the Body of Christ

The Mind of Christ

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5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:5-11 ESV

So, how were the Philippian believers supposed to live in unity, “being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind”? How would they prevent self-ambition and conceit from destroying their personal relationships and corporate witness? Where would they find the motivation and strength to live humbly and consider others as more important than themselves?

Paul doesn’t leave them on their own to find the answers to these pressing questions; he provides them with a succinct and simple answer: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5 ESV).

He reminds them that Christ was the key to their salvation and their ongoing sanctification, both as individuals and as a congregation. The only way they will experience the kind of unity Paul has prescribed is if they learn to think as Christ did. They were to have the mind of Christ. The Greek word Paul used is phroneō, and it is in its verb form, which transforms it into an action. The original word can be translated as “to think.” Paul is telling them to think on Christ and consider His life.

They are to consider their circumstances and respond to them as Christ would. And this reflection on Christ’s attitude and action was to have a corporate context. Paul tells them that the environment for considering the mind of Christ was “among yourselves.” The task of thinking and reacting like Christ is to be applied within the body of Christ.

Christ-likeness that masquerades as self-preservation or self-satisfaction is not Christ-likeness at all. To claim to have the mind of Christ, but to think only of one’s own self-interest is the antithesis of Christ. To prove his point, Paul ensures that the Philippian believers understand what he means by sharing the mindset and behavior of Christ. And don’t miss the very important point that Paul makes. This mindset is already available to them because of their relationship with Christ Jesus. It is not something they have to seek or produce on their own; it became theirs at the point of their salvation.

But we don’t always live with the mind of Christ. Too often, we view things from our sinful and self-centered vantage point, making even our relationship with Christ all about us. In doing so, we forget that Christ redeemed us from a life of self-destructive narcissism. We have been placed within the body of Christ so that we might display the character of Christ among our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

At one point, Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus and expressed his strong desire for them to fully comprehend the extent of Christ’s love for them. He suggested that this could only be accomplished within the context of the body of Christ. As they selflessly loved one another as an expression of their grateful love for God, they would experience Christ’s remarkable love for them.

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. – Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT

And how much did Christ love us? Enough to die for us. But before Christ went to the cross, He had to come to earth, and Paul makes sure his audience understands that as horrific as the cross was, Christ’s incarnation was an even greater act of humiliation and shame.

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being. – Philippians 2:6-7 NLT

Christ left the glory of heaven and His rightful place of honor at His Father’s side and willingly came to earth. But He couldn’t come in His glorious, heavenly form; He had to become a human being. Not only that, Jesus didn’t arrive on earth as a fully-formed man; He became a fetus in Mary’s womb and, nine months later, entered the world as a helpless infant. Yet, in doing so, He became Immanuel, God with us. However, no one recognized Him as God because He no longer exhibited the trappings of deity. Rather than a royal robe, He was wrapped in a swaddling cloth. Instead of angels and cherubim surrounding His throne proclaiming His glory, sheep and cattle stood around His manger in dumb disinterest. Rather than appearing as the all-powerful Son of God, Jesus came in the form of a child, a status that left him with little honor and no rights.

Paul goes on to emphasize that Jesus, the Son of God and the very image of God, not only took on human flesh; He became a humble slave to the will of His Heavenly Father and a servant to those He created. But why did Jesus do this? So that He might give His life as a ransom for the sins of mankind. What He did, He did for the good of others. A point that Jesus Himself made very clear.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45 NLT

The truly amazing thing is that Jesus gave up all His heavenly prerogatives so that He might live on this earth as a human being. This does not mean that Jesus became any less God during His time on earth. He remained fully God throughout His incarnation, but He willingly relinquished the independent use of His divine attributes. He became fully dependent upon God the Father during His earthly ministry. He retained His divine power and all the characteristics of deity, but He submitted them fully to the will of His Father. During His incarnation, Jesus operated under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit.

Consider the magnitude of that thought. The entire time Jesus walked this earth, He had full access to His power as a member of the Trinity and the ability to access that power at any time, yet He refused to do so. Which is Paul’s point. He emphasizes that Jesus “humbled himself in obedience to God” (Philippians 2:8 NLT). He did what His Father wanted, and His obedience was so precise and complete that He was willing to go to the cross where he “died a criminal’s death.” 

Amazingly, this is the attitude that Paul encouraged the Philippian believers to have. They were to share Jesus’ way of thinking. As the Son of God, Jesus didn’t consider Himself too good to do His Father’s will. He didn’t think of Himself as too important to sacrifice His life for the good of others. The prospect of humiliation was not off-limits to Jesus. The thought of dying on behalf of those who deserved death was not off-putting to Jesus; He did it willingly and lovingly. All that Jesus did was an expression of His love.

And we are to share that same way of thinking. We are to exhibit that same mindset when it comes to those around us, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. However, driven by pride and ego, we are all prone to seek our own self-exaltation. Our sin natures tend to make everything all about us, and, even as believers, we can begin to think that we are somehow better than others because we are in Christ. After all, we are redeemed children of God. We are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9 ESV). But if we’re not careful, we can begin to think too highly of ourselves and end up drowning in our own perceived self-importance. But as Paul told the believers in Rome, “Don’t think you are better than you really are” (Romans 12:3 NLT).

Paul would have us consider Christ. If anyone deserved to be exalted, it was Him. After all, He was God. Yet, Jesus humbled Himself; He even allowed Himself to be humiliated by the very ones He created. He suffered death at the hands of sinful men. But Paul reminds us that God exalted Him.

God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names… – Philippians 2:9 NLT

It’s important to note that Jesus’ exaltation came after His humiliation. His resurrection followed His crucifixion. His ascension could not have happened without His death and burial in a borrowed grave.

We can waste a lot of time seeking exaltation in this life, or we can share Christ’s mindset and pursue a life of selfless service to others. We can humble ourselves as He did, enduring potential humiliation and the seeming loss of our status as God’s children, or we can make ourselves the center of attention. We can pursue self-exaltation or humbly serve and love one another, allowing God to exalt us in His own time. The words of Peter are appropriate here.

…all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for

“God opposes the proud
    but gives grace to the humble.”

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. – 1 Peter 5:5-6 NLT

Father, this is one of my favorite passages in the Scriptures, yet, I don’t fully understand its meaning or implications. I most certainly don’t live it out on a daily basis. Like every other human being, I wrestle with pride and selfishness. I prefer being served over serving others. I can think too highly of myself and look down my nose at others, especially those outside the family of faith. Yet, Paul calls me to have the mind of Christ; to think like He did so that my actions mirror His. He humbled Himself, yet I still find it difficult to following His example. He loved the unlovely, but I tend to restrict my affections to those I deem lovable. He came to serve, not be served, but I can find the servant’s lifestyle off-putting and beneath my dignity. However, if Your Son had taken that mindset, I would still be enslaved to sin and the condemnation of death. Thank You for this powerful reminder from Paul. Now, help me live it out in daily life, for the good of others and, ultimately, Your glory. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Family Affair

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27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.– Philippians 1:27-2:4 ESV

Paul has expressed his desire to return to Philippi one day, and he has let them know that, while he would prefer to die and be with the Lord, he believed he would eventually be released from his house arrest in Rome. That would be a good thing because it would allow him to continue to preach the gospel and carry on his ministry of encouragement to all the churches he had helped to start.

But, at the moment, Paul’s greatest concern was the spiritual well-being of his brothers and sisters in Philippi. While he knew they would rejoice over the thought of him returning to see them one day, he had more pressing matters on his mind.  It would seem from the content of this next section of Paul’s letter that there was some serious disunity taking place in the congregation in Philippi. Paul is going to repeatedly stress the idea of oneness. Three times in eight verses, Paul will use the word “one.” He longs to hear that they are “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27 ESV).

