An Elder Speaks

Faith, Hope and Love
An Article by Ronald Thompkins
November 9, 2003

While under house arrest Paul wrote the epistle, Colossians to the Church of Christ at Colosse.

The church there was under attack from an early form of the heresy of Gnosticism. This heresy had  at its central core a strict adherence to the Law of Moses, restrictions as to diet (including a general disposition that the body was inherently evil), distorted the role of angels, and most profoundly belittled the role of Jesus Christ in God’s plan for the redemption of man.

In characteristically Pauline fashion, the apostle met this problem head on, although imprisoned. First he warned the church against  this false teaching (Col. 2:8, 16, 18). He very clearly taught and defined the role of Christ in the establishment of the church. (Col 1:15-23).

Paul opened this letter with his signature salutation, Grace (a common greeting amongst Greeks) and Peace (a Jewish greeting expressing goodwill in life) to the saints.

He was moved to prayer and thanksgiving (Col. 1:3) after being given an understanding of what the church was going through.  Notice this Church had the perfect trilogy of a church in action: faith, love, and hope (I Cor. 13:13, I Thess. 1:3,;5:8). This was the kind of church that Satin loves to attack.

Because of their faith in Christ Jesus (Col 1:4), they demonstrated the ultimate manifestation of love for Christ, by loving each other.

The basis for this love was they did not consider Colosse to be their home, but a hope that looked only toward heaven (Col 1:5).

The ultimate source of this perfect trilogy-faith, love and hope, was the Word of God. The power of this Word sometimes gets underestimated by even mature Christians. This same Word even let’s us know its might (Rom  1:16). The manifold wisdom of God has made provision for the entire world to hear it (Col. 1:6; Rom 1:8, 10:18; Col. 1:23).

In col. 1:6, the Apostle Paul remind the church at Colosse that this Gospel will not only bear fruit all over the world, but also there at Colosse itself.

A true knowledge of God has only one source. That is from God himself through his Word (John 17:17). Once we have received the knowledge that comes from this Word, combined with wisdom and spiritual insight, we will live a life worthy of the new birth to which we have born.

Paul assured the church at Colosse that God does not ask us to do something without giving us the power to do it (Col. 1:12-13). The Father is always providing good for the faithful of His family (Rom. 8:28).

When God is at work in us we are different (Col 1:12). We are patient, and we endure through life’s up’s and down’s. The Christian never forgets that any suffering that comes our way is only for a little while (I Peter 1:6). Long-suffering is a God given trait that allows us to endure hardships without ever loosing faith (“The Job Test”) (Rom 2:4; 9:22;Gal 5:22).

Paul also reminded the Church of Christ at Colosse, and us,  that through all of life’s trials we are to keep our joy (James 1:2).

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