THE K I N G ’ S B US I NE S S
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and “ faithful brethren” “ in Christ,” for it is only “ in Christ,” that is in liv ing union with Him, identified with Him (as every believer is) in His death and resurrection, that anyone is a saint or brother. The epistle is addressed primarily “ to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae,” but it is applicable to believers everywhere. Paul wished them, as he did the other churches to which he wrote, “ grace and peace.” Here as every grace is put before peace because grace is the source of peace. The source of this “ grace and peace” is “ God our Father,” i. e., the Father of all who are begotten of Him, all believers (cf. John 1:12; Gal. 3:26; 1 John 5 :1). TUESDAY, Nov. 5th. Col. 1:3, 4. Paul begins by giving thanks for the saints at Colossae. Having heard of their “ faith in Christ Jesus” and their “ love toward all the saints,” he bursts forth in thanksgiving to God who was the author of their faith and love (cf. Rom. 1:8; 1 Cor. 1:4; Eph. 1:16; 1 Thess. 1:2; 2:13; 2 Thess. 1 :3 ;'2 :1 3 ; Phile. 4), These thanks were rendered to “ God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” With his thanks for what they already were he coupled constant prayer ( “ praying always” ) for new and larger blessings. The “ faith” the Colos- sians had was “ in Christ Jesus,” i. e. in Him as Christ, the Divinely anointed and Divinely appointed King, and in Him as Jesus, the Saviour (Matt. 1: 21). Together with their faith there went that which always goes hand in hand with true faith, “ love toward all the saints” ; and not toward the saints in Colossae only but the saints every where. A true believer in Christ will love every other believer in Christ, of every race, color, nationality, and denomination (cf. 3:11). WEDNESDAY, Nov. 6th. Col. 1:5. The especial thing because of which Paul returned thanks was, “ the hope which was laid up for” them “ in the heavens.” Here we see “ faith,” “ love,” and “ hope” combined together as in so many other places in the N. T. (cf. 1 Cor. 13:13, R. V.; 1 Thess. 1 :3 ). Just what this' hope is that is laid up “ in the heavens” for believers Paul does not here define (cf. Phil. 3:20, 21; Tit. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:4-7; Rom. 8:17). Notice that Paul speaks of this hope not as laid up “ in heaven,” as it reads in the
Authorized Version, but “ in the heav ens,” as it is correctly rendered in the Revised Version, (cf. Eph. 4:10; Heb. 4:14, R. V.; 1 Pet. 1:4 Greek; 2 Cor. 12:2). There is not merely one heaven, there are “ heavens.” Our hope is reserved in a safe place and from that place where our hope is reserved Jesus is coming again to take us to it (cf. John 14:2, 3; 17:24; Phil. 3:20, 21). Of this hope the Colossians had already heard “ in the word of the truth of the Gospel.” “ The Gospel” is “ the truth.” (cf. John 16:13, R. V.) It is not fancy and speculation, but fact and reality. An essential part of this Gospel is “ the hope that is laid up for you in the heavens.” The Gospel that does not tell of that hope is not “ the Gospel.” THURSDAY, Nov. 7th. Col. 1:6. The Gospel in its extension through the world had come to Colossae. Every where in the world where it came it brought forth fruit and increased (R. V.). The Gospel is a fruitful thing, everywhere it is sown it produces fruit in souls born again (1 Cor. 4:15; 1 Pet. 1:23), and in the graces of Chris- tion character which appear in those who are born again (cf. Gal. 5:22, 23). And as it bears fruit it increases and grows, more and more people are brought under its beneficent sway. In Colossae, as everywhere else, it was also “ bearing fruit and increasing.” This fruitfulness and increase began with the day they “ heard and knew the grace of God in truth,” i. e., the real grace of God as revealed in the Gospel. The word “ knew” in v. 6 is a strong word meaning to know fully, clearly or truly. A real and full knowledge of the grace of God leads to fruit for God, but it must be the real grace of God that is known. FRIDAY, Nov. 8th. Col. 1:7, 8. The saints in Colossae had learned the Gospel from Epaphras. Epaphras is an abbreviation for Epaphroditus. Some have thought that this Epaphras was the same person as the Epaphro ditus of Phil. 2:25 and 4:18, but this is unlikely (see Notes on Philippians). The name was a very common one. Epaphras is mentioned again in ch. 4: 12 and Phile. 23. In the,latter place Paul speaks of him as “ my fellow-pris oner,” either because he was actually a prisoner at Rome at the same time with Paul or, what is more likely, voluntar-
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