Colossians 1:19-29

Well, good evening, brethren. In the last study, we covered up to verse 18, or first of collagions, chapter 1. So today we're just going to do a brief review and then continue from verse 19. The first two chapters of this epistle are directed at the Gnostic heresy. And today we hope to finish chapter 1. But as a point of review, the common Gnostic teaching was the concept of... there were a few concepts, but one of them was of emanations. And that would imply that Jesus and Christ were not the same person, because entirely good spirit could not be in entirely evil flesh, because they separated that spirit was entirely good and flesh entirely evil. So we covered that in the previous study. And also we mentioned that Gnosticism required or believed in a special secret, higher knowledge, over and above the Bible and Christ's teachings to receive salvation. So Paul explains that in verse 13 of chapter 1. Verse 13 of chapter 1, he says, he has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his love. So he explains us that we have been delivered from the sway, the domination of Satan, and these ideas of the world are completely wrong. In other words, it is God that transfers us to the kingdom of God. It was to the kingdom of his son, not special knowledge, as the Gnostics believed. And then in verse 14, he says that we have been bought out through Jesus Christ's blood, in whom he says we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. And so again, this is not my special knowledge, and therefore we can see Paul here is addressing this Gnostic teaching and saying that it's completely false. In verse 15, that he says he is the image of the invisible God. So Christ is not just one of the lesser beings or created beings emanating from God that entered the man Jesus as that Gnostic belief was, but he is the image of the invisible God. And that means through Jesus Christ, we know all about God. And then he goes on and says the firstborn over all creation. Expositor's Bible commentary made a research on this one, and he says, at first sight, this name seems to include that that Christ is in the family of beings that were created as the eldest.

And it therefore seems to include that to treat him as one of them, just because he declared he's the first begotten, the first born. But Paul clarifies in verse 16 that that is not the case, because in verse 16 says, for by him all things were created.

And so Paul clearly clarifies, explaining the title that of being the firstborn of creation, that by him all things were created, which means Christ existed before all things, and that he created them all. Christ created everything. And so the title, firstborn of all creation in this context does not mean that he was physically created or born, but it implies some priority, because he existed before all things. Implies supremacy, and not that he was one of the creation.

Christ therefore must have the first place in all things, the supremacy, the priority over all things, because he preceded the whole creation, because he created it. And so yeah, in verse 16 he's very clear, say, he created all things. And yes, he then expounds that it's even angelic things.

And at the end of that verse he says, all things were created through him and for him. So it shows his priority, his supremacy. Now it's interesting in verse 17, because let's compare that with verse 16. In verse 16 it's talking about the past. It says in verse 16, he, verse 16, says, by him all things were created. So that's the past. But in verse 17 he says, and he is before all things. Now he's in the present tense. So in verse 16, emphasizes pre-existence right at the beginning, because all things were created by him.

And verse 17 emphasizes absolute existence. He's existed. He exists. Now that reminds you and I of Christ saying to the Pharisees in John 858, before Abraham, I am. You all remember that quote, which is a claim to pre-existence and divinity. He was alive and he has always existed. And so yeah, in in verses 16 and 17, Paul adds value or a more profound explanation to the title that he used of Christ in verse 15 as being the firstborn of our creation. He has a lot more context to that, because as he says, he pre-existed and he has absolute existence.

And then also at the end of this verse, verse 17, it says, and in him all things consist. In other words, it means that everything is held together. Christ holds or preserves the whole universe. And then in verse 17, after he's basically talking at, let's call it at a physical creation level, basically, except obviously it's talking that he created thrones and dominions, which are spiritual.

But let's just talk about the physical creation level at the physical creation level. But now he moves to the spiritual creation of the sons of God, because he says in verse 18, and he is the head of the body, the church. And so that is the spiritual creation of the sons of God. And he says, who is the beginning? The first born from the dead, that in all things you may have preeminence.

And so again, we have here a parallel from physical creation to the spiritual creation of the sons of God. As the physical creator, he is the source, he is the creator, he is superior. Also, in the spiritual creation of the sons of God, it was in God's church, as he's creating us, and we are growing in the church, he's the first, he's the origin of all spiritual life. So therefore, as in the physical creation, he has the great title of first born, implying that he was the first and he's got, being the primary one, having supremacy or priority, implying he's the first.

Likewise, in the spiritual creation in the church, he has the spiritual he has the same great title first born. So in the physical and spiritual creation, we see they are brought together through this way he's warning it and saying that Christ is the beginning. Now obviously, spiritually speaking, being first born is talking about that we are the first begotten and he is Christ, not only he was a physical being, but he was the first born that became a spiritual being. That's why he says the first born from the dead.

