When Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians, it is certain that he knew he was writing to Christians.
As a matter of fact he says they were faithful (Col. 1:2, says, “To the Saints and Faithful Brethren in Christ which are at Colosse).
The original Greek word used for Faithful is, “pistos.” The definition in Strongs Concordance says, “Faithful, steady.”
Please allow me to carry this line of thinking a little further.
Being faithful I think is pretty simply, “full of faith.” Obviously Paul believed them to be full of Faith.
Also, they were steady.
The best definitions of steady which I found were “firm in position and constant.”
I think a fair exposition of the thoughts which Paul is bringing forth in this verse could be, “To the Saints and Brethren at Colosse which are constantly fixed in a firm position, of being full of Faith.”
There is a reason why I believe it is necessary to understand the sincere faithfulness of the Christians which were at Colosse.
Colossians 1:20, says, “And, having made peace through the blood of His Cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in Heaven.
21, And you, who were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled.
22, In the Body of His flesh through death; to present you Holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight.”
These verses explain very well the fact of the Colossians being reconciled through the Blood and Body of Christ. And then Paul goes on to explain, that through this reconciliation, they may now be presented, HOLY, UNBLAMABLE, and UNREPROVABLE in His sight.
There is a reason why I have went to some effort here in order to make clear the fact that these Colossians were trusting in Christ and were undoubtedly exemplary Believers.
The reason is found in the next verse. Verse 23 says, “IF you continue in the Faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the Hope of the Gospel, which you have heard.”
I remember when I was quite young, probably around seven or eight years of age, my family lived on a farm.
There was a time during one summer when a fair came to our area, and of course we (my older brother and I) wanted to go to it.
My Dad said if we would weed some corn that he would pay us for each row we weeded. My Dad being good to his word, I knew even at that tender age that if I did not weed corn, I would not get any money for the fair.
The motivating word was IF.
IF said a couple of things. First, IF said that I could weed at least one row of corn and receive some money which I could spend at the fair. Second, IF said that I could refuse to weed a row of corn and not receive any money from my Dad, in which case I would have no money to spend at the fair.
In other words the promised money was dependant on something. Anytime we use the word IF, there are going to be at least two possibilities.
If is a word which demands something.
Let me repeat; If is a word which demands something.
There is always an either or an or involved when the word IF is used.
In verse 23 of Colossians 1, the word IF tells us that what has been said in the previous verse is contingent on something.
The fact of Reconciliation by the Blood and Body of Christ is not what is contingent, for that is a finished work, completed by our Lord.
What is contingent, is whether or not He will present us Holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight.
So, what is it contingent upon is the question? Or, if you will, where is the row of corn which we must weed in order to gain the prize?
The requirement comes immediately after the word If, “You continue in the Faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the Hope of the Gospel.”
Most people at this point I believe will say well that’s simple enough, what’s the big deal, everyone knows that. The big deal is, that even the Saints and Brethren at Colosse which were constantly fixed in a firm position, of being full of Faith, were still now being urged by Paul in the strongest way; the necessity of continuing in the Faith, grounded and settled. In other words Apostle Paul thought that even these Christians which were firmly fixed in their faith of Christ still needed to be exhorted to continue in the Faith which they had already been exhibiting toward Christ.
In Hebrews, Chapter 3, we see a similar example.
Verse 6 says, … Whose house are we, IF (hmmm, there is that IF word again) we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Then in verse 12, the writer says, Take heed Brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the Living God.
These were definitely Christian Believers for he calls them Brethren. Yet the writer of this book says they could possibly depart from the Living God, by having unbelief.
Then in verse 13 the writer tells them (and us) to exhort one another daily, So that they would not be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
I can imagine the writer of this book having seen some believers at some point in time, who had indeed been hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Because of this or perhaps simply by revelation from our Lord, I believe this writer understood what was necessary to prevent this hardening through the deceitfulness of sin.
And what is the writers suggestion which could prevent such an atrocity?
Exhort one another daily!
Obviously, this exhortation would be to trust in what Christ had accomplished for them at Cavalry in the shedding of His Blood and the giving of His Body.
Also, notice that the exhortation he is talking about here is not merely the exhortation of a pastor or other minister, but exhortation from one to another.
The other thing which must be noticed is that this is to be done DAILY. This scripture does not say on Sundays when you go to Church. It doesn’t say that the pastor should remind the congregation once in a while.
The Word of God says “ONE ANOTHER,” and it says, “DAILY.”
IN CONCLUSION
For those who are interested in holding fast their Faith in Christ, and not developing an evil heart of unbelief, you might give serious consideration to exhorting and encouraging your fellow Christians to trust in Christ, on a daily basis.
