A Study in Colossians

 

Colossians 1:16-17 “For it is in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him (by His service, intervention) and in and for Him. 17 And He Himself existed before all things and in Him all things consist – cohere, are held together.” (Amplified Version)

 

Isn’t it great to know that Jesus has time for us? So much time that the very hairs of our heads are numbered. And isn’t it good to know that not one bird falls to the ground without His knowledge and yet; we are of more value than that bird?

 

Isn’t it also encouraging to know that if we seek His kingdom and not worry about things, He will supply all our needs because we are of greater value than the lilies of the field and the birds of the air?

 

Isn’t it also great to know that Jesus is ready to carry our load when it gets too heavy for us?

 

All this personal attention from the One who created and maintains the atoms of the universe? Yes, that’s right, the very same One.

 

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A study in Colossians

Colossians 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation”.

 

We can either get inspired by this passage, or we can get theologically entangled. I preferred to get inspired myself.

 

We are actually going to stand in the presence of Jesus, who stood in the presence of His Father before we were created, and who came to earth and manifested Him. Beyond that we are going to stand in the presence of Jesus, who stood in the presence of His Father before we were created, who came to earth to manifest Him, and who returned to His Father’s presence and was given authority from His father to rule over all of creation.

 

But what is even more inspiring is: God considers that we are already in His throne with His Son who has all authority over every minuscule and major aspect and function of creation. And, He has given us all authority in Him to rule with Him as priests and kings over all of creation NOW, as well as in the age to come. Here are some passages that reveal this exciting truth:

 

I John 3:2 “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” NKJV

John 1:18 “No man has ever seen God at anytime; the only unique Son, the only begotten God, Who is in the bosom [that is in the intimate presence] of the Father, He has declared Him – He has revealed Him, brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him, and He has made Him known.” (Amplified)

Revelation 4:10-11 “The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worshipped Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” NKJV

Revelation 5:8-10 “Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth’.” NKJV

Revelation 5:13 “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessings and honour and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the lamb, forever and ever!’.” NKJV

Ephesians 2;6 “And raised us up together, and made us to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” NKJV

Ephesians 1:20-22 “Which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church.” NKJV

 

Therefore, my question  is: seeing we are already in His presence - in His throne - with all authority over all creation NOW – and also in the age to come, why are we so timid and full of doubt when it comes to living this positional truth? Let us hear the encouraging words of Jesus to His disciples as He taught them the facts of positional truth after He took authority over created gravity and the dimension of time, John 6:20-21 “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.”

 

Remember, only Peter got out of the boat and found out personally that Jesus did indeed have control over creation! Peter took Jesus at His word and for a moment or two lived in positional truth, overriding the physical laws of gravity. In other words: Jesus said it, Peter believed it and by faith experienced it. So did Philip after he immersed the Eunuch Acts 8:38-40.

 

Are you and I willing to get out of our boats which fly the flags of denominational God-controlling legalisms and religious doubts and fears? Or, are we more worried about what those in the denominational boats will say rather then hearing Jesus say to us, “Come out here on the water and find out for yourself that I control the molecules of the air and the sea and the universe, and do not fear for we go a fish’n for men”? Peter did! 

A study in Colossians

Colossians 1:14 “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins”.

 

On one of my return business trips from China I went via Bangkok. I had booked a room in a hotel that offers “preferred guest” status to regular clients. When I arrived they upgraded me to a very comfortable business suite. During my two day stay they continually sent tropical fruits of various kinds and other dainties to my room. In the evening I met my business contact in the lounge and added coffee, eats etc., to my account for both of us.

 

At the hour of my departure for the airport I went to reception to check out and pay for the extra services I had used. I took my credit card out of my wallet and offered it to the receptionist. She looked down at the computer screen, examined my account and said, “Mr Chapman, your account is paid in full; you have nothing to pay. You have been our preferred guest for the last two days and the hotel thanks you for using our services; have a nice flight home.”

