Whare, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Kia tau te aroha noa ki a koutou, me te rangimarie, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ka whakawhetai tonu matou ki te Atua, ki te Matua o to tatou Ariki, o Ihu Karaiti, e inoi ana mo koutou, Mai i te rongonga o to whakapono ki a Karaiti Ihu, and of the love which you have to all the saints (Kolosa 1:1-4)
The letter from the apostle Paul to the saints at Colosse
Paul was an apostle, who was chosen and appointed by God to be an apostle and witness of Christ Jesus. It was the will of God for him to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to manifest and bring the Kingdom of God to the people (the nations).
The Book Colossians is the letter, which Paul wrote to the saints (Te Ekalesia) at Colosse.
He aha te Kolosans 1:1-4 ngākau tūtūā?
I Ngā Hoa Mahi 1:1-4, Paul wrote to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colosse about their position and walk. Paul acknowledged the position of the saints and their walk in Christ.
Then he wrote that the grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ would be with them.
Paul and Timothy gave thanks to God and the Father of their Lord Jesus Christ for them. They always prayed for the saints, since they heard of their faith in Christ Jesus and their love for all the saints.
How was their faith in Christ Jesus and love for all the saints shown?
The faith in Christ Jesus and love for all the saints was shown by their works. Through their walk and works, they showed their faith and love and fulfilled the two great commandments, which Jesus mentioned in Matthew 22:37-40 ko Luke 10:27.
On these two commandments hang all the Law and the prophets.
What are the two great commandments?
The two great commandments are: ki aroha ki te Atua ma o koutou ngakau katoa, hinengaro, wairua, me te kaha, and to love your neighbor as yourself.
Aroha ki te Atua ma o koutou ngakau katoa, hinengaro, wairua, me te kaha
“Ki te aroha koutou ki ahau, you will keep My commandments” (Hone 14:15)
When you love God with all your heart, hinengaro, wairua, me te kaha, you will listen to Him, whakarongo ki a ia, me te pupuri i ana whakahau. You will follow Him and walk in His will.
The Father sent His Word; Jesus Christ to the earth to become the Savior of humanity and the Way, the Truth and the Life to everyone who believes.
If you really love Jesus Christ, then you will obey His words and keep His commandments. (Panuitia hoki: ‘Ko nga ture a te Atua me nga ture a Ihu Karaiti')
I roto i nga Hiperu 11:6, we read that without faith, e kore e taea te whakamanawareka ki te Atua. Because if you don’t have faith, you don’t do what the Word says.
Only when you believe in God and love God with all of your heart, e haapa‘o outou i Ta’na mau parau e e haapa‘o i Ta’na mau faaueraa.
If you have faith in Jesus Christ and faith in His Name, you will walk by faith in obedience to His words and keep His commandments and fulfill His will on earth.
What is the will of the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ?
The will of the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is that believers:
- kia iriiria,
- kia filled with the Holy Spirit,
- be a witness of Christ,
- kauwhautia te rongopai,
- whakaora i nga turoro,
- peia nga rewera,
- raise the dead
Faith in the Name of Jesus is the basis of this all. It’s the basis of your walk in Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Kia aroha ki tou hoa tata ano ko koe
The second commandment is to love your neighbour as yourself. This means that you treat your neighbour, te huarahi e hiahia ana koe kia tukinotia koe. If you always remind yourself of these words, then you can’t go wrong.
You are one spirit with your brothers and sisters. Te Wairua Tapu, Who dwells in you and your brothers and sisters connects and bounds you. No reira, you shall treat your brothers and sisters, te huarahi e hiahia ana koe kia tukinotia koe, no te mea e ora ana a te Karaiti i roto ia ratou.
Ko te tikanga tenei, that you shall speak the truth and not lie to them, steal from them, tāhae, mahi puremu, kohukohu, kare e murua, stay angry with them, be jealous of them, etc.
But you treat them right (E ai ki te Paipera) and esteem the other better than yourself (Philipi 2:3).
Heoi ano, loving your neighbour doesn’t mean tolerating and accepting sin. No te mea na te Paipera, accepting sin and consider evil things as good is not of the Lord.
If you love your neighbor you don’t want anything bad to happen to them.
If you know the truth of God and love your neighbour, you warn your neighbour with the truth of God. You call them to repentance and the removal of sin in their lives. Because you know that sin leads to death and that sin is not the will of God. (Panuitia hoki: What does it really mean to love your neighbour as yourself?).
But it all starts with your love for God. Because out of your love for God you will love the people around you.
The church has faith in Christ Jesus and love for the saints
This love is not a carnal love, but the righteous love of God and Jesus Christ. He maha nga wa, Christians have a wrong perception of Biblical love. Therefore it is important to study the Word of God. So that you will find out the truth of God and what the real love of God is and what the Aroha rūpahu (o tenei ao) ko.
Ka rite ki te Karaitiana; a believer and follower of Jesus Christ and member of the Church (te Tino o te Karaiti i runga i te whenua), you have faith in Christ Jesus and love for the saints; your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
'Kia tote o te whenua'
