Colossenses 1
Marvin Vincent · Citado em PreceptAustin
Colossenses 1:2
Vincent says that when Paul spoke of the Christian being in Christ, he meant that the Christian lives in Christ as a bird in the air, a fish in the water, the roots of a tree in the soil. What makes the Christian different is that he is always and everywhere conscious of the encircling presence of Jesus Christ. When Paul speaks of the saints in Christ Jesus, he means those who are different from other people and who are consecrated to God because of their special relationship to Jesus Christ--and that is what every Christian should be. (Philippians 1 - William Barclay's Daily Study Bible) Adrian Rogers describes a saint in his sermon entitled "Developing a Positive Self-Image" in which he discusses 3 truths that will set the captive free: Number one, the first truth is this, if you would be free, you need to recognize your righteousness. Now, look in Ephesians 1:1, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Now, let me tell you something, friend, tonight if you are in Christ Jesus, that is, if you have received Christ as your personal Savior. if you have been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ. if you have repented of your sin trusted Christ and you've been saved, you are a saint. You are a saint. Now, sometimes our Roman friends take certain individuals who have achieved certain things in their Christian lives and they say we're going to canonize them. That doesn't mean they're going to shoot them out of a gun. but it means we're going to make them a saint. Well, friend, nobody can make me a saint, I am already a saint. You're looking at Saint Adrian. That's right. I am! And, you say, "How arrogant." No, my dear friend, you are a saint, too. Now, there are only two classes of people in the world, the saints and the ain'ts, that's all. And, you are one or the other. Now, what the word saint means..."a sanctified one." It means one that God has made righteous and set aside for Himself. Well, you say, "I'm not a whole saint." No, you're either a saint or an ain't. Nobody is half saved, nobody is half saint. To be half saved is to be altogether lost. Now, what is humility? You may say, "Well, you know, I just don't think I ought to call myself a saint." Well, let me tell you what real humility is. Real humility is accepting what God says about you. That's real humility. Not what you think about it, but what God says about you. Now, there are some people, have you ever tried to lead a person to Christ, and that person you just couldn't lead that person to Christ because that person would never believe what God said about his sinnership. All right, I have talked to some Christians and I've never been able to lead them to victory because they will not understand, they will not receive what God says, not only about their sinnership when they were lost, but about their sainthood now that they're saved. Some Christians just resist the idea. They don't get victory because they cannot accept the fact that they're saints. Now, if you asked a Christian if he's a saint, he says, "Well, I wouldn't call myself a saint. I'm saved, but..." Why wouldn't you call yourself a saint? He says, "Well, I am, you know, I'm just no good." Who said you were no good? Jesus died for you. If you're one of his saints, what right have you got to say that you're no good. I hear people say, "Well, you know, I'm just not what I ought to be." Now, you know, that sounds humble. That's not humble. You know what that is? A man says, "Well, I know I'm just not what I ought to be." That's rebellion. I mean, let me ask you a question. If you're not what you ought to be, why not? Why aren't you what you ought to be? Do you think God is going to take that as an excuse? No. If you ought to be that way, then get that way. Now, I'm telling you dear friend, God calls you a saint. You're saying, "Well, you mean that I'm supposed to be sinless?" No, dear friend, you can't be sinless. But I'm going to tell you one thing, you can be blameless. Look if you will in Ephesians 1:4: "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:" Every one of us tonight ought to be blameless before the Lord Jesus Christ. We are saints of God. You say, "Well, but I'm not perfect." That makes no difference. Dear friend, in God's sight, you're His saint. In God's sight, God sees you as perfect. I want to show you something. Look in Romans 4 for just a moment. Now, remember in Ephesians, Paul is talking about the grace of God. Now, look in Romans 4:4: "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt." Romans 4. That means, if you could be saved by being a good boy, it would mean that you've earned your salvation and God is in debt to you. Well, I want to tell you, God is no man's debtor. "Now, to him that worketh the