Thank the Lord for salvation
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Introduction
Introduction
Its AD 65 and Paul is sitting in a dark prison cell at Rome, closely watched by a Roman soldier. Imprisoned for preaching the Gospel of Christ.
Yet in spite of all of this he has much to thank God for.
Among other things he thanks God for the salvation of the believers at Colosse. Epaphras has come to Paul and told him about their salvation and their growth in grace and it has caused Paul to rejoice.
There were dangers that were facing the Church at Colosse and Paul deals with them later on in the letter, but at the start Paul wanted the believers to know how thankful he was to God that they had been saved.
Paul thanks God for the salvation of the Colossians.
Its this thanks giving that I want us to focus on this evening.
Paul here gives an example of how we ought to pray. We must never forget to thank God. To thank God for our salvation and for the salvation of others.
This is what Paul does here.
He mentions three points about their salvation;
The Marks of salvation
The Message of salvation
The Messenger of salvation
I.The Marks of Salvation
I.The Marks of Salvation
Paul begins his thanks giving with these words;
v.3 “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you”
Paul tells the Church at Colosse that every time he prays he makes mention of them before God and gives thanks for them.
Then in verse 4 and 5 he goes on and gives the reasons that he is thankful. Basically he is thankful because God has saved them.
In explaining this Paul gives three marks of Salvation. Three things that the Christians at Colosse had and in fact three things that all Christians have.
If a person does not have these then they are not a Christian.
The first mark of Salvation given by Paul is Faith in Christ.
Look with me at verse 4, Paul says “Since we heard of your faith in Christ...”
Paul says we have been giving thanks to God for you since we heard of your faith in Christ.
The Church at Colosse consisted of people who had faith in Christ. They were not people who just attended Christian meetings, they were not just filled with head knowledge but rather they had a true, living faith in Jesus Christ.
What did Paul mean by faith?
The word faith is thrown around a lot today. People claim to have faith all the time. But they don’t have saving faith. So what does Paul mean here by faith?
Well the Bible teaches that true, saving faith is firstly a belief of certain truths. The Gospel is rooted in historical facts and saving faith includes a mental ascent to these truths.
The crucifixion of Jesus Christ for our sin, His resurrection on the third day, His ascension into heaven.
These must be believed but also truths about the person of Christ, His deity, He is God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity.
Faith firstly includes a mental ascent to the core truths of the Gospel.
Secondly true faith includes a sincere and hearty trust. It isn’t enough to merely believe the facts about the death of Christ and His resurrection you must also fully trust in Him and in His finished work to make you right with God.
True faith means that you have staked your eternal salvation upon what Christ did upon the cross. “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling.”
Thirdly, True faith involves commitment. Its not enough to have a head knowledge you need a hearty trust in Christ but still true faith has more. True faith means that you surrender yourself to Christ. You give your life over to him. He becomes the one who is in charge of you. ‘For you are not your own but you are bought with a price.’
Fourthly, True faith is always accompanied by repentance. Repentance means to forsake your sin. It means to turn and in this context to turn from your sin.
To no longer do the wrong things you once did. Repentance and faith go hand in hand, they are like two sides of the same coin. One with out the other is no good.
Saving faith could be summed up as thought, feeling and action.
This was the Faith that the Colossians had.
Saving Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Its a said reality in our day that many people go to church regularly and think that they are Christians but they have never put their faith in Christ for salvation they have never repented and believed.
Illustration: One great example from history was John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. He was ordained in the Church of England, he was even a missionary to the Colony of Savannah, he went to teach the Indians about Christianity. But it was after being a missionary on his way back to England, that he realised he had never been saved. He was on a boat and storm struck and water was coming into the boat and the passengers thought they were going to die, people were screaming and crying. But John Wesley saw a group of German Christians called the Moravians who were calmly singing hymns. He saw them and realised they had something that he didn’t after speaking to one of them he realised that he didn’t have saving faith in Christ. He was trusting in the Church of England, he was relying upon his own good works to get him to heaven. But it wasn’t long after realising he was never saved, that he did put his faith in Christ. God greatly used Wesley during the 18th Century Great awakening.
Saving faith is necessary. These Colossian believers had it.
The second mark of Salvation that they had was love.
Paul continues in verse 4 “and of the love which ye have to all the saints,”
Paul says that the Colossian believers had love for other Christians. Their faith in Christ resulted in their hearts being changed and now they had a love for God’s people.
Now they no longer had an affection for the world but now they had a love for the body of Christ, the Church.
This love that they had for other Christians was a mark of their salvation.
