commandments. If one loves God with all his heart, mind and soul, he will not have other gods or serve them. Nor will he neglect to set aside time to consider God’s ways and worship Him. He will gladly and willingly read and study God’s Word, listen to it and heed its message.

If one loves his neighbor – other people in this world – as he loves himself, he will not dishonor or disobey parents and authorities. He will not hurt or kill, adulterate God’s design for marriage, steal, lie, slander or covet.

The problem is that, since the fall into sin, people do not love the LORD God with all their heart, mind and soul. Nor do they love others as much as they love themselves. Thus, our lives and the lives of all people in this world are full of selfishness, rebellion against God, disregard for parents and authorities, abusive and selfish relationships, evil thoughts, murders, deceptions and thefts.

That is why God sent His only-begotten Son into the world to fulfill the law for us and to bear our punishment by suffering and dying upon the cross!

Make no mistake. The command to put on selfless love is not the gospel of salvation; it is the law of God. We sinners cannot hope to achieve God’s favor and be saved by putting on love; we put on love because God first loved us and sent His Son to die for us and win for us forgiveness and life everlasting. “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Because God loved us and sent His Son, Christ Jesus, to die for us, and because He graciously brought us to faith in Jesus, washing away our sins in our baptism and raising us up to new life in Christ Jesus by the mighty working of His Holy Spirit, we seek to live for Him – indeed, to be like Him – and to love others as we have been loved by Him.

Thus, as we continually acknowledge our sinfulness and failures to love as God demands, as we put off our sinful and unloving nature which was punished upon Christ’s cross, we also put on the new and loving nature which has been created in us by God’s Spirit – a nature which loves God and others with His kind of love, a love which moves us to live in accord with God’s holy and perfect will revealed to us in His commandments.

As You have loved us, O Lord, and given Yourself to redeem us and make us Your Own, create in our hearts faith which receives Your merciful love and forgiveness; and move us to put on Your love so that we love You in return, and also love our fellowman and live our lives in accord with Your good and perfect will. Amen.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” Colossians 3:15

Numerous Old Testament priests and prophets cried out, “Peace, peace,” when there was no peace (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11). Today, too, ministers and preachers say all is well when it isn’t.

You see, there can be no peace between God and man without atonement for sin, and there will be no peace between men and God without repentance on man’s part. And so, the preachers and prophets who seek to assuage troubled but impenitent consciences with words of peace may give a little false comfort to consciences, but not peace; for man can have no peace with God apart from godly sorrow over sin and faith in the Son’s atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.

While the world goes about seeking peace and comfort of heart in all the wrong places, the believer in Messiah Jesus knows true peace; for Jesus suffered and died for the sins of the whole world and brought about peace between God and man – the peace of atonement made and sins forgiven for the sake of Jesus’ holy and precious blood shed upon the cross for all.

The Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:13-18: “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both [Jew and Gentile] one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and He came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

That is why, when Jesus was born, the angels glorified God saying, not “on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests,” but “on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). Jesus paid for the sins of all and won God’s favor and peace for all mankind.

The Bible tells us, in 2 Corinthians 5:19-21, “that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

God is reconciled toward man; for Jesus, God’s only-begotten Son, paid in full the just punishment for the sins of all when He suffered and died upon the cross. His resurrection is proof (cf. Romans 4:25). God pleads with us to be reconciled toward Him by acknowledging our utter sinfulness and accepting His pardon and forgiveness for the sake of the sacrifice of His Son in our stead.

Jesus shed His blood to make peace and has appeased God’s just wrath against sinful man. When we, by the gracious working of God’s Spirit through the Word of God, see and acknowledge our sinfulness and failures to keep His commandments and place our faith and trust in the perfect life and innocent sufferings and death of Messiah Jesus in our stead, then we know peace – peace between God and man – and fellowship with God our Father.

This peace (shalom / eirene) is a perfect peace, for Jesus has paid for all our sins and they have been removed from us “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). Nothing can “separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). “If we confess [homologomen – to say the same thing as God about] our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

This is the peace of God which is to rule and govern our hearts. This is the peace to which we and all believers in Christ’s body – the church – have been called. This is the peace for which we have every reason to be thankful.