reward is not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Now, look at what he goes on to say: "Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man, to whom God imputes righteousness without works." Do you know what the word "impute" means? It means to put that on your account. Now, you say, "Well, that's a term I don't use." Well, you use it all the time. If you go into one of these department stores, you say, "Charge it." What you're really saying is put that on my account. Impute that to my bill. Next time you go to one of these department stores, say impute it. It means the same thing. God puts righteousness on your account, not of works. I cannot work my soul to save that work my Lord has done, but I'll work like any slave for the love of God's dear Son. But, I want to tell you my dear friend, that the Bible teaches that we are saved by grace through faith, not of ourselves, not of works. And, when I trust Christ, the moment I trust Christ, the moment I give my heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, at that moment, I become a saint, I am righteous. "Well," you say, "What if you sin?" Well, what do you mean, what if? Is there anybody here who has not or does not? But, now let's go on to read here Romans 4:7: "Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." You say, "That's all past. Yes, for the past sins but what about the fresh ones?" Look in verse 8: "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." God never will impute sin to one of his children. You know, some people say, "Well, what if you sin after you get saved, won't you lose your salvation?" Friend, is there anybody who hasn't sinned after he got saved? I wouldn't trust the best 15 minutes I ever lived to get me to Heaven, not the best. I am telling you dear friend, when you understand what the Bible's definition of sin is, the thought of foolishness is sin. "... to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:17) "... for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Romans 14:23) Every one of us, every day would say yes, in some way we've failed. But, I want to tell you put it down big, you put it down plain, you put it down straight. If you've repented of your sin and trusted Jesus Christ to save you, you are righteous in God's sight and you are a saint of God. You better understand that, because until you see who you are, you're not going to behave like you ought to behave. You see, your behavior comes out of the conception of who you are, and when you see that you're the righteousness of God in Christ, then you're going to begin to behave that way. ...And, so the very first thing I want you to see, if you would have this proper self-image, if you would see who you are in Christ, if you would have a healthy, wholesome, well-balanced personality, you must recognize your righteousness. And, your righteousness does not relate to your works at all, it relates to your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm not saying that you ought not to do good work (cf Eph 2:10), we'll deal with that, but I'm saying, dear friend, your righteousness is an imputed righteousness. God puts it on your account and it comes to you through what the Lord Jesus Christ did on the cross, it is grace all the way. (Developing a Positive Self-Image) Guy King notes that the word saint... The word in itself has no moral or ethical connotation, but simply means, set apart. - We speak of a church as a holy place - not that there is anything special about its brick and stone and wood, except that it is set apart for the worship of GOD. - We speak of the Bible as a holy book - not that there is anything particular about its pages or binding, except that it is set apart for the conveyance to man of the inspired message of GOD. - We speak of the sacramental element as holy bread - not that it is in any sense different from ordinary bread, except that it is set apart in the service to be a reminder to us of the broken body of the crucified Son of GOD. In just that sense the Christian becomes, as it were automatically, a saint, a holy person - he is set apart from the company of ordinary people, set apart for GOD. Only, unlike our illustrative objects mentioned above, he is a sentient being, a personality. They can only be holy in use, and can never be changed in themselves, but he can proceed from being merely holy in position to being holy in condition. That is, of course, the Justification of the translators of the Authorized Version when, In Romans 1:7, and in 1Corinthians 1:2, they add two little words that are not in the Greek. but which they infer to be the intention of the apostle. They render the phrase, not "called saints" - which, as we have seen, is an accurate statement of the fact - but, "called to be saints." In other words we are called