In fact in says “ We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”
This is how the Colossian believers could know they were saved because they had love for other Christians.
The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version
Now this love would not have been a mere emotion, it would have evidenced itself in the way that they treated each other, the way they served one another, the way they put others first.
The Church at Corinth were very different they had divisions among them, they were arguing among themselves, they were squabbling, they were majoring on minors. How sad it is when Christians fight among themselves.
Paul says here that the Colossians were different, they had love one for another. Jesus said to His discicples “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you have love one for another.”
This was the a reality among the Colossians.
App- But as we take our eyes off of the Colossians for a moment and look at ourselves, we must ask ourselves this evening; do I have a love for my brothers and sisters in Christ? Do I show that love? If Paul was giving thanks to God for us would this be a point for thanksgiving? Our love for each other?
This was true of the Colossians, it should be true of us as well.
Its not always easy. There’s that saying - To live above with the saints you love that will be glory, but to live below with the saints you know that’s another story.
It isn’t always easy but this is a mark of salvation, love for the saints.
The third mark of Salvation that Paul gave thanks for was their hope.
Look at verse 5 “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven,”
The Colossian believers had hope.
The word hope used in this verse is not an uncertain, I hope so. It refers to a steadfast, a sure hope that the believers had. So what was this hope?
Well the verse gives us a clue when it says laid up for you in heaven.
This hope refers to the return of Christ and their going to be with Him for ever. It has to do with the eternal inheritance they will have in heaven.
It refers to eternal life. The new heavens and the new earth, the heavenly Jerusalem and their part in it all.
says “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you”
This was the hope that the Colossian believers had.
No doubt Paul knew they had this hope because of the way that they lived their lives.
They must have been storing up treasure in heaven. Not living for the things of this world but living for the glory of God.
They must have been living in light of eternity.
The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
App- I wonder if Paul looked at our lives could he say the same about us?
Jim Elliot said “He is no fool who loses what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
So Paul has given us three marks of Salvation. He thanked God for their faith in Christ, their love for all the saints and the hope they had laid up in heaven.
So Paul has given us three marks of Salvation. He thanked God for their faith in Christ, their love for all the saints and the hope they had laid up in heaven.
Next Paul goes on to speak about the message of salvation. The reason they had these marks of salvation was because they heard and believed the message of salvation.
II. The Message of salvation
II. The Message of salvation
Paul moves on to this at the end of verse 5.
He says “Whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel.”
The word whereof relates back to the hope that is laid up for them. The first heard about this when they heard the truth of the Gospel.
The message of the Gospel came to them, that is how they came to Christ.
There are two points that Paul makes about the Gospel, in this phrase.
Firstly the Colossian believers heard it in the word of the truth of the Gospel.
The Gospel message was expressed to them by words.
There is a popular saying “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words”
This sounds like a nice idea, but it nonsense.
The only way to preach the Gospel is by using words. Yes people look at our lives and our lives bear witness to the truth of the Gospel. But in order to preach the Gospel you must use words.
If people aren’t told the Gospel with words and we just expect people to see Christ in our lives then people will just think your a nice person.
But they will never attribute it to the fact that you have been born again because you have never told them and shared the Gospel with them.
If we want the people we rub shoulders with everyday to come to Christ we must take the Gospel to them and in order to do that we must use words.
The Colossians were saved by the grace of God because the word of the Gospel was taken to them.
Secondly, we learn that the Gospel is the word of truth.
The Gospel is truth.
The Gospel is based upon facts.
The Gospel is rooted in history.
“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”
Because the Gospel is truth it must be understood in order to be believed. This of course relates back to why we must use words to preach the Gospel and not merely our actions.
This is what the Colossians had done, they heard the truth of the Gospel and they believed.
Next Paul goes on to speak about the spread and effect of this message of salvation.
Look with me at verse 6 “Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you...”
This message of salvation, the Gospel had spread far and wide already by the time Paul writes this letter to the Colossians.
When Paul says in all the world, he probably meant all of the known world. The Roman Empire.
tells us that after the persecution of Stephen the Christians in Jerusalem fled and went all over the empire taking the Gospel with them.
It was the providence of God that when Christ came the Roman empire dominated.
The result of this was that the Romans had built good roads in order to transport soldiers easily and efficiently but this also made it easier for Christians to travel with the Gospel.
Also most of the empire spoke Greek, this meant that the Gospel could be easily communicated and explains why God in His providence had the original books of the New Testament written in Greek.