So he is the only one at this stage until resurrection when we may also be resurrected and changed to spirit being, but currently is the only one that according to 1 Corinthians 15 that he was from mortal to immortality. He has immortality. So he's the first one to have immortality that came from the flesh and therefore others will be part of the family of God. And that's why therefore he says in all things he has preeminence. That's what he says here at the end of verse 18. Now we need to keep in mind that Paul is really addressing this Gnostic philosophy that was affecting the church and as I mentioned this Gnosticism stated that Christ was only one emanation from God and therefore these verses show clearly that Jesus Christ was before our creation, before the angels, before whatever powers and visible and invisible before thrones and dominions and therefore Christ is eternal.

In the Old Testament the word that implies eternal is the tetragram y h w h stated sometimes as Jehovah or YHWH. We don't really know the correct pronunciation but that word quite often translated as Lord in our English Bibles with capital letters but it could also be correctly stated as eternal. So when we read that we could say eternal because he is existing, he is the I AM. Now moving on to verse 19 we get to a very very important verse as well also particularly in the context of this Gnostic belief because it says, for it pleased the Father, please note that the word the Father is in italics, but in the context it is okay to say it is the Father, that in him, that's in Christ, all the fullness should dwell.

In Christ all the fullness should dwell. Now the word fullness is the Greek 4138, Pleroma, and it's also used in chapter 2 verse 9. It says, for in indwells all the fullness of the Godhead, so we can see again is addressing this Gnostic belief that the whole the fullness of God was in Christ in the flesh. And so the entirety of God's attributes, it was therefore pleasing to God to have that dwell in Christ Jesus.

Christ therefore has authority over all spiritual powers, angels, powers of indominions, and thrills, and principalities, demons, etc., except that Christ is under the Father. Otherwise, he has dominion over all spiritual and physical powers. He is and he is going to come to earth to take over the government on this planet. Thank God that that is coming soon. So Paul is, yeah, combating or countering this Gnostic teaching which made Christ less important.

And he says therefore Christ himself as the fullness of God's divinity, because the Gnostics distributed, quote-unquote, the divine power over different emanations. They called it eons. But yeah, Paul says that all these powers are all under Christ.

And this is a clear affirmation that Christ is God, is of the God family, and is God like the Father is the supreme God. Now, verse 20, in verse 20, we read, And by him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of his cross. And so by Jesus Christ, as we can see, as a result of this, he is to reconcile, as Rhesus says, by him to reconcile all things to himself. So Christ has all the fullness, and through him there's going to be a complete reconciliation of all things. Now, just as a parenthetical statement, yeah, just as an interesting point, note that the expression all things appears in these verses from verse 16 through verse 20.

Six times. And plus then in verse 15 talks about all creation, because it's not about all these things, all creation, that in a sense makes it seven times this being mentioned. It's just an interesting point in brackets. But reconciliation, as we are reading, yeah, by him to reconcile all things. Reconciliation means to bring back to a former state, change the sinner's relationship to God. And so we are reconciled to God. And so, as it says, whether things on earth or in heaven, having made peace through the blood of the cross. And so, through the blood of the cross, again, he attacks or addresses this docetic idea or idea of docetism, because they denied the real humanity of Jesus Christ. And so he says, no, no, Christ is very clear. Christ was a human being, and he died. He did die. And so he was completely human being. Christ did die. He did bleed. And he was a human being. Christ came in the flesh. You know, there's other scriptures that talk about the Antichrist, those that deny that Christ came in the flesh. So we can see how this Gnosticism was affecting the Church even later when John writes about this.

And so Paul is saying, we can be reconciled to God. Now, yeah, he's pointed sometimes. People get a bit confused. And he says, and by him to reconcile all things to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of this cross. The point here is about things in heaven. Some people feel or conclude that Christ is reconciling demons. But that is not what it's talking about here. All things will be brought back to a restored state, either in a millennia that the earth will be restored, but if not even more so, in the new heaven and new earth. And everything, not just on earth, but in heaven, because it says new heaven and a new earth, will be brought into a correct relationship with God.

