I like to receive letters. In fact, I even prefer to hand write letters when wanting to communicate with loved ones and friends. The written letter is something that is personal, friendly and engaging. You sense the fact that the author of a handwritten letter is really interested in you because he has taken the time to actually write the letter to you in the first place.
This is the case with the Apostle Paul. He wrote a letter to the Church of Colosse. And in this letter he wrote some very interesting things about the Lord Jesus and how they were to live according to Him. It is a letter that many a preacher has preached and many a teacher has taught. It is certainly a letter that we should all learn to apply to our lives. For the truths that the Apostle Paul writes according to inspiration of the Holy Spirit were valid then as they are very valid even today.
Read how Paul begins his letter to the church at Colosse:
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:1, 2)
Paul establishes in these opening sentences the authority by which he is writing the Church of Colosse. He is an apostle of Jesus by the will of God. If you know anything about Paul you will recall that prior to his salvation his name was Saul (Acts 8:1). Read how he describes himself in Philippians 3:3-6:
If anyone among the Jews had it all it was Saul! He was a learned man in the Law but his heart was wicked and dark as he was a persecutor of the church.He was circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
But there was a dramatic change in him. Acts 9 records for us that Saul was confronted by the Lord Jesus and Saul's life was forever changed. He no longer went by Saul but Paul. He was called that day by the Lord Jesus to work for Him, to write for Him, to live for Him and to help establish the church for Him. Paul was a called out one, a messenger for the Lord Jesus and this was because of the will of God. Paul thought that he was serving God, but in reality he was His enemy. God, however, had a different plan for him. He had a plan for him to be His messenger.
Now Paul's son in the faith, Timothy, was with him when he wrote this letter. And Paul addresses this letter to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse. It was an established church that was filled with those who had come to faith in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were saints; they were set apart like Paul according to the will of God. And they are described as faithful brethren. They understood the faithfulness of God toward them. After all, He was the One who saved them. Therefore, they exercised their faithfulness toward the Lord.
Now the salutation of the letter is this: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. What a great way to start a letter. It is really a prayer that God would grant to those saints and faithful brethren His grace and His peace. His grace is greater than all our sin. His peace is peace that passes all understanding. Paul is praying that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ would grant this special grace and special peace to the Church of Colosse. Grace is seen in the fact that they are living and receiving this letter from the Apostle Paul. Peace is only found in the Lord Jesus.
From the Apostle Paul, greetings and salutations!
