Jesus is head of his church (Colossians 1:18)

‘And he is the head of the body, the church.’

This may be the detail in Paul’s description of Jesus that is the least thought about, although much is said about it in ecclesiastical and denominational disputes. No doubt, such disputes are important when error is advocated. But what would be the significance of saying this about Jesus to a Christian group in Colosse in the first century?

One point is that it is a reminder that believers who live in not-so-important places belong to the same church as those who live in what may be regarded as important places.

A second point is that every believer is equal as far as their union with Christ is concerned. Living in Colosse was not a reason for imagining that less divine guidance and less divine power and less divine grace would be available for them in their gospel witness and church growth. They would not be able to have the same number of committees or activities, but they had the same Christ helping them to live the Christian life, to be salt and light in Colosse.

A third detail is that the Christians in Colosse will share with other Christians in the future eternal glory that Christ will give to his church. The Christians in Colosse were included in the prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17 concerning those who would yet believe in him. Colosse may not have been much in comparison to nearby Laodicea or faraway Rome, but Christians in all places have a great future because they are part of Christ’s church.

Later on in this letter (2:19, Paul uses the same illustration of the church as a body and says that every part receives its sustenance from Christ the head. He knows whatever spiritual provision is needed at every moment by each person in his church, and he provides it. Living in Colosse may have caused the inhabitants of the town to miss out some things, but there was no reason why the members there of Christ's church should lose out on his blessing apart from a decision by any of them to go after something else instead.

Two New Year services

In an 1829 book of sermons by John Pitcairn, once the Relief minister of Kelso, there are two New Year’s Day sermons. In the first, he preached on time, and in the second, on the first day of the following year, he preached on eternity.

What did he say about time concerning his hearers? Six things. It is the gift of God; it is a very valuable gift because without it sinners cannot enjoy any of God’s other gifts, especially the gospel; although it is very valuable, it is subject to abuse whenever we don’t live for eternity; it is extremely rapid (it never stops for a moment); once it is gone, it is absolutely irrevocable; and it is very short and quite uncertain.

What did he want his listeners to do in response? Reflect, repent and amend. Reflect on how they had employed their time. Repent of and ask forgiveness from God for misusing time. Amend and let past negligence prompt them to diligence. And he closed by saying, ‘May God give you grace to improve time, and make you happy through eternity; and to his name, in Christ, be all the praise. Amen.’

One year later, what did he say about eternity? Five things. There is a period of endless duration, which we call Eternity; in this endless period of duration, there are two states extremely different, in one or other of which all mankind shall be assigned their portions; that time is given to man, in order to prepare for eternity – for avoiding the state of misery, and enjoying the state of bliss; that it is the extremity of folly, and attended with the highest danger, to allow the objects of the present state to engross that time and attention which should be devoted to the interests of eternity; that it is highly proper, is absolutely necessary, at the beginning of a new year to give serious attention to one’s eternal interests.

On looking at those sermons, some thoughts came to mind. Did any who heard the first sermon resolve to use their remaining time to prepare for eternity by trusting in Jesus? Did those who paid no heed to the first sermon pay attention to the second? How many who heard one or both sermons are now with the preacher in heaven? How many of his listeners will be his crown of rejoicing when Jesus returns and rewards him for his faithful labours?

Creating and upholding (Colossians 1:17)

 ‘And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together’ (Colossians 1:17).

When we think someone or something is great, we will speak about him or it often, even if we are repeating ourselves. Paul has already told the Colossians about the pre-existence of Jesus. Yet he mentions the claim again in this verse, not because his readers may have missed his earlier emphasis, but because the fact is worth re-telling. Is that not what worship is? Worship is repeating well-known truths about God to God, sometimes in the presence of others and sometimes when we are by ourselves. It is a great privilege, when speaking to God or about God, to repeat what he has said about himself.

 

Paul describes the preexistence of Jesus by using the present tense. Maybe he does so to ensure that we don’t conclude that the greatness of Jesus depends on his activities in the cosmos. After all, an artist is famous because of his paintings; if he had not produced his works of art, he would not be known about. His glory comes after he has produced something commendable. In contrast, Jesus is always full of divine glory. Of course, he has received further glory because of what he did when he became a man and brought about salvation before ascending as the God/man mediator to the highest position. Yet we confess he is the one who is glorious eternally.

 

Because of who he is, the Son of God can do remarkable things. One of them is that he constantly keeps everything in existence in himself. We can remind ourselves of this truth when we look out on a clear night to the star-filled sky or marvel at the beauty of a morning sunrise. But we also see this truth when we look in the mirror. Our minds and hearts, our capabilities and affections, are upheld by him moment by moment. Perhaps the next time we are in a crowded airport, we can reflect for a few minutes on how much depends on the Son of God holding all things together – arriving and leaving planes, all kinds of people going through different experiences, the long or short journeys that people make, and much more. All depends on him. Without him, nothing would exist. Without him, there would be no all things.

 

It is possible to deduce from his preserving of all things that he has plans for the current cosmos. Otherwise, he would have removed it and brought its existence to an end. We know that the creation will undergo deliverance from bondage at the public manifestation of the sons of God. We could say that the Saviour is keeping in existence his inheritance, and ours, as he holds all things in their places. So his upholding is not only for his glory, but it is also an expression of his desire to have a place where he will be with his people forever.

