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COLOSSIANS - Christ in you, the hope of glory!
Studies in the Letter of Paul to the Colossians

Part 1 - The Foundations of Christian Faith (Colossians 1:1-29)

3. The Intercession of Paul for the Church in Colosse (Colossians 1:9-11)


Who Lives Worthy unto the Lord?

Following his defence against the seductive righteousness of the law and the hidden trust in one´s own self, the missionary to the nations summoned those who had been born-again to consciously walk in their newness of life, that they might live “worthy of the Lord”, being thankful for His grace in their lives. By saying this Paul was not laying down a new law for them. Much more, he prayed anew for the church in the Anatolian highland, that the triune God might give them spiritual maturity and a holy way of life.

The apostle explained the privilege that this holiness to the honour of God brought with it by using several examples. He encouraged the recipients of his letter to live in such a way that always pleases God your Father, so that He might rejoice over you! Avoid all lies, impurity, pride, irritability, and the trust in money and reputation, so that you might grow in the power of God, in the humility and meekness of Christ, and in the purity and truth of your words. By so doing, the fruit of the Holy Spirit will ripen in you. Followers of Christ should bring forth both better and more numerous “good works” than the fanatics of the law. They do not, however, need good works in any way to bring about their salvation and justification, since they have already been justified freely by grace! In so saying, Paul turned both the purpose and goal of “good works” upside down. They do not cause or bring about the salvation of a sinner; much more, they are the fruit of the Holy Spirit, growth related, and a necessary ingredient in the lives of those made holy by grace.

Increase in the Knowledge of God!

If Paul had previously written about spiritually recognizing the will of God, he now leads the recipients of his letter into the heart of this process, into the very knowledge of God. In asking the Father in heaven to reveal to the church in Colosse who He is and what He does, he was teaching no new theology. He did not use his own words to describe this great and complex knowledge of God. Instead, he asked God to give the Colossians a realization of this mystery. The knowledge of God comes purely by grace and is no intellectual achievement. Jesus Prayed: “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight” (Matt. 11:25-26). Paul further wrote: “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, `Abba, Father!` Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Gal. 4:4-7). Paul testified of this mystery also to the church in Rome: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out `Abba`, Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8: 15-16).

Whoever reads this Spirit breathed Bible text can understand that knowledge of God is not just centered in thoughts, teaching and information. Much more, it amounts to a power that changes our very existence. The gospel of Christ makes children of God out of sinners; the eternal One is indeed “our Father”. Among the 350 names and attributes of God in the Bible, the “God the Father” title is the summation of all these names. Whoever desires to research the depth of this name of God, revealed through Jesus, is invited to pray, believe, practice and experience the Lord´s Prayer. In so doing, he will grow into the riches of the glory of the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus spoke of the Father nearly 200 times in His discourses, as previously mentioned. For the spirit in us cries out:

“Father, dear Father”
Strengthened in all Patience
and Long-suffering

Paul brought his prayer of thanksgiving and intercession for the distant church to a conclusion with a threefold spiritual “finale”. First, he pleaded for a supernatural strengthening of the church in Colosse. The missionary to the nations was not referring to more knowledge, but of more heavenly power. Jesus had said: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you!” (Acts 1:8). His gospel meant power from on high. God Himself is the elementary power (El). All power in heaven and on earth was given to Jesus (Matt. 28:18). The Holy Spirit is the power of God. Paul asked for a strengthening with all power of the triune God for the church in the highland of Anatolia. The full measure of this prayer is, humanly speaking, incomprehensible, for it is also includes a request for the indwelling of the triune God in the followers of Christ, as well as a plea for His divine working in answer to their faith (John 14:23; 20:22-23; Eph. 6:10; 1 John 5:4-5 etc.). We in the West, as Indo-Germanic people, need to do some rethinking and not just be on the look-out for impressive ideas and flowery speech. We need to be attentive to the working of the power of God, which is much more important than all manner of knowledge and diplomas.

The apostle, sitting long years in sorrowful prison, was not just content in asking for all power of heaven for the church of God. Rather, he encouraged those still personally unknown to him to believe on the unlimited power of the Almighty, that He might fill the lonely church with His glorious authority! Paul was certain that his stay in prison had been predestined and laid upon him by his Father in heaven, that he might learn patience and find time to pray for those close to him and for present and future churches. In his imprisonment he was able to write letters to strengthen them. Ultimately, out of this period of forced silence that had been laid upon him, there grew a worldwide cry that “resounded for Jesus”. He believed on the glorious and unlimited power of Christ, whom he had seen in His majesty on the road to Damascus. The prayer team surrounding Paul asked for the power of this Lord to prevail and for the church to be filled with divine potential.

If this be the case, what actually should the education of theologians in our churches look like? A high and mighty knowledge by no means signifies a reception of power, and, in fact, it is just the opposite – the power of God transforms us into humble and wise servants, just as our Lord Himself appeared as a servant and a bearer of our burdens (Matt. 20:28).

It was in this sense that Paul and his circle of prayer partners asked the King of Heaven to grant to the believers in Colosse all patience and long-suffering. If Paul had only written of patience and long-suffering, that would be how we understood it. But the prayer group asked, for the new believers, all of the patience and long-suffering of Christ. This meant an indwelling of the Son of God in their hearts, and the prayer that all of the fruits of the Holy Spirit might ripen in meekness and humility in His followers (Matt. 11:29; Eph. 3:14-23).

Patience means that someone bearing burdens keeps his staying power even when he has to climb steep mountains, that an unbearable business-colleague not be hated, but honoured, that quarrelsome church members of bad temper, pride and impossible behaviour not be thrown out of church, but be prayed for, born with, and blessed - until they are slowly transformed by the power of Christ!

The term “all patience and long-suffering” reflects the love, mercy and patience of God the Father for both believers and sinners, for those who either live in open rebellion against Him or who are in hypocritical self-deception. Our God is patient. In the parable of the two lost sons, the father waited long years for his lost and erring son to repent and return home. When he finally returned and drew near to him, the father ran out to meet him, embraced him, kissed him and laid the mantle of righteousness over him. The father, however, spoke not a word to him until the returning son had made a confession of his sin. It was only then the festival of joy could begin, for his son had been lost and spiritually dead, but now, through the love and patience of his father, had been found and brought to life (Luke 15:11-24). This patience of God the Father was also what the apostle and his team prayed for in interceding for the church in Colosse. In so doing they gave heed to the command of Jesus: “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36).

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, we thank You that we can say Father to You, through Jesus Christ, Your Son. Sanctify us in the power of Your Spirit, that our life-style might change and that we might, as Your children, serve in Your love with patience and long-suffering. Amen.

Question 19: How can you live worthily before God?

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