to be what we are. - A soldier must by his bearing and behaviour, live up to his possession. - A rich man should not belie his resources by living the life of a pauper. - Christians, too, must live up to their name and resources. Some "blaspheme that worthy Name by the which ye are called", James 2:7, but we must not blaspheme it by any vestige of unworthy character or conduct. By the grace of GOD, are we "called saints"? Then, by that same grace, we are "called to be saints". (Colossians 1:1-2 His Tactful Approach) Faithful (4103)(pistos from peitho = to persuade - induce one by words to believe, have confidence) is something or someone who is worthy of trust, one who keeps promises and clearly is supremely applicable to God (Jesus is called "the Amen, the faithful and true Witness" - Rev 3:14) and His Word, but in this context refers to believers who are trustworthy, stedfast, unswerving in their Christian walk. They are worthy of trust - they are reliable and dependable. They maintained a firm adherence to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Would Paul describe you or me as a faithful brother or sister? Vincent gives a nice summary of the meaning of pistos, faithful, writing that it is used "(1), of one who shows Himself faithful in the discharge of a duty or the administration of a trust (Mt 24:45). Hence, trustworthy (2Ti 2:2-note). Of things that can be relied upon (2Ti 2:11-note). (2), Confiding; trusting; a believer (Gal 3:9; Acts16:1; 2Cor 6:15; 1Ti 5:16) (Word Studies in the New Testament) Webster's 1828 says that Faithful means "Firm in adherence to the truth and to the duties of religion. 1. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Rev. 2:10 ("Be faithful until death). 2. Firmly adhering to duty; of true fidelity; loyal; true to allegiance; as a faithful subject. 3. Constant in the performance of duties or services; exact in attending to commands; as a faithful servant." Brethren (80) (adelphos from collative a = denoting unity + delphús = womb) is literally one born from same womb and so a male having the same father and mother as reference person. Figuratively, adelphos as in this verse refers to a close associate of a group of persons having well-defined membership, specifically here referring to fellow believers (including sisters!) in Christ who are united by the bond of affection which creates (or should create) an atmosphere of intimacy. Believers are closer to us in many ways than blood relatives who are not believers. Each for all, and all for each Guy King explains faithful brethren writing that - These Christians are brothers and sisters because they "are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus", Galatians 3:26. That basic fact, whatever be our country, clime, or colour, whatever be our denomination, constitutes all Christians as "brethren" - whatever our outward differences we are all alike bound together by the tie of our individual family relationship to our Heavenly Father. But that raises an enquiry in our minds. Are we faithful brethren? In some human families there is little evidence of a spirit of fidelity - rancor in the home, selfish purpose of individual interests, no love, no loyalty. Can it be so among the members of the Family of GOD? Well, what about ourselves? How delightful is that opposite picture of the harmony that should prevail, wherein "whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it", 1Corinthians 12:26. As the late beloved, epigrammatic Bishop Taylor Smith used to say, "Each for all, and all for each." While we Christians are to be helpful, so far as we may, to those outside the family, we are to be particularly mindful of the welfare of each other, "as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, and especially unto them who are of the household of faith", Galatians 6:10-note. "Learn first to shew piety at home", says 1Timothy 5:4. Our apostle was glad to have evidence among the Colossian believers of family fidelity: loyalty to one another, and loyalty to the one Father. Timothy, whose name he joins with his own in addressing this letter, was just a "brother", who in spite of his delicate health, 1Ti 5:23, remained, through thick and thin, so loyal to his big brother, Paul. (Colossians 1:1-2 His Tactful Approach) In Christ: en Christo: OUR SPIRITUAL "ADDRESS": IN CHRIST What are the 2 "locations" of the saints in Colossians 1:2?
Colossenses 1:4
Vincent - Faith works by love, and the ground of their love is found in the hope set before them. Compare Rom. 8:24. The motive is subordinate, but legitimate. “The hope laid up in heaven is not the deepest reason or motive for faith and love, but both are made more vivid when it is strong. It is not the light at which their lamps are lit., but it is the odorous oil which feeds their flame” (Maclaren).
