In\u00a0Colossians 1:2, Paul speaks to the ‘saints and the faithful’.\u00a0 Why does he make a distinction between the two?<\/p>\n\t
“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” (Colossi<\/a>ans 1:1-2<\/a>).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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<\/em>” (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.<\/p>\n
“Saints” translates\u00a0hagios<\/em>\u00a0from the Greek, which refers to things which are holy or set apart for a special purpose.<\/p>\n
“Faithful brethren” translates\u00a0pistos adelphos<\/em>, which refers to trustworthy brethren.<\/p>\n
Thus, the first phrase refers to the Christians’ relationship with God and the second their relationship with fellow Christians.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: In\u00a0Colossians 1:2, Paul speaks to the ‘saints and the faithful’.\u00a0 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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[131,256,998,289,76],"class_list":["post-1695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-colossians","tag-faithful","tag-names","tag-saints","tag-terminology"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":85095,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/obervations-on-the-significance-of-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":1695,"position":0},"title":"Obervations on the Significance of Baptism","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 26, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Nathan Smelser I have a few observations on the oft-overlooked significance of baptism in the New Testament. When Paul writes to the saints and faithful brethren in Colossae, he repeatedly contrasts their formerly dead state with their present life in Christ. For example: \"...having been buried with Him in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":55578,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/circumcision-proves-the-necessity-of-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":1695,"position":1},"title":"Circumcision Proves the Necessity of Baptism","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 7, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Kent Heaton The apostle Paul appeals to the \"saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse\" to discharge the philosophies of men and embrace Him who has the preeminence in all things (Colossians 1). The church at Colosse had been troubled by the teachings of men that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":80322,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/saints-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":1695,"position":2},"title":"Saints (Benton)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton The term \"saint\" has been hijacked to mean something different from the way the Bible uses the term. Today, you can hear churches exalt a \"Christian\" after death to the status of a \"saint.\" This is not according to scriptural usage. Sometimes, we may hear someone\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":48001,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-our-faith-known\/","url_meta":{"origin":1695,"position":3},"title":"Is Our Faith Known?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 28, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"by Dennis Stackhouse As the apostle Paul was beginning his letter to the Christians at Colossae, he made this statement in Colossians 1:3-4:\u00a0\"We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38885,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/placing-membership\/","url_meta":{"origin":1695,"position":4},"title":"Placing Membership","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Lee Moses Sometimes questions arise as to whether it is scripturally necessary, or even scripturally permissible, to \"place membership\" with a congregation. A modern brother or sister may raise the objection: \"I'm a member of the church of Christ, and that's good enough for me.\" What this person means\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2099,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-faithful-children-mean-faithful-to-god-or-faithful-to-the-parent\/","url_meta":{"origin":1695,"position":5},"title":"Does “faithful children” mean faithful to God or faithful to the parent?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 22, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: When Paul speaks of \"faithful children\" in\u00a0Titus 1:6, did he mean faithful to God or faithful to the parent? 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