Like any of the churches of that day, the Philippian congregation was relatively new and trying to hold its own while living in a pagan and sometimes hostile culture.  They were constantly facing outside opposition. As a Roman colony, Philippi was filled with a plethora of false gods. One of the keys to Rome’s successful domination of the world was its willingness to accommodate and tolerate the gods of the nations they conquered. The Romans allowed their subjects to continue the worship of their own particular deity(s). While this policy of religious tolerance made it much easier to manage Rome’s far-flung empire with its ethnically and religiously diverse populations, it could also create an atmosphere of polarization and antagonism. In the atmosphere of forced pluralism, each group would strive to maintain the distinctiveness of its religious traditions, resulting in a culture of conflict and competition.

And here was this fledgling congregation of relatively new believers trying to hold its own in an atmosphere that favored religious pluralism but actually fostered intolerance and open hostility. Christians were the new kids on the block and were usually unwelcome and misunderstood. Some viewed them as a sect of Judaism, while others tried to portray them as a dangerous cult. Every member of the Philippian congregation would have converted to Christianity from some other, much older faith system. In accepting Christ as their Savior, they had turned their backs on their former religion and, in doing so, alienated friends and family members who still held firmly to that ideology.

For Christians living in the 1st century, coming to faith in Christ was about much more than a decision to accept Jesus as their Savior. It could be a hazardous and potentially deadly choice that had long-term, life-altering implications. No one understood this better than Paul. His relationship with Christ had cost him dearly, and in his second letter to the believers in Corinth, Paul outlined all that he had suffered as a result of his faith.

Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. – 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 NLT

Being a follower of Christ was not easy, and Paul knew that the key to the Philippian church’s survival was going to be their unity. They had to see themselves as a family who were in this together and needed to view themselves as distinct and different from the culture around them. This is why he pleads with them to “live as citizens of heaven” and to conduct themselves “in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ” (Philippians 1:27 NLT). This was a corporate call, addressing the entire congregation, not just individual believers. They were to do this together, not alone. Their display of unity in the face of adversity and hostility would strengthen their faith and spread the news of the life-transformative nature of the gospel. That this diverse group of people from all walks of life and a variety of religious backgrounds could live together with one mind and one spirit would be a testimony to the power of the gospel.

Paul commends them for “standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News” (Philippians 1:27 NLT). He had heard of their unity, but he knew that the enemy was always seeking to divide and conquer, and they must not allow that to happen. Paul flatly states, “Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies” (Philippians 1:28 NLT). Outside forces were pressing in on this young congregation, and Paul wanted his brothers and sisters in Christ to remain unified in their love for one another and their commitment to the cause of Christ. This unwavering display of oneness in the face of opposition would be proof of the ultimate victory Christ-followers will enjoy. As Jesus promised Peter, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18 ESV).

Suffering was going to be a normal part of their faith experience. In fact, Paul tells them they should see their suffering as a privilege, on equal footing with the privilege of trusting in Christ. For Paul, suffering was a necessary part of salvation; it came with the territory. Later in his letter, Paul boldly declares, “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death” (Philippians 3:10 NLT).

This was not an isolated statement by Paul; he held this view throughout his life and shared it frequently. He wrote to the believers in Rome: “If we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering” (Romans 8:17 NLT). He told the Colossian church, “I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church” (Colossians 1:24 NLT). The apostle Peter shared Paul’s sentiments regarding suffering.

…be very glad – for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.  – 1 Peter 4:13 NLT

Paul viewed the Christian life as a struggle that was never meant to be easy. We are aliens living in a strange land. We are emissaries for the King and have been sent to declare the message of His Kingdom to a world that stands opposed to Him. We have the good news regarding Jesus Christ, but the majority of those with whom we share it will find it unacceptable and simply reject it. Not only that, they will reject the ones who bring the message.

So, to survive in this hostile environment, the congregation in Philippi would need to remain unified and share a single-minded commitment to their mutual mission as the body of Christ. With all that they were facing, Paul wanted them to understand that their shared faith in Christ had real value. This is why he states, “If there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy” (Philippians 2:1 ESV). Paul is not raising doubts concerning the efficacy of faith in Christ; he is doing just the opposite. There IS encouragement in Christ. There IS comfort that comes from Christ-like love. There IS real value in living together in the power of the Holy Spirit. There IS true affection and sympathy to be found in this thing called the body of Christ.

But these things are only available when believers choose to accept the non-negotiable reality of their role as members of that body. This is why Paul encourages the Philippian believers to be “of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Philippians 2:2 ESV). There was no place for selfishness or self-centeredness in the body of Christ. Pride was out of bounds and of no value. Conceit and ego were to be seen as deadly to unity.

To survive and thrive, the believers in Philippi would need to embrace a different kind of attitude about life. It was going to require a counter-cultural take on what it means to be successful. And, just so they wouldn’t miss his point, Paul spells it out for them.

Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. – Philippians 2:4 NLT

And in the very next verse, Paul provides them with the key to pulling all this off. It will not be accomplished in their own strength or according to their own standards of humility and unity. Christ was to be their model for living in Christ-likeness. He sets the standard for what it means to “live as citizens of heaven.”

Father, I want to thank You for the coming up with the whole idea of the church. Left to our own devices, we would never have chosen that model. As sinful human beings, we are inherently selfish and self-centered, and our self-obession makes it almost impossible for us to desire the kind of accountability and  vulnerability that living in true community demands. Your plan was to place us in an environment that would be conducive to our spiritual growth,. The church is meant to provide us with the fertile soil where our faith can take root and produce fruit that is mutually beneficial to all. You placed us in the body of Christ for a reason. It is within that context that our suffering becomes less isolating and demoralzing. Surrounded by those who love us, we find encouragement and moral support during the dark days of life. When the enemy attacks, we find ourselves surrounded by others who are willing to fight the good fight of faith by our side. We are not alone. We are part of a loving family that finds strength in unity and power in numbers. With the Spirit’s help, we are powrful force for good in the world. And it was all Your idea. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

All For One and One For All

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3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. – Philippians 1:3-11 ESV

When reading the letters of Paul, it’s important to remember that, in most cases, he was writing to a community of believers, not a single individual. There are those occasions when he wrote personal letters addressed to individuals, such as Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. However, the majority of his correspondence was addressed to a corporate body of believers located in a specific city or community. These letters are usually referred to as his pastoral epistles. In them, we get a glimpse of Paul’s strong sense of calling as a shepherd over the flock of Jesus Christ.

At one point in his ministry, Paul told the elders of the church in Ephesus:

“I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.” – Acts 20:19-21 NLT

Paul wasn’t boasting, but simply reminding these men that he had made their spiritual well-being his highest priority. Without an ounce of pride or arrogance, Paul was able to say to them, “I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know” (Acts 20:26-27 NLT). Then he challenged them to follow his example.

“So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.” – Acts 20:28 NLT

Paul had a deep and abiding sense of love for the church. Yes, he cared for each individual Christian, but he knew that the strength of the church lay in the overall health of its constituency. While the body of Christ was made up of individual believers, God had chosen to place them within a single unit where their spiritual gifts, talents, and mutual love for one another could have the greatest impact. Paul repeatedly stressed this point when writing to the church in Corinth:

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. – 1 Corinthians 12:14 NLT

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. – I Corinthians 12:27 NLT

His emphasis was always on unity and community.

But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. – 1 Corinthians 12:24-26 NLT

So, when reading the opening lines of Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, it is important to remember that he is writing to a group of people. Even the reading of his letter would have taken place within a group context. Yet many believers include Paul’s letters as part of their daily personal devotionals and, in doing so, they run the risk of reading the letters as if they are addressed to them as individuals, taking every personal pronoun personally. Each time they see the word “you,”  it’s as if Paul is somehow speaking to them as an individual. So, when they read, “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ,” they apply it to themselves. When Paul states, “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding,” they read it as if he is addressing them individually, and by name.

But in virtually every instance, each personal pronoun Paul uses is plural in nature because he is addressing the corporate body, not the individual. You could almost read them as, “you all.” So, as you make your way through this letter, imagine it being read to you as you sit alongside your brothers and sisters in Christ from your local fellowship. Yes, his admonitions most certainly apply individually, but we miss the point of his letter if we fail to see them as messages to the corporate body of believers.