We were enemies of God, rebelling against Him and His commandments and going our own way. There was NO PEACE! But Jesus paid in full for all our sins – for the sins of the whole world – reconciling God’s heart toward us and all sinful mankind. In His grace and mercy, He reaches out to us, offering to us pardon and peace. When, by the gracious working of God’s Spirit through the Word, we are brought to see our own sinfulness and also to see and trust in His forgiveness and peace for the sake of His Son, Messiah Jesus, then we KNOW PEACE!

O LORD God, heavenly Father, You have graciously given to us peace through the forgiveness of all our sins for Jesus’ sake. Grant that this peace – this knowledge of Your forgiveness and acceptance – rule and govern our hearts, driving out all fear of wrath and punishment. Thank you for granting to us and all believers Your peace in Jesus. In His name we pray. Amen.

“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.” Colossians 3:16

So important to spiritual growth – nourishing the new nature created in us by the Spirit of God when we were baptized into Christ – is the use of God’s Word! That is why the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers at Colosse: “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.”

We, as believers in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ, are to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom. Why? The Scripture tells us the answer in the words which Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:15-17): “From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

The Scriptures teach us of our salvation – of forgiveness and life – in Christ Jesus; and the Scriptures are the source of all true Christian doctrine, being useful for the study of the truth, for reproving, correcting and instructing in righteousness. Through the study of Scriptures, believers know and are assured of God’s salvation in Christ Jesus and are given the knowledge they need to live for God in accord with His will.

Jesus said to those who believed on Him (John 8:31-32): “If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

It is through the continual study of God’s Word, the Bible, that we learn and are assured of the truth and are made free. The Scriptures teach and reveal to us God’s holy will and our utter sinfulness and shortcomings before the LORD God; but the Scriptures also reveal to us that in God’s own dear Son, Messiah Jesus, we have a Savior. He fulfilled all righteousness for us, and He paid in full for our sins and the sins of the whole world with His blood when He suffered and died upon the cross. In the crucified and risen Christ Jesus, we have forgiveness and life – we are made free and brought into fellowship with God our Maker.

We read and study God’s Word, letting it dwell in us richly and in all wisdom, that we may be strengthened and confirmed in our faith in Jesus and that we may teach and admonish and encourage others in their faith in Christ Jesus through psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. As we read and study God’s Word, are assured of forgiveness and life in Christ and are guided by its counsel, we can share that same assurance and guidance with others.

Certainly, the importance of using and basing our psalms and hymns and spiritual songs upon the very Word of God cannot be overemphasized. What good are songs and hymns with catchy tunes if they are not based on Scripture? How can they give comfort and teach us or give praise to God if they do not reflect God’s Word?

Indeed, when we let the Word of Christ dwell in our hearts richly and meditate in the Word and consider it in our hearts, we will be moved to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. Our hearts will be filled with thanksgiving and praise for the LORD God who so loved us that He gave His only-begotten Son to die for us and make us His own dear children.

O LORD God, thank You for Your Word and for making us wise unto salvation through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. By Your Spirit, move us to continue in Your Word, to study it and learn from it, that we might continue in the true and saving faith, encourage others in that faith and give You praise and glory forever and ever. Amen.

“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.” Colossians 3:17

The first man and woman were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) – they were reflections of God’s righteousness and glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). Though it’s hard for us to grasp and understand, their lives and all their works were for the glory of God their Maker.

The fall into sin (Genesis 3) changed all that. Instead of seeking to glorify God in all their words and deeds, people seek their own glory and praise. Words are spoken for our own ends. Deeds are done for our own honor and name.

Jesus, God’s own Son, came into this world, living humbly among us as a true man, that He might glorify His Father in heaven and redeem fallen mankind by paying the price for our sins – the price was suffering and dying upon the cross for the sins of the whole world. He fulfilled all righteousness for us by His holy thoughts, words and deeds; and He went to the cross for us, paid for all our sins and rose again in victory on the third day. He has been glorified and is ascended into heaven to the right hand of God the Father and rules over all things.

Through Spirit-wrought faith in Christ Jesus, we receive the forgiveness and life Jesus won for us when He suffered and died upon the cross. We are raised from spiritual darkness and death and given new life in fellowship with God, our Maker. Thus, as children of God through faith in Christ Jesus, we seek to honor and glorify our Maker and Redeemer in all we say and do. Our words are spoken to bring glory to our Savior by reflecting His words and teaching. Our deeds are done to the praise of Christ Jesus, again, as reflections of His works and deeds.