Where to see God's love (Alexander Somerville)

Some time ago, our astronomers were desirous of making researches into the nature and the structure of the sun; and, for their purpose, they despatched many competent parties to different regions of the globe, in order to take observations of the great luminary, and scrupulously to record the results. Strange to say, the critical opportunity selected by them for gaining insight into the structure of the orb of light was that afforded during the few moments of total eclipse. The brief season of entire obscuration of the sun was found better than any other for attaining their object. 

So it is with the Divine love. Would we know the qualities and intensity of that love, we must conduct our enquiries at the place, and at the time when the Father's face was hid from the Son of His love; when, in the deep gloom of Calvary, the Son of God was made a propitiation for our sins, and that cry rang through the darkness, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' It is in the Cross, where our great substitute died for the guilty, where, to use the emphatic language of scripture, Christ 'was made a curse for us,' that we acquire our best acquaintance with the 'great love' of God (Alexander Somerville). 

Thinking about Colossians 1:16 - Jesus the Creator of all

‘For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him’ (Colossians 1:16).

Paul uses three prepositions to describe the role of the Son of God in the divine work of creation. All things were created by him, through him, and for him. The prepositions indicate divine power, divine role and divine purpose. ‘By’ reveals he had the ability to create all things out of nothing; ‘through’ shows that he was the agent through whom the Father created the universe; and ‘for’ tells us that he was the appointed heir of all things. As the Matthew Henry Commentary observes, Jesus ‘is the end, as well as the cause of all things.’

Although Paul refers to the original creation work at the beginning, as described in Genesis 1, the only creatures he highlights are not mentioned in Genesis 1, the four heavenly orders or levels of authority. Does he mention the four because there was speculation in Colosse about angelic orders? Usually, those heavenly beings are described as angels, with one archangel over them called Michael. Whatever levels of authority there are, they are all creatures, created by the Son of God and infinitely below him.

It is possible to read the verse as saying that Jesus is above all authority whether visible (human rulers) or invisible (the four levels of angels are then mentioned to say what Paul has in mind by ‘invisible’). Moreover, he has authority over sinful rulers, whether human or angelic. Not that they serve him willingly or intentionally, yet he can overrule them constantly. All of them combined have no authority in comparison to who he is.

To say that all things were made for the Son of God is also a reminder of the Day of Judgement. All creatures, whether human or angelic, who did not fulfil the main reason for their existence, which was to live for his glory, will be judged by him at the Great Day and will be sentenced by him to a lost eternity.

Discovering that all things were made primarily by, through and for the Son of God gives a new insight into what we see or know to be around us. Why is Everest so high, why are the seas so deep, why the ranges of hours of daylight, why so many kinds of creatures, why anything? Because it pleased him who possessed the power, who acted as the Father’s agent, and who knew the divine purpose, to make them all.

The verse also challenges Christians as to who or what they are living for. Some in Colosse seemed to have shown a greater interest in speculative angelic positions than in living for Christ. Who or what are we living for?

Exhortation by John Love

Exhortation given at close of an address delivered in April 1794 in connection with the Society in Scotland for Propagating Religious Knowledge in the Highlands and Islands.

‘One thing remains. Let all the sincere lovers of Jesus Christ unite in giving Him glory: Immanuel, God in our nature! Wonderful Saviour! Thee we adore, One with the Father and the Spirit in the Divine Essence, and in the counsel of salvation; Thee we acknowledge the Purchaser, the Bestower of every spiritual blessing; to Thee we ascribe the honour, and commit the success, of every disposition and endeavour to do good; to Thee we humbly devote our spirits and our bodies; to the unclouded sight of Thy glory we aspire; in the bosom of Thy immediate Presence may we dwell for ever; and partake, with Thy redeemed multitudes, in all the burning raptures of Thine immortal love. Amen and Amen.’

Joy in the Holy Ghost

William MacEwen (The author pastored a church in Dundee in the eighteenth century).

This excellent fruit of the Spirit may be viewed either as that habitual cheerfulness of temper, which the sincere Christian, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, studies to maintain upon all occasions; or it may be considered as importing in it those ravishing sallies of pleasure and delight which an apostle styles joy unspeakable and full of glory; which are only indulged in some happy moments and on special occasions. Let us begin with the first.

It is true, his heart is contrite; and rivers of waters have been known to run down his eyes; in so much that superficial spectators may take him for a man of sorrows, a gloomy, melancholy creature. But could they look into his heart, they would find it full of the oil of gladness; even when his eyes are full of the tears of sorrow. The smile of God from without, of conscience from within, cannot fail to inspire him with such cheering tranquility as could not possibly result merely from the most excellent temperature of body or the most easy circumstances of this world. He thankfully receives the gifts of providence; tastes in them that the Lord is good; but chiefly he rejoices in the word of the truth of the gospel; and that his name is written in heaven; that God is his Father, Christ his Saviour, and heaven his inheritance. Be it so, that sometimes, through the agency of wicked and melancholy spirits without, and the too great prevalence of unbelief within, he gives too much way to a desponding frame; he very well knows that it is neither acceptable to God, glorifying to Christ, pleasing to the Spirit, honouring to the gospel, edifying to his neighbour, or beneficial to his own soul.

Ask you the cordials that cheer his drooping spirits? He meditates on God and rejoices under the shadow of his wings. He reads his Bible and finds it to the joy of his heart. He mortifies every known sin. He pours out unto God the sorrows of his heart. His countenance is no more sad. For God is favourable unto him and he will see his face with joy. Such is the habitual serenity of mind he studies to maintain. Such are the means by which it is promoted.

