Although all of Scripture understood in the light of Jesus is equally inspired, applicable, and useful for believers in every time period, some parts are more relevant to specific situations in certain times than others. I’m convinced that such is the case for the apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The issues that he addresses in this letter seem to be significantly parallel to issues that western Christians today are facing in our increasingly paganized, humanistic, trans-humanistic, hyper-technological, and artificially-intelligence-consumed world. The vast abundance of continuously advancing technologies, sources of information, ways of living, and media for communication; combined with the increasingly developing and popular religions of paganism and transhumanism pose major threats to the thinking and lifestyles of worshipers of Jesus. Our technology promises all the information we need at exactly the right time, while our abundance of material resources, and advances in communication, economic, and medical tools seem to present us with the hope that we as people can live wildly comfortable, prosperous, and happy lives, without much fear of illness, sadness, or early death. However, we must remember that the promises and hopes of the world are always based on lies. Such is the case with all of these things.

Aside from the general societal, economic, and technological advances that are seemingly always forthcoming, there are at least a few religious and spiritual beliefs that threaten to deceive believers, and distort their thinking about their source of truth, their identity as believers, and their ultimate purposes in this life. First, because of our vast array of information-providers through the Internet and social media, it seems as though we were never more informed and knowledgeable than ever. We can know almost anything at anytime. And yet, western believers have hardly ever been more ignorant of the essential truths of God’s Word since the middle ages. Although we are overloaded with knowledge about everything that’s going on in the world, and about everything that could possibly interest us, most of this media use leads us to neglecting the very truths and wisdom that are essential for us to grow in godliness, and walk worthy of our Christian calling. Furthermore, due to the influence of paganism on western culture, there have recently been major efforts to incorporate worldly and mystical ideas and practices into Bible-believing Christianity, promising to grant us extraordinary experiences of God’s power and glory, along with exceptional aids in our obedience to Jesus. However, such pagan mysticism (along with Jewish practices) gives no help to our obedience of the apostles’ teachings, since they are based on worldly beliefs and attitudes.

When you look at the situation for the Colossians, the same type of threats assaulted them. The city of Colossae, located in a fertile river valley, was probably a center for trade, as well as a marketplace and hub of innovative pagan and Jewish religions. During the time that Paul wrote the letter, a form of the religion of Gnosticism had become popular in the city. This religion said that by performing certain rituals, you could attain to spectacular and otherwise hidden secrets of the innermost workings of the universe and its creator. In so doing, you could become a part of the mind behind the universe, and reach some sort of divine-human status. Paul counters such beliefs by explaining that all knowledge and wisdom comes from our Lord Jesus, as He taught during His life, and entrusted His apostles to teach. Also, he emphasizes that the hope for ultimate satisfaction and happiness comes from our hope in heaven, which is sure to be manifested when Jesus returns from heaven (Col. 3:4).

In addition, the Colossians were offered more holiness and purity through the practice of Jewish legalistic rituals, such as the festivals and holy days, the worship of angels, and abstaining from certain foods to punish one’s body (Col. 2:16-21). Paul makes clear that such rule-keeping has no power to lessen the influence of a person’s sinful desires, but the answer is rather to believe the truths about one’s identity and character in Jesus, and act accordingly. He also shows that such thinking is completely contrary to the gospel, but is a manifestation of being in love with the ways of this present, sin-dominated, world.

In essence, the main false teaching that Paul was countering was that Jesus the Messiah wasn’t the sure Source of all that the Colossians needed to live this life, and to have the hope of eternal life in the future. Paul’s repeated refrain is that Jesus and His cross and resurrection work are the only means by which salvation, holiness, power, and joy can be received and enjoyed by anyone. Also, he contrasts the idea that there’s some sort of mysterious mind behind the universe that can’t be comprehended in any great measure with the fact that Jesus is the Creator, and the One for whom all things exist, so that He will be made known to everyone through the creation of His new humanity, and God the Father will receive ultimate praise and honor through Him and His body.

Because of all these considerations, Colossians is a fitting Bible book to study, learn, and apply to our lives in our current situation. As an introduction to deeper study, I want to provide you with a brief explanation of the way that Paul structured the book through the Spirit, and which topics he covered in each section.

Outline of the Letter to the Colossians

Greeting and Expression of Thankfulness (1:1-8)

  1. Addressed to saints and believing brethren at Colossae (vss. 1-2).
  2. They always thank God for their faith, love and hope (vss. 3-5a).
  3. They are implanted with the Gospel fruitfulness that’s worldwide (vss. 5b-6).
  4. They are aligned with a godly father figure who works for the apostles (vss. 7-8).

