1211. An Introduction to Paul’s Letter to the Colossians

Welcome to The Daily Platform. Our program features sermons from chapel services at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Every day, students are blessed by the preaching and teaching of the Bible from the University Chapel Platform. Today on The Daily Platform, we're beginning a study series entitled, Seeking Things Above, which is a study of the book of Colossians. This study explains and applies the timeless truth that Christ is our sufficiency in all relationships, responsibilities, and circumstances.

If you would like to follow along in the study booklet, you can order a printed copy from the Bob Jones store website, shop.bju.edu. Let's listen to today's message, where Steve will walk us through an introduction to Paul's letter to the Colossians. This is a book about the opening verse of chapter 3, this semester in chapel from the book of Colossians chapter 3. Our theme being, seeking things above, which actually comes from the opening verse in chapter 3 and verse 1.

If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. And so that's going to be our study throughout the semester, beginning in verse 1 of chapter 3, all the way down to verse 16. But today, what I'd like to do is to establish and lay out today and next week, basically a foundation so that when we go into chapter 3, we feel like we have at least a decent grasp on the book. And a couple of things that you can do to benefit your own self in this study, we're going to study it. It's going to take at least 10 messages. It'll be a part of your discipleship group.

So a couple of simple things. Number 1, I would encourage you to read through the book of Colossians once a week. It's only 95 verses. You can actually read through it in one sitting.

It doesn't take that long, but I would encourage you to do that. Number 2, I would encourage you to take notes in chapel, whether you bring your book with you or you put them on your cell phone or you hand write them out. At least you have notes to follow so that when you take time to have discussions, those thoughts are better in your mind.

I know my experience, if I write things out, that it actually sticks better in my mind. So this morning what I'd like you to do is to take your Bibles and turn with me please to the book of Colossians. I'm going to read the first couple of verses and today we're just going to take time to try to understand the book of Colossians and especially the practical value of studying the book. We read in verse 1 these words, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timotheus our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, which are at Colossae, that's the city, grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

So the book is called the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians or to the Colossian believers. So what's the value of studying this book? And basically the value is found in grasping to understand the overall reason why Paul wrote this letter. As you understand the reason, then you grasp it.

And that's what I want us to look at. So let's begin first of all with the author of the book. Clearly, as Paul writes his letters in the first century, when they would write a letter different than us, we always write to the person first, dear Samuel, and we sign it sincerely and you put your name at the bottom. In biblical times, it's the reverse.

The writer starts out. So he says, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. And where was Paul when he wrote this letter? Well, we find out in chapter 4 in verse 3.

Let me read it to you. At the same time, pray also for us that God may open to us a door for the word to declare the mystery of Christ on account of which I am in prison. This letter is one of four prison epistles, including Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and the letter called Philemon. And Paul was in a Roman prison and we know it was somewhere between the year 60 and 62 AD. And it was during this time that Paul wrote these letters. So what were the circumstances or what was the setting surrounding this letter?

This is so important. And it was based on a visitor who came to see Paul in prison because when Paul was in prison in Rome the first time, he was there two times in prison, the first time he was under house arrest. You could say he actually had a small apartment where he was guarded by Roman soldiers and he could entertain guests. So here he was in prison and a man comes to visit him from the city of Colossae.

Colossae was 1200 miles away from Rome. So you could imagine the trip it took for him to get there. And the man's name was Epaphras. Now who was Epaphras? Well, we know that he was a convert to Christianity and basically most believe it was under Paul's ministry. But Paul never preached in Colossae and he never went there. Likely it was under Paul's ministry as he was preaching in the city of Ephesus which was 110 miles away.