With that in mind, consider how Paul opens his letter to the church in Philippi; he expresses his thanks to God for their very existence. He is grateful that God has allowed him to play a part in the establishment of this local fellowship. Remember, it all began with the conversion of Lydia, who came to faith in Christ after hearing Paul and Silas share the gospel with her. This wealthy and influential Gentile woman became a key leader in the new faith community in Philippi, even hosting the fledgling church in her home.

Paul’s gratitude to God is based on his recognition that the ministry he helped to begin was continuing in his absence. He had been privileged to play a significant role in the founding of this local fellowship but was thankful that God was providentially overseeing its growth and maturity.

While penning the words of this letter, Paul was under house arrest in Rome and unable to physically return to the churches he had helped to plant. Yet, he was encouraged to know that the believers in Philippi were his partners in the gospel. In his absence, the message of the good news of Jesus Christ was being spread throughout the city and region. The Greek word that is translated as “partnership” is koinōnia, and it carries the idea of “fellowship.” Even though they were separated by many miles, Paul shared with them a sense of unity and mutual commitment as they continued to spread the gospel throughout Philippi.

But while Paul was concerned that the good news of Jesus Christ reached every corner of Philippi, he knew that the success of that enterprise hinged on the spiritual health of the faith community to whom he wrote. Paul always maintained a balance between his desire for the salvation of the lost and the sanctification of the saved. He longed to see people come to faith in Christ but was equally concerned that they grow in their knowledge of Him and likeness to Him. That’s why he confidently told the believers in Philippi, “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion” (Philippians 1:6 ESV).

God would finish what He started in the church at Philippi but also in the lives of each individual believer. Yet, it is essential to keep Paul’s emphasis on spiritual growth within its corporate context. Any increase in Christ-likeness the Philippian believers experienced was not for their own benefit alone. The gifts of the Spirit they enjoyed had not been meant for their individual use but were intended to benefit and bless the body of Christ. Rather than allow their salvation experience to result in a myopic focus on self, they were to cultivate an other-oriented attitude that stressed the importance of the faith community. In the very next chapter, Paul powerfully drives home this point.

…complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Philippians 2:2-4 ESV

When Paul states that he has been praying that their “love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,” he is speaking to the entire body of believers there in Philippi. He desires that their love for one another continue to grow exponentially. He longs for their knowledge and discernment to increase steadily. But what kind of knowledge and discernment did he have in mind?

Paul states that their growing love for one another, when accompanied by an increase in knowledge and discernment, will “approve what is excellent” (Philippians 1:10 ESV), or as  The New Living Translation puts it, they will “understand what really matters.”

Paul seems to be emphasizing their need to understand and do the will of God; that which really matters and is truly excellent. Later on in this same letter, Paul summarizes exactly what he means.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me — everything you heard from me and saw me doing. – Philippians 4:8-9 NLT

As their love, knowledge, and discernment grow, they will become “pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:1-11 ESV).

The fruit of righteousness. That’s an interesting phrase that can be easily overlooked or misunderstood. Paul is letting his audience know that their corporate increase in righteousness will have benefits; it will produce fruit. If you think about it, a tree that produces fruit does so, not for its own benefit, but for the benefit of others. When Paul discusses the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, the list of attributes he provides is all outwardly focused: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

None of these things are meant to benefit the individual. Love is meant to be shared, not hoarded. Joy is something to be given away, not greedily pursued for self-satisfaction. Peace is best enjoyed in the company of others, not in isolation. Patience is impossible without the presence of others in our lives who put it to the test. All of these things are meant to be mutually shared and enjoyed as a faith community. As Paul told the believers in Corinth, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other” (1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT).

So, Paul begins his letter to the believers in Philippi by reminding them that they are in partnership with him and one another for the cause of Christ. They are all in this together because Christianity is a team sport, not an individual event. The believer’s salvation is meant to be lived out within the faith community, not in isolation or with an attitude of rugged individualism. Our sanctification is intended to be a group activity, rather than individual pursuit done in secrecy and seclusion.

The fellowship of faith is powerful, and the community of faith is transformational. Any impact an individual believer will have in this life will be in proportion to his or her connection to and reliance upon the faith community into which God has placed them. That is why Paul emphasizes the return of Christ and His desire to find His bride, the church, as “pure and blameless” (Philippians 1:10 ESV). He echoed this same sentiment in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. – Ephesians 5:5-7 ESV

The church was the focal point of Paul’s entire ministry. He believed the corporate health of the body of Christ to be of utmost importance and viewed its creation as evidence of God’s mysterious and marvelous ways. He had been privileged “to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 3:8-10 ESV).

Sadly, too many Christians take the church for granted. They attend sporadically and participate half-heartedly, viewing Sunday worship as an optional activity designed to “feed” their individual soul. If they feel satisfied with their current spiritual state, church can become a non-necessity. Attending small group can become more of a burden than a blessing. But Paul would argue that the local church is the fertile ground in which God plants every believer and where their faithfulness and fruitfulness are meant to thrive. And the author of the Book of Hebrews would agree.

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. – Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT

Father, I am grateful for the roll the body of Christ has played in my life over the years. I was raised in a home where attending church was non-optional and, while I didn’t always enjoy going, I benefited greatly from the relationships I built during those early days of my life. As a child, I was taught by faithful men and women who poured the Scriptures into me. I sang hymns and choruses that inculcated Your Word into my heart. I heard sermons I didn’t always understand, but that left an indelible impact on my life. It was in the local church that I gave my life to Christ. And when I strayed from Your will later in life, it was in the church that I found open arms and a spirit of forgiveness that helped put me back on the right path. For nearly five decades, You have allowed me to serve in the same local fellowship, using my gifts and talents to bless the lives of others. But I have also been blessed by others as they loved and accepted me and my family. This church has been my home away from home. It has reminded me that I am never alone and that my faith is so much stronger in the context of community. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Team Paul

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7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. – Colossians 4:7-18 ESV

As Paul prepares to wrap up his letter to the Colossian church, he mentions the names of eight different men: Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Jesus (Justus), Epaphras, Luke, Demas, and Archippus. Each had played a vital role in Paul’s life and ministry. Two of them, Tychicus and Onesimus, had been chosen by Paul to deliver the letter once he completed it. The first mention of Tychicus in the Scriptures is found in Acts 20, where Luke records his name, as well as that of Aristarchus, among those who accompanied Paul as he left Greece and made his way to Syria.

…he [Paul] decided to return through Macedonia. Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days. – Acts 20:3-6 ESV

Tychicus, like the rest of these men, had become a disciple of Paul and had aided him in his ministry. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul refers to Tychicus as his “beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:21 ESV). Paul had instructed Tychicus to deliver his letter to the Ephesian believers and bring them up to speed on his current situation (Ephesians 6:22). And Paul had entrusted Tychicus with the same responsibility when it came to the congregation in Colossae.

Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. – Colossians 4:7-9 ESV

He was accompanied by Onesimus, another disciple of Paul who, at one time, had been a runaway slave. They had met in Rome, where Paul was imprisoned, and Onesimus was hiding from his former master, a man named Philemon. While it is unclear how Paul and Onesimus met, we do know that Paul had the privilege of leading Onesimus to Christ. After discipling his young friend, Paul determined to send Onesimus back to his master. What makes this situation rather strange is that Paul knew Onesimus’ master well. He was a man named Philemon, and the church in Colossae met in his home. Paul wrote a letter to Philemon, asking him to receive Onesimus back, not as a runaway slave, but as a brother in Christ.

I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.

I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf. But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced. It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever. He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. – Philemon 1:10-16 NLT

According to Colossians 4:9, Onesimus accompanied Tychicus back to Colossae. Tychicus was to deliver Onesimus and the letter from Paul to Philemon. While it is unclear how this reunion turned out, it seems likely that Philemon heeded Paul’s advice and treated Onesimus as a “beloved brother” (Philemon 1:16).

Paul also mentions Aristarchus, a Greek who hailed from the city of Thessalonica (Acts 20:4). Paul refers to Aristarchus as his “fellow prisoner” (Colossians 4:10), but it seems unlikely that Paul was inferring that Aristarchus was also under house arrest in Rome.  Paul used the term “fellow prisoner” when referring to several of his co-workers in the ministry.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. – Romans 16:7 ESV

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. – Philemon 1:23-24 ESV

It appears that Paul used this term to refer to their shared captivity to the will of God. Paul opened up his letter to Philemon by describing himself as “a prisoner for Christ Jesus” (Philemon 1:1 ESV). He used the same phrase when writing to the church in Ephesus, another Gentile community.

