LAB: Colossians 1 Notes

 A Persecutor of Christians Was Made An Apostle/ Colossians 1:1-2/ Pt 1.

• Paul (Acts 22:3, Phil 3:4-7) was a Jew of Jew. 
• Paul's conversation, the will of God in action, Acts 9:3-16.
• The will of God was planned, and active in Paul before his birth Gal. 1:14-16.
• Creation of the apostleship Mark 3:13-14. They extended the ministry of Jesus.
• Church is founded on them/their teachings Eph. 219-20.

The Relational Authenticity and Wisdom of Paul/ Pt 2. 

• Timothy is listed with Paul as a sender of this letter.
• He is the only one in the NT to be a sender and a receiver of letters (Colossians, 2 Corinthians, Philippians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Philemon). 
• Meet Timothy in Acts 16:1-3. See his character in Philippians 2:19-24. 
• Paul knew that his apostolic authority should not be the only thing driving the people to obedience; relational authority was also necessary (Philemon 8-10).
• Timothy is the kind of Christian he wants Christians to be; therefore he is included as a sender of these letters. 

What Does It Mean to Be a Saint?/ Pt 3.

• "Christ" is the Greek word for Messiah. 
• "Jesus" is the Proper name, savior. 
• "saints" Christians, believers in Jesus. The most common name of Christians by Paul. Holy, united with Christ. 
• "brothers" family hood in Christ; by His blood and only through Him. 

Productive Imprisonment and Beloved Partners/ Pt 4.

• Paul did not establish this church (2:1).
• This church was founded 1:6-7. Epaphras founded this church and is with Paul (4:12-13).
• Paul and Epaphras were imprisoned with Paul (Philemon 23).
• Tychicus is the carrier of Paul's prison letters to their receivers (Eph. Col. Philemon.)
• Paul loves all churches; even the ones he didn't establish because he loves his brother. 
• Imprisonment was productive for Paul; he always worked for the Gospel even in the hard times of life. 
• Eph. Col. Philemon were all written and sent together; therefore there are connections between all 3. 

If God is Your Father, Grace Flows Continually/ Pt 5.

• "Grace to you" 1:2; "Grace be with you" 4:18. Grace throughout this letter. 
• Put your faith in God's word and grace will strengthen you to apply it to your life. 
• "word of His grace" Acts 20:32 
• Pray, and tell people that God may give them grace/peace. Moreover, speak as Paul spoke, look people in the eye, and say "grace be to you". Be the immediate, ambassador of grace in their lives. 
•  "Grace" and "father" are always connected at the beginning of Paul's letters. God is our Father and therefore grace is always coming to us. 
  

We Are Not Sons of God Like Jesus Is/ Colossians 1:3-8/ Pt 1.

• Paul is grateful for the Christians in his prayers and gives reasons (or teaching under the banner of thanksgiving) in 1:4-8.
• Christians and Jesus are sons of God. Christ is Lord (a divine, unique title). He is the Son of God.
• Penal substitution atonement Romans 8:3.
• His exclusive, unique nature/relation with God is how we are saved/made sons of God. 

What Is Our Hope Laid Up in Heaven?/ Pt 2.

• Paul is grateful for their faith in Christ and the love of the saints. 
• "in heaven" IE kept secure by God for the proper time. 
• "hope" an action 1 Peter 1:13; an object (hoped for) Acts 28:20; the person who secures the hope Col 1:27.  
• This hope is the thing/object we're hoping for.
• It is the hope found in the Gospel "which" they heard in the preaching of the word. 
• The treasure is the goodness of God to us. He has been good to us and will be good to us.
• We are saved/with God now and will be saved/forgiven forever; that is our hope. 

How Does a Future Hope Awaken Faith Now?/ Pt 3.

• "Faith" and "love" active verbs in our soul. 
• We heard of this hope through the Gospel and therefore have faith (belief therein) and love. 
• "Faith" Hebrews 11:1 "hoped for".
  
• Also, see Moses Hebrews 11:24-26.

Hope Awakens Faith and Faith Awakens Love/ Pt 4.

• How does future hope help us love presently? Hebrews 11:24-26; future hope/reward is greater than present pleasure in sin. 
• Future hope must be embraced, and grasped, in order to produce love. Faith is the hand that grasps hope and then works with love to the saints. 
• Objective hope - subjective love. Faith turns hope into love. Gal. 5:6.

