Truth Today: Colossians 1:7

Paul mentions the name of the person who brought the gospel to the Colossian Christians—Epaphras.

One thing you can be sure of is that God does not forget your work (Hebrews 6:10) as you share the gospel in His name with others.

Paul acknowledges Epaphras for his work in spreading the gospel among the people. How amazing is it that God knows what you are doing in His name and recognizes your sacrifice in making Him known among the nations?

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Jesus told a few parables with the central message of impressing upon the disciples that, although He was going to die, rise from the dead, and ascend into heaven, He would return (Mark 13:32-37, Luke 19:11-27, Matthew 24:45-51), and He is coming with rewards for faithfulness.

He promised a great reward if, when He returns, they are faithful in expanding His kingdom and tending to His church.

They were not supposed to think that because Jesus hasn't come back in a thousand years, or even ten thousand years, He is no longer coming. But that temptation exists.

Elsewhere, the Bible says that we should not grow weary of doing good because, at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).

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Paul testifies about Epaphras that he is a faithful minister of Christ. There are many lessons we can learn from this. First, Epaphras is not introduced as having any official title anywhere in the Bible, so you shouldn't think nothing is happening until you wear a collar and are ordained as a minister of Christ.

Not everyone is an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher, but everyone can and is a minister at some level. It’s the default calling of all believers to be ministers (Ephesians 4:11-12).

The specifics might be different—the time, place, manner, gender, age, education, training, health status, or abilities may vary. But there is no question that all are ministers. That is the default. You are a light on a hill that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). That is the default.

Paul wrote about apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists (Ephesians 4:11). These are categories I classify as specially called ones, whether they ascribe a title to themselves or not, or even if they assume the wrong title.

There is no indication that these five are an exhaustive list, so we must presume they are representative of being specially called and not a firm number properly delineated and defined.

In another scripture, Paul called himself an apostle and teacher (1 Timothy 1:11), but would we be wrong to say he did the work of an evangelist, was strongly prophetic, and was sometimes also a pastor?

When Peter referred to Paul, he said, "our dear brother Paul" (2 Peter 3:15). Is that demeaning to Paul? I don’t think so. Therefore, let's hold on to titles lightly, if at all.

The specially called ones are meant to prepare the saints for the work of ministry, according to Paul (Ephesians 4:12). This reiterates my point that every believer is a minister by default.

The question is not whether you are a minister; the question is how faithful you are in that ministry.

Peter did not exempt any believer from being described as a minister. He said, in the context of spiritual service, anyone who speaks should speak as someone who speaks God’s word, and anyone who serves should do so with the strength God provides (1 Peter 4:10-11).

What else do you do except speak or act? Those two encompass everything within the purview of spiritual service.

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Epaphras was dearly beloved, and Paul called him a fellow servant of Christ.

In a special way, Epaphras was a servant of Christ, though we all are.

Paul described him as his fellow. Paul does not regard himself as higher than Epaphras, although they have different levels of influence.

Paul was clear he was an apostle because God ordained it that way (Colossians 1:1). Hence, he said he was an apostle by the will of God, not by achievement. Despite working very hard, he credited it to the grace of God poured out on him (1 Corinthians 15:10).

Paul did not pull rank on Epaphras if there were any rank to pull.

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The final phrase states that Epaphras is a faithful minister of Christ. We can conclude that Christ is at the forefront and center of Epaphras’s ministry. He is the reason for it and the end it points to.

The ministry was not a means to some other end for Epaphras. Hence, he is a faithful minister of Christ.