Colossians 2:16

Colossians 2:16 says, Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:  Paul told the people at Colosse to not allow people to judge them by their observance of religious rituals.  For the Jewish people, what they ate or drank and observing Holy days was was very important to their being seen as being part of God's people.  There are still some Christians today who judge others by how faithfully they follow religious customs.  Verse seventeen adds, Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.  Paul said these religious customs or laws were but a shadow of the things to come.  They were given by God to point people to the coming Messiah and showed them their own inability to save themselves.  Paul then said the body of believers, the church, was of Christ.  We can never be a part of the body of believers if we do not put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse eighteen eighteen continues, Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,  Paul warned them not to be enticed by anyone to start worshipping angels and believe that they must go through them to speak to God.  Paul said that those who did so were puffed up in their fleshly mind.  We cannot allow anything, even the angels, to come between God and us.  Verse nineteen concludes, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.  Paul said that if they did start to worship angels that they were no longer directed by Jesus Christ, the Head of the body of believers.  There is a lot of emphasis on angels today, but we must never put them between God and us.  Verse twenty states, Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,  Paul asked them if they were dead in Christ,  why did they live as though they were subject to ordinances in order to be a part of God's people.  I don't believe that Paul was saying that we shouldn't obey God's ordinances, or laws, but that we cannot look to them as a way to salvation.  Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.  Verse twenty-one adds, (Touch not; taste not; handle not;  Verse twenty-two continues, Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Paul said that those who claimed that people had to observe all the law as well as have faith in Jesus Christ were wrong, and asked why Christians would think they had to do this.   When we accept Jesus Christ we are saved by grace and dead to salvation by anything other than faith in Him.  Verse twenty-three concludes, Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.  Paul said the observance of these things as being necessary for having a personal relationship with God were all for show, and did not honor Jesus Christ Who satisfied the law for all time.  Though we are to follow God's laws as Christians, we can never attempt to make the keeping of the law of God a requirement for salvation, and we should never follow any who makes this a requirement. 

Colossians 2:1

Colossians 2:1 says, For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;  Paul said that he was in conflict over the believers in Colosse and those at Laodicea.  He had heard of their faith, but he had not yet visited them.  Paul was just as concerned for them as he was for churches that he had started, and he was concerned that they were truly founded on the gospel of Christ.  We need to be concerned and in prayer for churches today, even if we have no personal contact with them.  Verse two adds, That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;  Paul said that it was his desire that their hearts be comforted by being knit together in love for God and each other, by their knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and Jesus Christ.  We still do not totally understand the relationship of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but know that They are One God.  Verse three continues, In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  Paul said that wisdom and knowledge were hidden in God.  We may know a lot about the world today from a worldly point of view, but until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we will never have true knowledge and understanding.  Truth can only be found in God's word.  Verse four states, And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.  Paul said that they needed to be grounded in the knowledge of God so that they would not be beguiled by enticing words.  We can hear many things today that sound tempting, but if they are in conflict with God's word, we need to not give in to the temptation to believe them.  In order for this to happen, we must know what God's word says, and in order to do this, we must study His word.  I believe we should do this daily as individuals and together with other Christians frequently.  Verse five adds, For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.  Paul said that even though he wasn't able to be with them physically that he was with them in the spirit.  We will never be able to be physically present in all the churches around the world today, but we need to be joined with them in the Spirit.  We should do this with prayer and concern that they are founded on faith in Jesus Christ.  Paul said he had heard of their stedfastness in their faith in Christ, and this should be what we want people to hear about churches today.  We don't really need to be concerned about their denomination, but only about their faithfulness to Jesus Christ.  It also does not matter how large or small they may be.  Verse six continues, As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  Paul said that since they had received Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord that they were to walk by faith in Him.  I believe we too often look at the problems in our life instead of looking to God in faith.  This causes us to worry and doubt God too often.  We must walk by faith in Jesus Christ, as Paul said those many years ago.  Verse seven concludes, Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Paul said that the Christians at Colosse needed to be rooted in and building on their faith in Christ, and so should we today.  He said that they should be established in faith.  Everything that we as followers of Christ do today should be done because our life is established by faith in Christ.  This is what we should teach in the church today, just as Paul told the Christians at Colosse then, and if we do, we should abound in thanksgiving to God.   We as Christians, when we are established in our faith in Jesus Christ should always be giving praise and thanksgiving to God.