The Gospel Is the Word of Truth/ Pt 5.

• "Word of truth" Eph. 1:13.
• Paul believed there is a truth. IE 'what is' vs. what 'ought' to be. 
• Welcome a love for the truth (2 Thess. 2:9-12). Believe, love, and live the truth.
• Live the truth well so God works through you to bring others to repentance (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

Six Aspects of the Glorious Gospel/ Pt 6.

• The Gospel: is the best news in the world
• The Gospel is: a plan, an event, an accomplishment, a free offer, a personal application (of that accomplishment), and an eternal enjoyment of God. 
• Plan: 1 Cor. 15:1-4. "in accord with scriptures" 
• Event: Christ died, was buried, and raised. 
• Accomplishment: "for our sins" and more! 
• Free offer: to everyone, by grace. Eph. 2:8-9.
• Personal application: the objective work of God in Christ is laid hold of by faith (John 3:15). 
• Enjoyment of God: Forgiven to know/enjoy God forever 1 Peter 3:18.

The Global Impact of the Gospel/ Pt 7.

• The Gospel has not reached the whole globe yet, but it is for the whole globe. 
• The Gospel is not local, limited. 
• The Gospel is of a great God.
• The Gospel has the power to change lots, and all types, of people. 
• "bearing" and "increasing" are repeated in Col. 1:10.
• Knowing/understanding the grace of God is the key to bearing fruit.

Does Faith or the Spirit Produce Love?/ Pt 8. 

• "your love in the Spirit" (Col. 1:8) and "by the love of the Spirit" (Romans 15:30).
• "in" 1:8 by the power of the Spirit or through the Spirit. 
• Spirit brings about love in our lives. 
• Faith - Spirit connection Gal. 3:5.
• We hear the promises of God in the Gospel and in faith believe them through the power/enabling of the Spirit and therefore grow in our love. 

Doctrinal Prayer, Prayerful Doctrine /Colossians 1:9-12 / Pt 1.

• Where does Paul's prayer stop in Col. 1:9-16?
• Paul moves so fluidly from prayer to theology. 
• The prayer is based on knowing who God/Christ are. And the teaching is based off that as well. 
• Pray prayers with the knowledge of God. 
• The prayer is for the knowledge of God. Teach who God is. 
• Paul's doctrine is prayerful; (2 Cor. 2:17).
• Prayer is based off doctrine and doctrine powered by prayer. 

Partnering with God in a Thousand Prayers/ Pt 2.

• "this" and heard" 1:3-4. 
• 1:9-12; a template on how to pray for new Christians and don't stop praying for them (daily/regularly). 
• Work with God in prayer daily for your fellow Christians. 

God's Will of Decree and Decree of Command/ Pt 3.

• Sovereign (Rom. 15:32, Eph 1:5,11) or Moral (Rom. 12:2, Eph 5:16-17) will. Can't be broken, moral can be broken. 
• Moral will/will of command here in Colossians. For it is made known to us and pleasing to Him. 
• He can decree a broken commandment (Exo. 20:30, Acts 2:23). 
• Live in accord with the revealed will of God (and grow in it) in your life.

Does Paul Pray for Perfection In This Life?/ Pt 4. 

• "filled" 1:9 perfection?
• "All", "fully", "every". Perfectionist language?
• Perfection will come later 1 Cor. 13:10.
• Hebrews 911-12 "more perfect".
• Paul prays for perfection/completeness. That is being as full as a justified sinner can be, or in other words, he prays for us to be mature. 

How Are We Filled with the Knowledge of God's Will? /Pt 5.

• "will" moral will; not sovereign will. IE what would God have us do in every situation?
• "Knowledge" Col. 2:3 union with Christ. 3:10 live in the newness (new life) given to you. 3:23-24 live in the knowledge/truth of your future with Him. 4:1 Know His Lordship. 4:6 know His truth and speak it in daily life. 
• "understanding" or insight. The understanding of how reality is. 
• "spiritual wisdom" applying insight in a way that works. 
• 2 Tim. 2:7 Think over, pray over, the words you read and apply them to your life. 

How Does Our Walking Please God? /Pt 6.

• Walk worthy of God and saints. 
• "Worthy" in keeping with/in accord with. 
• Let your life/walk reflect the worth of the Lord. So that we will please Him (being happy in Him).

Knowing God by Bearing Fruit/ Pt 7.

