Colossians – La Vista Church of Christ

Paul’s Letter to Colosse

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 07 May 2026 17:13:21 +0000

by Edwin Crozier

Paul introduced his letter to the Colossians with a prayer for the disciples and a praise of their King. Then in Colossians 1:21-23, he outlines the plan for the rest of his letter, describing the relationship between the disciples and their king. However, he does so in reverse order, setting up an inverted parallelism or chiasm.

In Colossians 1:21-23, Paul lays out three talking points.

From hostility to holiness: The Colossian Christians–indeed all Christians–were once alienated and hostile, but the Christ of Paul’s poem has reconciled them in order to present them holy and blameless (Colossians 1:21-22).
Continue in the faith, stable and steadfast: The Colossian Christians–indeed all Christians–must continue in the faith if they will be presented holy and blameless. They must not shift from their hope in the gospel of King Jesus (Colossians 1:23a).
The gospel Paul proclaimed: The gospel from which the Colossian Christians–indeed all Christians–must not shift is the one Paul proclaimed and ministered (Colossians 1:23b).

Paul will, in reverse order, walk through these very points for the rest of the body of this letter. He will end with closing valedictions and farewells in Colossians 4:7-18.

Notice, in Colossians 1:24-2:5, Paul described his work as a minister and proclaimer of the gospel. He did so in a way that encouraged–in the cultural context of the day, it even obligated–the Colossians to remain faithful to the gospel he proclaimed.

Then in Colossians 2:6-3:4, he exhorted the Colossians to maintain faithfulness despite the arguments and attacks others would bring against them. Whether they were confronted by pagan philosophers or Judaizing “Christians,” they were to maintain faithfulness to Christ and His gospel. They were not even to mix and match their favorite points from each philosophy, but were to stay wholly and purely devoted to Christ.

Finally, in Colossians 3:5-4:6, Paul described the transformation from hostility to holiness. As he did in the letter to the Ephesians, he described the process of putting off the old, hostile, alienated person and putting on the new, reconciled person.

Paul sets the stage for a great letter.

God’s Son, the King

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 06 May 2026 21:19:14 +0000

by Edwin Crozier

I hope you are into memorizing Scripture. If not, I encourage you to get started. And a great place to start is Colossians 1:15-20. This passage answers the question, “Who is Jesus?”

The description of Jesus falls naturally into two sections. Both sections explain Jesus as the firstborn (πρωτότοκος/prōtotokos). Psalm 89:26-27 describes the descendant of David, saying, “He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’ And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth” (ESV). Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise. Paul’s poetic description of Jesus as the firstborn who created all the kings, not only of the earth but also of the heavens, drives that fulfillment home.

In Colossians 1:15-18, Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God, the firstborn of creation. “Firstborn” is a versatile word. Obviously, when referring to actual birth order, it means the one who is born first. However, it was also used, as in the Psalm above, to refer to supremacy and superiority. Jesus is not the first created being. John 1:3 explains that all created things were created by Him. That statement can’t be true if He Himself is a created being. Jesus is the firstborn of creation because He is the ruler of creation, and because He created all created things. He even created the rulers and authorities. He is supreme over all creation.
Paul wants to make sure we understand His rule over creation by explaining He was before all things–implicitly before all created things. No wonder He is the image of the invisible God.

Further, He holds all things together. The universe doesn’t continue because Christ set it in motion, and it just continues. His creative power sustains it as well. If Christ removed His sustaining hand, existence as we know it would fall apart. Being above all rule and authority, He is the head of the church as well as of creation.

In Colossians 1:18-20, Jesus is the beginning. Though that word can also mean “ruler.” In fact, it is the same word translated “rulers” in Colossians 1:16. He is the “firstborn from the dead.” The use of the preposition “from” seems to signify Jesus as the first, not as the supreme.

Jesus was not the first person to be raised from the dead. Even in Jesus’s own story, He raised several others from the dead–Jairus’s daughter, the widow of Nain’s son, and Lazarus. He was, however, the first to be born from the dead, never to die again. Even for that, though, the real issue is not His status as the first, but His status as the one who defeated death. Because He was raised from the dead, never to die again, we too can be raised from the dead. In that way, even while saying He was the first to be born from the dead, the point still gets back to being the ruler, the supreme, the superior. Thus, Paul says that because of this resurrection, He is pre-eminent. Not merely is He before all, He is above all. He is above even death, the seeming unmaker of all that is made.

