THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS
Colossians |kəˈläSH(ə)nz| a book of the New Testament, an epistle of St. Paul to the Church at Colossae in Phrygia.
The book of Colossians is a letter of encouragement and hope written to the church of Colossae from the Apostle Paul in AD 60-61.
Paul always wrote letters to the newly forming Christian churches of his day to encourage them in their faith and to teach them how to live out the gospel. But each of his letters were written to a specific group of people, dealing with unique issues and problems.
The major reason Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians was to equip the church to be aware of false, worldly teaching. At that time, a lot of empty philosophies and humanistic beliefs were starting to seep into the church. False teachers began to minimize Christ by mixing and exalting other teachings over the simple gospel: Jesus.
(Humanism, by definition, is an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.)
Empty philosophies, opinions, and humanistic beliefs are still very popular today. There are a lot of loud voices and opinions in our world that might sound good when we hear them, but if Jesus isn’t at the center of those words—they simply aren’t truth.
“Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.” Colossians 2:8
Jesus said to His disciples in John 8:31-32, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Life can be stressful. And religion can be confusing—especially when there are so many opinions and beliefs coming at us from social media to church platforms. But Paul knew how devastating it could be to our relationship with God if we started mixing our own opinions and philosophies into His simple truth. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Jesus. (John 14:6)
As we prepare for Thanksgiving this week, I think it’s important to note that Paul actually wrote this entire letter of encouragement and hope while he was sitting in a prison cell. That’s right. Paul was encouraging this church to keep their hope and thanksgiving in Christ when his current circumstances were far less than ideal. Paul’s ability to be full of hope in a circumstance like this should encourage us today. No matter what you are facing in your life—remember, you carry the hope of the world inside of you.
“Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with THANKFULNESS.” Colossians 2:7
Leaving you with a prayer for this Thanksgiving week from Colossians 3:12-17...
Because God chose you to be the holy people He loves, clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with LOVE, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the PEACE that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. Always, always be thankful for ALL things. Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives... And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus. Amen!
XO-
Sabrina
Happy Thanksgiving!