The Epistle to the Colossians

Colossians 1:1,2
The effect of the gospel of Christ, Part 1

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 ************************************Colossians 1:3-8
The effect of the gospel of Christ, Part 2

1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
1:4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
1:6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
1:7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
1:8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

************************************Colossians 1:9-11
The effect of the gospel, Part 3

1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

************************************Colossians 1:12-15a
The excellence of the Person of Christ, Part 1

1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

************************************Colossians 1:15b-18
The excellence of the person of Christ, Part 2

1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

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I am not able to locate the Colossians 1:19-20 audio at present, for which I apologise.  I reproduce here the relevant notes from the COLOSSIANS  category in the menu.

1:19
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell- this is the reason why He is able to function as Firstborn, for He has every attribute needed to carry out His task to perfection. “Fulness” was a favourite word with the heretics in the city of Colosse, and they used it to describe all the various attributes of the intermediary gods in their system of religion. In this they were no different to the other pagan religionists, who, because they had cast off the truth of the one True God, thought of their gods as all contributing to the idea of God, but none of them being able to encompass in himself all the attributes of Deity. This statement about the Lord Jesus dispels all such ideas, for the apostle asserts by the Spirit that in Him every attribute, virtue and characteristic that is proper to God is found in its fulness. And found, moreover, not reluctantly, but dwelling, or in other words, perfectly at home and at ease. That this is so is shown us by what is said about Him in the preceding verses, hence the “for” at the beginning of this verse.

1:20
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

And, having made peace through the blood of his cross- the subject of these verses is the Father, and so it is He who makes peace by the blood of Christ’s cross. The word peace comes from the word “join”, hence we can see the connection between making peace and reconciling. Despite having been brought into being by the Son of God, the creation is now in a state of estrangement from God. This is because of two main events. First, there was the rebellion of Lucifer at the beginning, in which he was followed by many angels. This took place at some point between when God pronounced all His creation to be very good, on the sixth day, and the temptation of Eve by the serpent, energised as it was by Satan himself. As a result of this rebellion, the ranks of the holy angels were left in a certain amount of disarray, for there is no reason to think that God created more angels to replace those that fell. Furthermore, the fall of Lucifer raised questions about all the angels. Is it possible that others will defect at a later date? This did in fact happen when, just prior to the flood, “the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair: and they took them wives of all which they chose”, Genesis 6:1. And it happened again after the flood, verse 4, for there were giants “after that”, such as the sons of Anak, Numbers 13:33.

The second disturbance of peace came when man fell into sin, and he shared in the rebellion of Lucifer by rejecting God’s will as expressed in a simple command not to eat of a particular tree. As a result of this, the whole creation was “subject to vanity”, and in the “bondage of corruption”, so that it “groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now”, Romans 8:21,22,23.

Because of these things, the mind of God is disquieted. Of course it is true that He could look on to the time when His Son would deal with the disturbance of the heavenly and earthly order of things, but still, until the matter was settled, He must have been grieved in His heart. When Christ went to Calvary, however, the Father was able to make peace for Himself. The word is only used in the verbal form in this place in the New Testament. It simply consists of the word peace coupled with the word to make. It is something that the Father did through the Son, but it does not at this point involve any other parties. It is peace that is made for the sake of God alone, to dispel the upset that sin in heaven and earth had brought to Him.

Now Christ is going to “gather together in one all things…both which are in heaven, and which are on earth”, Ephesians 1:10. This cannot happen if the fall of Stan and of man is not answered for. The only one who can do this answering is the one who is completely at peace with God; the one who could speak of “my peace”, John 14:27. For it was at that point uniquely His, with not a suspicion of distance between Himself and His God and Father.

God acts on holy principles, and He cannot dismiss the disruption caused by the sin of angels and men by a word of command. He must have holy and just grounds on which to do it, or His position as Moral Governor of creation is in doubt. Those holy and just grounds are the person and work of His Son, when He voluntarily undertook to accept the consequences of sin in Himself, and deal with them effectively. So it is that the apostle speaks of “the blood of his cross”. This expression tells us that the soul, or person of Christ, was involved in what happened at Calvary.

What is critical in all this is the character of the one whose blood was shed. It was the blood of one who was ever and only in harmony with God His Father. At no point and in no way was there any trace of disharmony between them. And this was true of Him as a man on earth just as much as when He was with the Father before He became incarnate. He could say, when thinking of the fact that His disciples would soon forsake Him and flee, leaving Him alone, “and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me”, John 16:32. That simple statement speaks volumes about the relationship He has with the Father, for the Father would have to distance Himself from Him if there was any trace of sin in Christ.

It was also the blood of one in whom all fulness dwells, as the apostle tells us at the beginning of the sentence, in verse 19. In other words, it is the blood of one who has infinite capacity to do the work entrusted to Him; there is no risk that the blood of such an one should not prevail.

It was this one whose life is of such value to God, that it was enough, indeed, more than enough, to clear the name of God from any charge that He, as Supreme Moral Governor, is complacent about sin in His universe, and does nothing about it. He has silenced every critic, and established the basis of bringing the universe back into harmony with Himself.

One of the main reasons for the Day of Atonement in Israel was because God needed to clear His name for dwelling amongst an unclean people. We read of Aaron the high priest, “And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness”, Leviticus 16:16.

