In Colossians the believer is seen as risen with Christ, but not yet sitting in the heavenlies. While walking as a pilgrim down here in this world, a hope is laid up in heaven, and there he is to set his affections.
With the Colossians there had been some declension, their having lost in measure a sense of union with Christ the Head of the body and the blessed privileges accompanying this union. At least they were exposed to this danger. Judaism and philosophy had in measure filled the place where truths had stood. The union itself cannot be lost, but a sense of it in the soul can.
Philosophy-the love of wisdom and the science of investigating its use and use of knowledge in regard to it-quite often ends in reasoning which is not faith.
The Head, Christ, is the subject of this epistle. Paul's word was to strengthen those who had become enfeebled in the pilgrim path and to maintain those who were steady so they might be kept in the practical enjoyment of their union with Christ.
The epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians, both written from Rome, are similar, yet each has its distinct subject. In Colossians we have the fullness that is in the Head and our completeness in Him. In Ephesians the Church is the fullness; in Colossians all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily and we are complete in Him.
The Holy Spirit is much brought forward in Ephesians, but here He is mentioned only once, because the theme here is Christ the Head. The soul formed into the living likeness of Christ is brought out in Colossians.
In Colossians, Christ in us is expressed, rather than we in Christ as it is in Ephesians. In Ephesians Jew and Gentile are brought together, but in Colossians the Gentile is prominent. In Colossians the saints are brethren; in Ephesians they are the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus.
The apostle prayed in regard to the believers' walk in Colossians, because as dead and risen with Christ they were pilgrims and strangers on earth; in Ephesians the two prayers are not in regard to the walk as much as the saints' privileges in Christ and their enjoyment of them.
The epistle to the Ephesians begins with the full purpose and fruit of God's counsels and blessings in the heavenlies; in Colossians there is hope laid up in heaven.
The privileges of the inheritance are not given in Colossians, nor the Spirit as earnest. Life, rather than the Spirit, is spoken of. The responsibility of the saint is brought out.
The danger at Colosse was that the saints, instead of being taken up with their hope laid up in the heavens, were beginning to be taken up with ordinances. They had divine life on earth. They did not need ordinances.
How important to remember that we have divine life here on earth, but our hope is laid up in heaven. To walk as Christians there must first be the true knowledge of God. Not only is there fruitfulness, but we are strengthened by the "might of His glory." To introduce philosophy or ordinances was to act contrary to what is found in the true knowledge of God.
In Col. 1, we have the state of the soul, the character of the walk, and the strength in which we accomplish such a walk. We are fit for the presence of God and are translated into the kingdom of His dear Son, His everlasting kingdom.
Once the slaves of Satan and darkness, we are now seen as delivered and are placed in an entirely new position and relationship with Christ. We have full title to share in the kingdom of the Son of His love. We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. This gives us complete liberty.
The Lord Jesus is the image of the invisible God, and as the Son of His love sets before us God's character, also His own personal glory, the essential center of all of His glories.
Christ must have the first place in creation, being the Firstborn. Firstborn means the beginning of the full manifestation of all the power and glory of God. Taking thus His place He must be its Head. He is also the Firstborn from among the dead.
He is the Creator and the Conqueror of death and its power. These two spheres display the glory of God. One glory depends upon His divinity, the other upon His victory as Man.
The Godhead pleased itself that in Him all fullness should dwell. The fullness of the Godhead as such is revealed and shown forth in Christ. It was the good pleasure of the fullness to dwell therein. The fullness by Christ was to reconcile all things to itself, having made peace by the blood of the cross. All things must be reconciled to God.
Heaven and earth will be completely freed from the power of evil and even from its presence in the eternal state.
The Christian has been reconciled, and consciously, to the heart of God.
Paul's ministry was to all creation, but also to the assembly. This instruction completes the Word of God as to doctrine.
There was suffering by Paul because of His love for the assembly. For God to set up an assembly founded on pure grace, having a heavenly character and destiny, would not be tolerated by man, especially religious man. Christ invisibly dwelt in the midst of the Gentiles.