I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you… – Ephesians 3:1-2 ESV

Paul didn’t consider himself a prisoner of the Roman government but of Jesus Christ. His imprisonment was the result of faithfully fulfilling the will of Christ. He viewed these other men as fellow captives, who shared his commitment to carrying the good news of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.

In a sense, Paul was name-dropping, providing his readers with a list of individuals whom they knew well and whose reputations would further enhance and support the content of Paul’s letter. The believers in Colossae had never met Paul, but they were probably familiar with his name and had heard about his miraculous salvation story and prolific ministry. However, he was a stranger to them, so Paul used the names of these men to assure the Colossians that his words could be trusted. Over time, the various churches had heard about Paul’s travels and the assistance he had received from various individuals, including John Mark and his cousin, Barnabas. That is why Paul mentions their names. John Mark had accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey, and Barnabas had been a part of the church since its earliest days in Jerusalem. Luke mentions his name in Acts 4.

Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. – Acts 4:36-37 ESV

Jesus Justus was one of several Jewish Christians (“men of the circumcision”) who made up Paul’s ethnically diverse ministerial team. Paul wanted the Colossians to know that when he wrote, “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free” (Colossians 3:11 NLT), he meant it. Paul practiced what he preached. He was a non-discriminatory evangelist who truly believed, “Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us” ( Colossians 3:11 NLT).

Epaphras, a citizen of Colossae, had played a major role in the founding of the church there (Colossians 1:7), but he had left his hometown in order to minister alongside Paul. It seems that Paul had a small contingent of co-workers who had accompanied him to Rome and remained by his side while he was under house arrest and awaiting trial. This included Luke, the author of the gospel that bears his name and the Book of Acts. Luke was Paul’s “beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14 ESV) and remained by the apostle’s side throughout his confinement in Rome. Demas was also at Paul’s side in Rome, but the day would come when he would allow his love for the world to replace his commitment to Paul and the gospel ministry.

Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. – 2 Timothy 4:10 ESV

Paul closes out his letter by asking that it be shared with the church in Laodicea. Evidently, there was a letter he had written to the Laodicean congregation that he wished to be read to the Colossians as well. All of these congregations were in close proximity to one another, and the letters Paul wrote to them were intended to be shared among them.

The messages they contained were universal in nature and applicable to each community where local congregations attempted to live out their faith in hostile surroundings.  Remaining faithful in the midst of a fallen and often antagonistic world was not easy, and nobody knew that better than Paul. That is why he closes out his letter by calling on his children in the faith to “Remember my chains” (Colossians 4:18 ESV). 

Paul wanted them to know that he had been imprisoned because of the gospel. He was not oblivious to their situation but was well acquainted with the suffering that accompanied the Christian life. He rejoiced that God had deemed him worthy of the privilege of suffering as Christ had suffered on behalf of His body, the church.

I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. – Colossians 1:24 NLT

His final words to Archippus were applicable to each member of the Colossians church.

“See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” – Colossians 4:17 ESV

For Paul, faithful service and obedience to God’s will were the high-water marks of saving faith. He desired that every believer run the race to win, to fight as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, and to make every effort to present themselves “approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 BSB).

Father, thank You for choosing Paul and transforming his life. You always do the unexpected and use the unworthy and unlikely to accomplish Your will. The list is long and includes Moses the murderer and David the adulterer as well as Peter the loudmouthed fishermen who denied Christ and lived to tell about it. You are in the transforming business and all You have to work with is broken clay pots (2 Corinthians 4:7). While each of us is unworthy of Your love and undeserving of Your grace, You have chosen to offer us Your gift of salvation and the indwelling presence of Your Spirit. That is what every individual mentioned in these verses had in common, and it is true of me as well. Now, help me to fulfill the ministry You have given me. I want to run the race well, fight fearlessly, serve faithfully, and love selflessly until the day You call me home or Your Son returns. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Gospel of the God-Man

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21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. – Colossians 1:21-23 ESV

Paul knew it was essential that the Colossian believers fully understand who Jesus was and what He had done for them. Their concept of Jesus had become confused from allowing false ideas about His identity and accomplishments to filter into their beliefs about Him. After Jesus resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven, growing speculation arose about His true identity and its implications for mankind. In His absence, His disciples continued to spread the news concerning the coming Kingdom of God and the sole means of gaining entrance into it by placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ.

But others had begun formulating their own ideas about Jesus and the implications of His life and death. The disciples had clearly spread the news that Jesus had risen from the dead and had returned to His Father’s side in heaven. Paul had boldly proclaimed the nature of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection to the believers in Corinth.

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. – 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NLT

However, some had begun to refute the disciples’ teaching concerning the resurrection, declaring it improbable and even unnecessary. That’s what led Paul to warn the Corinthians about this dangerous heresy.

…if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. – 1 Corinthians 15:16-19 NLT

Others were spreading the idea that Jesus had not been an actual, flesh-and-blood human. They speculated that He only appeared to take on human form. This teaching was propagated by the Docetists who earned their name from the Greek word dokeĩn, which means “to seem.” They rejected John’s teaching that “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). Because these people deemed the flesh to be inherently evil, they could not accept the idea of deity taking on humanity. So, they rationalized it away by claiming that Jesus had only appeared to have a human body. So, His “death” was just a fiction. But by voiding the humanity of Jesus, these false teachers were actually eliminating the heart of the gospel message. Without Jesus’ humanity, there was no goodnews. That is why the apostles boldly preached the reality of Jesus’ incarnation.

He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. – 1 Peter 2:24 NLT

The doctrine of the bodily death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus became the litmus test for determining the veracity of those claiming to be teachers.

Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. – 1 John 4:1-3 NLT

So, as Paul continued the introduction of his letter to the Colossian believers, he stressed the humanity of Jesus, reminding them that they had been “reconciled in his body of flesh by his death” (Colossians 1:22 ESV). For Paul, that point was essential because it explained how sinful human beings could be made right with a holy and righteous God. He even stressed the nature of their pre-conversion state, describing them as “alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds” (Colossians 1:21 ESV). This concept of alienation and hostility was a common theme for Paul. He repeatedly stressed the former hopeless and helpless condition of those who now enjoyed a right standing with God. He wanted them to consider the almost incomprehensible scope of Christ’s sacrificial death and what it had accomplished on their behalf.

…since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. – Romans 5:9-11 NLT

The physical death of Jesus made possible their spiritual transformation from enemies to friends of God. They had been reconciled to a righteous God by the undeserved death of His righteous and sinless Son. Paul reminded the believers in Rome of the remarkable nature of Jesus’ selfless sacrifice of His life.

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. – Romans 8:3 NLT

Paul told the believers in Colossae that because Jesus had died in their place, He had been able to present them to God the Father as “holy and blameless and above reproach” (Colossians 1:22 ESV). Jesus had taken upon Himself the penalty for their sins and, in exchange, had placed upon them His own unblemished righteousness. Paul fully understood the significance of this “great exchange” and boldly proclaimed His appreciation for it and his unwavering dependence upon it.

I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. – Philippians 3:9 NLT

For Paul, belief in Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection was essential for living the Christian life. He called the Colossians to reject any false teaching that might undermine their faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ and urged them to remain committed to the good news just as they had heard it from Epaphras.

…you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. – Colossians 1:23 NLT

Paul knew that false teachers would be a constant problem in the church. Each generation of believers would face a new wave of plausible but unreliable doctrines concerning the saving work of Jesus. He also knew that immature and poorly informed Christians would be easy targets for false teachers and end up “tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching” and tricked by “lies so clever they sound like the truth” (Ephesians 4:14 NLT). For Paul, the best defense against false teaching was the truth. He declared his firm commitment to continue doing what he had always done: preach the unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ to any and all who would listen.