Since we have been redeemed from eternal punishment and hell by the sacrifice of Jesus in our place, we seek to live our lives in this world to glorify Him and bring Him praise. We seek to learn more and more of Jesus by continuing in His Word that we might reflect His image and glory in this dark and dying world and that others, too, might come to know Him and trust in Him for forgiveness of sins and life everlasting!

And, yes, as we seek to glorify our Lord Jesus in all we say and do, we also remember and give thanks to God our Father for so loving the world that he gave His only-begotten Son to be the full payment for our sins – and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. We thank God for continuing to forgive our shortcomings and failures for the sake of the shed blood of His dear Son. We thank God for His Spirit, who brought us to faith in Jesus, raised us to life in Him and continues to keep us in the true faith until we are finally taken to be with our Savior in the mansions of heaven.

We give thanks to God the Father for the sake of Messiah Jesus, our Lord and Savior; for it is through Him that we have access to the Father and are privileged to be called His children.

We thank You, dear Father in Heaven, for so loving the world that You gave Your only-begotten Son to die for us. We thank You for bringing us to know Jesus and the forgiveness and life won for us by Him. By Your Spirit, grant that all we do and say may be for the glory of Jesus our Savior and reflect Your image and glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.” Colossians 3:18-19

Saying that wives should submit to their own husbands is not popular in our day, but this is what God, in His Word, commands. The world (as well as a great number of churches and church bodies) does not accept what the Bible says of women’s role in the churches – not to teach or usurp authority over the man but to learn quietly and in all submission as the law says (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:34-40; 1 Timothy 2:11-15). Yet, this is the role created of God for women.

It is, as the Bible says, “fit in the Lord,” to obey God’s Word in this matter. Wives are to submit unto their own husbands “as unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). And it is rebellion against the Almighty to disregard His perfect will. He does, after all, know best. His ways are always good and right.

Though the world may think differently, every true Christian humbly agrees with God’s perfect Word and says with the psalmist: “Therefore I esteem all Thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way” (Psalm 119:128).

Even tougher, because of man’s sinful and rebellious nature, is what God commands of husbands and of men. Men are to love their wives and not to be bitter against them or treat them harshly. Men, this means putting your wife’s needs above your own. It means living your life and exercising the authority given you by God for the good of the helpmeet God has given you.

The Apostle Paul explains this in more detail in his letter to the Ephesians (5:25-27): “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.”

This means not only being willing to die for your wife, but to live for her. It means sacrificing your own desires and ambitions for the good of your wife and the children God has given you. It means living and dying in such a way that your wife and family might be presented to the Lord Jesus holy and undefiled through faith in Jesus’ precious blood, shed upon the cross for the sins of the world.

Because of our fallen, sinful nature, it is difficult for wives to be submissive to their husbands and to be careful not to usurp roles and authority that God has not given them. It is impossible, without the regenerating work of God’s Spirit, for men to so love their wives and families that they sacrifice themselves in living and dying for the good of their wives and children.

Rather than rebelling against God and rejecting His Word, we need humbly to agree with God and His Word that we have failed and come short. We need to acknowledge our own sinfulness before the Lord and trust in Him to forgive and cleanse us for the sake of Jesus Christ and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross in our stead. Jesus, God’s Son and our Savior, has paid in full the punishment for the sins of all the world; His resurrection if proof. For His sake, God is merciful to you and to me and forgives our sins and gives us life eternal in fellowship with Him.

Dearest Jesus, I have sinned and come short of living in accord with Your perfect design in creation. Forgive me for the sake of Your shed blood and give me the will and the strength to conform my life to Your perfect will. Amen.

“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.” Colossians 3:20-21

It is God’s perfect will that children obey their parents in all things – the only exception being when obedience to parents would cause disobedience to God (cf. Acts 5:29). Obedience to parents, God says, is “well pleasing unto the Lord.”

This, of course, is one of the Ten Commandments of the LORD God. The Bible says: “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” (Ephesians 6:2-3).

Such honor and respect for parents and others in authority over us is sorely lacking in our day. Children, in both selfishness and rebelliousness, dishonor parents, teachers and authorities and refuse to obey. Such disobedience and rebelliousness, they need understand, is not only against their earthly parents and authorities, but against God Himself, who placed their parents and other authorities over them for their good.

Disrespect and disobedience toward parents is disrespect and disobedience toward the LORD God. Not honoring teachers and authorities placed over us is not honoring God who created us and placed us under authority.

