By The Rev. Ron Purkey
Guest Columnist

Read Colossians 1:1-29

And (Jesus) is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17)

The Rev. Ron Purkey

Many people today, like the false teachers at Colosse, will give Jesus Christ a place of eminence, but they will not give him his rightful place of preeminence. Jesus is not a “great man among great men;” Jesus is God’s Son, preeminent in all things! In this first chapter, the apostle declares Jesus Christ’s preeminence in several areas of life.

The false teachers had a message, but their message had no power to it. They taught about angels, “emanations” from God, legalistic rules, and bodily disciplines, but their message had no power to transform lives. In these verses Paul reviews the effect the Gospel of Christ had on the Colossians. He had not visited this church personally but had heard from Epaphras the good news of their salvation (verses 4, 7).

First, how they were redeemed. Epaphras apparently had heard the Gospel of Christ from Paul at Ephesus and had taken this life-changing message back to Colosse (verse 7). Witnessing ought to begin at home (Mark 5:19). Epaphras gave them “the word of the truth of the Gospel” (verse 5) in contrast to the lies of the false teachers. Faith comes by hearing; these people heard the word, believed, and were redeemed.

Second, the evidences of their faith. These believers demonstrated faith, hope, and love (verses 4-5, 8). Only Jesus Christ can give faith, change a selfish heart into a heart of love, and then give a blessed hope for the future. The word brought forth fruit in their lives (verse 6); fruit is the evidence of true salvation (Matthew 13:23).

Third, the Apostle Paul’s prayer for their growth (Colossians 1:9-12). Since salvation is a personal experience with Jesus Christ, and not merely the acceptance of a set of doctrines, a believer can experience daily growth and development. The heretics taught a mystical “fullness” that their followers would gain; but here Paul states that every believer in Christ can be filled. We have been “made full in him” (Colossians 2:9-10); now he prays that they might experience this fullness in their daily lives. Notice the requests he makes: (1) that they might know his will; (2) that they would walk so as to please God; (3) that they would work to bear fruit; (4) that they would understand the word better; and (5) that they would know his glorious power. These are things the heretics falsely promised their followers, but these blessings can be found only in Christ. He is preeminent!

Jesus Christ was not just a man.” Arnold Toynbee was right when he said, “As we stand and gaze with our eyes fixed upon the farther shore, a simple figure rises from the flood and straightway fills the whole horizon of history. There is the Savior.”

Read Ron Purkey’s Bible study outlines free at rcpbibleoutlines.com. Purkey has been an ordained Baptist minister for 50 years.