But in some blessed periods of his life, some happy days which the Lord has made, his joy, like a river swelled by impetuous rains, bursts all its banks and carries all before it; at once the joys, at once the sorrows of the world. When he obtains the most comfortable intimations of the divine favour, of his interest in the Redeemer, and of his title to the heavenly inheritance: O then how his heart exults! How his countenance looks cheerful! How the voice of melody is heard in his tabernacle! Now every object is fit to fill his mind with highest rapture. Every perfection of the divine nature; every purpose of his will; every sentence of his word; every operation of his hand; every privilege of his covenant, whether in hand or hope, is a well of salvation, out of which he draws water with joy. The birds mend their notes, the sun his beams, the outgoings of the morning and evening are made more joyful. All sorrow is turned into joy before him. Every desert rejoices. Every wilderness blossoms as the rose. Every mountain of discouragement skips like a calf: Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. Every cloud is stamped with a rainbow. Death loses his dart; the grave lays aside her gloom; and hell her chosen terrors.

Great is the joy of the bridegroom when he is put in possession of his fair one; of the mother when her pangs are over and a man child is born into the world; of the husbandman when the labours of the year are finished and his barns filled with plenty; of the soldier when a happy victory puts an end to the fatigues of a tedious campaign. But what is the joy of the bridegroom? What is the joy of the child-bearing woman? What is the joy of the harvest? And what is the joy of them that find great spoil? What are any, what are all these joys, to the joy of him that rejoices in the Lord and is glad in the God of his salvation? For who can tell what is included in the epithet of it given by a blessed apostle – ‘unspeakable and full of glory?’ If such O Lord, are the first fruits, what must be the harvest of that light which is sown for the righteous, and gladness which is sown for the upright in heart? If in this vale of tears, thy favourite ones so greatly rejoice: who can conceive what is prepared for them in that state when they shall come into thy beatific presence where there is fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore?

Thinking about Colossians 1:15 – the Greatness of Jesus

In this verse, and the following verses, the Holy Spirit leads Paul to give a magnificent description of Jesus as to his person and activities. In doing so, the apostle gives answers to important questions that would have been asked by his contemporaries about Jesus.

 

First, Paul says that Jesus is the exact image of the invisible God. He means that, in Jesus, the invisible God who cannot be seen was seen by his creatures. His description refers to the incarnate Christ and his mission on earth. The idea is like the statement by the apostle John when he said of Jesus that ‘No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known’ (John 1:18). Or we can think of Jesus’ self-description when he told Phillip that ‘Whoever has seen me has seen the Father’ (John 14:9).

 

As Calvin put it, ‘he is revealed to us in Christ alone, that we may behold him as in a mirror. For in Christ he shows us his righteousness, goodness, wisdom, power, in short, his entire self. We must, therefore, beware of seeking him elsewhere, for everything that would set itself off as a representation of God, apart from Christ, will be an idol.’

 

It is possible to see some of God’s attributes through looking at the creation. As Paul says in Romans 1, in creation we can see God’s power in that he made the universe and sustains it in existence. We can also deduce that since he is the creator of all things he existed before all things that he made. It is also possible to conclude from harvests that God the creator reveals his goodness to his creatures.

 

Yet the revelation of God in creation is limited as far as we are concerned. Creation does not tell us that God is triune, that he is love, that he is merciful, that he is full of pity, as well as many other details about him. We cannot discern God’s plan for the creation merely by looking at the creation.

 

Jesus, however, revealed those truths about God. He told us that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Through his explanations connected to his acts of kindness, he showed that God is full of compassion and mercy. By giving himself to die on the cross for our sins, he revealed that God is love, that he gave his Son for that purpose. His giving himself showed that God had a plan of salvation, a plan that intends to bring sinners into his family, to sanctify them by his Holy Spirit, and to bring them to dwell in God’s presence for ever. He also revealed that God will judge those who rebel against him, and that the Judge will be Jesus himself.

 

When he calls Jesus the image of the invisible God, Paul does not suggest that Jesus is somehow inferior to God. Rather, when he came to reveal the Father, it was the Creator who had entered our world. He did not cease to be divine when he became human. Yet he did reveal more about God when he came and did so because he was and is God. The Son of the Father’s love became man to show us his Father.

Thought on Colossians 1:14 – True Liberty

Redemption has the meaning of setting slaves free from an owner by the payment of a ransom price. Paul mentions here that Jesus has liberated his people from a hostile power, described in the previous verse as the power of darkness. He makes a connection between the hold that that power had on them and the fact that they were guilty sinners.

The power of darkness is the devil, and he has a hold on sinners in the sense that he can demand punishment for their sins. He knows that sinners deserve punishment and that God will judge them for their sins and pronounce the sentence that sin deserves. It would have seemed impossible for that situation to be changed.

Paul, however, knows that God provided the way for sinners to experience deliverance from this awful  outcome. He had revealed how he would do this in several Old Testament passages such as Isaiah 53, but as Peter says, even the prophets who foretold this deliverance did not fully appreciate what they were predicting.

Jesus paid the ransom price when he died on the cross as a sacrifice for his people’s sins. When they believe in him through responding to the gospel, they are forgiven all their sins. God, the judge who otherwise would have condemned them, now freely pardons them because Jesus paid the penalty.

It is important to note the present tense of the verb, that believers have redemption, the forgiveness of their sins. As Christians, they no longer are enslaved, imprisoned in a dungeon awaiting punishment. Rather they are now subjects in the kingdom of Christ. The devil no longer has any claim on them in connection to the penalty their sins deserved. They have been redeemed from their sinful state and brought into his amazing, delightful, eternal kingdom.