While it is, sad to say, the way of the world and our own sinful nature not to honor parents and authorities, those regenerated by God’s Spirit will see and acknowledge their own sinfulness in this regard and turn to the LORD God for His mercy and forgiveness won for all by the innocent sufferings and death of His own obedient Son, Christ Jesus. And, as a fruit of their faith in Jesus, they will also, with the help and aid of God’s Spirit, seek to honor and obey parents and others placed in authority over them.

Of course, the command to honor and obey parents has another side to it as well. Fathers are not to provoke their children to wrath and discouragement by being overly harsh or mistreating them. This command also applies to mothers, for they are helpmeets to their husbands.

Here, too, fathers and mothers often fail. Instead of remembering that their children are both created and redeemed of the LORD God and that He desires children to be brought to Him in baptism and raised up in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4; cf. Matthew 28:19-20; Acts. 2:38-39; Luke 18:15-17), they treat their children in selfishness and anger, punishing them when they get in the way rather than when they do wrong and sin. And, all too often, parents fail to bring their children to Christ Jesus and neglect to teach them to know the LORD and His Word.

Jesus’ warning is amply clear: “Whoso shall offend [causing to sin or fall from faith in the Lord Jesus] one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).

Provoking children to anger and abusing or neglecting them and their needs, both temporal and spiritual, is also the way of this world and our old sinful nature. But such behavior on the part of parents, teachers and others in authority greatly displeases the LORD God, who gave His only-begotten Son to redeem, not only adults, but children, both young and old.

Again, parents and those in authority who have been born anew by the mighty working of God’s Spirit through the washing of water and the Word will examine themselves and their own attitudes and actions toward their children, acknowledging their sins and shortcomings and turning to their merciful heavenly Father for forgiveness and the strength to bring up their children as He would have them raised. In the shed blood of Jesus, there is forgiveness. In the working of God’s Spirit, there is help and strength to change one’s attitudes and actions.

Dear Father in heaven, mercifully forgive me for dishonoring and disobeying my parents and others in authority over me. Forgive me also for failing to love the children You have placed under my care with Your love, for failing to be patient and understanding with them, for being overly harsh with them, for failing to bring them to You and teach them Your life-giving Word, and for failing to correct them and bring them up in Your nurture and admonition. Forgive me for the sake of Jesus, Your Son, and His sufferings, death and resurrection in my stead. By Your regenerating Spirit, give me the will and strength to conform my attitude and actions to Your holy will. Amen.

“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.” Colossians 3:22-25

Though people may joke about being slaves to their work, not many would actually count themselves as servants. Yet, this Word of God applies to employees and all who work for another; and this would take in almost every one of us at some time or another.

God would have servants and employees obey their earthly masters in all things – unless, of course such obedience would cause them to disobey God (cf. Acts 5:29). And such service should not be just when the boss is watching, but all the time. The Bible says it should be “in singleness of heart,” which means wholeheartedly and fully devoted to serving those over us. Such obedience should be rendered in respect and honor for the almighty God who has both created and redeemed us.

The Apostle Paul adds the words: “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.”

Whatever we do here in this world should be done for the Lord Jesus Christ, who shed His holy and precious blood to redeem us from sin and eternal damnation and make us His own. Though we may work for other men, yet we who believe in the Lord Jesus really live for and work for Him.

And we know that, even if our earthly masters and employers do not justly reward us for our labors, Jesus will. He won for us forgiveness of sins and a place in His eternal kingdom, and He has promised to graciously reward those who trust in Him and live for Him. Earthly masters may give us little credit for our labors and even treat us unfairly for their own selfish ends, but the Lord of the whole earth who died for our sins and rose again to give us eternal life will not treat us so.

On the other hand, those who do not obey and wholeheartedly serve their masters and employers, even if they are not found out and punished here, are known of the Lord and will be punished by Him.

God’s Word says: “But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.”

God does not show partiality. His judgment is fair and true. Those who rebel against Him and disobey Him – which includes disobedience and dishonesty toward earthly employers and masters – He will punish with everlasting punishment and torment in hell. God will not let some “slide” or get away with disobedience while He punishes others.

But those who repent – acknowledging their disobedience and sinfulness and trusting in the shed blood of Jesus for forgiveness and life – God will pardon and grant life everlasting in His eternal kingdom. Those who sincerely repent will also, with the help and aid of God the Holy Ghost, seek to amend their evil ways and live in obedience to the LORD God who created and redeemed them. And such obedience, of course, includes obedience to earthly masters and employers.