And as we know, even today, the creation is at odds. All human beings and physical creation is at odds. There are a lot of problems with physical things. You and I know, for instance, how many physical things maybe we eat, and that food may not be of the best quality. That's why today we have things, well, it's going to be organic and this and that. But when God sorts this up, everything will be brought back to a correct status. There'll be no genetically modified stuff, none of that. Everything will be brought back to a state of reconciliation with God, to the way that God wants it. All things, all human beings and all physical creation, therefore, will be brought back to God's value system, God's way. And all mankind will be given opportunity to repent. So that's in verse 20. Now, verse 21, And you were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled. And so we were separated enemies. We were different from God's way. We need in Romans chapter 8, when he talks about that we need to be focused on the things of the Spirit. And he says the mind that is focused or that is carnally minded is enmity against God.

And we need to be spiritually minded. And so, and that is in Romans 8 verse 7, what he says, the carnal mind is enmity against God. So we, before we were converted, we were separated. We were enemies. And now we've been converted, we've been reconciled, and now we've been reconciled. Then Paul explains here. He says, now he has reconciled us in the body of his flesh through death. I beg your pardon. So once again that Christ, the Son of God, the Word, became flesh, and through his death, again, going right into this Gnostic teaching. So again, Paul shows that through Christ's body, by Christ willing to die, willing to shed his blood and giving his life for us and his body for us, Paul clearly shows that Christ was greater than all creation put together. And that's what he says. Therefore, he were a lineage and enemies. By wicked works yet now he has reconciled you in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight. We are to be presented holy and blameless and above reproach. Now what is oli? Oli is the Greek word hajios, which means separated separated from others, separated, set aside to God. In other words, you and I have been handpicked by God and we have been set aside for a holy purpose. And what is that holy purpose? That holy purpose, as we well know, is to become part of the family of God. And so we have a unique calling, and in that unique calling we are to be without blemish and without spot.

In other words, we are to be above reproach without flaws. Now how can you and I be above reproach? How can you and I be blameless? Because don't we basically have to go to God every day and say, God please forgive me? But it's because our sins are forgiven. We repent and Christ then washes and cleanses us. We ask forgiveness and God does not hold it out against us. And so that's how we become without reproach and blameless. And then in verse 23 says, if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, we are not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. So if indeed you continue in the faith, it was not moved from the hope of the gospel. We got to continue in the faith. We got to be faithful till the end and not moved from the hope of the gospel. What is the hope of the gospel? It's the good news of the kingdom of God.

It's the good news that you and I are to be born into the family of God. And then it says, and that is being preached to every creature. Well, that is more like an hyperbole, because not every human being alive really heard it.

The message had been sent over the Roman Empire. Like today, we are to preach the gospel unto the whole world to every creature, but might not literally reach every creature, but every creature will know when things go bad and people talk. And they said, oh, we heard this.

Oh, you heard that? Oh, wow. So the gospel is being preached to the whole world. And then it says it that in the Roman Empire, it was also preached all over the Roman Empire. Now, you and I, when we look at the pistols of Paul, we're only looking at one apostle, but we had another 11 apostles, which also went into other areas of the Roman Empire into different areas. And so the gospel was preached into that old and known world of that time, particularly the Roman Empire. And there's also other ways one could look at it, maybe not as strongly as that. But we read in Romans 1 verse 20 that everybody looks at the creation and people are without excuse. They know that God exists. They have no excuse. As we see, for instance, in Romans 1 verse 20, let's just look at it. Romans 1 verse 20. It says, for since the creation of the world, the invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even as eternal power and God had, so that they were without excuse. And so the gospel was preached, but in addition, God has, through the creation, has given a degree of witness to mankind. And also, when we read in Psalm 19 verse 1, Psalm 19 verse 1, Psalm 19 verse 1, Psalm 19 verse 1, says, the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows is any work. They and today utter speech, and night and tonight reveals knowledge. And so the heavens declare God's glory. So, yes, God's glory is preached indirectly, but Paul and the apostles made a very specific effort inspired by God through the power of God's Holy Spirit to preach the hope of the gospel to that whole Roman world. Now, continue now in verse 24. In verse 24 says, and I now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his body, which is the church. And so he says, I became, he says, my sufferings for you fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ. As we know, what is Paul's suffering? Paul's suffering for one at that time was that he was in jail. He was the the apostle to the Gentiles. And we know what happened when he went to Jerusalem. He was accused of bringing Gentiles to the temple. And so because of that, he was, well, they wanted to kill him. And then he appealed to Caesar, as we know. And then he ended up being in jail in Rome. And so the suffering that he's going through was for you, you know, was for the Gentiles. That's what basically what Paul was saying. And then he says, what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ? Now, what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ? Well, let's look at 2 Corinthians 11. 2 Corinthians 11, we see our list starting from verse 16.