Thoughts on Colossians 1:12-13 – Thankful for a change

Verse 12 gives a reason for Paul’s gratitude concerning the Colossians – the Heavenly Father had qualified them to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. ‘Saints in light’ is the opposite of ‘sinners in darkness’. The Colossians had been sinners in darkness, but through responding to the gospel they had become saints living in the presence of God.

The position they have is an inheritance from the Father. Paul is glad that the Colossians are fellow heirs with him of the riches of divine grace. It is not so much that they have those things than that they have an unchangeable place in his presence where they enjoy all those things. They are always under his eye, as it were.

Paul does not mean that they are sinless, although one day they will be. He does not mean that they are no longer in Colosse, although one day they will be. Something has happened to them that their sinfulness does not alter and that a change of circumstances will not disrupt. They are already qualified even although they are not yet perfect and are not yet in heaven.

The Colossians are as really children of God as he and his Jewish fellow-believers in Jesus are. Both Gentile and Jewish Christians have experienced a great deliverance without physically moving an inch. God the Father did two actions on their behalf at their conversion. First, he took them out of a realm and, second, he put them in another kingdom. The realm they left forever is dark, the kingdom they entered forever is light.

As Spurgeon put it, ‘Oh, Christian! If you are careless, if you are asleep, if tonight your heart is heavy and dull, I should like to come and whisper this right into your soul, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness.” We are now to be active, earnest, zealous and full of devoted life!’

It is easy to forget the great change that has happened to believers. Now we belong to the kingdom of Jesus and will do so forever. When we trusted in Jesus through believing the gospel by the illumination of the Spirit, we were justified (given a permanent standing) and adopted (given a permanent status) by the Father. Of course, the full experience of the Father’s grace is in the world to come, but still we should remind ourselves what he has done for us already, and thank him for the change.

Thoughts on Colossians 1:9–11 - Intercession

Christians  often wonder what they should pray for other believers, especially when they have not seen them for a while. One reason for this concern is that we can limit prayer to specific circumstances in a person’s life rather than focussing on ongoing spiritual matters that are common to all Christians.

Although Paul and his friends would have some knowledge of the circumstances facing the Christians in Colosse, they would not have exact knowledge of their immediate temporal needs. But that did not prevent them interceding daily for the Colossian Christians. What did they pray for?

They prayed that the Colossians would have spiritual wisdom and understanding so to live according to God’s will. In order to make spiritual progress, they needed to be submissive to God’s holy requirements. Although they did not have the New Testament, they would have been taught by Epaphras the implications of the gospel. They also would have access to the demands of God contained in the Old Testament.

The obedience that Paul prayed for was to be continuous, with full commitment to Christ the Lord. After all, the life he lived for us was continuous and fully committed. While we know that no Christian can live a totally dedicated life, that is not a reason for not praying that they will be as dedicated as possible. Such a way of living, while not perfect, gives pleasure to the One who died for us on the cross.

Such consecration has two benefits. One is fruitfulness in every area of Christian living. The other is growth in the knowledge of God. Paul probably means experiential knowledge of God’s power (Paul mentions that power in three ways in verse 11, and it is amazing that such power is available to sinners). The experience of that power brings persistence in serving God, perseverance despite the circumstances, and a growing sense of God-given joy in our hearts.

What should I pray today for my fellow Christians?

Thoughts on Colossians 1:7-8

Pauline descriptions

It was through Epaphras that the gospel had come to Colosse. The gospel he brought there had to be taught there, which indicates that by ‘gospel’ Paul had more in mind than how a sinner becomes a Christian. We are not told why Epaphras was now with Paul. Maybe he had gone there to ask Paul for advice about a matter or perhaps he had gone there to inform Paul about the spiritual health of the congregation and dangers they faced, or he could have gone with a gift from the congregation, or possibly all three reasons.

Paul refers to Epaphras as ‘our beloved fellow servant’. Literally, he says ‘fellow slave,’ a reminder that they had a common Master, Jesus the Lord. Describing themselves in this way indicates the depth and extent of their devotion to Jesus. He had purchased them by his redeeming death, they had been bought with a great price. His words are also a reminder that they served Jesus wherever they were. He was constantly first in their lives.

By ‘our’, Paul probably means himself and Timothy or himself and other believers then with him. Whoever they were, they all had the same attitude towards Epaphras – they loved him. It is a strong word – dearly beloved. Brotherly love is a basic evidence of salvation, as the apostle John reminded his readers in his first letter.

Paul also says that Epaphras was a faithful servant of Christ. Here the word for servant is the word for a waiter or a deacon and was often used to describe how a pastor functioned in a church. Basically, he gave to those under his care what was good for their spiritual health, and he gave to them from the resources that Jesus has in abundance. Faithfulness to Jesus required Epaphras to get from Jesus in heaven that which was good for his people in Colosse. We can see how Epaphras would have done this by noting what is said about his prayer life in 4:12.

Epaphras was not only faithful to Jesus, he was also faithful to the Colossians. He ensured that Paul and others knew what kind of believers the Colossians were. Paul has already referred to their love for all the saints and maybe he and others deduced that such love could only have come from the Holy Spirit. Perhaps it was Epaphras who said that such was the change in their lives that the only explanation was the sanctifying work of the Spirit. Either way, the challenge comes to us – do we have such love?