Dear Lord Jesus, forgive me for the many times I have not served my earthly employer wholeheartedly and given an honest day’s work for my wages. Forgive my sin and disobedience toward You for the sake of Your holy and precious blood shed for me upon the cross. And, with the help and aid of Your Holy Spirit, give me the desire and strength to serve and do my best at my job for those whom You have placed over me. Amen.

“Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.” Colossians 4:1

Not only does God require employees and servants to wholeheartedly serve their employers and masters, He requires masters and employers to pay a just and fair wage to their servants and employees.

Christian employers – those who acknowledge their own sinfulness and shortcomings and trust in Christ Jesus and His shed blood for forgiveness and life everlasting – will remember they belong to the LORD God who created and redeemed them. They, too, have a Master in heaven they serve and to whom they shall give an account.

Therefore, they will not want to cheat their employees out of fair pay for their work and a fair share in the profits they have produced by their labors. To do so would be stealing and is forbidden by God’s commandment: “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15).

God’s Word warns: “Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: at his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee” (Deuteronomy 24:14-15).

The Bible further warns: “Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work…” (Jeremiah 22:13).

The will of God in this matter is often ignored and overlooked. Instead of paying employees a fair wage for their work and for the profits they produce, employers often pay as little as possible in order to increase their own benefits. Thus, it often happens that many grow rich off the labor, skills and ideas of others while those who have produced the wealth struggle to survive.

Even though employers may be able to take advantage of their employees in this world, ultimately, God will judge; and He will punish those who have withheld just wages and mistreated those under their authority (cf. Luke 16:19ff.).

Employers and masters who acknowledge the LORD and the truthfulness of His Word will acknowledge their sin in regard to their employees and turn to the LORD God for His mercy and forgiveness and for His help and strength to do what is right.

For the sake of Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death for the sins of the world, there is forgiveness with the LORD. And in Christ Jesus, there is also help and strength to amend one’s ways and do what is good and right.

O LORD God, You have made me and all people. Forgive me for taking advantage of the works and labors of others without just reward and fair payment. Forgive me for the sake of Jesus and His sufferings and death for my sins and the sins of the whole world. Cleanse my heart and my ways, and move me to love and serve the needs of those who work under me in the same way as Christ Jesus loved me and gave Himself – even dying upon the cross – to earn my salvation and a place in His eternal kingdom. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

“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.” Colossians 4:2-4

The Apostle Paul, in prison for his testimony to the crucified and risen Christ, urges his fellow believers at Colosse to continue in prayer. And while they are praying to the Lord God, watching and giving thanks for God’s answers to their prayers, Paul urges them to remember him and his companions in their prayers as well.

Notice that Paul doesn’t request his release from prison, but rather the opportunity to speak of Christ and of the salvation Christ Jesus has accomplished for all mankind. Paul desires the opportunity to tell the mystery of Christ – that which had been veiled before and only in part revealed through the prophecies of the Old Testament but was now made known in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Paul was in bonds for telling the truth about Messiah Jesus, and he requested the prayers of his fellow believers that he would be given further opportunity to tell of Jesus and of the forgiveness and life which Jesus won for all mankind – both Jew and Gentile – by His holy life and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross for the sins of the world. Paul asked for prayers on his behalf that he might make the mystery of Christ manifest and openly known to all. He asked for prayers that he might hold back nothing, even in the face of adversity, but speak the saving Gospel as he ought to speak it.

This should be the desire of all ministers of the Gospel – for open doors and opportunities to speak the truth and tell others about Messiah Jesus and His life, death and resurrection. And, this should be our prayer for all who are called to preach the Gospel – that they would hold back nothing of God’s Word, but preach the truth and proclaim Christ Jesus and His blood shed upon the cross as the only hope for sinful mankind.

No matter what our circumstances or what obstacles would prevent us from speaking of Jesus and making known the plan of God for the salvation of the world – that great mystery which has been revealed to us in the coming of Christ Jesus and made known to us through the Word of God – let us pray that God would give us opportunities to speak of Jesus and of the forgiveness and life He won for all, and that we hold nothing back, but speak as we ought to speak, that others, too, may know Him and trust in Him as their Savior!