Not only is He the image of the invisible God, but the fullness of God dwelt in Him. Many English translations make explicit what the Greek only implies. The fullness in Jesus is the fullness that is God. As firstborn from the dead, He not only created all things in heaven and on earth, but He also reconciles all things in heaven and on earth to God. He did that by the very blood which redeemed us from our sins and qualified us to be transferred into His kingdom of light in Colossians 1:13-14.

Jesus is incredible. He is the firstborn. He is the creator. He is the redeemer. He is our King and our Lord. May we confess Him and give our full allegiance to Him that we might be brothers and sisters of the Firstborn.

Was there something else I could have said?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 18:10:48 +0000

Question:

I had a debate with someone about Colossians 2:11-12, specifically regarding how it was interpreted as referring to water baptism and that water baptism was a work of God. However, my opponent argued that "without hands" proved it was not water baptism since a man is involved in immersing you in water. To that point, I said that Colossians 2:11 was not about who was able to baptize, but what happens in baptism. Likewise, I told him that the contrast was about physical circumcision and water baptism. Physical circumcision involves a man removing the foreskin, and water baptism involves God removing the spiritual sin from our souls (being His work).

Do you have something in mind that I could have said or added in response to what he said?

Thank you.

Answer:

Even if you gave a perfect answer, it doesn't mean you will convince everyone. You will always have people who refuse to listen to the truth.

In Christ, we enter into a covenant, but not in the same way the Israelites entered theirs. The Old Law required physical circumcision of the males who were bound by that covenant (Genesis 17:13-14). Without physical circumcision, an Israelite could not be a part of the covenant of Moses. The Law of Christ requires a different type of circumcision —a spiritual one (Philippians 3:3). Similarly, like the Old Law, a Christian cannot be part of the covenant with Christ without spiritual circumcision.

The circumcision of the New Law is done without hands because what is removed is not physical flesh (Romans 6:3-7). It is a work not done by men but by God (Ephesians 2:11-13). The implication is that physical circumcision was no longer necessary (Galatians 5:1-4). This spiritual circumcision, done by God, takes place when we are buried with Christ in baptism. It is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that now holds meaning. Baptism represents Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. It also represents the Christian’s death to sin, burial with Christ, and resurrection to a new life.

Paul reiterates that we were dead in sin -- Gentiles in the flesh -- but we were made alive with Christ, having been forgiven of all our sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). It isn’t the physical act, but the obedience demonstrated in the physical act of faith in the working of God (I Peter 3:21).

What is meant by “handwriting of ordinances”?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 01:22:32 +0000

Question:

What is meant by the "handwriting of ordinances" that Paul says was against "us" (including himself along with his audience)? Was the church at Colosse Jewish, Gentile or both?

Answer:

Colosse is located in the area that we now know as Turkey. The city was located in a valley about 100 miles east of Ephesus. The population in this area was predominately Gentile and we would expect the church to reflect this as well. Notice that Paul, in speaking of the Christians in Colosse, said, "When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh ..." (Colossians 2:13). This would indicate that most, if not all, of the Christians in Colosse were Gentiles.

Paul wrote several letters from his prison in Rome, including Ephesians and Colossians. These letters were delivered by the same person. They both contain similar statements:

"having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross" (Colossians 2:14).

"having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace" (Ephesians 2:15).

"The law of commandments contained in ordinances" is the same thing as "the handwriting of requirements." The Greek word cheirographon means a written report, in particular, an agreement or a note of indebtedness. "Requirements" (or "ordinances" in Ephesians) is the same Greek word, domasin, which means decrees or edicts. It is referring to the Laws of the Old Testament. In Colossians Paul is alluding to the fact that Moses' Law was similar to a certificate of indebtedness. It charged people with sin, but it was unable to bring a solution to sin.

"I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me" (Romans 7:9-11).

The Old Law is aptly referred to as handwritten because when Moses first received the law, he wrote it out for the people. "Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!" Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD" (Exodus 24:3-4). Even the Ten Commandments, the prelude to the Law, were initially written by God on tablets of stone. "When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God" (Exodus 31:18). The Law of Moses was not an oral tradition passed down through the generations. It was a handwritten code of law.

Because the Law condemned sin, and everyone sins, the Law could be seen as hostile to anyone trying to follow it. When some Jews insisted that the Gentile Christians had to keep the Law of Moses, Peter argued, "Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?" (Acts 15:10). In Ephesians, Paul points out that the Law also caused hostilities because it was given to only one nation, Israel. "Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands -- remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:11-12). Thus, the law was a benefit to neither the Jews nor the Gentiles. That is why Paul said "us" in Colossians 2:14.

