Think a moment about the world in which we live. As we look around us today, it is safe to say we live in an unparalleled time in history. We are interconnected by technology and media as never before, and just a mouse click away from all corners of the world. The barriers of language and culture are being overcome at unprecedented rates, travel to remote areas is more feasible, the world economy is intertwined, and ideas are being shared as never before.
Due to the way our world shares information, some of the walls that used to separate cultures, nations, communities, churches, and even denominations are coming down. Some of the effects of this are very good: medical care has improved in areas that once had no access to modern medicine. There is a greater potential to respond and help in times of natural disasters. Through well-written books, radio programs, the internet, and other media, the gospel has come to places where it did not thrive or was not even known before.
Yet the impact of this interconnectedness on religion has had a seismic affect on the Western church. We are more susceptible than ever to new ideas coming into our thinking and teaching--ideas which are unbiblical and contrary to the gospel. There are cultural conversations that can shape us pulling from areas such as postmodern ways of thinking, New Age mysticism, self-help religion, “tolerance,” and so on. There is a shaking going on in the church today, and we are seeing firsthand that not everyone will stand. Many churches and believers are falling away from the truth of the gospel.
How well prepared are you to discern and defend your faith from error? Do you have faith that cannot be shaken—by false teaching, faulty ideas, difficult circumstances, or worldly living? If you’re hoping to find the answer to these questions, the study of Colossians is a perfect place to start. This is a book whose truth is desperately needed by the church in our times. In studying Colossians we learn that when we see Christ for who He really is, nothing can shake us.
Colossae was a city situated in the Lycus River valley in Phrygia. At one time it ran along an important trade route, had strong defenses, and an important water supply. With the rise of the Roman empire, the trade route moved west and (much like Rt. 66 towns after the interstates were added), Colossae began to diminish in its importance. Due to this rich history, it was the home of native Phrygians, Gentiles from many differing backgrounds and as well as a large population of Jews. It was the perfect breeding ground for syncretism: a tendency to introduce ideas from other philosophies and religions as level with and part of Christian truth.
By the time Paul wrote the letter to the church in Colossians, the city was diminished in the shadow of its more important neighbors: Laodicea and Hierapolis. About the time Paul wrote this letter (most would surmise shortly after it arrived), the city was destroyed by a devastating earthquake. Paul makes no mention of such an event in his letter, but he must have known the region’s susceptibility when he wrote to the church. Can you imagine the thoughts of the people in an earthquake-prone area as they read that Christ, “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Col. 1:17)? In Colossians 1:23 Paul urges the believers to “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard” (ESV). The word “stable” here refers to a strong foundation, “steadfast” to a solid structure, and “not shifting” is literally “Not earthquake stricken.” Paul longed for this church to have a faith that would not be shaken!
What a similar place we find ourselves in today’s church! It seems at times that the influence of Christianity is declining, our lives don’t seem to have a tangible influence for the Kingdom of God, and that the gospel itself is threatened by worldly philosophies and teachings. We have seen the effects of enough earthquakes to know that those buildings whose foundations and structure were built to withstand a shaking are the only ones that remain standing. What will allow us to stand? The answer is the very thing that Paul put before the Colossians: a high and exalted look at Christ. When we see Jesus for who He really is, nothing can shake us.
As we consider a high view of Christ, I’d like to suggest an outline for the book:
I. We need a high view of Christ to declare the gospel (Ch. 1-2:5)
II. We need a high view of Christ to discern and discredit false teaching (2:6-23)
III. We need a high view of Christ to desire and demonstrate godly living (3-4)
Let’s get started with the first division:
I. We need a high view of Christ to declare the gospel. (Ch. 1-2:5)
Key verse: 1:28-29 “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works in me.”
In this first section of Colossians, Paul describes a passion for the church and a struggle to proclaim the gospel. In the midst of this Paul pauses to reflect on the person behind it all: Christ. Christ was all Paul lived for, meditated on, strove to please, and urged others to know.
We, too, need a high view of Christ in declaring the gospel. What specific actions will you take to know Christ in all His fullness? I hope the study of this book is one answer that comes to mind! Take time to meditate on the truth you learn about the person and character of Christ, to engage in worship of Him, and to study and learn the content of the gospel so you can then proclaim that truth to others. It may be a struggle to do so, but that should come as no surprise. It was for Paul, too! Yet with God’s power as your resource, you will see the rewards of being able to help present yourself and others as “mature in Christ,” as Paul described in 1:28-29.
II. We need a high view of Christ to discern and discredit false teaching. (Ch 2:6-23)
Key verse: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
I am amazed at the mind of Paul in this section. He could have presented the false teaching the Colossians were grappling with, and then argued against it point by point, making his case for the truth. Instead, Paul presents Christ, and then argues from the truth why anything else falls short of the fullness found in Him. As you and I learn to discern and discredit false teaching, let’s take a lesson from Paul’s example. Start with Christ! As you grow in knowledge of His work on your behalf, apply it to your life. How is your knowledge of Christ changing how you think, walk, and live? As knowledge of Him is applied to our lives, discernment will grow.
III. We need a high view of Christ to desire and demonstrate godly living. (Ch. 3-4)
Key verse: 3:2 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
This verse teaches us that what we seek is higher than what the world seeks. Knowing Christ should cause us to lift our eyes and lives higher, affecting inward character and outward relationships. What motivates you toward godly living? Is it a good reputation before others, a desire to relieve a sense of guilt, or even a desire to do the right thing or help others? None of these are enough to affect real, lasting changes in our heart. Our motivation to godliness must be Christ—to say, “All I am for all He is.” It is Christ alone who both motivates and empowers believers to live out what Paul prays for in Ch. 1, “A life worthy of the Lord.”
There was nothing particularly special about the church in Colossae. Some have wondered why Paul even took time to write to believers in such a place. Yet anywhere God’s people are in danger of abandoning the truth they have been won to, we will find the hand of God outstretched to help and strengthen His people. So to a community that was lost in the shadow of its neighbors, we have a letter that lifts our thoughts to one of the highest praises of the person and deity of Christ. The people may have soon perished or been scattered, but the truth lived on as the memory of their witness and this letter was passed among the churches. And wherever you find yourself today, dear believer, you can be assured that we have God’s eyes on us and His heart opened to us. Who knows what impact will be left as the message of this book changes our lives?
So, what threatens to shake you? Will you turn your eyes to Christ, see Him for who He is, and find strength, truth, and hope to persevere? How will you strive to “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard?”