O Spirit of God, we thank You for making known to us the mystery of the Gospel – for revealing to us that Jesus is God the Son in human flesh and that He has made full atonement for all our sins by His holy life and innocent sufferings and death upon the cross for the sins of the world. Open doors that we and all your called ministers may make known the mystery of the Gospel. Give us boldness to speak as we ought to speak, testifying against unrighteousness and sin but proclaiming divine mercy and forgiveness in the crucified and risen Savior, Christ Jesus. In His name we pray. Amen.

“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.” Colossians 4:5-6

How should we, as Christians, conduct ourselves in our dealings with those outside Christ’s church? This the Apostle answers in the closing words of his instruction to the believers at the church in Colosse: “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.”

We, as believers ought to live our lives wisely in regard to those outside Christ’s church, redeeming the time and making use of every opportunity God gives to make known to them the truth revealed to us by God in His Word.

We may not realize it, but how we live and conduct our business here in this world can either make one want to know more of our faith or make them want nothing to do with it. Sometimes an uncharitable word is all it takes to close the door to further witness. Thus, how important it is to be charitable and honest in all our dealings with those, not only inside, but also outside the church!

We ought to buy back the time commonly given to evil or frivolity and make use of every moment God gives us to share the good news of God’s mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus.

Our speech should be “always with grace,” reflecting the grace of God toward us in Christ Jesus. When we remember how much the Lord has forgiven us and to what lengths He went to bring about our salvation – even going to the cross and suffering and dying for our sins – should it be any trouble for us to speak kindly even to our enemies and to those who have mistreated us?

Being “seasoned with salt” means our conversations with those outside the church should neither be continual preaching against them nor only kind words devoid of any rebuke of the law and comfort of the Gospel. The Christian must wisely and consistently share the truth at every opportunity but use care not to drive away the unbeliever by too much preaching. It involves interspersing God’s truth in our conversations so as to raise awareness of the truth and draw interest in it, making it possible to continue to share the admonitions of the law and the good news of forgiveness and life in Christ Jesus.

The way in which we converse with those outside Christ’s church may be different with each person, making it so important that our speech be always with grace and properly seasoned with salt so that we, in the right way, give answer to every person. For this, we most certainly need the wisdom and direction of God’s Spirit in our daily lives and conversations.

But what if we have been less than honest and charitable in our dealings with those outside the church? What if, instead of being motivated by God’s grace toward us, we have dealt with someone from the selfishness and wickedness of our old sinful nature? What can we do?

There is no better way than to honestly admit our sins and misdeeds to the Lord Jesus and to those – even outside of Christ’s church – whom we have offended. We know from God’s Word that God graciously forgives us for the sake of Christ’s blood shed for us upon the cross. And, when we admit our sins and failures and forgive the sins and failures of others, what better witness to our belief in the righteousness of God and in our total dependence upon His grace and mercy toward us for Jesus’ sake!

We do not proclaim ourselves righteous and holy and the world sinful. We share and proclaim that we all have sinned and come short of God’s righteousness but that with God there is mercy and forgiveness for Jesus’ sake! Cf. Romans 3:23ff. The Gospel we share is the good news that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom we are chief (cf. 1 Timothy 1:15-16). If God shows mercy to me because of Jesus, He also can and will show mercy to you!

O Holy Spirit, grant me wisdom in my dealings with those who do not yet know and trust in Christ Jesus, that my speech may reflect Your grace and that I might wisely use the time and opportunities given me to share the good news of God’s mercy toward sinners for Jesus’ sake. In His name I pray. Amen.

“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. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.” Colossians 4:12-13 (Read Colossians 4:7-14)

Within the greetings of fellow believers shared by the Apostle Paul is the greeting of Epaphras, a believer from Colosse who came to visit Paul in prison and who was a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Not only did Epaphras send greetings to his fellow believers, he prayed for them. Paul said to the Colossians that Epaphras was “always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.”

Epaphras’ prayers for the church at Colosse, as well as those in Laodicea and Hierapolis, were not brief, passing addendums. He labored fervently in prayer for them. He was continually wrestling with God and imploring God’s mercy and grace upon his fellow believers that they would not turn away from the truth and fall from saving faith in Christ Jesus but stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. He prayed that they would be brought to spiritual maturity and be filled up in all things pertaining to God’s will.

