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The Mark of A Growing Believer | Colossians 1:1-8 | Colossians Bible Study – Pt1 | Mike Prah

    May 15, 2024 | by Mike Prah

    The Mark of A Growing Believer | Colossians 1:1-8 | Colossians Bible Study – Pt1 | Mike Prah

     

    • God wants to empower you through the Holy Spirit to live a Christ-directed life.

    • As we lean in on God and follow His instructions, you will experience a deepening fellowship with God which will lead to growth in Christ.

      Colossians 1:1-8

    “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you.  In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.” Colossians 1:1-8 (NIV) 

     Colossians 1:2: What two blessings does Paul offer the Colossian believers? In what way(s) has God given you these same blessings?

     Colossians 1:3-5: For what two things do Paul and his fellow ministers give thanks to God regarding the Colossian Christians?

     Colossians 1:5. How does Paul describe the hope of the Colossian believers?

     Colossians 1:5-6: In the same passage, what comes to mind when you consider “the hope which is laid up for you in heaven?” How would you describe the impact of that hope in your life?

      Colossians 1:6. When did the gospel begin to make a difference in the believers’ lives? When did it start to change your life?

     The Description of Growing Believer – Colossians 1:3

     1. A Growing Believer Walks By Faith - Colossians 1:3-4

     

    “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus … ” Colossians 1:3-4 (NIV)

     “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for;  it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.” Hebrews 1:1-2 (NLT)

    •  Biblical faith is our response to what God has said. To exercise faith is to have confidence about an expectation without visible proof that it will happen.

    •  What makes this confidence possible? The trustworthiness of the object of faith (God).

    •  The question we must answer is this: Is God trustworthy?

    •  Faith is acting like God is telling the truth.

    •  If you want to increase your faith, grow in your understanding of God.

    •  Believers of the past trusted God by faith and were approved by Him. 

    “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) 

    • Do you want to live in a way that pleases God? Then you must know that without faith it is impossible to please God.

    •  You must operate by faith, even if you must do so alone and go against the accepted norms of the day.

    •  You must believe with expectation that God responds—regarding His will for your life—when you seek to please Him.

     

     2. A Growing Believer Must Love Others Genuinely and Intentionally – Colossians 1:4

     “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you.”  Colossians 1:3-5 (NIV)

     Jesus: “Now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. ” John 13:34- (NLT)

    •  Biblical love is the decision to pursue the well-being of another person compassionately, responsibly, and righteously.

    •   It’s not the same as liking someone. To like someone or something is to express a feeling. By contrast, loving someone may or may not have feelings connected to it.

    •   Love is a decision to seek another’s best, regardless of your feelings.

    •  Through loving one another, everyone will know that we are Christ’s followers.

     “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.” 1 John 3:14 (NIV)

    •  If a believer hates his brother, he is not remaining in Christ but remaining in death. The Apostle John is writing to believers, so the term “remains in death” does not refer to salvation but to enjoyment of the Christian life and intimacy with God. If you hate your fellow believers, you will not experience the blessings and fellowship of God.

     “And this is Christ’s command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.” 1 John 3;23 (NIV)

     

     3.  A Growing Believing Celebrates Their Hope – Colossians 1:5

     “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith …  faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven…  .”  Colossians 1:3,5 (NIV)

    •  Hope is a portion or part of faith. Faith and hope are overlapping realities: hope is faith in the future tense.

     “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32 (NIV)

     “So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.”  1 Peter 1:13 (NLT)

     4. A Growing Believer Demonstrates Their Spiritual Growth – Colossians 1:6

     “In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.” Colossians 1:6 (NIV)

      “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:15-16 (NLT)

    •  In other words, you’re not to be a private Christian. Your faith must go public. There are to be no covert, secret agent Christians.

    •   Are you a light among your family, friends, co-workers, and in your community? To hide a light is contradictory to its purpose. Let your light shine!

    •  You must shine so that people may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven non-Christians are capable of doing good things, so what does Jesus mean by “good works”? Good works are connected to the kingdom work of God (see Eph 2:10).

    •  A good work is a righteous and biblically authorized action that is beneficial to others and for which God gets the credit. So our good works must be done and be on display for God’s sake.  

    Applying The Message

    What type of “fruit” are you producing for God’s kingdom? (John 15:5, Galatians 5:22-23)

    "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 (NLT)

    "The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

     

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