 

Paid in full! I was delighted. Not only was I delighted, I was excited and I have shared this story of their grace many times. It is not often that you can enjoy opulent comfort and sumptuous food and have someone else pay for it. My debt for two days was redeemed in full and I was very grateful.

 

Well, that is what Jesus did, except He did it for eternity; not just two days. He paid our IOU to God in full (Colossians 2:13-14). We were sinners and now we are redeemed. We had fallen short of God’s glory, but now we have been forgiven. We had nothing to pay our debt with, so Jesus paid it in full with His blood. Talk about exciting. Talk about wanting to tell others. We are ”preferred guests” for eternity in the house of God because Jesus paid our debt in full!

 

A study in Colossians

Colossians 1:13 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”

Sorry about the length of this article, but this is a very important subject which deals with modern day “generational sins deliverance ministry” and needs to be addressed.

There is a saying that goes something like this: “Why fix it if it ain’t broke?”

In the verse above, Paul used past tense to convey a fantastic state of being to the Colossian disciples. He told them that all God could possibly do to bring sinners into abundant life had been done. The Colossians did not have to go back after they were saved and improve on what God had done for them in Jesus. At conversion they were delivered from the power of darkness that had controlled their lives. They were not just delivered from darkness; they were delivered from the power of darkness.

Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient to deliver them from all of their past; all of the power of darkness over their lives. His sacrifice was sufficient to deliver them from all that would confront them in the present. His sacrifice was sufficient to convey them into the presence of God at death. They did not have to go back into their past or their parent’s past or their grandparent’s past and chase out demons or deal with the generational sins of their forefathers. They were once and for all delivered from the power of darkness.

Deliverance ministries, which are practiced in some churches today, are an attempt to improve on what God has done in Christ. How can you improve on that which needs no improvement? There is no need to chase demons out of believers or deal with the sins of their ancestor’s past. What is needed is true conversion in the first placed. Conversion that is based on what the word of God teaches not raising your hand and receiving Jesus into your heart.

If believers struggle to live the Christian life the problem is not their past; it is their conversion. They have not had a full encounter with Jesus or a full disclosure of what He did at the cross to deliver them the power of darkness and appease God once and for all at conversion. When believers struggle with their Christian lives it is not their past that is to blame; it is their conversion and lack of exposure to what God’s word promises in the present. Poor preaching and poor teaching produce impoverished, doubting believers!

How can we improve on the past tense of the verse above: “He has delivered us from the power of darkness”? Or how about II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” The old is passed away; ALL THINGS are now new; without exception!

Forget the past; you have been forgiven and delivered from the power of darkness. If you can’t believe and appropriate it, then go back to the gospels, fall in love with Jesus, and get renewed. Then rejoice in your present state of being as God sees it; not as you see it! Remembering what the rest of the verse above says, and it is again in past tense, “and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love”. If you are in His kingdom and in His Son, then you are in His love. You have come out of darkness and the power of darkness into Christ and His kingdom and you can’t improve on that; no matter how many believers pray over you or lay hands on you!

You are loved! You are going home! God has dealt with your past once and for all! Don’t be deceived by doctrines of men which have no biblical basis to support their practice or existence.

If you are converted; you are indeed converted! Metamorphosis has occured and you are no longer a grub! You are now a butterfly because God is absolutely, utterly, totally and completely satisfied with everything He has done in Jesus. If you are in Jesus then the old, and the power of the old is passed and He is absolutely, utterly, totally and completely satisfied with YOU! Your past is now His present; SO LIVE IN IT! You’re a King’s kid (I Peter 2:9-10); REJOICE IN IT! You have been delivered from the POWER of darkness; ENJOY THE FREEDOM OF IT!

A study in Colossians

Colossians 1:12 “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

 

God wants us to communicate with Him. He also wants us to take account of all the things He’s done for us and continues to do for us. When we do, then we really know how to thank Him.