Jesus told his disciples; “Go in to all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”
By God’s control over history they were able to do this so effectively, that when Paul wrote this letter from prison in Rome at around AD 65, 30 years after the ascension of Christ into heaven. He could say to the Colossians that the message had been taken to all the world.
Because it had gone to all the world it had also reached them, and they believed it and were saved.
App- Today there are many in our world who have never heard the Gospel. The Christians in the early church made it their duty to see that this Gospel was spread far and wide. Some went with the Gospel, some stayed behind and supported them in prayer and in finance.
The question that faces us in light of this fact is; what are we doing to ensure the Gospel is taken to all the world today? If we are not going are we praying? are we giving?
The Gospel spread far and wide, and it also by God’s grace brought forth fruit.
Paul says in v.6 “and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you”
Here Paul mentions the effect of the Gospel. Where ever it went it brought forth fruit.
Paul says it brought forth fruit in all the world as well as in Colosse.
What does he mean by fruit?
Well in the New Testament fruit usually refers to people being saved and also it refers to the fruit of the Spirit .
Paul is saying that the Gospel brought salvation to people and those who were saved were changed. This happened wherever the Gospel went.
We are reminded here of the power of the Gospel.
: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek”
This fruit was brought forth in the Christians at Colosse from the day they heard it Paul says.
Next Paul reminds them about the core of this message of salvation, the very heart of the Gospel.
He says “and knew the grace of God in truth.”
The Gospel is the about the grace of God from start to finish. The word grace means unfavoured merit or undeserved kindness.
The heart of the Gospel is that God in his rich mercy by his own good pleasure made a way to save guilty, hell deserving sinners. Not because of anything good in them but for the praise of the glory of his grace.
The message of the Gospel is ultimately the message of the grace of God.
That in Christ God has made a way for hell deserving sinners to be made righteous in His sight, the only reason for doing so is because He is a gracious God and decided to save a multitude which no man could number of his own good will and pleasure.
The reason that the Colossians had been saved was because of the Grace of God. Paul reminds them that they brought forth fruit after they knew the grace of God in truth.
App- The only reason any of us here are saved this evening is because of the grace of God.
Illustration- John Bradford, the English Reformer, whenever he would see a criminal going to their death he would say “But for the grace of God there goes John Bradford.”
If someone were to ask us why we are saved the only answer would could give is but for the grace of God...
So Paul has spoke about the marks of salvation; faith, love and hope. He has spoken about the message of salvation- It is truth, it spread far and wide, it is effective and its central them is grace.
Finally Paul reminds the Colossians who told them this message. Paul speaks about the messenger of Salvation.
III. The Messenger of Salvation.
III. The Messenger of Salvation.
Look at Verse 7-8 with me, Paul says “As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit”
The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Paul reminds the Church there that they heard the truth of the Gospel through Epaphras.
Its important to note that Paul did not plant this Church but it was founded by Epaphras.
Most likely Epaphras was saved under the preaching of Paul at Ephesus and then took the Gospel to his own people at Colosse.
From these final two verses we learn a few traits that a minister of the Gospel must have.
I will list them for the sake of time.
The minster of the Gospel is a slave of Christ- The word fellowservant would be more literally translated fellowslave. Christ is their Master and all his rights are given over to him.
The minister of the Gospel is to be faithful- They are to teach the word of the Gospel in truth, they are to teach the whole counsel of God. They are to persevere and preach the word in season and out of season. They are also to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.
The minister of the Gospel is to serve others- The word minister means a servant. The minister of the Gospel is to be like Christ who came not to be served but to serve. No task is beneath the minster of the Gospel, he is to serve with humility.
The minister of the Gospel is an ambassador for Christ- The minister of the Gospel goes in the name of Christ, on behalf of Christ, preaching Christ, for the glory of Christ. They should say with Paul “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
So Paul gave thanks to God for the salvation of the Colossians.
In this section of thanks giving. He mentioned three points about their salvation. The marks of salvation that they had, the message of they heard and believed and the messenger of salvation who took the Gospel to them.
Just to conclude I want to just remind us about the three main points of application. Three things to think about.
The Marks of salvtion
Do we have these marks of salvation in our lives? If people watched us for 24 hours would it be clear that what was true of the believers at Colosse are true of use. Faith in Christ, love for the saints and a hope in heaven?
The Message of salvation
Do we share the Gospel? The Gospel is truth and must be understood in order to be believed. When did we last explain the Gospel to someone? It isn’t enough to try and live a Christian life, we need to use words.
The messenger of salvation
If we are involved in Gospel work are these traits true of us? When praying for preachers do we pray that they will have these qualities about them? A great need in our land is more men like this.