John Brown - The Glorious Work of Mercy

 ‘Mercy and Truth are met together: Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven: Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good, and our land shall yield her increase.’

The redemption of sinners is, strictly speaking, the work of mercy; and though no excellency of God is subordinate to another in itself, yet in this transaction they seem all to act as employed by love. Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

No sooner had Mercy intimated that she intended to save, than WISDOM stepped forward  and said, ‘I will form the plan’; and now that the scheme is made known, it is scarce possible for the saved to forbear exclaiming, ‘O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God!’

 

POWER proposed to lend her arm to execute Mercy’s projects; and all who have seen the work acknowledge that she hath done great things, and marvellous deeds without number.

 

GOODNESS, natural Goodness, said, that for her part she would give to Mercy her earth and heaven, to be theatres where she might show to the ages to come the exceeding riches of her grace; and she did as she said.

 

JUSTICE engaged that, for Mercy’s sake, she would cause her sword to work against the man [who is] God’s fellow, that she would smite the Shepherd till she received full satisfaction, and in the fullness of time she acted according to promise.

 

HOLINESS was equally cheerful, and vowed that, agreeably to her nature, she would sanctify Mercy's objects, that Mercy might have honour by her deeds. So she promised, and so she performs; for when any man is united to Christ, he becomes a new creature: ‘Old things pass away, and behold all things are made new.’

 

INDEPENDENCY hinted to Mercy, that however great her gifts, yet the divine glory could not suffer; Jehovah being God over all blessed for ever.

 

INFINITY intimated, that however numerous her wretched objects, she need fear no expense, for God was all-sufficient.

 

UNCHANGEABLENESS assures us, that having once begun the saving work, neither the provocations of men, nor the alterations in their lot, should cause a change in this; God is the Lord, he changeth not, and therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed.

 

Yes; and ETERNITY declared that if Time would not serve Mercy to perform her kind deeds, and to confer her special favours, a long forever should be had: ‘Israel should be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation, and not ashamed nor confounded, world without end.’

 

What shall I say? With Redemption, the work of Mercy, in my eye, I think I see all the attributes engaged at once, all acting in the greatest harmony, and all, so far as men can conceive, exerting themselves to the uttermost!

(From among the Papers of the late Rev. J. BROWN, Author of Self-interpreting Bible.)

 

 

 

Thoughts on Colossians 1:6 – Gospel growth

It is astonishing that we can say that the gospel has come somewhere, given that we as sinners do not deserve to hear good news from God. Yet it is also astonishing that Paul could say that the gospel had come everywhere, and he could make that claim within a few decades of the giving of the great commission by Jesus.

Whatever Paul meant by the ‘whole world’, the church was growing and spreading to the regions beyond. As Calvin commented, ‘in the multitude of the believers at that time there was beheld an accomplishment of the many predictions which extend the reign of Christ from the East to the West.’

Moreover, Paul was informed, without aids such as the internet, as to this global growth. Maybe God told him (the Holy Spirit certainly inspired him to write about it). He also had a wide range of contacts. Romans 16 tells us that he knew a great deal about the church in Rome long before he travelled to the capital of the empire. Of the initial destinations of his letters, those to Rome and Colosse are the two locations he had not been to before he composed them, yet he knew much about them. He had different reasons for writing his letters, yet they all reveal that he knew to some degree those to whom he was writing, even the names of some of them.

The gospel comes to places with different degrees of experience and prospects. Colosse had been an important place in the past, but its influence and size had declined. Still, the gospel came to it. Further, shortly after receiving this letter, the city was destroyed in an earthquake and we do not know what happened to the Christians there. Still, the gospel came to it. Presumably, they helped in rebuilding the city. But they would be grateful to know that in the gospel they had an immovable foundation on which to build their lives.

The gospel can be described in different ways. Sometimes its contents are detailed, at other times its effects are mentioned. Paul here says that the gospel is alive, having constant effects in the lives of the believers living in Colosse; in other words, their sanctification. Through the gospel, they experienced in a true manner the grace of God. Their minds had been enlightened about the provision of salvation and they had embraced it and continued to experience its power.

The incarnation tells us God is love (Thomas Chalmers)

The veil, which hides the unseen God from the eye of mortals, must be somehow withdrawn. Now all this has been done once, and done only, in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, He being the brightness of His Father’s glory, and the express image of His person. 

The Godhead became palpable to human senses; and man could behold, as in a picture or in distinct personification, the very characteristics of the Being who made him. Then truly did men hold converse with Immanuel, which is, being interpreted, God with us. They saw His glory in the face of Jesus and the very characteristics of the Divinity Himself may be said to have appeared in authentic representation before them, when God manifest in the flesh descended on Judea, and sojourned amongst its earthly tabernacles. 

By this mysterious movement from heaven to earth, the dark, the untrodden interval, which separates the corporeal from the spiritual, was at length over come. The King eternal and invisible was then placed within the ken of mortals. They saw the Son, and in Him saw the Father also so that while contemplating the person and the history of a man, they could make a study of the Godhead.

And it is thus the unequivocal demonstration has been given, that God is love. We could not scale the heights of that mysterious ascent which might bring us within view of the Godhead. It is by the descent of the Godhead unto us, that this great manifestation has been given; and we learn and know of God, from the wondrous history of Him who went about doing good continually. 

We could not go in search of the viewless Deity, through the depths and the vastnesses of infinitude; or discover the secret, the untold purposes, that were brooding there. But in no way could a more palpable exhibition have been made, than when the eternal Son shrined in humanity stepped forth on the platform of visible things, and on the proclaimed errand to seek and to save us.