Seeking the Things Above

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 03 Jan 2021 19:25:35 +0000

Seeking the Things Above (Part 1) Seeking the Things Above (Part 2)

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Colossians 3:1-4

I. So often we focus on winning souls for Christ that we lose sight that conversion is not the goal but the first step in a life long process of change - Colossians 2:6-7

A. To stay with Christ, to live with him, is to walk after him - I John 2:6

B. Can we call ourselves Christians and go our own way? No! - Colossians 1:21-23

1. Only if we continue in the faith

2. Remain steadfast

3. Not moved away from the hope of the Gospel

C. It is a common and repeated theme - Hebrews 3:6, 14; 6:11; 10:23

D. But steadfast and unmoveable does not mean we are not changing.

1. As a matter of fact, we cannot be steadfast and unmoveable unless we change

II. Keep the goal in sight - Colossians 3:1-4

A. One of the ways Christians are lost is when they are distracted by this world - Matthew 13:22

1. For example, the distraction of riches - Matthew 19:23; I Timothy 6:9-10

2. The world is filled with lusts - I John 2:15-17

B. If you were raised with Christ

1. A reference to becoming a Christian through baptism - Colossians 2:11-13; Romans 6:3-4

C. Christ is there and because we follow him, we ought to desire to be with him

1. Ephesians 1:17-23

D. You gave your life to Christ - Galatians 2:20

1. In Colossians 3:3, the Greek tense is to indicate that you died once and remains that way.

2. A hope laid up in heaven - Colossians 1:5

3. You trusted him with your life - II Timothy 1:12

4. The promise - Romans 6:5

III. Removal of earthly ways - Colossians 3:5-9

A. Because we died to the world and our goal is heaven, we have to die worldly things - Romans 6:1-2; 8:13; Galatians 5:24

B. The things we once walked in, but no longer

1. Fornication - sex outside of marriage

2. Uncleanness - moral impurity

a. The opposite of holiness - I Thessalonians 4:7

b. Pursuit of sensuality - Romans 1:24

c. The “dirty old man”

3. Passion - lust, desires that are externally chased

a. This is the drive behind homosexuality - Romans 1:26-27

b. Would include pornography - I Thessalonians 4:5

4. Evil desire - Strong desire for evil, desires that are internally chased

a. Again, especially in a sexual way - Romans 1:24

b. It is at war with the spiritual life - Galatians 5:17

5. Greed, which is a form of idolatry - a desire for worldly things, most often money

a. Should not be associated with Christians - Ephesians 5:3-6

b. Frequently terms joined - Ephesians 4:19; Exodus 20:17

c. Idolatry because men put more trust in these than in God

C. If we don’t put them to death, we will face God’s wrath and be put to death.

1. Enough of the past - I Peter 4:1-3

D. Lest you think it is just about sex, put off (like old clothes)

1. List is similar to Ephesians 4:29-31 and I Peter 2:1

2. Anger - violence

3. Wrath - heavy breathing fierceness

a. Example: When the Jews sought to throw Jesus off a cliff - Luke 4:28-29

4. Malice - acting with evil intent

5. Blasphemy - Willful vilification of another

a. Numbers 15:30-31

6. Filthy language - profanity

7. Lying

IV. Putting on Christ - Colossians 3:10-17

A. Create in me a new heart - Psalms 51:9-13

1. Being transformed - Romans 12:2

2. Everything is new - II Corinthians 5:17

B. To leave it only as a removal of sin is to create a vacuum needing to be filled - Matthew 12:43-45

1. It is a replacement of sin with righteousness - Romans 13:11-14

2. Out with the old and in with the new - Ephesians 4:21-24

C. The renewal comes through knowledge

1. Born again of the word of God - I Peter 1:22-25

2. II Peter 1:2-4 - Escape through the knowledge given us

D. In Christ we see all alike

1. The divisions that people erect between each other in the world does not exist - Galatians 3:28; 6:16; Romans 10:12; I Corinthians 12:13

2. The world finds reasons to divide and fight

E. Because we are alike, we treat each other with respect

1. We are all holy and beloved - Ephesians 1:4-5; I Peter 1:13-16

2. Toward each other we put on:

a. Tender mercies

(1) Giving to people less than what we might think they desire.

(2) Mercies that come from compassion - Luke 10:33,36-37; I Peter 3:8

b. Kindness - Being courteous and good to others

c. Humility - Opposite of self pride - Romans 12:3

d. Meekness - Considering self far less important that other people. Putting other people first - Galatians 5:13

e. Longsuffering - Willing to put up with difficult people

3. We bear with each other - Galatians 6:2

4. We forgive each other, just like Christ does us - Ephesians 4:32

a. Too often we make this merely words

b. It is releasing the person from any obligations to us.