The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it. – Colossians 1:23 NLT

Paul wanted the Colossians to know that they had been reconciled to God through the physical death of Jesus Christ. He had been fully divine and wholly human and died a very real, excruciating death on the cross—in their place. By placing their faith in Jesus’s substitutionary death, they had been restored to a right relationship with God. Formerly enemies of God, they now enjoyed a new status as His sons and heirs, and no false teacher or faulty doctrine could take that away from them.

Paul will continue to drive home his belief in the humanity of Jesus because it was essential to the gospel message. In the second chapter of his letter, he states, “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness” (Colossians 2:9-10 NLT). For Paul, Jesus’ humanity and deity were inseparable and non-debatable. If Jesus did not become an actual flesh-and-blood human, then His death on the cross was pointless. For Paul, the bodily death and resurrection of Jesus were the key to the gospel message. If Jesus only appeared to be human, then His death was nothing more than a charade. Without an actual body, it would be impossible for Jesus to die, and if Jesus did not die, the resurrection was unnecessary. But in his first letter to the believers in Corinth, Paul debunked this heretical notion.

For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. – 1 Corinthians 15:13-19 NLT

Paul was willing to die to protect the integrity of the gospel. He would not tolerate any twisting of the truth or perversion of the message he had received from Jesus because there was too much at stake. The gospel was not up for interpretation or alteration. Yet, Paul constantly had to clean up the mess left behind by false and heretical teachers. He was forced to chastise the believers in Galatia for their lack of discernment and gullibility.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. – Galatians 1:6-9 ESV

There was only one gospel, and it was based on Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. To ensure that his audience understood, Paul unequivocally states, “He has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault” (Colossians 1:22 NLT). 

Father, no man could have come up with the plan You devised for humanity’s redemption. The thought of a deity taking on human flesh is not a novel idea, The Greeks had their pantheon of gods who masqueraded as mere mortals. But Your plan involved Your sinless Son taking on the form of an infant baby and growing up to be a man. As Paul wrote, Jesus, ths Son of God “did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8 N:LT). It took a sinless Savior to sacrifice His life on behalf of sinful men. But to do it, He had to become like us. He lived among us, suffered hunger and weariness like us, endured rejection by us, and gave us life for us. All so that we could one day become like Him. That was Your plan and it is perfect down to the last detail. Thank You! Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Divine Doctrine of Jesus’ Deity

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15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. – Colossians 1:15-20 ESV

As far as Paul was concerned, one of the most non-negotiable aspects of God’s will that the Colossians needed to understand concerned the preeminence of Christ. Evidently, Epaphras had informed Paul that the doctrine of Christ was under direct assault by men claiming to have apostolic authority. These unnamed individuals were teaching false doctrines concerning Christ that left the Colossian congregation confused and dangerously close to diminishing the fruitfulness for which Paul had so graciously complimented them.

In an effort to redirect the focus of his letter back to Christ, Paul adeptly and somewhat abruptly shifts the emphasis from God the Father to Jesus Christ the Son.

For he [God] has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. – Colossians 1:13-14 NLT

Following this reminder of Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross and its eternal implications for their redemption and justification, Paul states, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15 NLT). In coming to earth and taking on human flesh, Jesus, the Son of God and second person of the Trinity, made God both visible and knowable. He became the visible image of the invisible God on earth.

In his gospel account, the apostle John elaborates on this unique aspect of Christ’s earthly ministry.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:14 ESV

And John boldly proclaims that Jesus was more than just another messenger from God; He was God in human flesh.

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known. – John 1:18 BSB

The author of Hebrews expands on the nature of Jesus’ divinity and further solidifies the identity as a member of the Godhead.

The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. – Hebrews 1:3-4 NLT

For Paul and the other authors of the New Testament, the divinity of Jesus was an essential doctrine that must be defended at all costs because it was the hinge upon which the door of salvation swung. If Jesus was not divine, then His death on the cross would have been ineffectual. His sinlessness was the key to His death’s effectiveness.

…we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins… – 1 John 2:1-2 BSB

But you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. – 1 John 3:5 BSB

What makes the atoning work of Jesus even more significant is the fact that, as God, He was the Creator laying down His life for those whom He created. Paul further enhances Christ’s divine credentials by stressing His eternality and the essential role He played in the creation story.

…by him [Jesus] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. – Colossians 1:16 ESV

And, once again, the apostle John provides ample support for Paul’s claim.

He [Jesus] was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. – John 1:2-3 BSB

Paul presented this same message concerning Christ’s role in the creation account when writing to the believers in Corinth.

…there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist. – 1 Corinthians 8:6 BSB

As the Creator-God, Jesus was responsible for all that existed, including the believers in Colossae. He was not just a Messiah who came to save them, but He was also the God who created them. He was responsible for their very existence and their salvation. He had formed them and forgiven them. He had breathed in them the breath of life and had become for them the means for experiencing new life.  And, more importantly, by His divine power, Jesus would hold them safe and secure to the end.

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. – Colossians 1:17 ESV

Paul goes out of his way to stress the unique nature of Christ. He was adamant that the believers in Colossae grasp and appreciate the significance of Jesus’ life-giving and life-transforming role as the Son of God. Jesus had been so much more than a teacher, Rabbi, healer, and miracle worker; He was supreme in all things. He had no equal, and there was no one who could replicate His accomplishments or diminish His one-of-a-kind status as the sovereign Savior of the world. That is why Paul stressed the headship of Christ over the church, and promoted His well-deserved position as the preeminent one.

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. – Colossians 1:18 ESV

Paul’s point is that the church would not exist without Christ. Had Jesus not died and risen again, there would be no church because there would be no Christ-followers. He was not a martyred teacher who managed to cultivate a faithful host of committed followers who continued to propagate His teachings. He was the “firstborn from the dead” who, through His death and resurrection, made possible the spiritual transformation of countless men and women.

However, there were those who taught that the resurrection of Jesus was a fable or myth, and downplayed its importance to the Christian faith. Paul addressed the misguided musings of these dangerous “false teachers ”in his first letter to the church in Corinth.

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:12-14 ESV

Christ’s resurrection made possible the redemption of condemned humanity and guarantees the future resurrection and glorification of all those who accept His free gift of salvation. Again, Christ was more than a gifted teacher with a message of life transformation based on behavior modification. He had not just modeled a new way of living; He died so that sinful men and women might receive new lives and new natures that emulated His.

Paul emphatically states that Jesus is preeminent and one-of-a-kind; He has no equal. Jesus was the sole means by which God chose to redeem fallen humanity. That’s why Paul claims, “God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ” (Colossians 1:19 NLT), and no one else. It was only through Christ that “God reconciled everything to himself” (Colossians 1:20 NLT). No one else could take credit for the role that Jesus played in God’s grand redemptive plan. God used Jesus to reconcile sinful humanity to Himself, and anyone who diminished Jesus’ role as Savior or presented another means of salvation was to be avoided at all costs. Paul chastised the believers in Galatia and Corinth for embracing a false version of the gospel that eliminated the deity of Jesus.

You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. – Galatians 1:6-8 NLT

You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. – 2 Corinthians 11:4 NLT

Paul held strong views concerning this topic and was committed to defending the doctrine of Christ at all costs. He would not tolerate anyone who attempted to diminish Christ’s divinity or who tried to devalue His role as the God-man who, through His life, death, and resurrection, made it possible for sinful men to be made right with a holy God.

Father, there is a sense in which we take the deity of Jesus for granted. I don’t catch myself doubting His divinity or wondering whether He was just another man who promoted one more religious system to follow. Yet, at the same time, I don’t fully appreciate or contemplate the incredible reality of His incarnation. At Christmas, we celebrate His birth and sing songs that commemorate the doctrine of His divinity. 

