by Pastor Rich Carlson

Paganism was widespread in the valley of Colossae. Epaphras, who was working with the believers in the area, had evidently told his friend Paul, who was under house arrest in Rome, about its influence that was threatening the church in that region.

One basic difference between pagan religious practice and Christianity is paganism’s focus on ridding one’s self of evil rather than on building into one’s self goodness and virtue. Paul presents a religion that is about being transformed into the likeness of Jesus rather than just giving up bad habits. One of this letter’s main themes is about the Christ Jesus who is “the image of the invisible God” (1:15). The ultimate goal is to be like Jesus.

Paul’s letter to the believers in Colossae begins by saying: We thank God when we pray for you (1:3). Paul thanked God because he had heard of:
     • the Colossians’ faith in Christ Jesus (1:4).
     • the love they had for all the saints (1:4).
     • the faith they had that sprang from the hope stored up in them in heaven, which they had heard from the gospel (1:5), and, which kept them growing and producing fruit (1:6).

Paul continues by saying,
"For this reason…we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding…in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you might have" (1:9-11):
     o great endurance (1:11).
     o patience(1:11) .
     o joyful thanksgiving (1:11, 12).

And the reason for all of this positive praying?
     • God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness (1:13).
     • He has brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves (1:13).
     • We have redemption–the forgiveness of sins–through His blood (1:14).

It’s about being like Jesus, not about being unlike the devil. If I have set my goal in life at only not being bad, then I have not set a very lofty goal for myself. It could even be interpreted as a disguised form of paganism. Christianity to me is about living with and living like Jesus. I want to focus on the same things that Paul focused on as he thanked God and prayed so earnestly for those he loved.

Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. “God Is Faithful” is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.