Out in the Sticks: Reflections on Colossians and Hebrews #newthru30 Day 18

Colossians is written to a church in Colosse by Paul. He didn't plant this church but knew of it. False teachers are trying to lead the people to accept other religious ideas. This little letter is full of theology and instruction for authentic Christian living. It is a relevant letter for us today challenging us "to a more reflective and informed faith" (NAC, p.162). The central theme in this letter is Christ. Paul wrote this letter from prison.

Is the gospel growing and bearing fruit in you and among us? Colossians 1:6
A pastor's prayer for his people Colossians 1:9-13
A pastor's desire for his people Colossians 1:28.
Our sins have been nailed to the cross! Colossians 2:13-14
They have lost connection with Christ: Colossians 2:19. You and I haven't, have we?
Legalism "lacks any value in restraining sensual indulgence" Colossians 2:23
That's a tough list to put to death! Colossians 3:5. How are you doing it?
Another tough list Colossians 3:8!
We are able to put these things off because of the power of Christ living in us and transforming us Colossians 3:9-10
Colossians 3:12-17 is a great passage to memorize
Brief guidelines for Christian households Colossians 3:18-4:1
From NT Wright, "Paul is quite clear that, in the mutuality of respect and love that makes a marriage what it should be, the roles are reciprocal, not identical...Paul must have intended his audience to work out the details for themselves, and it's no bad thing if we do so as well." (Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters, pp. 186-187).
If this section of Scripture challenges you and your understanding of the sexes hear NT Wright: "If we don't allow scripture to challenge us at places where our culture is doing its best to squeeze us into a different pattern, what use is it?" (Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters, p. 187).
Now to Hebrews...
We don't know who wrote this book but we do know some things about the author:
The author was a Jew seen in his knowledge of the Jewish temple and his concern for Israel
Probably written before the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D.
Jesus is superior to the angels and He must remain our focus Hebrews 1:4-14
Don't drift away Hebrews 2:1
It's not a what that makes us holy, it's a who Hebrews 2:11
If you know Christ you need not fear death Hebrews 2:14-15
Hebrews 2:17 - ATONEMENT In Christian thought, the act by which God and man are brought together in personal relationship. The term is derived from Anglo-Saxon words meaning “making at one,” hence “at-one-ment.” It presupposes a separation or alienation that needs to be overcome if human beings are to know God and have fellowship with him. As a term expressing relationship, atonement is tied closely to such terms as reconciliation and forgiveness. In the KJV the word “atonement” occurs many times in the OT but only once in the NT (Rom 5:11). Modern translations generally, and more correctly, render the word “reconciliation.” The idea of atonement is ever present in the NT, however, and is one of the fundamental concepts of Scripture. God is seen as taking the initiative in man’s salvation; thus atonement is the work of God, who opens the possibility for sinful human beings to receive pardoning grace. For the sinner, who cannot know God, who cannot bridge the gap between himself and God, a “new and living … (Tyndale Bible Dictionary)
Strong words! Hebrews 3:12-14 Persevere!
Hebrews 4:12-16 another great passage to memorize! Think of a double-edged sword as a scalpel
Are there some in our church who should be teachers yet they still need someone to teach them the elementary truths of God's word? Hebrews 5:12. Is this true of you? Do you still need milk but should be feeding on solid food?
Sounds like you can lose your salvation Hebrews 6:4-11 - this is a much discussed text. Can a true Christian lose their salvation? A few thoughts on this passage:
The passage is ambiguous in several ways. The author never stops and defines terms for us. Terms like "who have once been enlightened", "who have tasted the heavenly gift", and "who have shared in the Holy Spirit". At the very least these are people who have taken steps to associate with the Christian community.
This passage is primarily concerned with exhortation not teaching doctrine. The concern is "to motivate to action rather than to offer theological instruction" (NIVAC, p. 224).
Possible interpretations: 1. the Arminian position: true Christians can lose salvation, 2. the hypothetical view: the author creates a hypothetical warning to "blast his hearers out of their spiritual slumber, but the state described cannot really happen" (NIVAC, p. 226), 3. the pre-conversion Jew view: Jews who are hanging out and investigating the Christian community but have not made a commitment to Jesus, 4. the covenant community view, which sees Isaiah 5:1-7 as the backdrop for Hebrews 6:4-6 "and that the author has in mind God's rejection of a whole community rather than individuals" (NIVAC, p. 227), 5. the phenomenological unbeliever view, which states that they "may have seemed to be genuine Christians as they participated in the community of believers, but in fact, by their rejection of Christ, have shown themselves to lack genuine faith" (NIVAC, p. 230). So what do you think?
At the very least these words concerning Hebrews 6:4-6 are very wise: "We must emphasize that those who fall away from God, cutting off their association with the Christian community and rejecting Christ, are in deep trouble and under the judgment of God...Those who fall away from God have reason to fear. Therefore, it is incumbent on all those who minister in the context of the church to be responsible in issuing warnings in this regard. Those who fall away from the faith must not be allowed to slip calmly into the night. They should be confronted with the spiritual peril associated with their actions. It is mandatory, therefore, that every professed believer take these words of harsh caution to heart, examining their lives 'to make (their) hope sure.'" (NIVAC, p. 231).