V. Practical application

A. In family - Colossians 3:18-21

B. In employment - Colossians 3:22-4:1

C. In your spiritual relationships - Colossians 4:2-4

D. In your relationship with those still in the world - Colossians 4:5-6

VI. It is not an instantaneous change by process

A. We work at removing old habits and replacing them with new ones

B. Those changes affect all aspects of our life

Does Colossian 2:9 mean that Jesus is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 22:12:22 +0000

Question:

Does Colossian 2:9 mean that Jesus is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

Answer:

"For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9).

"Fullness" (from the Greek word pleroma) means a complete or full expression. Thus, in Galatians 4:4 the fullness of time doesn't mean all time but the moment in time that was the perfect time for Christ to die. Or in "For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery -- so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in" (Romans 11:25). Again, this is not saying all the Gentiles, but when a great mass of Gentiles are converted to Christianity.

In Colossians 1:19 and Colossians 2:9 it is saying that Christ completely represented every attribute of the Godhead while being in human form. "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). As Albert Barnes once wrote, "We have a Saviour who is in no respect deficient in wisdom, power, and grace to redeem and save us."

In the same way, the church is to be a complete representation of who Christ is. "And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 2:22-23). See also Ephesians 3:19.

The Old Law was not from human philosophy, so Colossians 2:16-17 can’t be talking about the Old Law

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:54:07 +0000

Question:

Hello,

I saw your article on Colossians 2:16 and had a follow-up question that I have been struggling with after hearing a rebuttal from a Sabbatharian website. They said Colossians 2:14-16 is commonly used to say Christians are not bound to keep Saturday Sabbaths or obey various Old Testament commands given to Israel; however, Paul says let no one take you captive according to philosophy and empty deceit according to “human tradition” and “elemental spirits of the world.” (Colossians 2:8). The Old Covenant Law was not based on "human tradition" or "elemental spirits of the world.”

That's the argument I heard, and I’m not really sure how to counter it. I would really appreciate any help you could give.

Thanks in advance.

Answer:

The topic was touched on in Were the Colossians being told not to worry about being condemned for keeping the Sabbath? but we will dig into this deeper. What you are seeing is a Shell-Game type of argument. They diverted your attention briefly and you missed the fact that they changed what is being addressed.

Paul was concerned about the Colossians remaining faithful. They came out of the world, but their salvation was dependent on "if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard" (Colossians 1:23).

"I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ" (Colossians 2:4-8).

Paul then continues by showing that Jesus is fully God, something the Jews completely rejected. "The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, 'I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?' The Jews answered Him, 'For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God'" (John 10:31-33). The Jews put their trust in physical circumcision, but Paul emphasized that the Colossians had been baptized -- a circumcision made without hands -- that represented the burial and resurrection of Jesus. The Jews rejected the Gentiles because they were uncircumcised and denied that Jesus was resurrected. The idea that through faith in the work of God that Gentiles could be equally saved was an issue that caused riots several times. "And He said to me [Paul], 'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.' They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, 'Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!'" (Acts 22:21-22).

Paul told the Gentiles among the Colossians that they were forgiven of their sins because Jesus had canceled the Old Law and nailed it to the cross.

"Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day -- things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ" (Colossians 2:16-17).

The conclusion is that they should not get pulled back into following Old Testament practices because they were only temporary -- mere shadows of the truth that is in Jesus Christ. Paul isn't calling the Old Law empty traditions and philosophies of men. He is calling the teachings of those advocating following a law that God had canceled empty traditions and philosophies of men. This should not be surprising, Jesus himself told the Jews similar things (Matthew 15:1-9).

"Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God" (Colossians 2:18-19).

People who claim to have visions or who claim that one can become holy through fastings or self-abuse are not clinging to Christ but to their own imaginations. These claims of authority are empty because they are not from God.

"If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 'Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!' (which all refer to things destined to perish with use) --in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence" (Colossians 2:20-23).

Going back to decrees from the Old Law, such as the laws of uncleanness, expanded upon by Jewish teachers might look wise but since they are contrary to the actions of God they only form a self-made religion and cannot save a person from sin. God is not behind such teachings -- Satan is.

Question:

Thank you, Jeffrey, for your response, it’s a good break down of the text. So the Old Testament Law is not what he’s referring to, it’s the teachings of those people that is according to philosophy and elemental principles. So does this mean Christians are not under the Ten Commandments?