2 Corinthians 11 starting in verse 16. Let's just read. He says, I say again, Let no one think me a fool, if otherwise at least receive me as a fool, that I might boast a little. What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but it is it where foolishly, foolishly and in this confidence of boasting, seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I'll also boast. For you, put up with fools gladly, since yourselves are wise. For you put up with it, if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. To your shame, I say, that we were too weak for that. But in whatever, anyone is bald, I speak foolishly. And then he goes on describing all the way to verse 33, that he says, for instance, in verse 24, from the Jews, I received five times, I received forty stripes, minus one. And then he goes on listing all the difficulties and beatings and trials and weariness and toil that he went through. So Paul was persecuted for righteousness sake.

Now, persecution, when we go through persecution for righteousness sake, that's important to understand because not because we've done something wrong, but because we're doing and living according to Christ's way and we are persecuted.

We need to also understand that that persecution is not just directed at us. And what I mean by that, say, for instance, you injure your body, for instance, you injure your hand or you injure your toe or you injure, for instance, your knee, your whole body suffers and the head suffers. It affects you mentally. And so when the body is persecuted, now speaking spiritually, that means the body of Christ, which is the Church, which is you and I, when we are persecuted for righteousness sake, who is being persecuted? It's the head. It's Christ. And so Christ, yes, he's suffering. And that's why it says what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ. What was lacking? Well, I want to mention two basic things first, is that we are being prepared as a bride, as a bride of Christ. And as a bride, we are to have compassion, pity, and understanding, graciousness and kindness for those that affect us one way or another, that will later serve in the kingdom of God if they repent and they change. So Christ wants a bride that is compatible with him. What do we mean? You remember Genesis chapter 2 verse 18, right? Let's just look at that. Genesis chapter 2 verse 18.

Genesis chapter 2 verse 18. And it says, And the Lord said, It is not good that man should be alone. I'll make him a helper, comparable to him. So Christ wants a bride, not elevating this at a spiritual level, Christ wants a bride that is compatible within, just like the analogy in the physical world. And so Christ wants us, you and I, as the bride to have the same mercy, the same compassion, the same grace that he has. Therefore, Paul says he suffered as Christ suffered.

As we say that, it's good to remember or recall 2 Peter 3 verse 18 that says, But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

And so we grow in the knowledge, understanding how Christ is compassionate, mercy, forgiving to us. And we're going to grow in becoming like that to others.

I know it's difficult, but it's part of being persecuted for righteous sake. Doesn't mean just being walked over by other people, but it means that we have to develop the same grace as Christ has upon that we will have to apply and Christ applies upon repentance.

So it says, therefore, Paul says he suffered as Christ suffered. In other words, he suffered too, as we read here in Colossians chapter 1 verse 24. He says, What is lacking in the afflictions of Christ? So he's saying, I'm suffering, I'm full up in my flesh. What is lacking in the afflictions of Christ? So I mentioned, I wanted to mention two points. The first one, as I explained, is the bride. We are the bride, we've been prepared to have the same grace, the same mercy, compassion as Christ.

The second point is that we are being taught to be able to help other people with similar problems. And we, as the body of Christ, when we put us all together as the body of Christ, as the bride of Christ, in that body there will have been somebody that has suffered every type of difficulty.

Some in the body of Christ have been slaves, some in the body of Christ have been in slavery camps. Some in the body of Christ have been abused physically, mentally, emotionally. And so, as in the wall tomorrow, as the bride of Christ, we will be able to work with those people, for instance, that come in from different parts of the world, which we would call, at the beginning of the millennium, the second Exodus. And we will be able, for instance, to go to those people and say, I understand, I feel your pain, and therefore we will be able to assist and help. That's why it says it's a bride compatible with Christ to assist him.

Now let's read on verses 25 through 27, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God, which was given to me for you to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to the saints. To whom, to them, God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. And so we have here, from verse 25 through 27, the mystery of God being mentioned again. So the correct mystery, you know, was the correct, the uneven truth of God is about who God is and his plan of salvation. The nature of God, because we ought to be of the same nature as God. In other words, we are to be of that same family, and that is part of the plan of salvation. The two are very well interconnected and is not related to the Babylonian mystery religion. In Revelation chapter 17, it talks about this mystery Babylon, and Revelation chapter 17 verse 5 refers to it as mystery Babylon the Great, the mother of all its, and of abominations of the earth.

