Grace for living
Colossians 1:1-14
1 Paul, 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.
As Paul records the word of the Lord to the Colossians he begins with a declaration of God’s grace and will in his life and ministry. God has established Paul as an apostle by His will. Paul has been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not a result of his works, but by the will of God! God’s word as delivered by Paul is for the saints who are in Christ and for those who are in Colossae. All who are saints have received grace and peace from God through Christ. The Colossian church like all churches was facing an attack on the truth and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. They like we today were being pulled in directions away from the centrality of Christ and the supremacy of Christ to focus on works and mysticism as the added means to salvation and faith. When we add to or take away from the understanding of the Gospel we no longer have the Gospel. To take away from what is true or to add lies to the truth is no longer have the truth. The Colossian church, like us today, needed to hear from God that their faith and salvation was the result of His will and His work in Christ Jesus. They, like us needed to hear that there was nothing else to add to the word of God to be saved.
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made know to us your love in the Spirit.
1. It is by God’s grace that we are saved
The reason for Paul’s thankfulness is the salvation of the faith of the Colossian church. The reason for the Colossian’s faith is the grace of God understood through the truth of the gospel. Paul is thankful for the grace of God that is evidenced by their faith and their love. When the truth of the gospel is understood it is by God’s grace. We must guard against the pride of thinking that we have understood the mysteries of God without His grace to do so. We as sinners are not capable of discerning the mind and will of God. But, by the grace of God He gives us understanding to the truth of the gospel that brings faith in Jesus Christ, repentance of sin, and forgiveness for sins. When God’s grace brings understanding it comes with evidence. The evidence is a testimony of faith in Jesus Christ and a love for Christ and His church.
The grace of God is understood by His will and through the proclamation of His word. The Colossians, like us, came to faith in Christ through the hearing of the word of truth, the gospel. God says in His word “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14) It is through the preaching/ teaching/ proclamation of the truth of the gospel that the Colossians, that we, and that the world will be saved. Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ?” The word of Christ is the Bible, the Bible tells the Gospel from cover to cover. And the gospel is this: God created all things. Man sinned against God. All men therefore are sinners and God’s judgment for sin is death. God, showed his love for man by promising and sending a savior to take the place of man in the judgment for His sin. Jesus Christ is that Savior and his death on the cross was done in the place of those who have faith Him. God’s judgment for sin was placed on Jesus Christ instead of on us. Jesus died in our place, was buried in our place, and was resurrected after 3 days to conquer sin and death forever! God’s grace is given through faith in Christ. We have new life and the forgiveness of our sins through Jesus Christ.
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.
2. It is by God’s grace that we live
As believers in Christ, our understanding of God’s grace grows each day. Every day we are reminded through our own sins that we need Jesus Christ. We are reminded in God’s word that our growth in faith is the result of the knowledge of God’s will. God’s will is always understood through His word. If we come to faith in Christ by grace as we understand scripture, why would we think that we could grow in that faith through something or someone other than Christ and His word. It is tempting to try and grow in our faith through experiences and through different relationships. But, our experiences are tainted with sin and so are the people that we are building relationships with. Christ is the sinless sacrifice who has saved us. He has given us his word for the purpose of understanding his grace, salvation, and his glory. If we are to live our lives in a manner that is worthy of the Lord, then we must do so through our understanding of God’s grace as revealed in his word. As our understanding and knowledge of God’s grace and will grow so does our response to it. As we mature we are more and more led to offer up suitable sacrifices and expressions of worship to the one who has saved us. God’s word continually reminds us of the gospel, that we are sinners who need a savior, and that he has come to rescue us through Christ! The life that is worthy of the Lord, is one of humility and love, because it is a life that knows without God’s grace there is only death and destruction. But, with grace, we are a new life that is lived by faith!
- So how do we grow in our understanding of Grace?
o We preach the Gospel to ourselves daily
o We continually repent of our sins and ask for forgiveness of our sins
o We read scripture and meditate on it throughout our day
o We pray and express our gratitude to God for the grace he has given us
o We humble ourselves and show love that reflects the grace of God we have through Christ to others.
11 May you be 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.
3. It is by God’s grace that we persevere/ last/ are qualified
God gives us grace for salvation. God gives us grace to live a life that is worthy of his name. God in his graciousness strengthens us every step of the journey. Our salvation is by grace, our life is lived under grace, and we persevere through grace by the power of God. He has saved us and he is with us. God desires for our lives to bring glory, fame, and renown to His name. HE is committed that end and because of that he gives us strength, endurance, patience, and joy to result in our glorifying him through our giving of thanks to him in all things because of the redemption we have in Christ!
God’s grace has transferred us through faith in Christ from the kingdom of sin and darkness to the kingdom of Jesus Christ His Son. What glorious news that in Christ we have been redeemed apart from our own works! What inconceivable joy we have at the forgiveness of our sins through the death of Jesus Christ! God’s grace has saved us, and we live today under His grace and by His grace.
Let us pray with thankfulness, for the understanding of grace that leads to salvation, and for the grace to continue to follow Christ by faith in the days to come.
