Get the appThrough the Bible: ColossiansSample
The Pre-eminence of Christ
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
Colossians 1:16-18 (ESV)
Colossae was on a major trade route from Ephesus to the Euphrates and had a very mixed population. Therefore, this meant that the town had many different religions. Some believed elemental spirits resided in the mountains, having the power to control the river or trees. Others practiced astrology, the worship of stars and planets. There were also pagan practices associated with the gods and goddesses of Greece and Rome. Some believed the gods welcomed a rigid abstinence from bodily desires such as food and sex, while others felt the gods approved of the lax sexual behaviours at that time. Mystery and mystical religion were also popular.
How did this affect the Colossian church? Syncretism started to creep into the church. The believers lost their sense of the immanence of God. They saw God as being very distant. But this was the wrong belief. God is both greater than the universe and yet near to us. The church also thought that they needed angels and spirits as intermediaries to communicate with God. Jesus became very low in their ranking. Paul had to write a letter from prison to correct their doctrine. Jesus is preeminent and is the Lord of creation and head of the church.
How about us today? How do we view Jesus? Is He the Saviour and Lord of our lives? Or do we only worship Him on Sundays and forget about Him on the other days?
Prayer
Dear God, Jesus is the one we worship, the author and perfecter of our faith. He is seated on the throne and because of Him, we can come to you freely and receive power to break bondages and reconcile all relationships. Hallelujah! We rejoice and give thanks. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture
About this Plan
False teachings such as legalism, Greek philosophies, and superstitious beliefs had infiltrated the church in Colossae, and Apostle Paul penned this letter to remind the Colossians of the superiority and transcendence of Jesus Christ above all created things and man-made ideologies. If we are not alert enough, these heresies, which Paul considered as “hollow and deceptive philosophy,” can easily creep into our lives and shift our focus away from Jesus.
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