• Knowing God is the ground of our obedience. 
• Good works: good, practical things done in love for others that reflect God in your life. 
• Good works are not the cause of our salvation but the effect Eph. 2:10.
• We are to be fruitful like the Gospel. 
• Know, personally, God, His worth and greatness Eph. 1:17-19. 

Strengthened Through Joy for Endurance/ Pt 8.

• Patience and endurance are required to walk worthy of the Lord in this world.
• Endurance: longing. Patience: long-sufering. 
• Strength comes from God and His mighty glory; Cc: Eph. 3:16. Strength that is drawn from seeing/knowing glory. 
• God - glory - might - (Joyful) power [Nehemiah 8:10] - strengthened - strong/increased patience - endurance - continuing in good works. 

God Qualifies Us for Eternal Light/ Pt 9.

• Thankfulness as a form of prayer to God our Father; the giver of our inheritance.
• He leaves us everything we need.
• "saints in light" Acts 26:17-18. 
• We are saved to partake in the freely given inheritance. 
• God adopts us and preserves us into our inheritance.

Delivered From Satanic Authority/ Colossians 1:13-14/ Pt 1.

• Eph. 2:1-3. Delivered from Satanic authority of darkness. 
• Transferred into the kingdom of the Son of His love. (Authority and kingdom parallel each other).
• The Father loves His Son. John 3:35; Sovereign Son in this kingdom. John 10:15; Christ laid down His life (successfully) for His sheep. John 17:23-26; Love of Father between Son is now our's towards the Son. 
• Therefore, be amazed at the Son of His love. 

How Did Jesus Free Us From Satan?/ Pt 2.

• Liberation by sacrifice/payment/ransom.
• Blood - death - forgiveness of sin - liberation/deliverance/transfer. 
• How does blood give us forgiveness and therefore liberation? Col. 2:13-15; Christ substituted His life for mine (forgiveness); therefore liberated from Satan the accuser for he has lost all evidence (unforgiven sin) to accuse the Elect. 

How Do We Become Redeemed?/ Pt 3. 

• "delivered, transferred" past tense, definite. Cc: similar language Col. 2:11-12.
• Col. 2:12 "through faith". We receive the free gift of redemption from God. 

How Is Jesus the Firstborn of Creation? Colossians 1:15-18 / Pt 1.

• We see God through Christ 1:15.
• "Firstborn" first son of Mary and Joesph. 
• All things were created by Him therefore He is not a part of creation; but above/outside of it. 
• "Firstborn" is a title of importance Cc: Psalms 89:27. Highest status above all creation. 
• Coach - team. Firstborn - creation. Both are over. 
• He is God; firstborn over creation; very God of very God Heb. 1:3.

Christ Created All Things to Display Christ /Pt 2.

• All powers and lords are under Christ for He made them. They are under His sovereignty.
• The Son is the agent of all creation by the power of the Father. 
• Christ created all things for Himself so that His greatness might be shown/displayed for mankind and all His enemies (sinners, Satan) and therefore lead us to love and enjoy Him. 

Entranced by the Supremacy of Christ/ Pt 3.

• 1:15-17 creation. 1:18 the Church.
• Christ is God, Son over creation, He created everything, all things are created by Him to show Him, He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.
• He is the head of the Church, He is the firstfruits of the dead.
• He is the beginning of creation and the new creation. 

All the Fullness of God in Christ/ Colossians 1:19-20/ Pt 1. 

• CC Col. 2:9 fullness of deity and fullness of God in 1:19.
• Reconciliation: God and man through Christ. 
• God reconciled us to Himself through His divine Son and it pleased Him to do so. 

Reconciliation of All Things by His Blood/ Pt 2.

• God was pleased to make Him preeminent. 
• "all things"; there is no eternal future without the punishment of the wicked/enemies of God Cc Col. 3:5, 2 Thess. 1:9, Rev. 14:11.
• "Reconcile all things to Himself..." or the full revelation of Himself in His grace and wrath. Some are with Him, and others are outside in darkness (Matt. 22:13). There will be peace in earth and heaven; no more justice to be carried out. 
• Col. 2:13-15, "canceled...nailed...disarmed...shamed...triumphing". This is how the blood of Christ makes peace with the enemies in "heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). The cross defeated the Devil and therefore made peace. 

Our Minds Were Hostile to God/ Colossians 1:21-23/ Pt 1. 