Colossenses 1:5
Vincent - The truth is the contents of the word, and the Gospel defines the character of the truth. Everett Harrison - The word of the truth of the Gospel is closely parallel to a similar statement in Ephesians 1:13 ("message of truth"). If the Gospel were not true, it would not be good news but only cruel deception. It is just possible that here the apostle is glancing by way of contrast at the error which is current at Colossae, which he is soon to attack openly in his letter. In his other controversial epistle he twice refers to the truth of the gospel (Gal 2:5, 14). The best way to deal with error is to hold it up to the light of truth which God has revealed. (Colossians: Christ All-sufficient) Truth (225) (aletheia from a = indicates following word has the opposite meaning ~ without + lanthano = to be hidden or concealed, to escape notice, cp our English "latent" from Latin = to lie hidden) has the literal sense of that which contains nothing hidden. Aletheia is that which is not concealed. Aletheia is that which that is seen or expressed as it really is Gospel (2098)(euaggelion from eú = good + aggéllo = proclaim, tell) is literally good news or glad tidings. In secular Greek it originally referred to a reward for good news and later became the good news itself. The word euaggelion was commonly used in the first century as our words "good news" today. The idea then and now is something like this - “Have you any good news (euaggelion) for me today?” This was a common question in the ancient world. William Tyndale (ca. 1494-1536) - "Euaggelion (which we call the 'gospel') is a Greek word, and signifies good, merry, glad, and joyful tydings, that makes a man's heart glad, and makes him sing, dance, and leap for joy." William Gladstone (1809-1898) - "Talk about the question of the day! There is but one question and that is the gospel. It can and will correct everything needing correction. All men at the head of great movements are Christian men. During the many years I was in the cabinet I was brought into association with sixty master minds, and all but five of them were Christians. My only hope for the world is in bringing the human mind into contact with divine revelation."] Karl Barth (1886-1968) - "No one is excluded from the Gospel, but many are excluded by the Gospel." Euaggelion - 76x in 73v - Mt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; 26:13; Mark 1:1, 14f; 8:35; 10:29; 13:10; 14:9; 16:15; Acts 15:7; 20:24; Ro 1:1, 9, 16; 2:16; 10:16; 11:28; 15:16, 19; 16:25; 1 Cor 4:15; 9:12, 14, 18, 23; 15:1; 2 Cor 2:12; 4:3f; 8:18; 9:13; 10:14; 11:4, 7; Gal 1:6f, 11; 2:2, 5, 7, 14; Eph 1:13; 3:6; 6:15, 19; Phil 1:5, 7, 12, 16, 27; 2:22; 4:3, 15; Col 1:5, 23; 1 Thess 1:5; 2:2, 4, 8f; 3:2; 2 Thess 1:8; 2:14; 1Ti 1:11; 2Ti 1:8, 10; 2:8; Philemon 1:13; 1Pe 4:17; Rev 14:6. NAS = good news(1), gospel(73), gospel's(2).
Colossenses 1:5
Vincent - Peter is fond of this word also (see 1Pet 1:13, 21; 3:5, 15), which, in classical Greek, has the general signification of expectancy, relating to evil as well as to good. Thus Plato speaks of living in evil hope (“Republic,” i., 330); i.e., in the apprehension of evil; and Thucydides, of the hope of evils to come; i.e., the expectation or apprehension. In the New Testament the word always relates to a future good. In the New Testament the word signifies both the sentiment of hope and the thing hoped for. Here the latter. Compare Tit. 2:13; Gal. 5:5; Heb. 6:18: also Rom. 8:24, where both meanings appear. Lightfoot observes that the sense oscillates between the subjective feeling and the objective realization. Keathley - “Laid up” is the present continuous tense of apokeimai, “to put away, store” (cf. 2 Tim. 4:8). Though centered in the person of Christ Himself (1:27), the place of storage is heaven, a place of security and protection where the corruption and sin of this present world cannot touch it. Peter gave a three-fold description of this. It is (1) a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (2) a hope that is an imperishable, undefiled, and an unfading inheritance, and (3) that is kept by the power of God (see 1Pet. 1:3-5 and Matt. 6:19-20). This includes the whole of our salvation—being in God’s presence at home with the Lord immediately after death, eternal glory, a future resurrected body at the resurrection of the just, and eternal rewards (2 Tim. 4:8). In other