Christianity was new and seemed too good and too simple to be true.
Here comes a new, early church that grew out of Judaism from an evangelism campaign by Paul's protégés. They were in a very difficult, Greek, pagan culture and were having birthing and growing pains. They were being negatively influenced and thus confused by the spectacle of cults and false religions that surrounded them; they needed the True Savior. A church planter named Epaphras helped these Colossians embrace the new life and Way, so they were evangelized at the time of Paul's ministry to the Ephesians. They received the grace of Christ, but found themselves in further turmoil. False teachings, mysticism, empty philosophies, legalism, and traditions had buffeted its ramparts, threatening the health and wellbeing of the members and their evangelistic opportunities. They were under siege by false teaches and prideful men seeking sensationalism and mysticism rather than Christ as Lord. Christ's Deity was being challenged and rebuffed for more so called "clever and newer" ideas (Acts 19).
Christianity was the solution, but it is so simple, most people missed the profoundness of it and thus seek to add to it. And the new fancy philosophical theories were as catchy and powerful then as today's false teachers and their deceptive TV ministries that fleece the flock and leave people empty and devastated along with a bad reputation in the wake. Thus, the church in chaos...
A verse by verse inductive and exegetical Bible Study series into the Book of Colossians!
Colossians 1:1-8 Love, Faith, Hope, and Truth!
Colossians 1:9-14 Qualified in Christ!
Colossians 1:15-18 Jesus Christ is Supreme!
Colossians 1:19-23 Christ the Reconciler!
Colossians 1:24-29 Suffering for the Church!
Colossians 2:1-5 Be an Encourager!
Colossians 2:6-10 Life with Christ
Colossians 2:11-15 Identified in and with Christ!
Colossians 2:16-23 Our Lives in Christ!
Colossians 3:1-11 Setting our Minds on Christ
Colossians 3:12-14 The Call to Develop Character!
Colossians 3:15-17 The Peace of Christ!
Colossians 3:18-4:1 Running the Christian Home!
Bible Study in Colossians, PDF Files This is a very passionate and persuasive letter. Paul, as he did in Romans and Ephesians, encourages them in the perseverance of their faith and spiritual growth, and influences them not to pursue false teaching, Jewish mysticisms or traditions, or occultism. No additions for the faith is needed or warranted. He uses completed and brilliant logic to make his case, just like the Jewish philosopher Philo.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 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 and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Colossians 1:15-18