Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by God’s will, and Timothy our brother: To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who are faithful brothers. Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints.
Colossians 1:1-4
As we start a study in the book of Colossians, we see in the greeting that this letter is written by Paul to the church in Colossae. Timothy is with him. Paul is Timothy’s father in the faith, meaning he led Timothy to Christ.
They have heard testimony from someone else about this church’s genuine faith in Christ and the love they have for one another. Paul is encouraging them and letting them know that they pray often for them, thanking God for them. Here we learn that faith in Christ and our love for fellow believers are the hallmarks of genuine Christianity.
Faith in Christ and love for one another = genuine Christianity. This is how we know.
Lord, we thank You that You are a faithful God, worthy of our trust and love. May we be found faithful to You, lifting up our thanks to You for each other. Help us to remember in our busyness to pause to encourage and show each other our genuine love for them. In doing this, we show love to you. In Jesus name, amen.
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Christy Rawls :: Encouraging, Equipping, Empowering Others 