Where am I Walking?

Summary of Colossians

Paul had never been to Colosse. This letter to the Colossian church was one of four that Paul wrote during his first Roman imprisonment. Timothy and five other men were with Paul during this time. Paul tells who they were in chapter 4.
Because the Gnostics were trying to influence this church with its heiracy, false teachings, Paul Paul taught some doctrine. They were urging people to leave their Christian roots and accept their religious ideas.

One theme that predominates in Colossians is the supremacy of Christ. Christ is the sufficency for the total Christian life. Only He is worthy of worship and obedience, not angels, as Gnotics believed. Paul urges these believers, and us, to be firm in faith, committed to Christ, live and grow in Him.

Christ is both Creator and Reconciler (1:15-23). We are to abandon our sins of our old life and cultivate the virtues of the new life (3:5-4:6). Paul's thanksgiving embraces three aspects of the Christian church-their faith, love, and hope.

Paul identified three characteristics of those who walk in God's will:
1. They continue to grow spiritually.
2. They persevere.
3. They are joyfully thanking the Father.
[Resource: Shepherd's Notes]

Where am I walking, in my will, or in God's will? I want to walk in God's will. How about you?

Here are a few gold nuggets highlighted in the book of Colossians:
*That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing
   in the knowledge of God. (1:10)
*In whom (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. (1:14)
*And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he
   reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable
   in his sight.  (1:21-22)
*In whom (Christ) are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (2:3).
*For in him (Christ) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (2:9)
*If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of
   God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid
   with Christ in God. (3:1-3)
* There is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but
   Christ is all, and in all. (3:11)
*Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
   meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel
   against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. and above all these things put on charity (love),
   which is the bond of perfectness. (3:12-14)
* Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms
   and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (3:16)
*And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the
   Father by him. (3:17)
*And whatsoever ye do, o it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. (3:23)
*Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. (4:2)
*Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. (4:5)
*Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every
   man. (4:6)

Thank you, dear friend, that you have taken time to walk with me through the book of Colossians. I have learned many things and hopefully you have also. May we be challenged to do whatsever we do heartily as to the Lord and not to people, or for our glory. As Paul ended his letter, so do I:
Grace be with you.

Join me tomorrow as I begin a new journey through the two epistles Paul wrote to the believers at Thessalonica.