 

Thanking Him is easy because He has done all He can to establish a relationship with us in His unapproachable light. Besides that, He has made it possible for us to feel welcome there (Hebrews 10:19-26).

 

So, not only do we have a relationship with our eternal Father through Jesus; we have an inheritance. As a matter of fact we are joint-heirs with Jesus to that inheritance (Romans 8:17). Surely then, we have much to be thankful for.

 

Over the years I have attended numerous prayer meetings but, I have never attended a follow-up thanksgiving meeting. Think about it. We go to prayer meetings and make all kinds of requests, praise God for who He is and what He’s done for us and then leave. At the next prayer meeting we do the same again.

 

In the light of such action, let’s think about this for a moment. We call a prayer meeting and at that meeting we list two or three items to be prayed about and for the next hour or so that is all we concentrate our prayers on. Over the next week or two we note God’s answers to our prayers and then we hold a follow-up thanksgiving prayer meeting. At that prayer meeting we spend an hour or two thanking God for answering the prayers we offered up at the previous meeting.

Makes sense to me because it teaches us two things: God answers prayer which, in turn, encourages us to pray again and again with thankful hearts. 

 

 

 

A study in Colossians

Colossians 1:11 “We pray that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power, according to the might of His glory, to exercise every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy.” (Amplified Version).

 

There is nothing more memorable or enjoyable in life than an invigorating experience. It is something you treasure and often talk about.

 

Well, Paul prayed for the Colossians that their life in Christ would be an invigorating one. Not only that; he said he sought God on their behalf so they would be strengthened with all power. He did not seek God for some power or enough power; but ALL power for their lives in Christ.

 

Too often we rob ourselves because we do not seek God’s best. We settle for the crumbs that fall from His table rather than the complete meal He sets before us. Paul wasn’t about to settle for the crumbs; he wanted God’s very best for the Colossians and for himself.

 

We should not settle for crumbs any more. We must hunger and thirst for God’s best. There is no question that we certainly need it at all times!

 

But, Paul went further and prayed that God provide His best according to His might and His glory. It is one thing to receive God’s best, but it is another thing to know how to live in it. So, Paul asked God to not only provide His best, but to enable the Colossians to live in it, comprehend it, appropriate it and reach new God-empowered heights in it.

 

When disciples live in God’s best it will always attract the attention of Satan, other believers and the world.

 

Satan pays attention to believers who become disciples and start to live their lives in the promises and empowerment of God. Such disciples threaten his kingdom and endanger the success of his dark realm.

 

Church-going believers are also attentive to fellow-believers who suddenly start to break the mere church-going mould and begin praying more, reading more, trusting God’s promises more and seeking to serve in His power and glory regardless of the cost. Such commitment soon brands one as fanatical, fundamental etc.

 

The world also pays attention because its sinful activities are challenged by disciples who are strengthened with all the power of God (Ephesians 1:15-23). The world only has two options when confronted by the lives of committed disciples: join them or kill them.

 

So, because such invigorating, powerful lives are a threat and attract persecution, Paul prayed for the Colossians that they would joyfully endure persecution from Satan, their own brethren and the world.

 

In the light of Paul’s concerns for the Colossians we also need to remember these wonderful words of Jesus if we determine to seek God’s best in our service unto Him: Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

A Study in Colossians

Colossians 1:9-10 “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

Prayer is the most demanding of all spiritual disciplines. Prayer is also the most rewarding of all spiritual disciplines. Unselfish prayer is the most difficult of all spiritual disciplines. The apostles mastered these three disciplines and never ceased to pray for others; and especially for their intimate spiritual development.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians and told them not to be ignorant of God’s will for their lives (Ephesians 5:17). He wanted them to have an intimate and rewarding walk with God. And, in his letter to the Colossians, he goes beyond just knowing God’s will for their lives: he prays that they understand the spiritual implication of God’s will for their lives.