Colossians 1:21

Colossians 1:21 says, And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.  Paul said that by their wicked works, or sin, that the people of Colosse, who were Gentiles, had been alienated from God, but now through Jesus Christ's sacrifice for their sins on the cross, and by putting their faith in Him, they could be reconciled to God.  Until we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are alienated from God by our wicked ways, but once we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are reconciled to God.  Verse twenty-two adds, In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:  Paul said that through His life here on earth, including His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead that Jesus Christ made it possible for anyone to be presented to the heavenly Father as unblameable and unreproveable if they put their faith in Him.  This is still the only way to be reconciled to God, and Jesus Christ has already made the sacrifice for everyone so all anyone has to do to be reconciled is put their faith in Him.  Verse twenty-three continues, If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;  Paul told them that they could have this reconciliation to God if they put their faith in Jesus Christ and were unmoveable in that faith.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we should be unmoveable in our faith, but if we do falter at times, we are forever a part of the family of God.  God Himself seals us as His and nothing can ever take us away from Him.  Paul said he was a minister of the gospel,  which came by his calling from God.  As followers of Christ, we are all called to proclaim the gospel to those around us, even if we are not called to preach.  Verse twenty-four states, Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:  Paul said that he rejoiced in his sufferings for the sake of the gospel for the glory of Jesus Christ and the benefit of the church.  We as Christians should have the same attitude today, but too often we are ready to give up on witnessing for God at the least little inconvenience in life.  Verse twenty-five adds, Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;  Paul again said that he was made a minister of the gospel by the dispensation, or calling, of God.  If someone is truly a minister today, it has to be by the calling of God and then they must allow the Holy Spirit to speak through them.  Verse twenty-six continues, Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:  Paul said that the mystery of the gospel had been hidden for ages, but now had been made known to the saints, those who accepted Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation.  For too many people today, the truth of the gospel of Christ is still hidden, because they are still ruled by the things of this world.  Verse twenty-seven declares, To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:  Paul said it was God Who made known the gospel of Christ and the riches of glory that this mystery made known to the Gentiles.  Paul did not just decide on his own to go and share the gospel with the Gentiles, but he was sent by God.  We as followers of Christ are commissioned by God to go into all the world and share the gospel, even to those who we may not like.  Verse twenty-eight adds, Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:  Paul said that he preached the gospel of Christ so that everyone who accepted it could be presented perfect before God by their faith in Jesus Christ.  This should still be our desire today.  Verse twenty-nine continues, Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.  Paul said that he continued to strive to present the gospel to everyone he met because this desire worked mightily in him.  We need to have this same desire today if we are to be effective in reaching the world for Jesus Christ. 

Colossians 1:9

Colossians 1:9 says, For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;  Paul said that since they heard about the faithfulness of the followers of Christ at Colosse that they had not ceased to pray for them, and to desire that they might be filled with the knowledge of God with all wisdom and understanding.  We need to pray for this today for our fellow believers and for us ourself.  Knowledge and wisdom come only from God,and we cannot attain it if we do not put our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse ten adds, That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Paul said they prayed for them so that they might be fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.  He did not pray that they would become richer in the material things of this world, but in the heavenly things of God.  We need to pray today, not for material blessings, but for an increase in God's kingdom and our faithfulness in working for that purpose.  Verse eleven continues, Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;  Paul prayed for them to be strengthened with all the might of God according to His glorious power, so that they would have patience as they endured long-suffering with joyfulness.  Too often, as Christians, if the least little thing goes wrong in life, we begin to question God and whine about it.  We need to bear the problems of this life with faith and long-suffering instead.  Verse twelve states, Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  As Paul told the people at Colosse, we need to give thanks to our heavenly Father Who has made us worthy to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints of light by our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse thirteen adds, Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  This is what accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord did for the people then and is what it still does for us today.  We are delivered from the power of sin and darkness and translated into to the kingdom of Christ.  This is not something we can do for ourselves, but is something that God did for us when Jesus Christ died for our sins.  Verse fourteen continues, In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:  Paul said that redemption from sin and restoration with God comes through the blood of Jesus that He shed willingly on the cross for our sins.  There is no other way to salvation.  Verse fifteen declares, Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:  Paul said that Jesus was the image of the invisible God, and the first born of every creature.  Jesus was not the physical image of God but the spiritual image, and He is also the Creator of all things and the first born in redemption.  Verse sixteen adds, For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:  Paul further explains that Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things.  We need to always acknowledge the power of Christ.  Verse seventeen continues, And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.  Paul declared that Jesus Christ, though He had recently come to earth as a man was the eternal Son of God, existing before all things and making all things.  Verse eighteen states, And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.  Paul said that Jesus is the head of the church, those who put their faith in Him, and He is the firstborn from the dead so that He could have dominion over death.  Death came into the world because of disobedience of man to God, and the dominion of spiritual death was defeated by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross to atone for our sins.  Verse nineteen adds, For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;  Paul said the heavenly Father gave all fulness of the Gospel to the Son, Jesus Christ.  Verse twenty adds, And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.  Paul then said all things on earth or in heaven are reconciled by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.  If we accept Him as our personal Savior and Lord,  then we can be at peace with God.  He has died for our sins, and we are called to die to all the things of this world when we put our faith in Him.

