“To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
“To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse”
The two phrases “in Christ” and “in Colosse” point to two spheres. “In Colosse” is the location where the saints at Colosse lived. This is their earthly address. “Saints” in the Bible are regular Christian people (1 Cor. 14:33; Eph. 4:11-12; 5:3; 6:18; Col. 1:4,12; Heb. 6:10; Jude 3). Here the “saints” locate at Colosse.
The phrase “in Christ” is their spiritual sphere. This is their position (status quo) before God. As God views them, they have the same status quo as Jesus Christ, as in God’s eyes.
Paul characterizes the Colossians with two descriptions. First, he called them “saints.” This means that they are set apart as chosen for God. The Colossians were “saints” because they were distinctively possessed by God. The blood of Christ bought and paid for them. God acquired them by the death of Christ. This is not a term of morality. It has nothing to do with how we act. It has more to do with who we are. This is not a term of condition but position. We belong to God. From our point of belief, God claimed us for his own. Therefore, we belong to him. We are saints by virtue of our position in Christ.
Second, Paul calls them “faithful brethren.” The Colossian church faced false doctrine. However, Paul describes them as “faithful.” They are dependable; God can count on them to remain true to truth. Not all saints are faithful. They have enough faith to receive Christ, and that is about all.
The church at Colosse was a church to which Paul wrote that he never visited. Epaphras founded the church at Colosse.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The terms grace and peace are the greetings for the epistle of Colossians.
Principle:
Grace always precedes peace.
Application:
Grace is God’s provision for the Christian life. Peace is the enjoyment of God’s provisions and is an orientation to the grace of God. A person experiencing peace is in the process of experiencing God’s grace. Why do you not have peace in your life? Is it because you are not experiencing God’s grace?