words, the “hope laid up” includes all that goes with the gift of eternal life and the blessings of the eternal state according to the many promises of Scripture. Here is a hope that cannot be compared to any earthly hope no matter how exquisite. The point we must not miss is that when Christians live by a faith that resides in Christ, that faith will produce love for others that may result in losses and crosses, but the Christian’s expectation (hope) goes far beyond this life into the eternal future. (Read about our "eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison" in 2Cor 4:14-18-note) (Paul’s Gratitude for the Colossians Col. 1:3-8) HOPE: GOD'S "LAST WORD"
Colossenses 1:5
Vincent - apokeimai is laid away, as the pound in the napkin, Luke 19:20. With the derivative sense of reserved or awaiting, as the crown, 2 Tim. 4:8. In Heb. 9:27, it is rendered appointed (unto men to die), where, however, the sense is the same: death awaits men as something laid up. Rev., in margin, laid up for. Compare treasure in heaven, Matt, 6:20; 19:21; Luke 12:34. “Deposited, reserved, put by in store out of the reach of all enemies and sorrows” (Bishop Wilson). There are only 4 uses of apokeimai in the NT... Luke 19:20 And another came, saying, 'Master, behold your mina, which I kept put away in a handkerchief 2 Timothy 4:8 (note) in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. Comment: Here apokeimai means to reserve as award or recompense and in secular Greek apokeimai was in fact a common term in honorary documents expressing appreciation for a sense of civic or other communal responsibility. Hebrews 9:27 (note) And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment. Comment: Here apokeimai is used figuratively to express the certainty of the Divinely ordained future of every living being. It is "securely laid up"! And the lie of reincarnation cannot change this certain outcome. W. H. Griffith Thomas writes that "This hope is said by St. Paul to be laid up for believers "in the heavens," and the verb is particularly worthy of notice because of its use elsewhere. Thus, a crown of righteousness is said to be "laid up" for those who love Christ's appearing (2Ti 4:8-note, ASV), while it is also recorded that it was "laid up" for men once to die (He 9:27-note). Another solemn contrast is drawn in our Lord's parable of the pounds, where the unfaithful servant "laid up" his master's gift instead of using it (Luke 19:20). In two Old Testament passages, moreover, it is declared that the Lord has "laid up" His goodness for those who fear Him (Ps 31:19-note) and "sound wisdom for the righteous" (Pr 2:7).No Christian life, then, is complete which does not include in it this forward look of joyous certitude toward a bright future, for hope as a grace is not a mere spirit of what we call hopefulness, or a natural buoyancy of temperament. It is a distinctly Christian virtue, the result of union with God in Christ; and it has for its immediate object the Lord Jesus at His glorious appearing, and for its ultimate, eternal and exhaustless substance the glories of heaven and God as our all in all." (Back to the Bible) Apokeimai is used twice in the Septuagint (LXX) - Genesis 49:10 and Job 38:23 (Which I have reserved [Hebrew = chasak = keep back, deep fro oneself; Lxx = apokeimai] for the time of distress, for the day of war and battle?) In the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus commands his listeners "Lay up (present imperative = command to do this throughout your entire life! What a "treasure chest" awaits the person who obeys Jesus' command) (thesaurizo - our English Thesaurus = a collection of words) for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Mt 6:20, 21-note) Peter reminds his readers going through various trials that they have "an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved (tereo) in heaven for you (1Pe 1:4-note). Passages in Hebrews allude to that hope laid up in the future... Heb 11:16 But as it is, they desire a better [country], that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. Heb 13:14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking [the city] which is to come. In heaven (literally in the heavens) - Heaven is where Christ is, thus heaven is where our hope is and ultimately our HOPE is not a PLACE but a PERSON, "Christ Jesus our hope", "the hope of glory" (1Ti 1:1; Col 1:27-note).