Paul and Timothy prayed and gave thanks for these people. The impression I get from these verses is that Paul and Timothy were very impressed with what they were hearing about the people in Colosse.  That they were living devoted lives of faith in Christ, and they were showing tender love to those around them.  Paul said that their faith, and the love that they had for others, was a direct result of the confident hope these people had in what they believed was stored up for them in Heaven.  They had heard the truth the of the Gospel message, they they believed it, and that alone caused them to live holy, and to love others.  

 

I think the people in Colosse were a great example of what grace does in people's lives.  

 

Titus 2:11-12  tells us, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.  (12) Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world."  (KJV)

 

So grace teaches us to deny ungodnliess, and live holy lives.  Romans chapter 6 is also a great chapter to study on the subject.  But here I will just quote Romans 6, verse 5-7, "Since we have been united with him [Jesus] in death, we will also be raised to life as he was.  (6) We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose it's power in our lives.  We are no longer slaves to sin. (7) For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin" 

 

Now back to Colossians chapter 1.  In verse 6 it says that the same Good news that came to the people in Colosse was going out all over the world.  It was bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed the lives of the people in Colosse from the day they heard, and understood the truth of God's grace.   

 

I made a note in my Bible after verse 6 that says, "Grace bears fruit, and changes peoples lives.  

 

I think this is an important point, because many poeople believe that if you preach grace, that it will cause people to go out and sin, and in this chapter, it's actually telling us the opposite.  

 

The people in Colosse heard about the Gospel message from Epaphroditus.  He was in collaboration with Paul and Timothy, and he reported back to them that about the love for others that Holy Spirit had placed in their hearts.  

 

In the Passion Translation, verse 8 says, "He informed us of the many wonderful ways love is being demonstrated through your lives by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit."  Other translations word it a bit differently, but they all are making the point that the Holy Spirit was working through these people, and they were demonstrating love to others in their actions.  

 

Paul said that ever since he heard about these people, he has been continuously praying for them.  Verse 9 in the New Living Translation says, "We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will, and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding."  The King James version says, "increasing in the knowledge of God." 

 

Verse 10 says, "Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and the lives will produce every kind of good fruit.  All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.  

 

My understanding of those verses is that Paul wanted them to have as much knowledge and wisdome of God's will as possible, because he understood that the knowledge and wisdome would cause even greater results than what they were already getting with spreading the Gospel message.  

 

Then Paul prayed for them be strengthened with God's power, so they would have both endurance, and patience.  

 

 

 (To be Continued....)