This is a system, a system, a religion, which basically comes back, or goes back, should I say, to Babylon. But it has been spiritualized, quote-unquote, I sometimes call it as pagan reformation by the Greeks. It was spiritualized by the Greeks. So this very pagan Babylonian approach has been changed, modeled through the Greek philosophies, which basically being like a pagan reformation, was spiritualized this Babylon, and that's what we have today. A mystery Babylon the Great. A religion which comes all the way from Babylon, but it's dressed up in mysterious symbols, things that a lot of people don't understand. And so when we see in verse 25, starting first in verse 25, that says, we're talking about the body, which is the church of which I became a minister, according to the stewardship from God. The stewardship is the, the steward is a server, he's a administrator, and Paul was a servant, a steward doing the job that God had given him to preach the gospel. And that's what he says, according to stewardship from God, which was given to me for you to fulfill the Word of God. So he was fulfilling, preaching, helping them to understand the Word of God. And then in verse 26, the mystery, which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to the saints. This plan of God was hidden, but it's now revealed to the church. You do not need a Gnostic mystery religion, or special secret knowledge. It's God, through his Holy Spirit, that reveals to us, that opens our minds to understand the truth. And Paul explained it to us, so with the understanding of the Bible, by studying the Bible, and with God's Holy Spirit, and reading the scriptures, God opens our minds through his Spirit to understand the truth. Learn, for instance, or rather, let's look, for instance, at 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 9 and 10. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 9 and 10.

And now we read, as it's written, I has not seen nor ear heard, nor has entered, or have entered into the heart of men, the things which God has prepared for those who love him. In other words, people don't get it. But God has revealed to them, has revealed them to us, you know, it was these mysteries, God has revealed to us, through God's Holy Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. God's Spirit, God's power, God's mind that is given us, opens our minds to understanding. And that's why it says in verse 27, verse 27 of Colossians chapter 1, it says, to them God willed to make known what are the reaches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. The reaches of his glory, which is Christ in us. The mystery has to do with Christ living in us.

And that is a result of, and as a result of that, we have hope, hope of glory. So what do you mean, hope of glory? Okay, we know we called, as we have faith, we are prepared to have baptized, we make a commitment, we then through the laying of hands receive God's Holy Spirit. God's Holy Spirit begets or regenerates. We then have to use God's Holy Spirit, which is a sanctification for obedience. We have to then overcome to the end, and then at Christ's coming we will be changed, resurrected, or in other words glorified. And that is the hope of glory. That is this whole process that culminates in glorification for us to be part of the God family, part of that glorification of the God family, part of that God which is the God family. So that is the hope of glory. And then it says here in verse 28, "...him we preach, warning every man and reaching every man in all wisdom that we might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." So this is also a pretty important statement, particularly for us as ministers, as pastors, as teachers. This is the goal of a minister. The goal of a minister is to present those that are under his pastorate that he's responsible for as perfect before God. In other words, to help the brethren to be spiritually mature or complete. The word for perfect Yah in Greek is telios, which is mature. So we are to help the brethren to mature.

And if we just go back briefly to Ephesians chapter 4, Ephesians chapter 4, starting in verse 11, it says that God has given ministers to the church. That's what he says. Some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. So God's given ministers to the church.

Verse 12, for what reason? For the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry. It was the work of serving. The word ministry is the acunea. So God's given the church ministers to help the saints, in other words, to help the brethren to become better servants.

For what reason? For building, for edifying the body of Christ, which is the church.

To when? To what? To we all come to the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God. So that we become like Christ. That we have the same grace as him. That we apply that. And that's what it says. So that we become a perfect person, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That's what we should be aiming at. So that we're not tossed around with all different ideas and things like that. But we are growing up unto Christ, as it says in verse 15, who is the head? And so, and part of that is we all have to cooperate and work together. But that is the responsibility of the ministry. The ministry's responsibility is to help the brethren to grow, to be mature. Not to be tossed around like children in different ideas and whatever it is, but be solid, well grounded in the truth. So that they may grow and be, as it says, grow to the full stature of Jesus Christ. That's our responsibility. And then concluding in verse 29, to this end are also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily. And so striving, the actual Greek word, the afro-striving, is agoniesomai, from which we get the English word, we agonize. In other words, it's like being in an athletic event, and we are competing or fighting, and we're pulling effort forwards. We're not competing to put the other person down, but we are competing to put the best effort, to do our best part.

And therefore, in our Christian life, we are laboring to do our best effort. That's what Paul is saying, that he has to do his best effort. And so what we have to do, and this is something I've heard in the church for many years. I guess it came from the storm's wrong. I don't know if it is, but I've heard from the church for many years, it says, we've got to work as if it all depends on you, but we've got to realize that it is God that does the work. We've got to, you know, do all our part, but leave the rest in God's hands. We have to put forth the complete effort.