O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

But even as we sing those words, we miss the radical implications of their meaning. Jesus is Immanuel, which means “God with us.” In sending Your Son to take on human flesh, You revealed Yourself to humanity in a never-before-seen way. For the first time in human history, You manifested Yourself in a form we could understand and relate to. And it was in that human form that Jesus lived a sinless life and died a gruesome death on behalf of sinful mankind. That was the only way for our sin debt to be paid and our condemnation to be removed. Paul reminds us, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (Galatians 4;4-5 NLT). He adds, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners” (Romans 5:6 NLT). And it was all Your plan. It was Your idea for Your Son to become a man so that He could become the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Thank You for this amazing gift and help me never take it for granted. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Future-Focused Praying

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9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. – Colossians 1:9-14 ESV

Paul’s response upon hearing of the Colossians’ ongoing display of faith, hope, and love was to let them know that this was an answer to his prayers for them. He states that he and Timothy had regularly and zealously prayed that God would fill them with “the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9 ESV).

The prayers of Paul, many of which are recorded in his letters, reveal a shepherd’s heart for his dispersed and ever-increasing flock. These prayers provide a rare glimpse into the approach to ministry and discipleship of this great 1st-century apostle, missionary, and church planter. Paul had a passion for the gospel and a love for people that revealed itself in how he prayed for them. While it’s likely that he received many personal requests from Christians he met during his many journeys, his recorded prayers are more universal in nature and deal with the spiritual needs of the congregations to which he wrote. There is little doubt that he faithfully lifted up to the Lord the personal requests of individual believers, but his real passion for people went way beyond the surface needs, wants, and desires they may have had. While he took their physical needs seriously and cared deeply about their health and well-being, his real concern was for their spiritual lives and their relationship with God.

In the opening lines of his letter to the believers in Colossae, Paul encourages them by informing them of his constant prayers for them.

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you. – Colossians 1:3 ESV

…from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you. – Colossians 1:9 ESV

What a blessing it is to hear that someone has been praying for you. It is so encouraging to know that someone cares enough about you to lift you up before the throne of God.

Paul reveals to them the content of his prayers. This is where it gets interesting and revealing. Paul says that his request to God for them was that they would have a knowledge or awareness of His will. But he has been doing much more than asking; he has been begging. The Greek word, proseuchomai, carries much more force than our English word for prayer. It means “to pray earnestly for” and reflects Paul’s strong desire for God to provide the believers in Colossae with knowledge of His will for them. Not only that, he wants God to fill them with that knowledge.

Once again, the original Greek language is much richer and more forceful in its meaning. When Paul asks God to fill them, he means “to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim.” In other words, he is asking God to fill them so fully that there isn’t room for anything else, including their own wills. For the believer, knowing the will of God is essential because it is what directs our actions and influences our attitudes. As we live life in this world, we will be constantly influenced by our own sinful nature and the world around us. We will constantly be tempted to control our lives according to our own will.

Paul warned the believers in Rome, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2 NLT). So there is a sense in which we have to turn our attention from the things of this world and concentrate on God’s will as revealed in His Word. God is out to transform us by influencing our thinking and altering our behavior, from the inside out.

But Paul goes on to qualify his request. He says that he is asking that they be filled with a knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. In other words, God’s will must be spiritually discerned because it is not of this world. In fact, the wisdom of God will often, if not always, stand in conflict with worldly wisdom. It will make no sense from a human perspective and appear illogical. To know God’s will requires spiritual wisdom and understanding, which can only be provided by the Holy Spirit. Paul told the believers in Corinth, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV). Then he reminded them, “But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16 ESV). We have the mind of Christ because we have the Spirit of Christ living within us. We are spiritual creatures with a God-given capacity to understand and know His will. And Paul’s prayer was that his brothers and sisters in Christ be filled to overflowing with that knowledge.

But for Paul, to be aware of and filled with the knowledge of God was not enough. Knowing the will of God is useless if it is not put into action. That is why Paul states that his prayers for them had an objective. He wanted them “to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10 ESV). The knowledge of God should produce obedience to God. Knowing His will should instill a desire to live it out in daily life.

While the Greek word, peripateō, can be translated as “walk,” it can also convey the idea of conducting one’s life. Paul is expressing his prayerful desire that the Colossians live their daily lives in submission to and in keeping with God’s will. Doing so will please the Father, produce a life of spiritual fruitfulness, and result in an even greater awareness of His will. Paul wanted them to know that, as they expended energy in doing God’s will, they would tap into an inexhaustible supply of power based on His “glorious might” (Colossians 1:11 ESV). Rather than growing weak or weary, they would find themselves with an overabundance of endurance and patience despite the trials of life. God would supply them with strength for the task and they would respond with joyful thanksgiving. 

Paul desperately desired for the Colossian believers to understand the magnitude of the gift they had received upon placing their faith in Jesus. Something truly remarkable had taken place when they accepted the free gift of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone. They had been immediately “delivered…from the domain of darkness and transferred…to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13 ESV). As a result, they shared in the inheritance of the saints in light. They had a permanent place reserved for them in God’s eternal kingdom. The apostle Peter expressed it this way:

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. – 1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT

The author of Hebrews also wrote of this inheritance of the saints. In his great “Hall of Faith” in Chapter 11, he mentions such Old Testament luminaries as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah, and describes how they were distinguished by their faith in God.

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. – Hebrews 11:13-16 NLT

When Paul tells the Colossians that God has “delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13 ESV), he is letting them know that they are as good as there. The promises of God are so sure and certain that the Colossians can live in perfect peace in the present because their future has been guaranteed by God. They were already citizens of that eternal kingdom, even while living their lives here on earth.

And Paul lets them know that this future kingdom belongs to Jesus Christ, the one who made possible their redemption and forgiveness from sin. Jesus was not only their Savior but their coming King. Their redemption and justification would one day result in their glorification. That is why Paul’s ongoing prayer for them was that they might continue to grow in their knowledge of the full scope of God’s grand redemptive plan for them.

Paul’s prayer provides a powerful example of how we should be praying for one another. There is nothing wrong with praying for someone’s physical healing, their marriage, financial needs, or any other concern they may have. But how much more important it is to pray that they grow in their knowledge of God’s will. One of the problems believers face is understanding what it is we’re supposed to do in life. We need to know how we are to use our time, talents, and resources. When we face difficulties and trials, we need to discover what God is trying to teach us. How would God have us respond to the situations and circumstances in which we find ourselves? It is not difficult to discern our will; that comes easy. But knowing God’s will takes intention and requires listening to the Holy Spirit and patiently waiting to hear God speak. So, what greater prayer could anyone pray for a friend or family member than that God would fill them with a knowledge of His will, His good, pleasing, and perfect will?

Father, we tend to pray surface prayers that are temporal in nature and focus on the external needs of others. Even when praying for ourselves, we place far more emphasis on those things that we believe are hindering our happiness or affecting our comfort. We seem to believe that if the trial would just go away, everything would be better. Yet, as Paul seems to indicate, You are far less concerned about removing the difficulties of life than in making us more dependent upon You and using them to transform us into the likeness of Your Son. As You told Paul, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness..(2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT). According to Paul, You are “able to make all grace abound…so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times,” we “may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV). When we pray for ourselves and others, we need to place more emphasis on internal and eternal matters. I am reminded of Paul’s words to the believers in Rome: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love (Romans 5:3-5 NLT). Help me to pray for others with my eyes fixed on the hope that we have in Christ. It is not that it is wrong for me to pray for the physical needs of others, but that their spiritual well-being is far more important to their long-term joy, peace, and contentment. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Care Package

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1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father. – Colossians 1:1-2 ESV

The ancient city of Colossae achieved its early prominence and prosperity due to its location along a major trade route that ran through the Lycus River Valley in the Roman province of Asia Minor (in what is today modern-day Turkey). But in time, the nearby and newer city of Laodicea replaced Colossae as the economic engine of the region. While the Co­lossians had made a name for themselves through the manufacture of the much-coveted crimson-colored wool cloth known as colossinum, the once-thriving metropolis was reduced to little more than a small village. It was in this environment that a small congregation of believers sprung up.

When the church in Colossae was founded is unclear. At the time Paul wrote his letter, he had not been to the city of Colossae, but his missionary journeys had taken him to nearby Ephesus where he spent an extended period of time spreading the gospel message and making converts. According to Acts 19:10, “This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”

It could be that one of the new converts from Ephesus took the good news of Jesus Christ to Colossae or perhaps a visitor from Colossae had been in Ephesus to hear the preaching of Paul. Whatever the case, the gospel made its way there and, in time, a small congregation was formed.