Answer:

The Ten Commandments were the prologue to the Old Testament laws. See Do the Ten Commandments apply to Christians?

Why did Paul refer to the saints and faithful brethren in Colossians 1:2?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 16:08:21 +0000

Question:

In Colossians 1:2, Paul speaks to the 'saints and the faithful'. Why does he make a distinction between the two?

Answer:

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father" (Colossians 1:1-2).

The use of "and" does not necessarily mean there are two groups being addressed. It can also be used to give two attributes of the same group. For example, in another passage, we read: "So that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 15:6). Paul was not talking about two persons, one referred to as "God" and another as "Father," but one person who is both God and Father.

"Saints" translates hagios from the Greek, which refers to things which are holy or set apart for a special purpose.

"Faithful brethren" translates pistos adelphos, which refers to trustworthy brethren.

Thus, the first phrase refers to the Christians' relationship with God and the second their relationship with fellow Christians.

Should it be “faith” or “the faith” in Ephesians 2:8 and Colossians 2:12?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 02:06:00 +0000

Question:

Greetings brother Hamilton,

I am perplexed as to what the later part of Colossians 2:12 means, "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye have risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Does this part of the scripture mean our subjective faith in the working of God is what raised us from spiritual death or when it says "the faith" is it in reference to the objective faith which is spoken by Jude 3? I have taught it is the latter because of Romans 1:16. Paul says the gospel is the power of God to save and our personal faith is just a condition we must obey in order to be saved.

Also after reading an Interlinear Bible, in Ephesians 2:8 the definite article "the" is placed before faith. Does this also mean that when faith is spoken of in Ephesians 2:8 it is referring to the gospel and not a sinner's personal faith as the medium of which God's grace is imparted? I have taught it is in reference to the gospel instead of our personal faith because of Romans 1:16, "Gospel is the power of God unto salvation" and Titus 2:11, "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;" and I concluded that only the word of God teaches (II Timothy 3:16-17). So am I in error?

Thanks for your time.

Answer:

When you are dealing with another language, you must be careful not to apply the rules of your language to the other language. Greek has a definite article, which is translated as "the" in English. However, it doesn't always function in the same manner as "the" does in English. For example, "Greek often uses the definite article before a proper name. For example, you will often find ο Θεός (the God) or ο Ιησυς (the Jesus)" [William D. Mounce, Basics of Biblical Greek]. The "the" is dropped because in English we don't put "the" in front of names. "Greek often includes the article with abstract nouns, such as "the Truth" (η αληεια), although English does not normally use the article" [ibid.] Therefore, when you see "the faith" in Greek it can be translated as "faith" or "the faith" depending on the context.

"having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12 NASB).

In this context "faith" is not being used as a system of belief but of the individual being raised up. It is a faith in the working of God; that is, because God raised Jesus from the dead, the person buried in baptism believes that he is raised up having died to sin. "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:3-11). Colossians 2:12 is saying the same thing as Romans 6:3-11 but in a much more abbreviated form.

In Ephesians 2:8, the "the" before "faith" does not appear in all manuscripts. But whether it is there or not, it still doesn't alter whether a "the" is needed in the translation to English.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).

Here you might argue that we are saved by the system of faith, such as in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." But notice that personal belief is still required. The Gospel is the power of God for salvation, but it doesn't automatically save everyone. It only saves those who believe in it. Therefore we are saved by the Gospel (the Faith) through our faith. Personal faith in God's work is required in order to be saved. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). But that personal faith cannot exist without something to believe in. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). This is likely what Paul meant when he said, "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith" " (Romans 1:17). The righteousness of God is revealed from the faith (the Gospel) leading to or producing faith in the individual.

Doesn’t Colossians 2:12 clearly show that baptism is a work of God?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:43:00 +0000

Question:

Doesn't the following verse very plainly show that baptism is not a work of man, but rendering obedience to God's will?

"buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12).

God is not the author of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33). I have noticed my points are based on what God's words say when discussing baptism. The ones defending "faith only" have to tell me Scripture after Scripture that they mean something different than what they actually say. The working of who? God! Correct? How can one misunderstand this verse?

Answer:

Your point is well-made. Baptism is a work of God, something we are required to do. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). However, when people do not want to see, they can be very blind, as the Pharisees frequently demonstrated. Jesus told the formerly blind man, " And Jesus said, 'For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind'" (John 9:39). That continues to be true today.

To avoid the obvious, those who believe in salvation by faith only will declare that the belief in the working of God refers to Jesus' resurrection and not the baptism. But, of course, the reason for baptism is that it represents Jesus' resurrection. "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4).