Paul Gives Thanks for
Their Faith in Christ Part 1
Colossians
1:3-5 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying
always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which
ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven,
whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel; KJVGratitude was the hallmark of the Apostle Paul’s entire life and ministry after his redemption on the Damascus Road by and to Christ Jesus our Lord, therefore, it was common for him to pray prayers of thanksgiving and appreciation to God our Father for others who have received Christ Jesus and His forgiveness of sins as we find him doing so for these Colossian believers at the very beginning of his letter to them, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you” (Colossians 1:3) (KJV). God is our God at the same time that He is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ seeing that Christ Jesus has willingly, willfully, and worshipfully submitted Himself to God the Father and sits at His Right Hand right now in a Glorified Human Body as both God and Man as Christ Himself declared to Mary Magdalene with these words to her after His Resurrection from the dead, “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’’” (John 20:17) (NKJV).
It is through God the free giving of grace to all of humanity that these Colossian people are now believers in our Lord Jesus Christ and said grace is what has produced their conversion and this is what Paul is praying to the Father (the author of all good) as described for us by the Psalmist King David with these beautiful words, “Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, {and} worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust {and} take refuge in You before the sons of men!” (Psalms 31:19) (Amplified Bible). Giving thanks for these Colossian brethren because of these words that the Apostle John wrote (quoting our Lord Jesus Christ) that are perhaps the most recognizable words of Scripture everywhere, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) (NKJV). What the Apostle Paul prays to the Father thanking Him for is their embracing of the Gospel of Grace turning from their false idols or false gods to receive the only forgiveness of sins that is true, sure, and solid and that is faith in Jesus Christ alone as he declares with these words, “Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints” (Colossians 1:4) (KJV).
As was declared in the last study/commentary, it is widely documented by many reputable Bible Scholars that Paul never visited the Church @ Colosse, but more important than the Bible Scholars are Paul’s own words when he said this later on to them in this same letter, “For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh” (Colossians 2:1) (NKJV), therefore, Paul declares here at the beginning that their faith in Christ and their love for all the saints of God was reported to him by other believers he knew or met on his journeys and in this case it was most likely Epaphras (who was a Colossian himself and a member of the Church @ Colosse) who conveyed to Paul the sincerity of his and their faith in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. It is no strange or odd thing for believers to care deeply about other brethren way across the world whom they have never met in the flesh because of our union with Christ Spiritual Body the Church, we are all connected no matter physical distance just as a finger is connected to the hand and the hand to the arm and the arm to the shoulder, etc. of an actual human body, so is it with the individual members of Christ Spiritual Body here sojourning on the earth.
What actual evidence of their love to all the saints given to Paul by Epaphras is not known, but whatever Paul saw and found in the man Epaphras was evidence enough for him that he and the rest of the Church @ Colosse cared for the well-being of their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to make Paul include this at the very beginning of his letter to them whom he has never actually met in the flesh, they indeed subscribing to these words written by the Apostle John, “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” (1 John 3:23) (NKJV) as well as these words written by one of the first disciples the Apostle Peter when he said, “Show respect for all men [treat them honorably]. Love the brotherhood (the Christian fraternity of which Christ is the Head). Reverence God. Honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:17) (Amplified Bible). Faith in Christ produces an eternal hope of everlasting comfort and goodness that will be ours when we are absent from the body and with our Lord Jesus Christ and this is what Paul found to be so with Epaphras and the other believers in the Church @ Colosse after their hearing the preaching of the Gospel of Grace as he declared with these words, “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel;” (Colossians 1:5) (KJV).
Our hope of heaven is placed within us at the moment of our regeneration and new birth, but the complete fullness of it is reserved for us in heaven or stored in heaven awaiting our soul’s ascent into Glory as the Apostle Paul spoke of himself and other believers at the approaching end of his life with these words written to Brother Timothy, “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8) (NKJV). Like the other believers in Ephesus, Thessalonica, Corinth, etc. these Colossians had believed the true Gospel of Grace and not the Gospel of Works sounded about by the Judaizing teachers who plagued Paul constantly with their false gospel that he vehemently denounced in many of the Churches that he himself had founded by the preaching of the true Gospel and this he commends these Colossians for adhering to as he also did with these words to the believers in Thessalonica, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13) (NKJV).
“Faith is sometimes spoken of in the New Testament as ‘towards Christ Jesus,’ which describes that great act of the soul by its direction, as if it were a going out or flight of the man’s nature to the true goal of all active being. It is sometimes spoken of as ‘on Christ Jesus,’ which describes it as reposing on Him as the end of all seeking, and suggests such images as that of a hand that leans or of a burden borne, or a weakness upheld by contact with Him. But more sweet and great is the blessedness of faith considered as ‘in Him,’ as its abiding place and fortress home, in union with and indwelling in whom the seeking spirit may fold its wings, and the weak heart may be strengthened to lift its burden cheerily, heavy though it be, and the soul may be full of tranquility and soothed into a great calm. Towards, on, and in-so manifold are the phases of the relation between Christ and our faith.” Expositor’s Bible Commentary
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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