{"id":55710,"date":"2022-11-12T16:12:34","date_gmt":"2022-11-12T22:12:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?page_id=55710"},"modified":"2022-11-19T16:15:51","modified_gmt":"2022-11-19T22:15:51","slug":"pauls-thankfulness-for-the-colossians","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/christ-in-you-a-study-of-colossians\/pauls-thankfulness-for-the-colossians\/","title":{"rendered":"Paul’s Thankfulness for the Colossians"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Paul’s Thankfulness for the Colossians<\/h1>\n

Text:<\/strong> Colossians 1:3-12<\/p>\n

What Paul Appreciates About the Colossians – Colossians 1:3-6<\/h2>\nPaul and Timothy give thanks to God in their prayers for the Colossians. He has heard of their faith in Jesus and their love for their fellow saints. Faith in Christ and love for the brethren are inseparable concepts (Galatians 5:6; II Timothy 1:13; I John 3:23). These are based on their hope of heaven which they had learned about through the gospel, which is the word of truth (Ephesians 1:13).
\nNotice the parallelism:\n\n\n\n\n\n
Paul and Timothy<\/td>\nThe Colossians<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
We have heard of your faith<\/td>\nYou previously heard … the gospel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
praying always for you since we heard of your faith<\/td>\nconstantly bearing fruit since the day you heard of it<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The gospel came to the Colossians and has stayed with them, just as it has to the rest of the world. Since the first day that they heard the gospel and understood God’s grace, it was producing results and increasing.<\/p>\n

For Discussion:<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. What sort of fruit is produced by the gospel?<\/li>\n
  2. Does the fruit increase in quantity or quality?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Paul’s Appreciation for Epaphras – Colossians 1:7-8<\/h2>\n

    It is from Epaphras that Paul and Timothy learned about the Colossians. When the letter to the Colossians was written, Epaphras was currently with Paul (Philemon 23). It appears that Epaphras was an early teacher and preacher located in Colossae; thus, he would know the brethren in Colossae intimately.<\/p>\n

    By mentioning how much he respected Epaphras, Paul would be cutting off complaints against him by any false teacher in Colossae.<\/p>\n

    Epaphras told Paul and Timothy of the love that existed in Colossae and that impressed Paul. The preposition “in the Spirit” gives the sphere or region that this love exists. Paul is not discussing love in general but the love found in Christians who are following the teachings of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25).<\/p>\n

    Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians – Colossians 1:9-12<\/h2>\n

    Since the time Paul and Timothy hear of the love of the Colossians and their faith, they have been praying that God would fill them with knowledge of His will and grant them wisdom and reason (I Corinthians 2:6-10; Ephesians 1:17; 5:17; I John 5:20). Often we tend to reserve prayers for those in need, but this reminds us that praying for those who are doing well is also needed. The “filling” is in the sense of being made complete instead of being made full. The Colossians needed God’s help in order to:<\/p>\n