Because of its location along a major trade route, the city of Colossae had a population comprised of Greek colonists and native Phrygians. There would have also been a fairly large number of Jews living in the area because Antiochus the Great (223-187 B.C.) had relocated hundreds of Jewish families from Mesopotamia to this region. So, this local congregation was likely a diverse mixture of ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. This hybrid blend of backgrounds, along with the influence of false teachers, was causing a great deal of confusion among the church’s young congregation.

It appears that Paul had received word of the situation in Colossae from Epaphras, a resident of the city. Whether Epaphras visited Paul while he was under house arrest in Rome is unclear, but the fellow minister of the gospel had somehow gotten word to the apostle about the state of affairs in his home city. According to verses 7-8 of Chapter 1, Epaphras had been instrumental in the spread of the gospel to his fellow Colossians.

You learned the gospel from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave—a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf—who also told us of your love in the Spirit. – Colossians 1:7-8 NLT

Epaphras shared with Paul his concern for the spiritual well-being of the church. Without proper leadership and instruction, the fledgling congregation had found itself struggling to resist the temptation to synchronize their old religious ideologies with their new faith in Christ. And some of the Jewish converts were attempting to add their own blend of Judaic ritualism and traditionalism. To top it all off, there were those who had infiltrated the church posing as doctrinal experts and propagating a dangerous brand of false teaching that directly opposed the teachings of Paul and the other apostles. This is what led Paul to open his letter with a statement that established his apostolic credentials.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God… – Colossians 1:1 ESV

While Paul had not been one of the original 12 disciples of Jesus, he had received his apostolic commission directly from the Lord Himself. Early in his life, Paul had been a member of the Pharisees, a powerful and highly influential sect of Judaism. At one point, he described himself as the poster boy for religious extremism and dedication.

I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. – Philippians 3:5-6 NLT

He was an up-and-coming member of the Pharisees who had been given a commission by the high priest to persecute and arrest members of “The Way,” the name given to the cult of followers who worshiped the dead Rabbi, Jesus. As a devout Pharisee, Paul had been a zealous adherent to and defender of the Jewish faith, and he was determined to eradicate the memory of Jesus and eliminate every one of His followers. He would later describe to the Jews how he had been given a commission to hunt down and destroy Christians.

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today. And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison. The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the followers of the Way from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.” – Acts 22:3-5 NLT

But something remarkable happened as Paul made his way to Damascus; he had come face to face with the resurrected Jesus. A blinding light stopped Paul in his tracks and a voice spoke to him, saying, “I am Jesus the Nazarene, the one you are persecuting” (Acts 22:8 NLT). Unable to see, Paul clearly heard Jesus give him instructions to visit a man named Ananias, who would give him further instructions, and Ananias opened Paul’s eyes and revealed to him his new mission.

“The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak. For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard. What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.” – Acts 22:14-16 NLT

This “Damascus Road experience” transformed Paul’s life; he went from persecuting Christians to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. And he was appointed an official apostle or messenger of Jesus Christ, with specific instructions to take the good news of salvation to the Gentiles.

Paul wanted the believers in Colossae to understand that he had divine authority to address the situation taking place within their local congregation. He defended his right to speak on behalf of Christ because there were those who attacked his apostolic credentials. But Paul pushed back on these critics, declaring his God-given authority as a spokesman for the gospel.

I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. – Galatians 1:1 NLT

So many of the churches Paul helped establish were being targeted by men who claimed to be speaking on behalf of God but who were teaching false doctrines and leading the people away from the simplicity and integrity of the gospel. Many of these men were eloquent and influential speakers who derided Paul’s ministry and portrayed him as a charlatan, but Paul refused to let them destroy what God had built.

But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. – 2 Corinthians 11:12-13 NLT

So Paul opened his letter to the Colossians with a declaration of his apostleship. He wanted them to know that what he was about to tell them was divinely inspired and not just the thoughts of a man they had never met. The content of his letter would reflect God’s will concerning their situation, so it would pay for them to listen. And Paul let them know that he was not alone in his concern for them. His protégé and fellow minister of the gospel, Timothy, stood with him in his message of encouragement and admonition.

Paul refers to his audience as “saints,” using a Greek term (hagios), which means “those set apart to God.” He wanted to remind them that they had been consecrated by God for His use. They belonged to God and had an obligation to live their lives in keeping with His will and according to His Word. They were not free to establish their own model for righteous living or to create their own system of religious rituals and creeds. They had been set apart by God and were to dedicate their lives to God.

The rest of his letter will address the specifics of their situation and the measures they must take to ensure that they continue to live faithful lives marked by God’s grace and peace.

Father, I am reminded of Paul’s passion for the gospel and his dedication to the well-being of the body of Christ. For him, it was not enough to preach the gospel and teach the truth of God’s Word, he was obsessed with the spiritual well=being of the many congregations he had helped to start. Like a shepherd, he cared deeply for his flock and wanted to help them make the most of their salvation experience. His life had been radically transformed by Jesus and dedicated his life to helping others come to know Him and become increasingly more like Him. Paul wasn’t interested in making religious converts; he was out to produce Spirit-empowered, fruit-producing, Christ-emulating, and grace-filled followers of Jesus who would help spread the gospel through words and deeds. I want to share his passion for preaching the truth of God’s Word and the life-transforming power of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone. Increase my commitment to Your Word, my love for the lost, and my passion for preserving and protecting the body of Christ. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Left Behind To Leave An Impression

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21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. – Philemon 1:21-35 ESV

Paul’s use of the word “obedience” seems odd in light of the fact that this entire letter has been couched in terms of a request, not a command. Just a few verses earlier, Paul had admitted that he could have used his authority as an apostle to order Philemon to comply, but he refused to do so. He wanted this to be Philemon’s decision.

…though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you… – Philemon 1:8 ESV

Because all of this revolved around a relationship, Paul had not wanted to dictate the terms of Philemon’s decision or to use coercion to force his hand. He knew that any healing between the two men would have to come from the heart and not the head.

I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. – Philemon 1:14 ESV

So, what prompted Paul to bring up obedience at this point in his letter, and why does he express such confidence that Philemon will do the right thing? I think it goes back to what Paul knew and believed about Philemon. He had every confidence that Philemon would respond positively and correctly because of his relationship with Jesus Christ. Remember what he said about his friend earlier in his letter: “I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints” (Philemon 1:5  ESV).

Philemon had a track record of doing the right thing, and Paul was confident that his friend would face this latest test with the wisdom and strength of the indwelling Spirit of God. Philemon was not left to his own devices or relegated to operating according to his sinful flesh. He was a new creation with a new heart, and he had a supernatural power available to him that would enable him to respond with justice, mercy, grace, and love.

Paul’s confidence was in the power of God to reform the hearts of men. He knew that the reconciliation of these two men was God’s will and that He would equip Philemon with the strength to obey that will. Paul knew from personal experience that, because of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, nothing was impossible. He confidently told the believers in Philippi,  “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 ESV).

His prayer for the believers in Ephesus had been that God would “from his glorious, unlimited resources…empower you with inner strength through his Spirit” (Ephesians 3:16 NLT). And Paul was confident that God would answer that prayer, boldly claiming, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20 NLT).

Paul believed that Philemon would obey the will of God because Paul believed in the power of God. His job had been to present the facts of the case to Philemon and then leave the result up to the Spirit of God. The resolution of the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus was going to have to be divinely empowered; it had to be a “God thing.” If Philemon tried to accomplish it in his own strength, he would fail. If he attempted to muster up the resolve to free Onesimus from slavery and treat him as a brother in Christ, only to please Paul, he would end up having regrets and harboring resentment over his financial losses.

If Philemon’s motivation to do the right thing came from an external source, his decision, no matter how righteous in nature, would be short-lived and wouldn’t last. But Paul had every confidence that God would work a miracle of heart-transformation between these two men. And, as a result, God would get the glory because the news of their reconciliation would spread. The paradigm-shifting precedence of Philemon emancipating his former slave and treating him as his social and spiritual equal would leave an indelible mark on the church and the community. And the only explanation would be the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul rested in the knowledge that God would accomplish far more than even he could imagine. Philemon, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, would far exceed Paul’s words of counsel and his hopes for reconciliation.