Explanation of the Apostles’ Prayers for Them (vss. 9-12)

  1. For filling with knowledge of God’s will in wisdom and understanding, to live in a way worthy of the Lord Jesus to please Him and increase in knowing God. (vss. 9-10)
  2. To be strengthened with power, according to God’s might, to be steadfast and patient while joyfully giving thanks to God, who made them share in the saints’ inheritance. (vss. 11-12)

The Holistic, All-Encompassing Nature of Jesus and the Gospel (vss. 13-23)

  1. The Almighty transferred them from the power of the fall to the kingdom of redemption (vss. 13-14).
  2. The adored One is the Firstborn of all creation, the Empowerer of all, and the preeminent One (vss. 15-20).
  3. They were alienated in futility, but were purchased for holiness (vss. 21-22).
  4. They are obligated to stand fast in faith and persevere in hope (v. 23).

He Explains Why and How He Serves as an Apostle (1:24-2:15)

  1. He is fulfilling Messiah’s afflictions (v. 24).
  2. He is fulfilling God’s Word or message (vss. 25-27).
  3. He labors to complete every person through counsel and teaching (vss. 28-29).
  4. He wants them to be full of unity, assurance, and knowledge (vss. 2:1-3).
  5. They are full of firmness in faith (vss. 4-5).
  6. They must be filled with thanksgiving from their upbuilding (vss. 6-7).
  7. They must deflect deceit with the fullness of Messiah (vss. 8-10).
  8. They fulfill the Jews and the Resurrection (vss. 11-12).
  9. They were fully enlivened, forgiven, and rescued (vss. 13-15).

He Warns Them Against the Bondage of Legalism (2:16-23)

  1. No one can condemn them for failing to practice shadows of Messiah (vss. 16-17)
  2. They shouldn’t allow anyone to cheat them of glory through self-humility and angel-worship through visions, since such fleshly people don’t rely on the Head of the Body (vss. 18-19)
  3. They are dead to the world and its decrees of man-made commandments for asceticism. (20-23)

He Instructs Them to Think and Act as Living, Heavenly People (3:1-17)

  1. They must seek heavenly things, set their thinking on heavenly things, and anticipate their heavenly life (vss. 1-4)
  2. They must kill their bodies to sinful attitudes because God’s wrath will be inflicted on their practitioners (vss. 5-7)
  3. They must take off sinful speech because they have taken off their old man, and put on the new man who is being renewed in knowledge according to Messiah’s image (vss. 8-11)
  4. They must put on compassion, humility, and gentleness because they’ve been chosen, set apart, and loved by God (v. 12).
  5. They must put up with and forgive each other because the Lord forgave them (v. 13).
  6. They must put on love to bind them together; submit to Messiah’s peace; give thanks; let Messiah’s message live abundantly within them; and teach each other with thankful singing in the name of Jesus for the Father’s sake (vss. 14-17).

He Instructs Them to Faithfully Exercise their Subordinating Relationships (3:18-4:1)

  1. Wives must submit to their husbands.
  2. Husbands must love and delight in their wives.
  3. Children must obey their parents in everything.
  4. Fathers must be gentle toward their children.
  5. Slaves must obey their masters from fear of the Lord and with the heart for the Lord, since He will reward them (vss. 22-25).
  6. Masters must be just and fair toward their slaves (4:1).

He Instructs Them to be Devoted to Spiritual Service (4:2-6)

  1. They must be watchfully devoted to prayer for each other and for the apostles’ opening for God’s Word to be clearly proclaimed (vss. 2-3).
  2. They must wisely walk toward unbelievers with their time and talk (vss. 5-6).

He Updates Them on His and His Companions’ Conditions (vss. 4:7-14)

  1. The witnesses of Paul and his situation will describe it (vss. 7-9).
  2. The workers from the Jews who comfort him greet them (vss. 10-11).
  3. The worker for them and others struggle for them in prayer (Epaphras their father) (vss. 12-13).
  4. The well-wishes of Paul’s team are sent to the Colossians (v. 14).

Paul Gives Them Final Instructions (4:15-end)

  1. They are to greet the nearby brethren and another house assembly (v. 15).
  2. They are to share the letter with the Laodiceans and read their letter (v. 16).
  3. They are to urge Archippus to fulfill his service (v. 17).
  4. They are to remember his imprisonment, and God’s grace that’s with them (v. 18).

Advice for Personal Study

I hope this outline gives you a clear idea of the general flow of Colossians, and its major teachings. In order to get the most out of the letter, it’s usually most helpful to read the whole thing without stopping, from beginning to end, the first time. Then, you could read my outline before going back to Colossians, and prayerfully and deeply thinking about a passage that has particular relevance to your thinking, behavior, or circumstances. Remember to always ask the Lord to use the Scriptures to teach you to obey Him more faithfully, and pray about the passage that the Holy Spirit used to instruct you specifically.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be publishing more teaching about, or related to, the Letter of Colossians. Until the next post, please feel free to send me feedback, explore what the site has to offer, consider liking this article, and keep knowing the Lord Messiah, and Him crucified.