The Gospel of Love

Colossians- The Preeminence of Jesus Christ

Lesson Two: Three truths about the gospel

1. The gospel includes hope and is the truth (1:3-5)
2. The gospel includes grace and bears fruit (1:6)
3. The gospel grows all over the world (1:7-8)

The gospel includes hope and is the truth (1:3-5)

Vs. 3-4

Paul gives thanks as he prays for the Colossians because he heard of their “faith in Christ Jesus” and their “love for all the saints.”

Paul is not only thankful that they have believed in Christ but also that they are living out their faith and their faith is producing love for all the saints. The Greek as well as the thrust of this section suggests that this is not talking about Jesus as the object of their initial faith in Him as Savior but that Paul is addressing believers of faith in Christ. He is thankful that they are people of faith. People who are living out their faith “in Christ” and this life of faith in Christ is producing love for all the saints.

Paul echoes this in the book of Galatians, “the only thing that matters is faith expressing itself through love” (Gal. 5:6).

Why do they have faith in Christ and love for the saints?

• “because of the hope” they have in heaven

Remember biblical hope is not simply wishing for something you think may or may not happen. Biblical hope is having certainty and a confident expectation. Believers can have a certain and confident hope because their hope is based on the promises of God.

Where did the church at Colosse hear about this hope?

• “…in the word of the truth of the gospel”

The gospel they received included the certainty of heaven. When we share the gospel we need to share the gospel message of Paul, the biblical gospel message includes the certainty of heaven to all those who believe in Jesus as Savior.

This is important not only because it’s the truth of the gospel but because this hope has what produces the one thing that matters most, a faith that expresses itself through actively and sacrificially loving other believers.

Notice what Paul is thankful for in these three verses: 1) their faith in Christ, 2) their love for the saints, and 3) their certain hope of heaven. These are three things Paul often looks for and praises in believers. Faith, hope and love. Faith, which includes hope, produces love. (1 Co. 13:13; see also Ro. 5:2-5; 1 Thes 1:3, 5:8; Gal. 5:5-6).

The gospel includes grace and bears fruit (1:6)

What is the fruit of the gospel?

First- it’s the salvation of those who hear and believe (knew) in Christ.

Second- it’s the love the hope of the gospel produces in believers.

When did this fruit begin to be produced among the believers in Colossae?

“since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth”

Grace in salvation is the unmerited favor of God to the undeserving sinner who believes. The truth that salvation is by grace, that it’s a free gift, is what produces the fruit of salvation and love. So not only must our gospel contain the certainty of heaven but also the freeness of the gift of salvation.

This is an important point. They did not doubt their salvation or fear loosing it, which are not healthy or biblical motivations that spur one to love. The Colossians were motivated to love others because they truly experienced the love, grace and promise of God in truth. His promise of eternal life to all those who believe in Christ as Savior gave the Colossians a certain hope of the future and the only effective producer of true love.

If we want to promote and encourage love we must take this gospel message to the world. This is what we see in the next verse in the example of Epaphras.

The gospel grows all over the world (1:7-8)

What message did Epaphras learn from Paul and take to the city of Colossae? The gospel of truth- salvation is by grace, through faith in Christ, with the certain hope of heaven.

This gospel is being spread all over the world to all people. This is something we should participate in. Epaphras was considered “a dear fellow servant” because he participated in not only taking the gospel of grace and hope to others but for proclaiming and defending this gospel among the false teachers.

My prayer is that we would first understand the true gospel that produces the fruit of salvation and love; the gospel of grace and hope. Second, I pray we would live out the example of Epaphras by defending and spreading this gospel all to all people all over the world. Third, I pray we would all refresh our understanding of God’s grace and promises and be motivated to live life sacrificially loving others.