Colossians 4:7-18- Let Every Heart We come to our last week of studying the letter to the Colossians. Today we look at the final greetings that Paul has in his letter to the saints in Colossae. Generally speaking, we tend to overlook greetings in the Bible because we don’t usually see a benefit to us today. We read, “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments,” from 2

Colossians 4:2-6 Paul has continued his instruction to the Christians in Colossae. He comes now to the final set of instructions before turning to his final greetings. In chapter four, his instructions are not new or separated instructions but rather an echo of previous verses found in Colossians 1:24-2:5. The Colossians’ letter has had many references to thanksgiving (Col 1:3, 12, 2:7, 3:15-17, 4:2). We are to be thankful because Christ is supreme over all rulers and authorities (Col 1:16). We

Colossians 3:22–4:1-Working Nine til Five We come to the second portion of Paul’s explanation of how the doctrine of Christ’s supremacy and sufficiently affects how we relate to one another. Last week we saw how this doctrine affects the home; wives, husbands, children, and fathers. This week we see how this doctrine affects the workplace. Paul addressed bondservants and masters, the modern-day equivalent of employees and employers. Again, the main point Paul continues to reiterate throughout the letter to the Colossians

Colossians 3:18-21- Who’s the Boss? Paul is addressing how the Christian are to walk in Christ (Col 2:6-7). He has addressed how the Christian sets their heart, mind and focus on heaven and not on earth (Col 3:1-4). The Christian puts off the old sinful self (Col 3:5-9) and puts on the new self which is being made into the image of their creator (Col 3:10-17). He explains whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of

Colossians 3:15-17 Throughout the book of Colossians Paul has been pointing the Christians to the person of Christ, not a human philosophy or thought. Christ is not an abstract thought but in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily (Col 2:9). Paul continually emphasizes that Christians need to look to Christ who is supreme and sufficient over all things and not look to other weak and worthless principles. Paul is addressing the application of this doctrine. I must point out,

Colossians 3:12-14- New Self The previous sections of the letter to the Colossians have dealt with the simple idea that a Christian does not live like they are in the world because they have died with Christ. The Christian has also been raised to walk in the newness of life (Rom 6:4). The believer puts to death their old sinful self and is to put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator

Colossians 3:5-11- Killing Sin Paul previously explained that we should have our minds on Christ in heaven rather than the concerns of the earth. Many of Paul’s epistles follow a similar outline. Generally speaking, Paul’s epistles can be divided into two parts, the first being doctrine and the second being the implementation of doctrine in the lives of believers. Maybe put another way, the first part is instruction and the second is application. The broad categories can be helpful to understand

Colossians 3:1-4 Paul has spent a large section of this letter addressing specific errors and false teaching which was presented in Colossae. He has addressed errors of adding to the Bible in requiring diets and days. He has also addressed errors in false worship and errors in regard to physical limitations that don’t deal with the heart of the matter. Paul then exhorts the congregation to change their perspective and the direction of their focus. Paul is not emphasizing the spiritual