Colossians is a mini ethics course , aimed at each of the areas of Christian life . Paul ranges from individual life to life in the home and family , from work to how we should treat others. The theme of this book is the sufficiency of our Lord, Jesus Christ , to supply our needs in each area.
Summary
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- 1 Key Verses
- 2 Brief Summary
- 3 Connections
- 4 Practical Application
- 5 Sources
Key Verses
Colossians 1: 15-16, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him were created all things, those in heaven and those on earth , visible and invisible; be thrones, be dominions, be principalities, be powers; everything was created through him and for him. ”
Colossians 2: 8 “See that no one deceives you by means of philosophies and hollow subtleties, according to the traditions of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ.”
Colossians 3: 12-13, “Put on, then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, of tender mercy, of kindness, of humility, of meekness, of patience; enduring one another, and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. As Christ forgave you, so do you also. ”
Colossians 4: 5-6, “Walk wisely with those outside, redeeming time. Let your word always be with grace, seasoned with salt , so that you know how you should respond to each one. ”
Short summary
Colossians was written expressly to nullify the heresy that had arisen in Colossae, which endangered the existence of the church . While we don’t know what was said to Paul, this letter is his response.
We can summarize, based on Paul’s answer, that he was dealing with a misperception of Christ (His real and true human nature and the lack of acceptance of his complete deity.) Paul also seems to dispute about the ” Jewish ” emphasis on circumcision and traditions (Colossians 2: 8-11; 3:11). Apparently the heresy came from Judaic-Gnosticism or from a mix between Jewish asceticism and Greek philosophy (Stoics?). He does an incredible job of pointing out to us the sufficiency of Christ.
The book of Colossians contains doctrinal instruction regarding the deity of Christ and false philosophies (1: 15-2: 23), as well as practical exhortations regarding Christian conduct, including friendships and speaking (3: 1-4: 18).
Connections
As with all early churches, the problem of Jewish legalism in Colossae was of great concern to Paul. So radical was the concept of salvation by grace, apart from works, for those immersed in the law of the Old Testament , it was very difficult to understand.
Consequently, there was an ongoing movement among legalists to add certain requirements of the law to this new faith.
First among them was the requirement of circumcision, which was still practiced among some of the converted Jews. Paul contradicted this error in Colossians 2: 11-15, where he states that circumcision of the flesh was no longer necessary, because Christ had come. His was circumcision of the heart, not of the flesh, making ceremonial rites in the Old Testament unnecessary ( Deuteronomy 10:16, 30: 6; Jeremiah 4: 4, 9:26; Acts 7:51; Romans 2:29 ).
Practical application
Although Paul covers many areas, the basic application for us today is the total and complete sufficiency of Christ in our lives, both for our salvation and for our sanctification.
We must know and understand the gospel , so as not to be misled by subtle forms of legalism and heresy. We must be on guard for any deviations that minimize the greatness of Christ as Lord and Savior.
Any ” religion ” that tries to equate itself with truth, using books that claim to be in equal authority with the Bible , or that combine human effort with divine achievement in salvation, should be avoided.
Other religions cannot be combined with or added to Christianity. Christ gives us the absolute standards of moral conduct. The Christianity is a family, a way of life and a relationship – not a religion. The works of God, astrology , occultism, and horoscopes do not show us the ways of God. Only Christ does it. His will is revealed in His Word, it is His love letter to us; We must get to know her!