He closes his letter by asking Philemon to prepare a room for him. He fully expected to be released from his house arrest at any moment and had every desire to visit his friends in Asia Minor. As always, Paul was grateful for the prayers of those who had been lifting up during his confinement in Rome. Never one to take the petitions of others lightly, Paul found great encouragement in the knowledge that his needs were coming before God’s throne in heaven, and he believed that God would answer those prayers.

Finally, Paul provides Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus with greetings from some of their mutual friends. He includes Epaphras, an evangelist whom Paul describes as “my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus” (Philemon 1:23 ESV). This doesn’t mean that Epaphras was imprisoned with Paul in Rome, but that as a fellow minister of the gospel, he shared the same risks as Paul. He was “imprisoned” or held captive to his role as an ambassador and bondslave of Jesus Christ.

Paul adds the names of four other individuals and then closes his letter with the words, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (Philemon 1:21 ESV). It’s hard to imagine that Paul did not have in mind the words spoken to him by God regarding the empowering nature of His grace.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

Paul knew from personal experience that God would supply all the power Philemon needed to do what he had been called to do. The power of God’s abundant grace would flow through Philemon and provide him with the ability to love his former slave Onesimus and treat him as a brother in Christ and a fellow heir of the Kingdom.

Father, this little vignette of the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus provides such a stark reminder of the power of the gospel. We tend to relegate salvation as nothing more than a get-out-of-jail-free card that guarantees us an eternity free from sin, judgment, and death. But You intended faith in Christ to have far more immediate consequences. In fact, Your Son said that He had come to earth so that we might have abundant life, right her,e, right now (John 10:10). He came to change lives in the present, not just the future. Our future glorification is the culminating point of a long process of sanctification that is slowly transforming us into the likeness of Jesus. When Jesus returned to Your side in heaven, He didn’t take His disciples with Him; He left them in the world. But on the night He was betrayed He asked You, “Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are” (John 17:11 NLT). 

Jesus, You knew how difficult life in this world could be, because You experienced it firsthand. So You told Your Father, “I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth” (John 10:15-17 NLT). 

The disciples were left behind, and so were we. Yet, we have everything we need for living godly lives on this planet. Jesus did not leave us alone, but gave us His Holy Spirit to guide, protect, and empower us. Show us how we can model Christ-likeness more effectively in this world as we await His return. Help us to rely upon Your grace, walk in the Spirit’s strength, and love as we have been loved, so that the world will believe in the life-changing power of the gospel. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Talk Is Cheap

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. – Philemon 1:17-20 ESV

It’s quite easy to give advice to others. In fact, it comes naturally to most of us. Sharing our opinions and providing free counsel to our friends and family members just seem like good things to do. We can even back up our good intentions from the “Good Book.”

Where there is no guidance, a people falls,
    but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. – Proverbs 11:14 ESV

But even the best counsel, motivated by the best intentions, doesn’t always produce the best outcomes. Telling someone what they should do, without providing them any hint as to how to do it, can be demoralizing and even damaging.

Paul was asking Philemon to accept his runaway slave back with open arms. Not only that, but he was also advising Philemon to treat Onesimus as a brother and not a slave. Everything Paul wrote to Philemon was biblically sound and spiritually appropriate; it was wise counsel coming from a godly and well-meaning friend. And yet, from Philemon’s perspective, it was all “easier said than done.” Paul, under house arrest in Rome and with plenty of time on his hands, could write Philemon a hundred letters full of godly advice on a wide range of topics, but at the end of the day, it was Philemon who would have to turn Paul’s rhetoric into reality, and that was not going to be easy.

Paul was quite clear in expressing how he expected Philemon to treat Onesimus.

So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. – Philemon 1:17 NLT

Philemon was to show Onesimus the same courtesy and respect he would extend to Paul if he were to walk in the door. That was a tall order. Paul was asking Philemon to respond in a manner that was antithetical to logic and social protocol. For him to treat any slave with that kind of respect and honor would have been unheard of in civil society. Yet, Paul was asking him to extend this kind of courtesy to a runaway.

Remember, Paul told Philemon that Onesimus was “no longer like a slave to you” (Philemon 1:16 NLT). That was easy for Paul to say. But in Philemon’s social circle, everyone would have known that Onesimus was his slave, and that he had run away. When Onesimus returned, they would have expected Philemon to deal with him according to Roman law. To not do so would have set a dangerous precedent. If Philemon failed to punish Onesimus for running away, it might encourage other slaves to follow his example. Other slave owners in the community, and possibly in the church, would have viewed his kind and gracious treatment of Onesimus as unacceptable behavior.

Paul was fully aware of the gravity of his request of Philemon. He knew it would not be easy to follow, and it could also prove costly. Paul was cognizant of the fact that Onesimus represented a financial investment for Philemon. In the economic system of Rome, Onesimus had monetary value that was greater than his human worth. He was a commodity whose appraisal was based on his production capacity or resale value. So, when Paul asked Philemon to set Onesimus free, he was asking his friend to take a substantial hit to his bottom line.

But look closely at what Paul wrote next: “If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account” (Philemon 1:18 ESV). You might say that Paul was putting his money where his mouth was. He was backing up his wise words with the promise of action. Paul was personally investing himself in the process of reconciliation between these two men.

When Paul told Philemon, “charge that to my account,” he was essentially saying, “Impute Onesimus’ debt to me.” It was like saying, “put it on my tab.” Paul was committing himself to make up any financial liability Philemon might face as a result of following his advice. Paul was willingly putting skin in the game, and his model for this kind of selfless, sacrificial commitment was Jesus.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. – 2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

Jesus came to earth so that He might reconcile sinful men to God, and in order to do so, He took on their sin debt. He bore their sins on the cross and died the death they deserved to die. And because those who place their faith in Christ enjoy a renewed relationship with God the Father, they have the capacity to view things from a totally new perspective. Consider Paul’s words to the believers in Corinth.

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. – 2 Corinthians 5:16-19 NLT

Philemon and Onesimus had both been reconciled to God through the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. But Paul deeply desired to see Philemon and Onesimus reconciled to one another. They had both been set free from slavery to sin and death, and now they could live in newness of life together as brothers. And Paul was willing to invest himself in the process of reconciling their differences, even to the point of underwriting the financial debts of Onesimus.

Paul made his commitment clear, telling Philemon, “I will repay it” (Philemon 1:19 ESV), and Philemon knew he could trust Paul to keep his word. To further influence Philemon’s decision, Paul resorted to a bit of guilt-tripping, essentially saying, “You owe me.” This should not be viewed as a threat but as a gentle reminder that Philemon owed his new life in Christ to Paul’s ministry. Paul had risked a lot to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to Philemon’s community and, as a result, Philemon had been reconciled to God. By placing his faith in Jesus, Philemon’s debt had been paid in full.

Nothing would make Paul happier than to hear that Philemon and Onesimus had been reconciled, and he let Philemon know his decision to receive Onesimus as a brother in Christ would be all the payment he needed.

Yes, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ. – Philemon 1:20 NLT

Telling others what they ought to do is easy, but how willing are we to commit ourselves to help them follow our advice? What cost are we willing to pay to see that our wise words are followed? Paul was willing to put his money where his mouth was. What about you? Are you committed to walking alongside the ones with whom you freely share your counsel and dedicate your time and resources to see that they have what they need to succeed?

This reminds me of the story of the chicken and the pig. In debating the degree of their commitment to a typical breakfast of bacon and eggs, the chicken bragged about how some brave hen willingly made provision for the eggs. But the pig responded by pointing out that while the breakfast required the chicken’s participation, it demanded a pig’s total commitment.

Paul wasn’t content to provide wise counsel; he was totally committed to seeing that it was followed, regardless of the personal cost. Paul could have easily said to Philemon what he wrote to the believers in Philippi.

But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. – Philippians 2:17 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.