• 1:14-15 Paul spoke to Christians and then in 1:15 praised/extolled Christ's strength which, thus, helped be founded and steadfast (1:23) in their secure salvation. 
• Paul grounds us by teaching us how awful our original, sinful condition was in 1:21; Eph. 2:1-5.
• Alienated, enemies, evil - the condition of us towards God before His grace. 
• Alienated: our sin separated us from God Isaiah 59:2.
• Enemies: against Him in all our ways Romans 8:6-8.
• Evil: Both of those things put us in a position to overflow in evil works. 

Reconciliation Accomplished and Applied/ Pt 2.

• John Murray: Accomplished and applied.
• Reconciliation is accomplished in Christ's bodily death 2,000 years ago. 
• That work is then applied by the Spirit in our lifetime; when we are given faith/belief in Him (Romans 5:11). 
• Christ died for me; His Church. He accomplished His work for my sake so that I would be presented before God blameless, holy because He wants us before Him.

Conditional Reconciliation and Eternal Security/ Pt 3.

• Do not make shipwreck of the faith. Do not live unrepentantly. 
• Saving faith is persevering faith (1 John 2:19).
• Faith is the instrument by which God gives us life (Col. 2:5-7, 12). It is a receiving of Christ (John 1:11-12).
• Don't shift from your foundation - the hope of the Gospel.
• He has promised that He will save us/keep us (Romans 8:28-30; Phil. 1:6, Luke 22:32, Jude 24-25). Our faith is founded on God's faithfulness/strength, not our's (1 Cor. 1:8-9).
• We are to treat this as a warning to take our faith seriously so that we are secure. 

Global Response, Personal Apostle/ Pt 4. 

• "which has been" 1:23. Piper "the one proclaimed...". The gospel is being proclaimed under all of heaven. 
• This is a Gospel for the globe; all creation, all people. 
• Paul was made a part of this gospel for the Colossian's sake; indeed, for all of creation's sake. 

6 Reasons to Rejoice in Suffering/ Colossians 1:24-27/ Pt 1. 

• All suffering is an opportunity for rejoicing. 
• Romans 5:3. Holy Spirit gives hope in suffering. 
• 1 Peter 4:12-14. Our joy now equips us for when the final, full glory is revealed in the return of Christ. 
• James 1:2-3. Suffering produces steadfastness in us. 
• 2 Cor. 4:16-17. Eternal weight of glory is being prepared for you in your suffering that will outweigh all suffering. 
• Matt. 5:11-12. Rewards in heaven. 
• Acts 5:41. It is an honor to be dishonored for Christ.

The Amazing Apostolic Heart of Love/ Pt 2.

• Suffering for others' sake produces joy in us. 
• 2:1 Paul did not know these people. Thus, in what way is he suffering for them? He struggled in prayer for them (4:12). Paul was in prison for them (4:18). 
• 2 Tim. 2:10. Endure for the elect. You are a means for their faith. This is a joy to you. 

What Is Lacking in Christ's Afflictions?/ Pt 3.

• Nothing of atoning value is lacking in Christ; it is complete (Col. 213-14).
• "Filling up" and "lacking" Phil. 2:29-30 & 4:10-11. Personal presentation of their love to Paul.
• The personal, bodily, costly presentations of Christ's love to sinners. 
• Show His love; fill up His reward for His work through your work. 

The Wealth of the Glory of Mystery/ Pt 4.

• 1:25. Paul became an agent of God by God for Colossians. To fulfill the word of God for the Gentiles. 
• Mystery: Gentiles are fellow heirs with Hebrews Eph. 3.
• Make known to the world that God is glorious to all the nations through all the nations by the Gospel of Glory. 

Who Presents Believers Mature in Christ? Colossians 1:28-29/ Pt 1.

• "present" in 1:22 where God was presenting us holy to God and Christ. 
• Christ makes and presents us mature in Him. We are His workmanship. 
• We are matured in Christ by warning and teaching/explaining/admonition in wisdom/proper use (1:28). 

How To Struggle in the Strength of Christ/ Pt 2.

• It takes power and wisdom in warning and teaching to make us mature in Christ. 
• "toil" pushing through weariness; like a farmer. 
• "struggling" like an athlete; fighting for victory, 
• Paul works and fights in accord with His power (1 Cor. 15:10). 
• This is done by knowing His gracious power, and pray for His power (not your own), and faith in Him/Christ/work/word/promises so that God is honored in your work.