Man On A Mission
Enjoy this video replay of a message Pastor Bob Hallman delivered August 10, 2016, when he pastored Crossroads Christian Fellowship Kauai -
Paul elevates the church because Christ elevates the church Christ elevates the church and says you are no longer sinners by identity, but you are Saints, those that are set apart for the work of God.
Paul presents the reality of what true Christianity looks like and he's done that in the first 23 verses of this particular book of Colossians. This isn't in your notes, but the other day I was just noting the characteristics that Paul applauds about the Colossian church and keep in mind, these were brand new believer’s, these weren't mature people in the faith, they hadn't gone to seminary, they hadn't been to bible college, they weren't well versed in the scripture, necessarily but these characteristics already were marking their life and Paul notes them in the first 23 verses of chapter of Colossians
So, listen to these. I'm going to go through them fairly briefly number:
they identified as saints not as sinners. - though we do sin, there's no question as believers that we still struggle with the flesh the bible doesn't identify us nor should we identify ourselves as sinners any longer. We are saints. We are not saints in the catholic sense, we are saints in the biblical sense of hagios, holy, set apart for God,and that's what the bible calls us
This is the first characteristic of a truly born-again Christian is they have embraced this new identity not as ongoing sinners as their identity, but as Saints those set apart for the purposes of God."verse two. They're faithful in their relationship with God. There's a fidelity in this covenant commitment to Christ.
verse four. They have an ongoing faith in Christ. Faith being defined as a confidence in what God says, simply taking God at his word. Whatever the Bible says we believe. That's faith you don't have to work it up, it's not an emotion, it's not a feeling, it's a commitment to taking God at his word
they have a love for all the saints. They love genuinely. Agape love is the word here. In the Greek, the agape love the saints have means they really have heartfelt concern and tenderness toward the body of Christ.
their hope is not in this world
they’re marked by the love of the spirit so now, they don't only love each other, but there's a supernatural, other dimension type of love that's being generated out of them, that is being empowered and driven by, and moved by the spirit of God himself
they've been delivered from the power of darkness. They've been conveyed into the kingdom of the son of God's love. They've been redeemed by Jesus’ blood and forgiven of their sins, and as a result, how could they think about wanting to live in ungodliness and compromise any longer. So, they don't
though they were once alienated and enemies because of their wicked works, yet now, they are reconciled to God in Christ. They are presented as holy blameless and above reproach in a sight. Again, this is they're just embracing this new identity that they have in Christ, that they have been elevated, they've been called out of darkness, out of the kingdom of satan into the kingdom of the dear Son of God, the father. They are called into this new relationship with God and now they are called sons and daughters of God, and now they're called friends of God, and now they're called the bride of Christ, and now they're seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus at the throne of God. That's our position and they embrace that new identity and they begin to walk in it.
they continue in faith the bible
they were not moved away from the hope of the gospel. They weren't moved away. They realized that was everything that was central they weren't going to be pulled away by things, or by their vocation, or by their 401k, or their retirement, or whatever it might be, they were focused and resilient and committed to the gospel and everything that it contained for them as new believers.
Enjoy this encouraging message and let us know what you liked best.
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Blessings,
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