The hope which is laid up in heaven

For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and brings forth fruit, as it does also in you, since the day you heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: as you also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit (Colossians 1:5-8)

The hope which is laid up in heaven

The saints at Colosse knew their position in Jesus Christ. They knew what hope was laid up for them in heaven, because it was all revealed to them by the Word of God, which is the Word of Truth.

They knew their position in Jesus Christ and the inheritance, which they freely received in Him.

The Lord will be the hope of His peopleThey heard and accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Because of the fact, that they walked in the word of the truth of the gospel (the good news), they were bearing fruit, just like the Word of the truth of the gospel was bearing fruit and was increasing in all the world.

The Word of God will never turn back void, but it will always produce fruit of life.

The saints came to know experientially the grace of God in the sphere of truth;

  • The grace, that we are reconciled through Jesus Christ and by His blood with God
  • The grace, that we have become holy and righteous in Jesus Christ and have received His Holy Spirit.
  • The grace, that we are seated in Jesus Christ and have been given power to become like Him.
  • Yes the grace, that we have received the full inheritance in Jesus Christ. What a grace!

Grace is not a license to sin and to pick up your sins from your old life as the old creation; a sinner, because you will be in bondage again and live in darkness.

Saved by the grace of God

When you are born again, you have been redeemed from your old nature and have become a new creation in Jesus Christ. By the grace of God, you have been given authority in Him, to rule over darkness and sin, instead of being a slave of sin and the kingdom of darkness (Read also: ‘The purpose of the armor of God‘ and ‘Walk in the dominion that God has given you’).

The saints at Colosse accepted the truth of God’s Word and applied the Word of God in their lives. They knew that by the grace of God, they were saved. They were not saved by their own works, but by His perfect work of redemption.

But now that they had become a new creation and received the nature of God and the Holy Spirit dwelled in them, they automatically fulfilled the works of the Holy Spirit and walked according to His will.

Epaphras, who was a fellow bondslave (a fellow servant) and a faithful minister of Christ to the saints at Colosse, informed Paul about their love and how the saints walked in the love of God; the love in the sphere of the Spirit.

Read the next blogposts in the series ‘Paul’s letter to the saints at Colosse’: The knowledge of His will

If you haven’t read the previous blogpost in this series, click on the following link: Walking in the two great commandments.

‘Be the salt of the earth’

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