We can now read the character of God in the human looks and in the human language of Him who is the very image and visible representation of the Deity. We see it in the tears of sympathy which He shed. We hear it in the accents of tenderness which fell from Him. Even His very remonstrances were those of a meek and gentle nature; for they are remonstrances of deepest pathos, the complaints of a longing and affectionate spirit, against the sad perversity of men bent on their own undoing. 

When visited with the fear that God looks hardly and adversely towards us, let us think of Him who had compassion on the famishing multitudes; of Him who mourned with the sisters of Lazarus; of Him who, when He approached the city of Jerusalem, wept over it, at the thought of its coming desolation. And knowing that the Son is like unto the Father, let us re-assure our hopes with the certainty that God is love.

Thoughts on Colossians 1:3-5 – Gratitude

The ‘we’ here is likely Paul and Timothy or it could be them plus others who were with them as Paul dictated this letter. Those others are mentioned in 4:7-14. Whoever the ‘we’ are, Paul was eager to inform the Colossians that they were being prayed for regularly. It is good when we can say that about Christians we are in contact with.

The particular aspect of prayer that Paul mentions in these verses is thanksgiving. He and Timothy (and friends?) never omitted thanksgiving whenever they prayed for the Colossian church. This was an important aspect of their brotherly love and practice of Christian unity. They were thankful that there was a community of believers in a small location. Indeed, as one author says, Paul ‘rejoiced to see every sign of the work of grace in the various communities of Christians, and had equal joy in acknowledging this in thanksgiving to God.’ We know plenty churches that we can pray for.

Paul’s prayer commitment increased rather than decreased when he was informed about conversions elsewhere. Since there were problems now in the church in Colosse we can see why the burden would grow as he was informed about where they were spiritually by Epaphrus. When I hear about another church, do they become part of my prayers? Being updated means we cannot ignore the information, but instead we should pray for them. But how?

Paul followed the teaching of Jesus about praying to the Father, although here he describes him as the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ rather than the Father of his people. Maybe he was thinking about why his prayers for the Colossians would be heard. Always present with the Father in heaven is the mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name all acceptable prayer is made.

In his thanksgiving, Paul uses the trilogy of faith, love and hope to describe the encouragements he had about praying for the Colossians. Each of the attitudes were present in their spiritual outlook. Their faith in Jesus had commenced when they responded initially to the gospel and was still active. A Christian’s aim regarding Jesus is to depend on him always. Doing so encourages other believers to pray for that Christian. Love for all the saints is a normal consequence of trusting in Jesus, even the grumpy ones. It is impossible to do one without the other. We know we have passed from death to life when we love our fellow Christians. Lack of brotherly love is an ominous sign.

It is not clear whether ‘because of’ indicates a third reason for Paul’s gratitude or whether it suggests that the Colossians’ faith and love were stimulated by the prospect held securely for them in heaven. Perhaps Paul had both realities in mind. He does not mean that getting to heaven is their hope, but rather heaven is the secure place where what they are hoping for is safe in the meantime. Hope in its New Testament form is connected to what will be known when Jesus returns from heaven and provides his people with full salvation. Since all Christians have that hope, it is a reason for praying for one another and is also a means of increasing their dependence on Jesus and growing in love for those who will share glory with them. As Calvin observed, ‘For the hope of eternal life will never be inactive in us, so as not to produce love in us.’

Paul probably mentioned those three graces of faith, love and hope because together they showed that the Colossian believers were genuine Christians. When we examine ourselves or when we consider individuals for church membership, what should we look for? Faith in Christ, love for God’s people, and a longing for glory.

Thoughts on Colossians 1:1-3 – Greetings

Paul in this greeting did not call himself ‘the apostle’, as if he were more important than the other apostles, nor did he say that Timothy was ‘my brother’. In other words he did not think that he was the centre of his universe or of anyone else’s universe. He saw himself as an apostle, a particular servant of Christ commissioned by him, and a brother of all other believers. As has been said, he was sent by Christ to do his work for and in the church, and that is how Paul saw himself.

Paul liked to draw people’s attention to deep doctrines. So here in his greeting he mentions God’s sovereign will in arranging the role that Paul would have in the church. He also mentions the permanent relationship that all believers have with one another – they are brothers in the family of God. It is good to think about both those doctrines as they affect us as Christians. Our role in the church was planned by God and we have the privilege of being in his family.

Paul also reminded Christians that divine salvation makes them into new people. They are saints, set apart to God and in the process of being changed by God. Because that is happening, they can be faithful brothers wherever they are. Paul could say that about his readers even although it seems he had not yet met most of them and had not even been to Colosse.

Colosse was not as large a location as the nearby cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis. No doubt, the church in Colosse would have been smaller than churches in the larger cities. Yet what went on in the church in Colosse was important to the apostle, and he did not assume that a small church in a smaller locality could be ignored.

Because the Colossian had been saved and were thus united to Christ, Paul knew that, as members of the Father’s family, they could and should know the blessings of fresh experiences of heavenly grace and peace. This experience was his desire for them, and was a pointer as to what they should pray for one another. Why should they focus on those blessings? Because they are the ongoing benefits of true religion. Grace is the source and peace is the outcome, and they occur repeatedly.

