Colossians (2011)

Since Pastor Dean has been out of the country for a few weeks, this lesson takes the time to go back and review what we had learned so far on the profound significance Paul places on forgiveness in Colossians 2:11-15.

As we are reminded of when forgiveness takes place, we also learn of the four different types or areas of forgiveness. This lesson is important for a clear understanding of forgiveness all mankind has in Jesus' work on the cross, but also in how believers are to apply forgiveness in our personal walk.

As we continue learning more and more about walking in Christ, we must examine how the meaning of life is defined. Is it determined by what gives us our own personal sense of pleasure? When we suffer, do we get the feeling that God is perhaps withholding from us something good we would otherwise experience? And do we think we know what it takes to solve our own problems?

As we grapple with today's worldviews of self-sufficiency, we learn more in this lesson what God's Word means by the word "sufficient."

The Greco Roman culture, not unlike our own culture, had no sense of sin. Yet we are again reminded by Paul, who uses the term 164 times, that we are "in Christ." But how do we receive Christ? How do we walk in Him? In this lesson, we learn that our walk experience is how we conduct our life, dependent upon God step by step and moment by moment.

There are four keys in vs. 8 to walking in Christ. We are "rooted", we are "built up"; we are "established"; and we are "abounding". Understanding these concepts determines how your spiritual life grows and progresses.

How well do you know doctrine? How is your own spiritual life growing?

The culture of Asia Minor was known for its different philosophies and a tolerance that different religions were accepted within the culture as having equal value. In modern day 21st century society, we experience the same thing. Yet, the Bible clearly teaches that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of exclusivity. So how then are Christians to "think", living in such a pagan culture? And is there a secret to the Christian life? In this lesson, we begin to learn more about the 30 imperatives that Paul writes about that are to define the Christian life. The centerpiece of the Epistle of Colossians is in vs. 6-15. The core of that centerpiece is in vs. 6 and 7 - "walk in Him". We learn that this is both positional and experiential.