Summary of Colossians 1:12-14

In this section, Paul recalls three great truths about the work God does in Christian’s lives, for which we are to be thankful: 1) God has qualified Christians to share in his inheritance; 2) God has delivered Christians from the domain of darkness; and 3) God has transferred Christians into his kingdom.

12 “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

First, we are to be thankful that God has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints. It is the Father who qualified us (”us” = Christians). You either know God as Father or Judge. If he is your Father, he has qualified you to share in an inheritance. That God is called Father here emphasizes the intimate relationship God has with his children. God the Father gives this good gift, the inheritance, to his kids. Notice also that God is doing the qualifying. We couldn’t qualify ourselves. We are, in a sense, a “laughing heir” because apart from Christ we were opposed to God. (Ephesians 2:1-3, 2:12, 4:17-19).

The inheritance we are qualified for is at least two things. 1) Eternal life. (Matthew 19:29). Eternal life means not just long life, but speaks of a quality of life. 2) All the promises of God. (Hebrews 6:11-12).

This inheritance will last forever (Hebrews 9:15) and we are assured of this inheritance by the guarantee of our inheritance, the Holy Spirit indwelling us (Ephesians 1:13-14, 18).

13a “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness”

Second, we are to be thankful that God delivered us. Delivered means to be rescued or “to draw to oneself.” God took us from Satan to himself. “Domain of darkness” refers to the jurisdiction of supernatural forces marshaled against God, i.e. Satan, the ruler of this world.

13b “and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,”

Third, we are to be thankful that God transferred us to his kingdom. Our Father rescues us and then puts us in his kingdom. The Father has given his kingdom to his Son, and then to everyone who loves his Son. The kingdom is a spiritual reality whereby Christ rules in the hearts of those who believe in him.

13c “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins”

In his Son, we have redemption and forgiveness of sins. Redemption means the sinner stands before God a slave to sin, but is granted freedom. Forgiveness means the sinner stands before God a debtor to God, but the debt is paid and forgotten. These are two separate realities describing the same unifying reality, salvation.

What is Gnosticism and Pantheism?

These terms came up several times this week during our class. What do these terms mean?

Gnosticisim is a dualism heresy. More information can be found here.

Pantheism is the heresy that God is everything and everything is God.

Review of “The Secret”

During class today we talked about “The Secret”, a new book sweeping pop culture that is essentially a revival of the Gnostic heresy. The review of the book that I spoke about in class is linked below. Don Whitney wrote the review and is a very well-respected evangelical.

http://www.biblicalspirituality.org/secret.html

Here’s another review by Dr. Al Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary:

http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=910

Question regarding Colossians 1:3

I mentioned during class that the phrase “God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:3) was unusual in Paul’s writings. Typically, Paul says, “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus”, or something similar. (Note the difference in meaning the word “and” means). For the latter expression in Paul’s writings, see Romans 15:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 11:21; Ephesians 1:3. See also 1 Peter 1:3 and Revelation 1:6.

I mentioned in class that I thought there was only one other place where Paul used the “God the Father” formula (versus, “God and Father”). I couldn’t recall the reference at the time, so I promised to post it when I remembered it. This unusual phrase occurs in Colossians 3:17.

Summary of Colossians 1:3-8

In case you missed last week, here is a rough summary outline of Colossians 1:3-8:

1-2 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother; To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.”

Paul likely hasn’t met the Colossians (2:1), so he begins by establising his credentials. Paul is a “sent one”, not by his own intitiative, but God’s will.

3 “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you”

Verses 3 through 8 are one long sentence in the Greek. The main idea of the passage is in verse 3, “We thank God when we pray for you.”

Four observations from verse 3:

1) The thanksgiving is corporate (“we thank God”)
2) The prayer is corporate (”when we pray for you”). Corporate prayer fosters corporate thanksgiving.
3) Paul’s thanksgiving is to God. For Paul, thanskgiving is nearly always vertical (to God) rather than horizontal (to people). This is not typical of our thanksgiving.
4) Paul’s thanksgiving is specifically to God, “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. This phrasing is unusual. Paul’s purpose in this phrasing is to highlight that it is the Son who reveals the Father. (1:15)

4 “since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints”

Paul gives two reasons why he is thankful to God for the church in Colossae.

#1) For their faith in Christ Jesus. Notice that their faith is public (Paul heard of their faith). All true faith is public.

In the Greek, the preposition used for “in” (“in Christ Jesus”) is interesting. Sometimes the Greek word “epi” (transliterated) is used as in Acts 16:31 (“believe in the Lord Jesus”). The idea is to rest of a foundation. Sometimes the Greek word “eis” is used s in Acts 20:21. The idea is to go into, or find dwelling within. In verse 4 the Greek preposition is “en” with the idea of coming to a place of security, or being anchored to Christ. This must have been tremendously comforting to Paul and reassuring to the Colossians as they faced a heresy threatening to delude the church (2:4).

#2) For their love for all the saints. Notice that, once again, their love is a public love. It is also a big love; they love all the saints.

5 “because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.”

The reason for their love for the saints is because of the hope they had in heaven. The hope referred to here is not like the hope we usually talk about in every day language. Unlike “common hope”, this hope is a confident assurance about good things to happen. Whatever else this hope includes, it is centered on Jesus (1:27).

Hope motivates their love. Illustrations on how this works practically are in Hebrews 11 and 13, Luke 14:12-14, and Hebrews 12:1-2. Their hope was filled with heavenly-mindedness. We considered strategies for living by hope and bending it out horizontally through public loving acts.

5-6 “Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth”

This hope originated in the word of truth, the gospel. Therefore, faith comes from hearing from the word of truth (Romans 10:17) and so too, hope comes from hearing the word of truth. The connection between faith and hope is that where faith focuses to the future, it is called hope. Faith is the larger term encompassing hope. Where there is biblical hope, there is biblical faith, and vice versa. Therefore, it would be accurate to say that we are saved by grace through faith and saved by grace through hope. (John Piper’s sermons helped us sort through this issue).

7-8 “just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.”

Epaphras lived out the truth that biblical hope relied upon produces loving acts.

Vertical Thanksgiving, a Holy Triad, and the Global Gospel

This week at SixSixteen . . .

Colossians 1:3-8: a passage centered on God-centered thanksgiving, the triad of Christian fruits (faith, hope, and love) and the global Gospel.