Holiness by John Brown

Having thus directed your attention to the nature of true holiness, and considered it as influencing both the internal principles and the external conduct, let me now attempt to fix your mind for a little on some of its distinguishing qualities. The holiness of which I speak is real. He in whom it dwells is no hypocrite; he has truth in his inward parts; he is an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile; he does not regard iniquity in his heart; his prayer is, ‘Draw out my desires towards thee; let my heart be found in thy statutes.’ Remembering that God always sees him, he abhors every wicked way, and endeavours to practise every duty.

This holiness is scriptural. This is one of its characteristic qualities. Nothing but true holiness has this character. Bring counterfeit holiness to the touchstone of the Scriptures, and its spurious nature is soon discovered. But this answers the description of holiness contained in the Scriptures; its rule and pattern are to be found there; it is by Scripture, as an instrument, that it is produced; the doctrines, promises, laws, threatenings, etc. of Scripture are the means of its being formed and strengthened. ‘Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.’ The more clear our conceptions, and the firmer our faith of the doctrines of the Gospel, the more abundantly will we yield the fruits of righteousness, which are by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God. Wherever the Gospel comes with efficacy it brings forth fruit, and the divine nature, of which saints are made partakers, is communicated by means of the exceeding great and precious promises. They are cast into the mould of Gospel doctrine (Rom. 6:17).

This holiness is, farther, extensive, and indeed universal. It influences all the faculties of the mind, all the affections of the heart, all the actions of the life: ‘He that sitteth on the throne saith, Behold I make all things new.’ It includes in it all kinds of duties, religious and moral, personal and relative, public and private. It is bounded only by the capacities of human nature and the injunctions of the divine law, and influences its possessor at all times and in all companies.

This holiness is evangelical. Legal holiness rests on the foundation of personal righteousness and inherent strength; such was Adam’s holiness in a state of innocence. But evangelical holiness is built on the much securer foundation of the righteousness and grace of an incarnate God. ‘Surely in the Lord,’ says the saint, ‘surely in the Lord shall one say, I have righteousness and strength.’ He performs holy duties in a dependence on Jesus’ strength, and looks for the acceptance of these duties (imperfect at best) only through Jesus’ atonement and intercession. Legal holiness flows from fear of hell, and he who has nothing else, acts reluctantly; evangelical holiness flows from love, and he who possesses it runs cheerfully in the way of God’s commandments. The man whose holiness is legal, expects that God will accept him for his endeavours to do his duty; the man whose holiness is evangelical, accepts all blessings as to him free unmerited favours, though dearly bought by the obedience, and sufferings, and death of his surety. The former in his duties seeks himself – his own interest; the latter keeps steadily in view, as his ultimate object, the illustration of the excellencies of a redeeming God.

Finally, this holiness is permanent. The apparent holiness of the hypocrite is but of temporary duration; it is like the morning cloud and the early dew which go away. Even such as seemed clean escaped from the corruption of the world, have returned like the dog to her vomit, and like the sow who was washed to his wallowing in the mire. But he who is truly holy, grows in grace – forgetting the things which are behind, he reaches forward to that which is before, and presses on till he reach the mark – to obtain the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He that hath begun the good work carries it on till the day of the Lord.

Pastoral letter about the Lord’s Supper

Dear Madam,

Now that I am set down to write to you on some religious subject, it occurs to me that the usual season for administering the Lord’s Supper within the town is approaching; and making no doubt of your having sat down at the Lord’s table several times, I have chosen to drop a few words on that important duty of the Christian life. By no means do I pretend to offer you instructions in that matter, but only my view is to put you in mind of some things you have already been taught; and in these great truths may you and I be taught inwardly and feelingly by the great Teacher, the Spirit of Christ.

 

This ordinance of Christ represents him in the most immediate manner. In other ordinances of the word read and preached, we have directly to do with some truth, some particular benefit of Christ; but in this we have to do with Christ himself, and to converse with him as one doth with his friend; yea, it is an entire Christ, a whole Redeemer, in his person, offices, benefits, and promises.

 

Here is a symbol, not only to ratify his promises, but an instrument whereby God doth really exhibit and give forth Christ and salvation to believers. The elements are the deed of conveyance, to assure them of their interest, and confirm them in possession of the purchased blessings. This is Heaven’s real security to true Christians, that Christ is wholly theirs, as certainly as bread and wine is in their hands or mouth; as a seal affixed to writings conveys to a person lands or goods mentioned in the writing, so we must by faith look to the institution, and the promises to which the seal is annexed, and to Christ in the promise making offer of himself and his whole purchase. It seals not the truth of our faith, nor the truth of the death of Christ; it supposeth both these, but it seals the right and interest of faith in God’s word and promise. Many persons mind little more than their engaging and vowing to Christ, but look not on it as Christ’s promising and engaging to them, fancying the ordinances to be a seal for ratifying their promises and resolutions to God, and quite forgetting that it is appointed to seal God’s promises to them.

 

Farther, in this ordinance is represented and confirmed the union of the members of Christ’s body one to another in a communion of saints. As our spiritual union and communion with Christ the head is evidently set forth to believers in this ordinance, so we have in it the clearest outward representation of the union and communion in the body of Christ mystical (1 Cor. 10:17). The elements in their nature were separated into several grains and grapes, yet they are moulded together, and made up into one artificial body. Great is the efficacy of the death and Spirit of Christ, to cement and unite their heart in Christian love; this union and fellowship is expressed by the very act of eating and drinking; and here we make a profession of brotherly love to our fellow-communicants, looking upon them as saints in Christ Jesus, and that upon the ground of their visible Christianity.