Ephesus was a port city on the Aegean Sea and Colossae was inland in a valley. There was another church sitting nearby called Laodicea. Perhaps you remember that from the book of the Revelation. So Paul is meeting with this man named Epaphras, traveling from Colossae to come and see Paul. And apparently Epaphras had gone back to Colossae and he was the one that preached the gospel to the community and as a result of his evangelistic work, a church was planted. So what does Paul do in the beginning of his letter to the Colossians? He says something very important and that is he validates the ministry of Epaphras. Let's look at verse 5 of Colossians 1. He says, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof you have heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which is common to you as it is in all the world and brings forth fruit as it does also in you since the day you heard it and knew the grace of God in truth as you also learned, that is you learned the gospel of Epaphras, our dear fellow servant who is for you a faithful minister of Christ. And when Paul wrote that, he was doing something very important. He was validating as legitimate the messenger Epaphras and the message that he was preaching. Why is this important? Because it helps us to understand the problem in the church of Colossae.

So here's the question. Why did Epaphras travel all the way to Rome to see Paul? It wasn't a vacation and it wasn't just to see him. He came to see Paul because he was facing a real huge problem in the church. And the problem, if we could say it this way, Epaphras felt was out of his league.

It was above his head. It was a problem that he didn't know how to answer. And so he came to Rome seeking the wisdom of the great apostle Paul. By the way, in the New Testament, almost all the letters that Paul wrote were centered around church problems. And generally, there's one of three, if not all three, problems that churches face. The first is a doctrinal problem.

What is taught? The second is a practical Christian living problem. For example, we read this in the book of Corinthians. And the third is a leadership problem. So churches will have one, two, or all three problems in the church. So what was the problem in the church of Colossae?

Well, in one way, that's a part of the problem. Because when you read the book, Paul never comes out directly and tells us exactly what the problem is. For example, if you read the book of Galatians, it's really clear what the problem is, and that is they were preaching a false gospel.

But in the book of Colossians, it wasn't quite so clear. Someone has suggested it this way. It's like listening to another person have a phone conversation.

Have you ever done that before? Maybe your mother, your dad's on the phone, or maybe you're eavesdropping, and you're listening to them, and you know that there's a problem going on, but you can't hear the person on the other side of the line. And perhaps you hear answers, but you don't really get the issue. Well, in a way, it's a little bit like what you find in Colossians. But as we read the book, we can deduce enough of the problem to be able to discern what the teaching or doctrinal problem was. And here's what we know about the doctrinal problem. It was a problem that arose in that church.

You could say it was homegrown. And the main idea of the teaching was affecting the way believers were living out their Christian life. So understand this. All behavior is rooted in your belief. When people have behavior problems as Christians, generally it's rooted in what they've been taught, their doctrinal issues.

So behavior is affected by our belief. So here's the problem, and that is there was a certain kind of teaching that was rising up in the church that was creating, if I could say, a new kind of spirituality, a new mood that was very different than the teaching of Epaphras. And they were using similar words, but it was creating a different feel, and it was starting to divide the church. So the purpose of Paul's writing is to provide the resources that the Colossian believers needed to recognize and deal with this kind of teaching. And I'm teaching you this because the problem that we find in the church of Colossae has been a part of church history.

That's the value. That's the glory of the New Testament letters. It's not like the people in that day are different today. So the problems that rise in the New Testament are the same issues we face today. So what was the major emphasis of the teaching that was rising up in the church? Two primary things. Number one, the first is this, that the false teachers offered a spiritual fullness not previously experienced in the gospel that was preached to them by Epaphras. So I'll focus on the word fullness. Let me put it this way.

They were saying something like this. Okay, what you guys in the church have right now is all right. It's a good start. It's a good foundation.

Hey, Epaphras has taught you the basics, but it's not enough. There is something more. Oh man, there is something so much more. And we can help you experience the Christian life you've always wanted. You can be completely fulfilled. Total satisfaction guaranteed.

Now let me ask you a question. Who wouldn't want that? I mean, who doesn't want a full experience as a Christian? So they made the claim that they could perfect or they could complete the simple elementary message of Epaphras that they were by their statement saying is inadequate. Their offer included a deeper knowledge of God and a greater experience of power.

And by the way, how does that sound to you? If somebody came to you and asked you the question, how many of you want to know God better? What would you do?

What would you say? I'll ask you a question. How many of you want to know God better? Raise your hand. Okay.

Second question. How many of you want the power and the ability to overcome the problems of your life? How many of you want that? Raise your hand.

