In Sunday School, we are going through The Book of Colossians. Colossians is a very deep, in depth book that can be easily misunderstood. There is so much 'meat' to the book! I am trying my best to convey the study to share on this blog, however its hard to convey even in class much less on paper. I hope you can get something out of it.
Colossians 1:13-20
False teachers in Colassae, like those today wouldn’t deny the importance of Jesus Christ. They would simply dethrone Him. In their philosophy, Jesus was one of many emanations or ways that proceeded from God and through which mean could reach God. The gnostic teachers believed in an organization of evil spirits like angels, arch angels, principalities, and powers that supposibily controlled the world. Paul is addressing these issues Head on and hitting them hard. He is telling in the verses that we will be studying today that Jesus Christ is The Reason for everything. He is the only Way to God, the only way to heaven.PERIOD.
Greek philosophers at this time were teaching that everything needed a primary cause, and instrumental cause, and a final cause.
Paul is exclusive in making sure that all of these ‘causes’ were addressed.
The primary cause – is the plan {{He planned it}}
The instrumental cause – the power {{He produced it}}
The final cause – the purpose {{{He did it for His own pleasure
Everything God did and does was for Jesus.
Jesus is the Cause, The Effect, The Reason.
Mark 9:37 Jesus said “Whoever receives one child like this in my name receives Me, and whoever receives Me doesn’t receive Me, but Him who sent Me”
1:13a He has delivered us from the power of darkness (NKJV)
Look back at 1:12b share in the inheritance of the saints in the light (NASV)
Paul is using the reference of Darkness verses Light
Let’s look at a few characteristics of both and compare them.
Darkness Light
Satan’s Kingdom With the saints
sin surrounded by those
Error of God
Misery Regeneration
Death Life
Ignorance Love
Unbelief Closeness/Companion of God
Holiness
Priveledge
Enjoyment
Inheritance
The Power of Darkness – The power that once was exerted over us in that
Dark Kingdom, Satan’s Kingdom, as sinners prior to salvation we belonged to.
(( Acts 26:18 “to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me”))
((Luke 1:79 “To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace”))
((Romans 13:2 “Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgement on themselves”
2
1:13b “and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His Love” NASV
NIV uses the wordage brought us in
Definition of transferred is to convey from one place or person another; to transport, remove, or cause to pass, to another place or person
Christians are removed. Belonging to a different community.
The act of transferring, bringing in, is regeneration.
-By Nature these things had uncontrollable power, now we are delivered from them and into Christ’s kingdom of glory. And Jesus paid the price for our sin.
With Human nature, even as a Christian we often find ourself in state of depression, darkness, bad situations. We have to tell ourselves that is not of God. God delivered us, transferred us to the New Kingdom giving us new hope, regeneration, and Power. THrough the power of God we are able to overcome these things because they are not of God. He enables us to do this! We just have to use the power God has already given us.
Vs 14.-------
NASV “In whom we have redemption the forgiveness of sins.”
KJV “In whom we have redemption through His Blood, even the forgiveness of sins”
Redemption: Meaning “act of saving or being saved”
This verse is a blessing of Grace. Jesus paid the price of our sin with his blood, delivering us from sin, power, guild, and infection of sin. Christ took, put away, finished, made end of, freed us from the power of sin.
The grace of God in the hearts of believer is the power of God. There is glory in His power. The use of this strength was for sufferings. There is work to be done even when we are in times of suffering. Amidst all the trials, just like Paul who was imprisoned for preaching about Jesus, he still continued to give thanks to the Father whose grace filled them to partake in the inheritance.
Vs. 15
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Jesus, was God on Earth.
Paul uses the word ‘image’ to clarify this.
An image, or exact representation and revelation
JOHN: 14;9 ‘ He that hath seen me hath seen the Father”
Hebrews 1:3 ‘the express image of His person”
the first born over all creation…..
Firstborn..when we think of firstborn we think in the reference to time as the first one being born, this reference was to place or status. Meaning of first importance of first rank.
Even in old Hebrew custom the idea of firstborn did not require that one be the first son born ;it referred more to rank and priveledge not birth order.
This verse is a major verse for our belief in the Holy Trinity.
Because, Jesus is God but came in the form of Man.
The Holy Trinity is a mystery and not meant for us to attain full knowledge of how Jesus can be an exact image of God, yet His Son.
Vs 16…….”For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, All things were created through Him and for Him”
Now, this is also showing us how God created all things for Jesus and through Jesus. He used Jesus as a vessel for which we could see. Jesus is the sphere in which all things exist, the one for whom they were made and came into being. God’s love for His son is defined in these verses, a love beyond our comprehension but many of us as mothers know our love for our children is just beyond words explainable how much we love our children. He adored Him. Hand picked His earthly mother, sent Him here, watched Him grow up, then go out remain sinless and people were mean to Him, then Jesus so still had compassion on human nature, He came here on an errand, to redeem us. To stop all of the sacrifice, to stop all the sin, Already God had covered the earth with water, yet had mercy on Noah because of His faith, then He gives His own son. Christ took all the sacrifice finished it, abolished by making himself a human sacrifice, For you. Freed you from the powers of Sin. He was made a mediator.. He agreed to take on the covenant of grace because of His great love, compassion and Mercy.
GOD THE FATHER
JESUS ((GOD THE SON))
GOD HOLY SPIRIT
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THE ONLY WAY TO GOD THE FATHER IS BY WAY OF THE SON, THE ONLY WAY TO RECIEVE THE SPIRIT IS BY WAY OF THE SON. JESUS CHRIST IS THE SPHERE OF OUR BEING. HOW WE GET TO THE FATHER, AND RECIEVE THE SPIRIT.
Vs 17,,, ‘ and He is before all things and in Him all things consisit.
Everything was created for His purpose.
IN this verse we are going to establish Jesus’ preeminense which means superior to, perfectness,above all others, outstanding
Premenisce came from the Greek word ‘proteuo’ meaning to be first in rank or influence.
The English word ‘ proto’ came from this word think of Prototype. First type, initial being)
For example: think of a car prototype, everything that comes after that should be fashioned after it. We are to be fashioned after Christ.
Vs 18 and HE is the head of the body, the church , who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead that in all things He may have preeminence.
He is the head…this shows us the significance of the church, the church is Christs body. Our bodies, make up one Body. That is why He is so jealous for us. That’s why we are enabled with gifts talents and measures, That is why we are trialed tested because He wants His body His way. Not ours! Its not our body that we are in control of we are in control of His body.. If only we could truly wholeheartedly- allow Him as the Head of the Body, Control the way His body functions.
Think about it this way… what is the first thing you see when you see someone?
Their face, Their head.
What volitale organ is in our Head?
Brain.
Which controls our logic, thinking, movements, EVERYTHING.
Christ is our Head, our most prominent feature and first seen, especially as women we spend more time on our head than we do any other part of our body. That attention should be given to Christ. Do you acknowledge Christs preeminense? Do you give Him first place in all you do and think?
Yet Jesus the Christ, as our Head still allows us as His Body to not be in total control. In our human body, if one organ or function is not working or are diseased we are not fully operating.
We, as the body of Christ. We all make up this one body and each of us have to operate effectively for The Body to by fully operating.
This brings me to the question I want you to ask yourself today…
Is there part of your body that is diseased that we can control?
Is there something in your life that is not productive that is keeping “the body” being fully operative?
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