“if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”
Instability in the faith is a core problem in today’s Christianity because Christians make experience the determiner of what they believe rather than the Word of God.
“if indeed you continue in the faith”
Does this “if” indicate that our salvation depends upon us? What if our faith fails? If faith fails, it indicates that it was not valid saving faith (1 John 2:19). The genuine believer will persevere by the reality of God in his life. However, the Savior’s perseverance preserves the saints’ perseverance!
In Greek, the “if” indicates an assumption of truth. Paul assumes that the Colossians will continue in the faith. This “if” is not an “if” of the future; it is an “if” of the past. We can translate this “if” as “since.” “Since indeed you continue in the faith.” Our reconciliation is an accomplished fact. Continuance is a test of reality. There is no uncertainty about the believer’s reconciliation. The believer will be uncharged and without blemish when he stands before God (v. 22). Salvation was an accomplished event at the moment of faith in Christ.
The word “continue” means to persist in or adhere to the faith. The Colossian heretics tried to dislodge the Colossian believers from their faith and draw them into asceticism.
Principle:
Christians are preserved by the Savior’s perseverance.
Application:
Some Christians are so conscious of their defects that they are never quite sure they are a Christian. Sometimes they feel they are, and other times they believe they are not a Christian. God does not give us eternal life and proclaim: “Oh, I meant that it was only temporary, and it was only until you sinned enough to lose it.” He does not give you eternal life this year and take it away next year.
That said, it does not mean we should ignore this verse, which is a flashing red-light warning. Continuance is proof of conversion. If a person says, “I am a Christian” and shows no change in their life, they may not be a Christian. Well, we will wait and see if it is real. We can say we are Alexander the Great too, but that does not make it real. The Savior’s perseverance preserves a genuine Christian.
enjoyed…..good comment….thanks…..are we allowed though…to change the word if….. to since…….why did most translaters use if …..I like the word if but…….. I like ……the perseverance of the saviour….I believe that…
There are four class conditions in the Greek. These are all based on morphology (spelling in the Greek): 1) if, and it is true, 2) if and it is false, 3) if, and maybe it is true or maybe it is false, 4) if, and I wish it were true but it is not. Whenever you have the Greek particle EI plus the indicative mood in the protasis, the proposition is assumed true. The first class condition is often translated as “since.”
I find this verse very interesting in that it states that the Gospel has been presented to every soul under Heaven… does this not accord with Romans 1:20? Even though preachers have not been everywhere on earth at this time, we have the proof of God’s existence in everything around us which we can see. As Abraham, who lived among pagans could see and understand that idols cannot create anything, so he began to seek out the ONE who did.
Erlene, evidently you did not advance through all of the studies of this verse. Just click on Colossians 1:23b to advance to the next study and keep clicking on the next verses till you come where I address your issue.
Thank you, God is the one who save me thru accepting His son Jesus and now I am preserved because God words can’t lie. If I were able to save myself in beginning, or change my sinning nature,I would not have needed JESUS to make me a new creation. I am saved because of my faith in JESUS and born again, not of a corruptible seed,but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth ( not temporary ) forever. I am washed in the blood, God spoke to me thru His word many years ago when the Devil tried to make me question my salvation, and this is the scripture, John 15:3, now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. God words can’t lie. Preserved because of JESUS!!!!
Amen Judy
What I believe and know is that the work of redemption was initiated and accomplished without our consent or input. The only time our consent is requires is in accepting this great, immeasurable, glorious, irrevocable and eternal gift.
If while we were yet sinners Christ died for us, why do we ever think He cannot do more now that we are saved.
To me the ‘if’ for whatever reason it was added is not part of the equation.
Child of God continue to rejoice over your eternal salvation.
Wilfred