We do likewise show forth and declare the death of Christ in the church. In the face of the world, we glory in and boast of a crucified Christ, not ashamed to own and avouch him to be our Lord and Saviour. And we are not only to shew forth his death unto men, but we are to shew it forth unto God, and commemorate before him the great and glorious works he hath done for us. We keep this feast to the honour of the Redeemer’s blessed memory, and are humbly to claim, on his account, the accomplishment of all the contents of his promise. Now the Christian may be confident, that when God sees his Son’s body and blood presented to him by faith, he will have mercy, and grant the desire of the heart. The name of our Redeemer, which is in so high repute in heaven, we can never mention to the Father with so much advantage, as when in faith we commemorate his death.

In this ordinance we are in a special manner to remember the death of our Lord Redeemer, a demonstration of astonishing love, both of the Father and of the Son.Such a friend and lover of souls as Christ has shown himself to be, ought never to be forgotten, and yet naturally we are ungrateful forgetters of Christ. How afflicting is it that our hearts should be so cold towards him, when his was so warm to us!

Now, to assist our memory, and cure us of that wretched disease of forgetfulness, this ordinance is instituted as a sacred and standing memorial of Christ’s dying love. Herein we are not to look to Christ’s dying only, but to the end, meaning, and intent of God and Christ in all his sufferings. It is not the pain and agony of his death, the tragical part of the history, that we are to consider, but it is the heart and mind of Christ in all his sufferings. In it, as in a glass, manifesting the glory and harmony of the divine perfections, infinite wisdom shines. Hence Christ crucified is called the Wisdom of God. In him sin is punished, and the sinner saved; justice satisfied, mercy glorified, death inflicted, and life purchased. Satan brought in death as our misery, Christ by death procured our happiness. Pride at first ruined us, while man aspired to be as God; humility recovers us, while the most high God became a man, a servant, a sacrifice to redeem us. The devil is destroyed by that very death by which he thought to have destroyed Christ and his interest for ever. O the amazing wonders, not only of wisdom, but of grace, mercy, and love, which are displayed in our Lord’s death!

A greater gift than Christ grace could not give, nor could it bestow that gift with greater love and freedom. When man’s salvation is completed, it will be with the greatest acclamations of Grace, grace unto it! The truth of God maintains its honour in our salvation by a crucified Redeemer; both the truth of the promise, and the truth of the threatening is preserved and glorified in Christ’s death. Holiness and justice shine forth with such untainted glory in the cross of Christ, as had never been before, and will never be again.

In his death we have a most glorious example. Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example of the highest exercise of grace. In him patience had its perfect work; an absolute resignation to the Father’s will, an infinite zeal for his glory, the strongest faith and hope, the warmest love of God and mankind, a forgiving spirit toward his enemies, and a profound humility and condescension. Astonishing meekness!

We are to look on Christ’s death as a sacrifice, by which the sin of man was expiated. This is the language of the institution itself. The ordinance is an allusion to the Jewish passover, and in it faith feeds upon a crucified Christ, as the great peace-offering. The end of his death was to bring in an everlasting righteousness, a perfect conformity to the law of God in its demands. He wrought it out, and brought it in (Dan. 9:24).

Another great design of his death was to make an end of sin, our old man was crucified with Christ. In his death is contained the ruin of the whole of sin, in its guilt, power, and being. The death is not only the ransom, the price of redemption, but the purchase money paid down for the blessed inheritance, all the blessings for time and eternity.

We are, farther, to look upon Christ as a martyr or witness, a martyr to the truth of his own doctrine. He is the chief, and holds the first rank in that number, in point of dignity. This should put us in mind of the disposition of the Christian, viz . a readiness of heart to part with and sacrifice every thing for the truth’s sake, life itself not excepted.

Farther, this is the death of a Conqueror. Christ was not only a Priest, but a King, on the cross. It was not only the instrument of his execution, but the Conqueror’s triumphal chariot. It is not simply a death, but a victorious death, spoiling principality and power, making a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. The guilt of sin being expiated, and the curse of the law taken out of the way, Satan's plea is defeated, his power and empire broken down and destroyed. This was done by a very unlikely mean, and seemingly weak; Christ was crucified in weakness, that he might destroy Satan’s power. How doth this contribute to his shame and disgrace, and Christ’s honour!

And by no means is it to be forgotten, that Christ died as a testator to confirm the great and precious promises. His death purchased these promised blessings, the sure mercies of David. This cup is the New Testament, saith Jesus. The Father hath made the Son heir of all things. Christ made his will and testament, and sealed it with his own blood; he died to put it in force.

This death of Christ, and the great ends of it, we are believingly to remember, not only in general that he died, but with faith, accounting that it was for us in particular, with an applying memory. In this ordinance, in a special manner, we are believingly to plead his death with God. Christ is pleading it in heaven with the Father; this same argument doth faith use, presents him with the promise sealed with his Son’s blood, and offers it as an answer to every charge that law and justice, Satan and conscience, produced against us. 

The death of Christ, remembered by faith in this ordinance, cannot miss, sweetly and strongly, to constrain us to a life of gospel holiness. The whole of the Christian life should be a remembrance of Christ’s death; in heaven there is to be an eternal memorial of it (Rev. 1:5, 6). In that blessed assembly, the highest notes of the new song will be, ‘Worthy is the Lamb…’ Oh! that he might dwell in our hearts by faith and love, till we arrive in the world of vision!

Yours, etc.

Thomas Davidson