Colossians 1:1

Colossians 1:1 says, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,  Paul begins by identifying  himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.  He didn't refer to any of his academic achieve-ments nor to his former position of authority in the Jewish community.  As followers of Christ, if someone asks us who we are, or if we are introducing ourselves to people, do we identify ourselves as Christians before anything else?  Paul also said he was an apostle by the will of God.  Whatever we as Christians are today, it should be by the will of God.  He also said that Timotheus, or Timothy, his brother was with him, though Timothy had once failed him.  We cannot let past failures of others to live up to our expectations keep us from ever accepting them as our brothers and sisters in Christ if they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse two adds, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul then said he was writing to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse.  These saints were not some super Christians, but were those who had put their faith in Jesus Christ and were therefore set aside from the world by their relationship to Him.  As Christians, we are all saints of God today.  Paul wished them grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  God will give us peace today once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, but only if we live by faith in Him once we do.  Verse three continues, We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,  Paul then said he gave thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This separated them from the Jews, who believed in God the Father, but did not believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.  In order to be a part of the family of God, we must put our faith in Jesus Christ as God's Son and the only way to salvation.  Verse four states, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,  Paul said he had heard of their faith in Christ Jesus and their love to all the saints.  They did not have instant or even easy communication in those days, so Paul must have heard of this by other people talking about the Christians at Colosse.   People should hear about our faithfulness to Jesus Christ today, and this should be expressed by our love for other people because of our faithfulness to God.  Verse five adds, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;  Paul said because of their accepting the gospel hope was laid up for them in heaven.  He did not promise the worldly success and riches.  Our hope as followers of Christ should not be for the things of this world, but for the hope of heaven.  Verse six continues, Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:  Paul said their faith bore fruit for God, as it did with all who put their faith in Jesus Christ.  We as Christians today should first and foremost be bearing fruit for Christ.  Verse seven says, As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow- servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;  Paul also recognized Epaphras as a dear fellowservant who had ministered to the Christians at Colosse.  Paul never set himself above other Christians, and neither should we.  Verse eight adds, Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.  Paul said Epaphras had also declared the love of the people of Colosse in the Spirit of God for each other and those around them to Paul.   People should be able to speak of the love that we have for each other and for those around us because of our leadership by the Holy Spirit today if we are a follower of Christ. 

Deuteronomy Review Concluded.

Through the rest of Deuteronomy, we have an account of the wanderings and then the organization of the Israelites. Moses led in this under the leadership of God.  We today as the church need to be organized under the leadership of the Holy Spirit so that we are united in doing God's work.  The people were given their inheritance by the division of the land by God, including the two and a half tribes who remained in the land across the river.  They got their inheritance before the Promised Land was claimed, but they were still required to go and help the rest of the people claim it.  We as Christians already have our heavenly home assured to us, but we still have a responsibility to help others come to Christ so they can claim their's as well.  We cannot just sit back content as long as there are lost people in the world, and we also need to be content with what God blesses us with and not always want more and more.  The Levites, the priests, did not inherit any land, but were to rely on God's provision for them.  We today as followers of Christ are the priests of God, and will never have an inheritance in this world.  The people of Israel were given a promise of success in capturing the Promised if they remained faithful to God, and we have the promise of everlasting life through faith in Jesus Christ, and because of that, we need to remain faithful to Him in all that we do.  We have the record of the appointment of Eleazar to replace Aaron, which happened when Moses was still alive.  Though Aaron was the priest of God, he like Moses never went into the Promised Land on earth, but he went on the the everlasting Promised Land called heaven.  Then, we have a record of the appointment of Joshua to replace Moses,  and then the death of Moses.  Though Moses was a great man of God, he was still expected to obey God's commands and so are we as Christians today.  When we are saved by putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we are to live by the directions of the Holy Spirit.  Moses was not indenspinisble in God's kingdom, and neither is anyone today.  Next,we will look at the book of Colossians. 

Deuteronomy Review Continued

The people Isreal were called on to be impartial in their judgment of others, and we must be too if we are called on to judge others.  The people were reminded of the report of the spies who first went into the Promised Land, and how they reported on the goodness of the land and brought back proof.  They, except for Joshua and Caleb, also said that the people there were too powerful for the people of Israel to defeat, and this was without proof or faith in God.  We too often see proof of the goodness of God but cannot see proof that He that He will protect us in the face of the enemy.  This is the problem with living by sight and not faith.  After the report of the spies, the people began to murmur against God.  This is also something that we often do if things are not going our way in life.  We want to blame God.  This led to the promise of God to make the people of Israel a great nation in a land that He would give them, the land that they were just across the river from, being passed on to their children.  We don't want to be a generation that refuses to put our faith in God and therefore have His promise of everlasting life pass over us.  Still, God would continue to lead them throughout their wilderness wanderings, even though they would still murmur.  If we have truly put our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we are forever a part of His kingdom, even though we may murmur in doubt and miss many of the blessings of God.  They were also told that they were not to bother the Edomites, who were descendants of Esau, nor were they to battle the Moabites, who were descendants of Lot.  They were not a part of the people of Israel that God chose to work through but they were a part of His promise to Abraham. We are not all a part of the same physical family of God today as Christians, but we are all a part of the same family spiritually, and we should not be at war with one another.