Okay, obviously that's what we all desire. So what was the problem? We all need and want something more in our Christian life. That's not the issue.

The issue was the source of that fullness. So here's a question. When a Christian is saved, when a believer is saved, is he given everything he needs at the moment of salvation in order to live the Christian life?

Yes or no? Or is there something that you need subsequent to your salvation in order to live the Christian life? That's the question. That's the issue.

And here's the error. What they had received in Christ in salvation as they were teaching, that is what Epaphras taught them, was not enough. They needed some additions.

They needed some add-ons. They needed something to happen to them beyond their salvation that would elevate them to a higher or to another spiritual level. The gospel that was preached by Paul and Epaphras, which was the same gospel, teaches us that in Christ and through the gospel, we already have everything we need. Christ is more than enough. He is all sufficient. We are complete in Him.

He is our all in all. So how do we live the Christian life? We grow in the knowledge of Christ and understanding Him, and then we grow in living that out in experience. What God has worked in our hearts through His power at the moment that we're saved has to be lived out on a daily basis. So the Colossians, however, were subtly learning a wrong view of, if you could say it this way, of the insufficiency of the gospel message that was brought to them.

And whatever the additions were, they were actually becoming subtractions. Because when you try to add to Jesus, you take away from Jesus. And what we find in Paul's teaching in this letter, you can basically see it throughout history and even in contemporary teaching in the day and age in which we're experiencing today. So the first problem was the teaching of a spiritual fullness. The second, the false teacher spoke of a spiritual freedom for those who followed them. And again, it appeals to what we all feel as Christians.

We want to know the Lord better, and we want to have greater victory in our lives. The teachers, it seems like, as you read the book, appeared to offer a deliverance of some kind that was different from what the Colossians experienced at their salvation. For example, let me just share a few of them that we find, especially in Colossians 2. So Colossians 2 really lays out a lot of the error.

You can go back and read it. And then Colossians 3, which we're going to study, really shows how to live out the Christian life according to the gospel. For example, there are teachers who appeared to have claimed a particular insight into the powers of evil and the ability to give believers special protection from demons in contrast to Christ's defeat of all demonic powers on the cross. I remember years ago being out in Denver, Colorado, and there was an evangelist, a Bible-preaching, gospel-preaching evangelist, who had shifted in his ministry, and his whole ministry was on dealing with demons, especially Christians who were being attacked by demons. And as I sat there and I listened to him, I could not help but think about Colossians 2.15 that basically says that Jesus stripped all the demons of their power, and they're already defeated. Why would I focus on the demons?

Why would I not focus on Jesus, who defeated the demons? I've seen this in foreign countries where I go, especially where there's a lot of spiritism, and believers are delivered from the power of demons at the very moment that they're saved. There was also teaching in the church that if you followed Jewish legal codes, that you would experience a more complete spiritual life.

In other words, if you go back to the law, live under the law, it will actually give you more freedom. There was also, in the book of Colossians, a very strong emphasis on basically getting victory over temptation through severe self-discipline of your body. The problem is that whenever you deprive your body, deny yourself, for example like the monks used to do hundreds of years ago, it may make you look strong, but it doesn't really combat the strength of the sin of your own heart. In other words, you can deprive yourself of the externals, but it doesn't overcome your sin nature. And if you're not careful, it can lead to vanity and pride and self-confidence, and potentially you can fail in the realm of the flesh, because the only thing that deals with the flesh ultimately is the cross of Jesus Christ. Only Christ and his cross has the power. So throughout Colossians, Paul reminds us that deliverance is already ours in Jesus, and following these teachers will not lead to freedom, but it will lead to slavery.

So let me sum it up. In this false teaching, there's a form of Christian perfectionism that is becoming complete that can be reached outside of Christ in his work. By the way, that's why you read in chapter one, what does he do? He exalts Jesus. And those could be, for example, legalistic observances, some form of intellectual elite knowledge, some mystical experiences, or severe discipline that we call asceticism. And that's what you find in chapter two, legalism, intellectualism, mysticism, and asceticism. And the focus is on gaining some kind of knowledge outside the word of Christ, doing some kind of action that is not based on the work of Christ, and going through some kind of experience that is outside of the presence of Christ. Any teaching that questions the sufficiency of Jesus Christ in his work of grace in your life, not only at salvation, but for your spiritual growth, falls under the critique of Colossians. And I want to say, this kind of discernment is a little slippery, it's a little harder, because you're talking about people who are professing Christians, but they're teaching a wrong view of sanctification.

