Do I Ever Need to Stop Studying?
Bible study is a topic which cannot be overemphasized because the blessings found in a deeper knowledge of God’s Word are innumerable (cf. Col. 1:9-11; 2 Pet. 1:3; etc.). Yet the temptation may arise for a person to think he or she has reached a point in life in which no more study is needed. Is that true? Does a person ever reach the top of the “Biblical mountain?” Do I ever need to stop studying God’s Word? To ask…
Let No One Judge You! – Ross Haffner
Paul established the authority of Christ when he wrote, “He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18). You would think divergence from His doctrine would be easy to detect—we can compare His word with other philosophies and make the right choice. But the warnings of Colossians 2 remind us that we can be “deceived by persuasive words” if we…
Circumcision Without Hands – Bill Burk
The Book of Colossians serves as treatise on the role Jesus plays as the supreme Savior. In the first chapter, Paul declares the magnificent truths about Jesus’ person. In chapters three and four, he describes the life Christians ought to live if Christ is the exalted Lord. In chapter two, Paul describes the need to defend the gospel against any teaching that would declare Jesus’ salvific work insufficient. In Christ dwells all the fullness (Col 1:19; 2:9), therefore, the Colossians…
Beware! – Troy Spradlin
At the conclusion of a special seminar conducted by a world-renowned detective, a group of cadets eagerly approached the investigator to speak with him. The topic of the seminar had been about anti-counterfeit measures and identifying falsified currency, in which the detective was extremely knowledgeable. Impressed with his insight and erudition, the cadets inquired, “How did you to learn all those different types of counterfeits? There must be thousands of variations!” The detective politely smiled and replied, “I never studied…
So Walk in Him
The world is full of ideas and individuals seeking to deceive us. The Colossian saints were under attack by doctrines which undermined what they knew to be true about Christ. Every generation of Christians faces similar threats. The Devil excels in finding new ways to trap his prey and thus we must be on constant alert (1 Pet. 5:8). The best defense is a good offense. To successfully guard ourselves against what is false, we must be intent on knowing…
Hearts Knit Together – Kevin W. Rhodes
The first century world, like today, challenged Christians morally, doctrinally, and practically. The gospel barely had opportunity to reach people before false teachers, Satan’s lackeys, began sowing doubt and distrust through whatever means available. The Colossians’ doctrinal confusion over the deity of Christ, their relationship to the Mosaical law, and their susceptibility to philosophical sophistry proved this truth all too well. However, Paul confronted these issues forthrightly while making his motives and aims clear to all. Despite not having personally…
Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord
In Genesis 6:5-7 we read of God’s displeasure with the world and its wickedness. However, as God pronounces judgment on the world and prepares to destroy it with a flood, we find encouraging words concerning one man: “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen. 6:8). This simply means that Noah found favor in God’s sight, and the result of that favor was escape for he and his family from the flood! But why did he find grace…
A Supreme Decision
Yesterday, May 2, 2022, news broke that the Supreme Court may overturn the infamous Roe v. Wade decision. Though the Court’s final verdict has not yet been announced, the political machine has kicked into high gear churning out narratives and talking points attempting to convince us to think emotionally and incorrectly about abortion in general, and the decision of the Court in particular. But, the politicizing, gaslighting, and nonsensical debating on Twitter and cable news is simply noise to distract…
Church Growth in the First Century
The growth of the first century church was both spectacular and constant. What caused this tremendous growth? One passage summarizes their success well: ¬“Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied” (Acts 9:31). Brethren, if we are serious about church growth, we will pay close attention to these principles of church growth. First, the church…
Redeeming the Time
Today the average American lives 78.8 years. That averages out to approximately 945 months, 4,111 weeks, 28,781 days, or 690,746 hours. On the surface that certainly seems to be a long, long time. But, really it is not. Ask someone who has lived for 80 years how quickly their life has progressed and it is almost guaranteed they will say that is has absolutely flown by! The Bible says the same. “Man that is born of a woman is of…
Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
One of the most thought-provoking questions in the Bible is the one asked by Cain in Genesis 4:9. When the Lord questioned him concerning the brother whom he murdered (Abel), his response was: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”. This is a question we need to ask ourselves today. Do we have a responsibility to watch out for and care for one another? When we turn to the New Testament, it becomes clear that the answer is absolutely. First, consider our…
Christ in You – Kevin Cauley
God had an eternal purpose to establish the church based on the work and merit of Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:11). He knew that man would sin, sever his relationship with God, and instigate division with other people. So, He devised a plan to pay for all of mankind’s sins, restore their relationship with Him, and foster human unity. This plan was Christ and the church. Paul discusses this in detail in Ephesians chapters two and three. In Colossians 1:24-29 he…