The Son of God ws made flesh, and dwelt among us, says the apostle John in his gospel, John 1:14. If He is God manifest in flesh, how can He dwell amongst men without compromise? The answer is found in verse 29 of that chapter, where we hear John the Baptist saying, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”. It is because He was going to the place called Calvary to deal with the sin-question by way of atonement, that God manifest in flesh could continue amongst men. (Needless to say “His cross” does not relate specifically to the wood upon which the Lord Jesus was impaled, but rather the doctrine relative to what happened at Calvary).

By him to reconcile all things unto himself- reconciliation is one of the results of propitiation, and comes about because by His blood, shed on the cross of Calvary, Christ gave to God the full and satisfactory answer to the presence of sin.

By him, I say, whether they be things in earth- the apostle Peter spoke of the times of restitution of all things, Acts 3:21, when the earth shall be brought back into right relationship with God at the coming of Christ to reign. The word restitution was used in classical literature in connection with the repair of the public highway, reminding us that the King is coming, and the word is “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God”, Isaiah 40:2. It was also used of the restoration of an estate to its rightful owner, and in a day to come Christ will ask His Father and He will give Him the heathen for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession, Psalm 2:8. A third use of the word is for the balancing of accounts, for a day of reckoning is coming for this world when Christ comes to reign. Fourthly, it was used of that point in time when the world’s cyclical periods coincide, as they did at the beginning, for the full cycle of God’s various dealings with the earth will come to a climax, and this will coincide with Christ coming to reign.

Currently in the bondage of corruption, creation shall be released from its slavery and shall glorify its Creator as it should, Romans 8:21. Only because precious blood has been shed to deal with the sin that caused the creation to be in bondage can this great change happen.

Or things in heaven- not only is the effect of the fall of man rectified on the basis of the blood of Christ, but the effects of the fall of Lucifer too. This is Satan’s former name as the anointed cherub that covered the very throne of God, just as the cherubim overshadowed the mercy seat upon the ark. Ezekiel 28:18 says of Lucifer that he defiled his sanctuaries by the multitude of his iniquities. It seems that he had some role as the leader of the praise of the angelic host, but sought, in pride, to rise higher, and “be like the Most High”, Isaiah 14:14. Like a supernova, a star that suddenly increases in brightness, Lucifer was inflated with pride, (“the condemnation of the Devil”, 1 Timothy 3:6), and as such was cast out of heaven, for “whoso exalteth himself shall be abased”, Luke 14:11. His action in rebelling against God, and of influencing others of the angels to do the same, (possibly one third of the angel-host, see Revelation 12:4), defiled heaven. The stigma of what had happened remained after he was cast out.

The blood of Christ, however, (the one who humbled Himself and then was exalted, Philippians 2), avails to deal with this stain, as Hebrews 9:23 states, “It was therefore necessary for the patterns of things in the heavens to be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these”. We read that on the Day of Atonement the holy place, the tabernacle, and the altar were reconciled by the application to them of the blood of an accepted sin offering, Leviticus 16:20. Likewise the heavenly sanctuary has been adjusted, brought back into harmony with God, and made it fit for the current ministry of Christ as High Priest. The tabernacle on earth could be purified by animal sacrifices, but the heavenly things of which the tabernacle was a pattern needed better sacrifices than those. The use of the plural indicates that every aspect of the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary was needed to purge the heavenly sanctuary. It was the sacrifice of one who was entirely acceptable to God, (the burnt offering aspect); of one who was perfectly in harmony with God, (the peace offering aspect), in contrast to Lucifer who waged war on God; of one who had no sin-nature to offend the person of God, nor any sin-record as a sign of rebellion against the government of God, (the sin and trespass offering aspect). So it is that the heavenly sanctuary has been thoroughly prepared for His current ministry.

God could righteously continue to dwell in such a place after Lucifer fell only because of His foreknowledge of what His Son would do at Calvary.

Atonement, or reconciliation, (the bringing together of two parties), is a result of the propitiation effected by Christ at Calvary, and is the basis whereby the things in heaven have already been reconciled, or brought back into right adjustment with God, and the basis whereby things on earth shall be reconciled in a day to come.

 ************************************Colossians 1:21-24
The excellence of the person of Christ, Part 3

1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

************************************Colossians 1:25-29
The excellence of the person of Christ, Part 4

1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

************************************Colossians 2:1-3
The excellence of the person of Christ, part 5

2:1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

************************************Colossians 2:4-10
The enemies of the truth about Christ, part 1

2:4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

************************************Colossians 2:10-13
The enemies of the truth about Christ, Part 2

2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

************************************Colossians 2:14-17
The enemies of the truth about Christ, Part 3

2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

************************************Colossians 2:18-3:3
Verses 18,19  The enemies of the truth about Christ, part 4
Verses 20-3:3 The expression of life in Christ personally, Part 1

2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
2:19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
2:22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

***********************************************Colossians 3:1-7
The expression of life in Christ personally, Part 2

3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

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Colossians 3:8-11a
The expression of life in Christ personally, Part 3
3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

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Colossians 11b-17
The expression of life in Christ personally, Part 4
3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

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Colossians 3:18- 4:1
The expression of life in Christ socially
3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

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Colossians 4:2-6
Expressions of life in Christ generally
4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
4:4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

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Apologies for the rather vocal and persistent sparrow!
Colossians 4:7-18
Examples of those true to Christ

4:7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
4:8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
4:9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
4:10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)
4:11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
4:13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
4:15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
4:16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
4:18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.