
I am currently writing a curriculum on Paul’s letter to the Colossians, a book of the Bible that has always resonated deeply with me. Although Paul was away in Rome under house arrest, he was still writing and sending letters. One of those letters was to this little house church in the town of Colossae, in Southwest Turkey.
Paul’s letter was prompted by a report from Epaphras, one of his disciples and believed to be the founder of the Colossian church. Epaphras brought troubling news: wrong teachings had come into the church!
Colossae: A Cultural Crossroads
Colossae sat in a river valley along a major trade route that became the artery for east/west travel through Asia. As a result, it brought into the town a very mixed population — Phrygians (the original inhabitants), Greeks, Jews (less moral, more mystical), Romans, Persians, and others. This cultural melting pot created relational challenges and opened the door to a mix of religious ideas.
Unlike other churches facing problems coming from a specific cult or sect, in Colossae it was a blend of many. And, like a snowball picking up debris as it rolls, this mixture found its way into the church. The result? Too much of the outside world was now shaping their faith. And when the Christian faith is mixed with other beliefs, something essential is lost — and for the church in Colossae, they were losing sight of the sovereignty and “pre-eminence” of Christ. And that is the key to the whole letter.
Filling in the Gap
When a mixture of beliefs is brought into Christ’s church, people tend to start focusing and talking more about the “good” these things have done; adopting mindsets, principles, and new practices into their faith — and somehow, they stop talking about what Christ has done. Inevitably, Christ is pushed to the background. And that’s what happened in this church. The Colossian church had lost its sense of God’s nearness. Though God is as close as the air we breathe, they felt He was distant. In that perceived gap, they filled the void with other beliefs, especially pertaining to angels and spirits. Those things they used to “fill in the gap” began to feel closer to them than God Himself. So, Paul sent a letter putting great emphasis on the superiority of Christ, urging believers to keep Him at the center of their faith and attention.
Reflect and Respond
That is still the message for the church today. We need to keep Christ at the center of our faith and attention, giving Him the superiority over our lives that He deserves. We are living in times that call every Christian to cling to Christ above all else, leaving no room for compromise or mixture. I encourage you to read the book of Colossians and ponder deeply the pre-eminence of Christ. Ask yourself these questions:
What Christian book are you reading? Is it true? Is it aligned with God’s word? What about the author? What do they believe? What do they practice?
Do you have a healthy view on the full nature of God, or just the views you want?
Does God feel far or near? Why?
Do the Christian teachers you listen to or follow exhibit a healthy fear of the Lord and reverence for His Word? Are they faithful to Scripture, or are they blending it with other influences?
What truth is guiding your life today?
My friends, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
God Bless You,
Carole
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