COLOSSIANS 1:1

The Bible says in Colossians 1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother.” This verse identifies who is writing this epistle. Paul includes Timothy as an equal co-worker. Paul called Timothy “our brother.” This shows us that Paul was inclusive and generous, and that he was not at all competitive. It also shows that Paul did everything that he could to see that other preachers were given help and encouragement and opportunity in the ministry of the gospel. Evidently Paul understood the truth of what Christ had said, “The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few.”

Paul said that he was “an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.” The word “apostle” means “one who is sent forth.” The twelve apostles were sent forth by Jesus Christ to lay the foundation of the teachings of Christ and to help spread the gospel of Christ. Of course, it goes without saying that their message would always be centered around the person of Christ.

How did the twelve become apostles? How many degrees did they earn from how many seminaries in order to become qualified for this tremendous responsibility? Of course, having a degree from a university was not God’s requirement. The number one requirement to be an apostle was to be chosen of God for that work. Paul was highly educated, but some of the other apostles were not. Therefore, a certain level of education was not the requirement. The requirement was simply to be called of God. A few individuals were called to be apostles, but most believers were not. One thing that motivates false teachers is their arrogance. The false teachers want a position of leadership to which they have not been called by God. Paul said that he was an apostle of Jesus Christ “by the will of God.” After becoming saved, the most important thing in all the world is to know the will of God and to do it. Jesus prayed to the Father, “Not my will, but thine be done.” And Jesus told everyone to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” If you are not certain that you are doing the will of God, then give up your own will, and start praying for God’s will. And then after you have prayed for His will, believe that His will is being done and live by faith.

Colossians 1:2 identifies the people to whom Paul was writing. It says, “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.” Of course, Paul was writing to Christians. The teachings of the Bible are for those who believe in Christ and who are followers of Christ. There is only one teaching for those who are not saved: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

In Colossians 1:2 the physical location of these believers is mentioned: the city of Colosse in Asia Minor. But far more important is the spiritual position that they had. Just like all believers, they were “in Christ.” Because believers are positioned in Christ, believers are actually already everywhere that Christ is. That is one of the reasons that we know that we will be in heaven with Christ. In a very real way we are already in heaven because we are already in Christ. It says in Ephesians 2:6, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

Because believers are “in Christ,” we are saints and faithful brethren. The word “saint” comes from the same word as “holy.” A saint is a holy person: holy because of Christ. The righteousness of Christ has been credited to the account of every believer. It is a false teaching that says that only some believers are saints. Every believer is a saint in the eyes of God because every believer has been forgiven and has been placed “in Christ.” Of course, this came by having faith in Christ; and so we are all called “faithful brethren.” We are brethren because we are members of the same family: the family of God.

This introduction written by the Apostle Paul is very much like a benediction. Paul wishes that grace and peace be unto these believers in Colosse. What else do we need, if we have grace and peace? When we are given grace, God does for us freely what we are not capable of doing or obtaining ourselves. If we have this kind of grace, we will be able to do His will. If we have this kind of grace, we will not be at the mercy of our own frailties and weaknesses. This grace that comes through Christ is greater than all of our sins. We need grace from God and we also need peace. If we have the peace of God in our hearts, we will be able to endure any difficulty or tribulation. We will be able to face anything without being troubled because we will rest in Him and we will know that everything is in His hands. We will have peace because we will be full of faith in the Lord and full of confidence that He is leading our every step.

In Colossians 1:2 the Bible says that grace and peace come “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” God is our Father because He has given us life. But He gives more than life: He also gives all of the things that are needed in life. Nothing is needed more than grace and peace. If you do not have grace and peace, you will not be able to properly face what life will bring your way. Notice that grace and peace come from both the Father and from Jesus Christ. This close connection between the Father and Jesus Christ is given here in the introduction of Colossians for a reason. An emphasis is being made that Jesus is God. The word “Lord” is another word for God. Only God is Lord. The Lord is the Master. The Lord is the One who has all authority.

