1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
1) Can you put in a sentence or two the journey of the Colossians from unbelief to faith based on vs1-8, e.g. like a testimony of their journey to faith and its effect on their lives. When you read through Colossians 1:1-8, what does Paul indicate as the turning point or the pivotal thing that changed the lives of the Colossian believers?
2) Read 1 Corinthians 15:8-10. What effect has the grace of God had on Paul’s life and how would you describe his attitude towards God’s grace? What is your understanding of grace and how would you define it? (See Psalm 51:1-3; 103:8-13) How does grace set Christianity apart from all other religions? (Ephesians 2:8-9)
3) Why does an understanding of grace bring forth fruit and growth in believers? Why is salvation by grace a greater motivator for a life of purity and piety than salvation by works? How do people who claim to be Christians and yet don’t live a life of obedience to Jesus fail to grasp the grace of God? Why is the knowledge that we are constantly saved by grace through the gospel tied to the hope laid up for us in heaven? (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
4) If you were asked “What is the gospel?” how would you respond? Why is it impossible to separate the gospel and grace? Do you agree that the gospel should be the core of teaching within the church? What happens when a church becomes embarrassed or unimpressed with the gospel message? How does this affect the church?
If you have time -
5) Why is it so important for the church to make sure it centres around word of truth/gospel ministry (preaching and teaching the Word) rather than programs and teachings focused on earthly ‘betterment’? (Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 10:17). On the flip side why is it important to include programs which are beneficial to people’s earthly life? Which programs within a church would be beneficial to both the church and the wider community and how could they be used for the glory of God?
