Bible Commentary: Colossians 1:4

Paul thanked God because he heard of the people's faith in Christ Jesus. It was remarkable that the people in Colossae, 400 miles from Jerusalem—where Jesus was crucified for the sins of the world—believed in Jesus.

Jesus had given a directive to the disciples: "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19-20). He said "you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Colossae was part of the “farthest parts of the earth.”

Paul thanked God the Father.

We can conclude that God is not obliged to save anyone. When anyone is saved, God deserves praise. If God were obligated to save people, He would not deserve praise for doing so. However, since by default He deserves praise, it follows that He is not obligated to save anyone. He does not owe anyone salvation. Paul asked "Who has first given to God, that God needs to repay him?" (Romans 11:35). The answer is no one. God saves by His free choice.

The people in Colossae heard the good news of salvation available through Jesus. But what about you, thousands of years removed from the event? How do you hear and believe?

Paul said, "How are they to believe in one they have not heard of?" (Romans 10:14). And that God chose "to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching" (1 Corinthians 1:21). And also, the gospel, “is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes,” (Romans 1:16), whether for people near where Jesus was crucified or thousands of years later. "This is the Lord's doing. We consider it amazing!" (Psalm 118:23).

The disciples asked Jesus who could be saved. "What is impossible for mere humans is possible for God," (Luke 18:27) was His answer. John wrote it this way: we are God’s “children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God” (John 1:13).

How do people know they are saved? Is it because they filled out a decision card? Is it because they answered an altar call? Is it because they attended church? Not necessarily.

Let's learn from the lead verse: for the initial recipients of this letter, their transformed lives in Jesus were matched with their love for all the saints. Paul had already talked about God being our Father, and we are brothers and sisters in his household.

Being born again brings a deep association with fellow believers in Jesus. This association comes naturally; no one needs to persuade the saved to join with other believers. Non-believers may decide, for whatever reason, to be part of the assembly of believers, but believers will naturally do so.

Paul said the Colossian Christians have faith in Christ Jesus. How? Someone else asked Paul a similar question; it was a jailer. "What must I do to be saved?" The reply was "Believe in the Lord Jesus" (Acts 16:30-31). That is the gospel without embellishment.

How did the thief on the right hand of Jesus get saved? He believed that Jesus was king and had a kingdom. He said "remember me when you come in your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). Who was the thief talking to? A Man hung on a tree, bleeding to death, but he regarded Jesus as more than that.

Do you regard Jesus as more than a historical figure, more than one of the prophets? Now you can't see Him, but do you believe He is alive because God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9)?

What does that have to do with salvation? I don't know, but "God was pleased to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching" (1 Corinthians 1:21-23). The power is not in my articulation, nor is it in your believing; it is in the gospel. By believing, you become part of the body of Christ.

It is a mystery. One moment you are like everyone else, the next moment, "we were buried with him through baptism into death" and in Him, raised “from the dead through the glory of the Father”(Romans 6:4).

Peter described it another way: "you have been born anew…through the living and enduring word of God." (1 Peter 1:23).

Paul said "for by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8-9). That faith is not something you come up with, it is the gift of God.

Therefore, we give thanks to the Father of our Lord Jesus, because there would be "an enormous crowd” of the saved “from every nation" (Revelation 7:9).

"God’s works were accomplished from the foundation of the world" (Hebrews 4:3). Things are just playing out now. God is great!