His prayer is similar to the desire of the apostle Paul for the believers at Ephesus, recorded for us in his letter, Ephesians 4:11-16: “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: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

The prayers of Epaphras and of the apostle Paul reveal to us God’s will for us as believers – that we grow up into Jesus Christ and heed His leading voice recorded for us in the Scriptures, that we no longer be carried this way and that with every wind of doctrine, but hold fast to Christ and His Word.

The prayers of Epaphras and the apostle are also an example to us for our prayers. Even when, for one reason or another, we are prevented from speaking to someone of the truth, we can labor fervently for them in our prayers.

Have we loved ones or children in this world who have been brought to Christ by the “washing of water by the Word” and introduced to their Savior through the teaching of the Holy Scriptures? Are they struggling with temptations from within and without? Lift them up in prayer, pleading with the Lord God to have mercy upon their souls and keep them from the evil one and the many dangerous and misleading lies of false teachers in the world. Pray that God would graciously restore the fallen and keep all of them in His protective hand and bring them safely through this evil world to Himself in heaven. Labor fervently in prayer that they might grow up into Christ Jesus, trust in Him alone and in His mercy for salvation, and “stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

This is my prayer for my children, grandchildren and for all those I know and love in this world. Let it be your prayer too.

And, when we remember that it is only by the grace and mercy of God that any of us have been brought to know Christ and to trust in His life, death and resurrection for our salvation, certainly we must admit that it is only by the gracious working of God that anyone for whom we pray can be brought to faith in Christ Jesus, be preserved in that faith, and be brought safely into heaven!

O Lord God, heavenly Father, have mercy upon us for the sake of Your Son, Christ Jesus, and His innocent sufferings and death in our stead. Graciously keep us in the faith until we reign with our risen Savior in heaven. And, dearest Lord Jesus, have mercy upon our children and grandchildren and all our loved ones. Graciously cause them to hear Your Word, trust in You for forgiveness and life, be preserved from the false and pernicious doctrines of the devil, and be kept in the one true and saving faith unto life everlasting. Amen.

“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.” Colossians 4:16 (Read Colossians 4:15-18)

How important it is to read and hear the Scriptures! In both the Old Testament and the New are commands to read the Scriptures.

In Deuteronomy 31:11-13, Moses commanded: “When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.”

Paul commanded Timothy: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). He also commanded Timothy to “give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:13).

It is through the Scriptures that we are made “wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect [meaning complete], throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

Thus, the apostle directed his hearers in Colosse, after they had read his letter, to see that it was read in the church at Laodicea; and they were to read Paul’s letter to the Laodiceans. Why? That they might hear and learn the truth and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith; that they be not led away into error and false doctrine; that they not be robbed of the comfort and assurance of forgiveness and life in Christ Jesus!

History also tells us that this was the practice of the early churches. They shared and circulated the writings of the apostles and read them in their services along with the Scriptures of the Old Testament. That is how the New Testament came to be used and accepted.

Peter, in his second epistle, refers to the writing of the Apostle Paul being circulated in the churches as Scripture (cf. 2 Peter 3:15-18). And of Scripture, he writes: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:19-21).

Because certain false teachers attempted to advance their errors with letters they claimed were written by the apostles, the Apostle Paul, though he dictated many of his epistles because of his eyesight, added his own signature so that his hearers would know it was his. Thus, he ends his epistle to the Colossians, “The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.”

Since God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105), and since faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word (Romans 10:17), reading, hearing and studying the Scriptures is so important for us as Christians. When we err in our ways and fall into some sin, God’s Word rebukes us and reveals our sin and need of repentance. When we are troubled by guilt and shame, God’s Word comforts us with the assurance that Christ Jesus paid in full for all our sins when He suffered and died upon the cross – that in the crucified and risen Christ Jesus, we have God’s pardon and forgiveness! When we desire to serve God and do His will, God’s Word teaches us what God’s will is and shows us how to conduct our lives here in this world.

How sad it is that both Christians and Christian churches so often fail to give attention to the reading and study of God’s Word! As a result, sins go unrebuked, troubled consciences go uncomforted, and many believers have no guidance and direction in their lives. And because people fail to continue in the Word, countless souls are lost to the lies and false teaching of the devil.

Jesus said to those who believed in Him: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).

Let us take the time to read, study and meditate upon God’s Word that He might graciously strengthen and keep us in the true faith in Jesus Christ until we go to be with Him forever in heaven!

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of Thy Holy Word we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which Thou hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, page 14)