The Father and Jesus are mentioned together again in the next verse. It says in Colossians 1:3, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.” Paul did not only give thanks to the Father, but Paul also gave thanks to Jesus Christ. The giving of thanks is a prayer. Do you pray to Jesus Christ? Do you give thanks to Jesus Christ as well as to the Father? If you are of the same Spirit as the Apostle Paul, then you will give thanks to Jesus Christ. You will pray to Jesus and say the same things to Jesus that you say to God, because Jesus is God to the same degree that the Father is God.

In Colossians 1:4 only Jesus is mentioned without mentioning the Father. It says, “Since we heard of your faith in Jesus Christ, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.” Everyone has heard of faith in God. If you believe, then you have faith in God. What this verse is showing once again is that what is said of God, can also be said of Jesus Christ. If you believe, then you have faith in Jesus Christ. The One is interchangeable with the Other. When you say, “God,” you should be thinking of Jesus. Jesus is God manifest to man. Knowing Christ is knowing God. Praying to Jesus is praying to God. Having faith in Jesus is having faith in God. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

If you have true faith in Jesus Christ, then you should also have changes in your life that result from trusting in Christ. The most important result from trusting in Christ is to have love for other Christians. Paul said that he had heard “of the love which ye have to all the saints.” Notice that it says love for “all” the saints. A true believer in Jesus should love “all” other Christians, and not just the ones in their own denomination. Without love we are nothing. Our doctrines are of no value without love. And after love for God and Christ, a Christian should love the brotherhood. Your true family is your spiritual family and not your human family. Too bad that more believers do not understand this truth.

The Bible says in Colossians 1:5, “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.” This verse relates back to verse three where Paul said, “We give thanks to God.” Paul was thankful for “the hope which is laid up for you in heaven.” It is very important to be thankful for salvation and for having a home in heaven. The most important thing for any human being is to go to heaven. If you know that you are going to heaven, then no one can take that from you. You can and you should be thankful to God every day for this home in heaven.

In order to obtain heaven as a home, one must believe in Christ. And in order to believe in Christ, one must hear “the word of the truth of the gospel.” Faith cometh by hearing. “How shall they believe except they hear, and how shall they hear except someone bring them the gospel?” It says in Romans 10:15, “How beautiful are the feet of them who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things.” Listen, and you will hear many things being said in this world; but the best thing that you will ever hear is “the word of the truth of the gospel.” Fanny Crosby wrote a great gospel song about this truth that says:

Tell me the story of Jesus,

Write on my heart every word.

Tell me the story so precious,

Sweetest that ever was heard.

The Bible says concerning the gospel of Christ in Colossians 1:6, “Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit as it does also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.” When you have someone who preaches the gospel combined with someone who listens to and receives the gospel, this is the result: “fruit.” It is important to have fruit. That means that your life counts for something more than just human selfishness. God brought you into this world for a purpose, but that purpose is being fulfilled only if your life bears fruit for God. Once you hear the truth, if you respond properly to the truth, then you will bear fruit. Jesus said in John 15:1-8, “I am the vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

The Bible says in Colossians 1:7-8, “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.” Epaphras shows us something very important about the Christian ministry. He was not a preacher as far as we know, and yet he is called “a faithful minister.” The word “minister” refers to “one who serves.” If you are a Christian who serves others, then you are a minister according to the Bible. The idea of only calling preachers ministers is not Biblical. Epaphras did things that were very important for the furtherance of the gospel, even if he was not a preacher in the same sense that Paul was. God gives different believers different gifts and callings. All are important. The Bible says in First Corinthians 12:18, “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath please him.” It also says in First Corinthians 12:28, “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” It appears that Epaphras had the spiritual gift of “helps,” and evidently Paul valued greatly that gift that Epaphras put into use as a “minister.” Don’t try to be an Apostle Paul if you are called to be an Epaphras. One of the important factors in serving the Lord in this world is to find out what your spiritual gifts are, and look for opportunities to exercise those gifts. Each gift is important to Christ. He gave you the gift so that you would exercise it. Do not try to exercise a gift that you do not have. The Lord has work for each of us to do, and a calling for each of us to fulfill. This work is the work of the Spirit, and so our spiritual gifts have been given to us by the Spirit for His work. What a great Savior we serve. Not only did He save us by grace, He also gifted each one of us for His service in this world. Epaphras did not neglect his gift to serve. He was “a faithful minister of Christ.”

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