All man-centered messages will ultimately fall into two categories. Number one, a works-oriented category, what I do to obtain the blessing, with a primary focus on either the steps or the rules. The second is a higher level tiered spirituality that seeks for blessing outside of seeking Christ. And it seems that the false teachers were leading believers to find their ultimate sense of security, and identity, and something other than Christ. Christ is everything for us. So, what did Paul then emphasize? And when you read the book of Colossians, and again, let me exhort you to do that, it is very clear that there are two words that jump out throughout the whole book. The first word is the word Christ. In the New Testament, Paul and the apostles were overwhelmed with the greatness of Jesus and his gospel.

Think about it. Not many people are doing it as they used to, but if you were to go to a Christian bookstore, and usually when you walk into a Christian bookstore, they'll always put the most popular books out front. If you were to look at the most popular books out front, how many of them deal directly with Jesus? If you look in the bookstore for a section on Jesus, you might have to go way back in the corner, and you find this little thin section with a handful of books.

And oftentimes, the Christian books are how-to books, or experience this, or get your best life now. But in the New Testament, they were overwhelmed with who Jesus Christ was. And so Paul mentions the name Christ 25 times, and he refers to it in various ways 65 times. We are told that Jesus is the image of God. He is the head of the church. He is the creator of the world. He is the preeminent one, the one who is to have first place in our lives. Christ is our life. That's the emphasis. And then there's a second word, and it's the word ALL. A-L-L, Greek word P-A-S, P-A-S.

It's mentioned 30 times. ALL speaks to fullness and completeness that we as Christians have in Christ, for we are complete in Him. Christ is all. In Him dwells all. The fullness of the Godhead bodily. Could it be today, and I think this is something that we could all say amen to, that instead of being overwhelmed with the greatness of Jesus on a daily basis, we are underwhelmed.

I don't say this to be harsh or mean. I'm standing with you in this. But especially in the world of technology where your life is consumed with the awesome greatness of your cell phone, or your computer, or your access to knowledge, where is it that you are overwhelmed with Jesus Christ? Because of this, I believe we're all susceptible to some kind of spiritual add-on, to some kind of additive, to some kind of secret that will help me to know, and to grow, and to overcome. But the answer, my friend, is found in the overwhelming, surpassing greatness that is in Jesus. And should we not pray for all of us here, that we would know Jesus in a far greater way. It goes back to what Paul is saying over and over. Christ is the heart of the message. He is the source of the Christian's life. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him, and all the fullness of God is in Christ, and you and I are complete in Him. Twenty centuries have passed since Paul wrote this letter, but the necessity of focusing on Christ is real right now.

My hope and prayer is that over the semester, you will grow in that grace and that knowledge of Christ, and what He has done to enable us to have victory and to overcome. Would you stand with me this morning as we pray and ask the Lord's blessing? I'd like to pray a prayer this morning that I heard years ago from a preacher, and it was a prayer that he prayed of an old saint. And I think this is a prayer that is worthy of all of us praying for ourselves and for one another. Would you bow your heads with me as we pray? Our gracious Heavenly Father, I pray this morning that we would see Christ more clearly. And I pray this morning that we would love Christ more dearly. And Lord, I ask that we would follow Christ more nearly. And we ask all of this for the glory of Christ. In His name we pray. Amen. You've been listening to a sermon from the study series in the book of Colossians by Dr. Steve Pettit, president of Bob Jones University. For more information on Dr. Pettit's series, visit the Bob Jones University store website shop.bju.edu, where you can get a copy of Steve's study booklet entitled, Seeking Things Above. Thanks for listening, and join us again tomorrow as we continue the study in Colossians on The Daily Platform.