Why? So they could walk worthy of the Lord and please Him in the tasks He planned for them before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 2:10). This involvement with God, according to His will and His planned works, would lead to an intimate and informative relationship with Him.

God wants all disciples to have an intimate and informative relationship with Him. He wants to lead us continually with His Spirit (Romans 8:1-17). But, it is we who fear such intimacy. So, we set about inventing all kinds of church programs, worship activities, events etc., which have the appearance of spirituality, but feed us little spiritually and keep us from prayer and studying God’s word. These indulgences often fail to produce something very basic; intimacy with the Father. 

Our activities and programs seldom originate from intimacy with God, either on a personal or corporate level. They usually result from the consensual wisdom of men and woman in leadership who then bring their plans to God for His blessing rather than seeking His plans for the church. Church boards, committees etc., tend to want to control God rather then be God-controlled.  

Paul calls individuals and assemblies to these three simple but costly endeavours: 1. Know God’s will for our lives and live in that knowledge wisely. 2. Seek after spiritual understanding not worldly religious understanding as we live in His will for our lives. 3. Exercising the first two will then result in walking as the Lord wants us to walk, individually and corporately. Then the world will see our good works and declare that we know Him and have an intimate relationship with Him.

Lasting intimacy with God will seldom, if ever, be found in the decisions of church boards, committees, activities, programs, worship services etc., but only while we hunger and thirst for righteousness, study God’s word and spend more time on our knees seeking His daily will for our lives.

Bob Chapman MA

**Award winning book 2007

More about the book: http://www.christianstoryteller.com/Bob%20Chapman.htm

Order: ISBN 1597815225

Available from:     www.amazon.com

                          www.xulonpress.com

                          www.koorong.com

                          Also from your local bookstore

Preaching commitments in Asia

Due to preaching and teaching commitments in Singapore and India there will be no further postings on this site until the end of March.

Bob Chapman

A study in Colossians

 

Colossians 1:7-8 “even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.”

What a privilege to have your name mentioned in the Word of God. Yes, but how much more of a privilege to have your name written in God’s book of life?

I am sure that Epaphras was not too concerned that his name was mentioned in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. He was most probably not aware that the letter was eventually going to become a selected book of the Bible.

And, something more precious than the mention of his name was the mention of his heart. To Paul, Epaphras was a beloved fellow-servant. He had a heart after the nature of Paul’s sacrificed heart. They both had the heart of bondservants and their master was Jesus.

Not only was Epaphras’ heart mentioned by Paul, but his reputation was mentioned also. Epaphras was a faithful ministering bondservant. And who did he faithfully minister to as a bondservant? His Lord Jesus who was living out His life through the apostle Paul.

Despite what others thought, or what the consequences might have been, Epaphras faithfully served Christ’s fellow-servants, the apostles. He was not envious or covetous of their apostolic call or close relationship with Jesus. He had a close relationship with Jesus and a servant’s role from Him, and in it he served his Master faithfully.

Jesus calls us all to different ministries and roles in the Body of Christ and it is our duty to be faithful in them. It is not for us to question why we aren’t used or honoured like others in the Body of Christ. We must accept the fact that we are all called to serve Christ as He lives in others, regardless of personal cost, fame or recognition among the brethren. Faithful bondservants only care about what their Master wants done and that He gets the glory. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

Jesus said that in serving the least fortunate of mankind, we serve Him, (Matthew 25:31-46). Let us therefore rejoice that our names are written in God’s book of life and faithfully get on with ministering unto Him as He lives in others, just as Epaphras did.

Blessings

Bob Chapman MA

**Award winning book 2007

More about the book: http://www.christianstoryteller.com/Bob%20Chapman.htm

Order: ISBN 1597815225

Available from:     www.amazon.com

                          www.xulonpress.com

                          www.koorong.com

                          Also from your local bookstore