Colossians 4:13 – Faith in Action

Picture: Yellow "MEN AT WORK" sign with men kneeling in prayer.

I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. 

Summary: This passage invites us to indulge in the heart of meditation: Imagining what is possible. 

This passage is a bit of a puzzle. 

Paul is vouching for Epaphras’s work. Unfortunately, all we know for certain is that he is “working hard” and that the work is “for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.” 

What could he be doing? 

Let’s indulge in a bit of guesswork. 

We know that Epaphras was a Colossian and a “faithful minister in Christ.” We also know that Paul considered him a faithful minister … “on our behalf” (Colossians 1:7). 

Our initial assumption was that Paul had sent Epaphras to Colossae to share the Gospel there, and this still could be true. Laodicea and Hierapolis are both close to Colossae (within a day’s walk). It is possible that Epaphras extended his mission work to both places, starting those churches as well. 

Now, this is where we have to exercise our imaginations. 

What if those three churches decided to send Epaphras out as a missionary? Specifically, they wanted him to help Paul in his ministry. 

If that is the case, then Paul’s statement in our passage makes perfect sense. Epaphras is on a mission. 

One of the things we learned about Epaphras in verse twelve is that he is “always wrestling in prayer.”

As a person who is from Colossae, this also makes sense. His heart is with those at home. As a missionary, he has seen firsthand what Paul is up against. He has seen his physical battles and his spiritual ones. He is concerned for his friends and family, the believers he left behind. 

Together, both verses remind us that we are at war. Epaphras knows the “spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12) are everywhere. He understands what is at stake. 

Our information about Epaphras might be sketchy, but the facts portray a man devoted to the Lord and passionate about the Gospel. The pieces of this sketched puzzle come together in a portrait of faith in action. 

Application: Follow Epaphras’s example in prayer. 

Food for Thought: What other kinds of work might Epaphras have been doing?

Please click ‘’Continue Reading” for comments.

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Colossians 3:16c – Something to Think About

Country church.

… as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom…

Summary: Paul’s words on teaching and admonishing lead us to reflect on what the Lord’s church was intended to be and to meditate on what it might become in the future.

When was the last time you attended a church where the Statement of Beliefs page included these words, “Members are expected to teach and admonish one another with all wisdom”? 

I’m guessing the answer is, “Never.” 

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Colossians 2:19b – In Search of a Body

A crowd of people in the style of a stained glass window. Each person is depicted with an aura around their head.

… from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Summary: The body Paul describes can seem elusive in a world marked by divisions in the church. Exploring the concept in more detail leads us to a place of hope and introspection. 

Paul raises a very interesting question in this passage: Does the body grow from the head? 

It seems like a silly thought, but then I’ve never seen how the body of a human (or anything else) begins life. The miracle of life always begins hidden away from sight. 

However, if we use the body as a metaphor for an organization, then yes, it begins with the head. Jesus is not only the “head” of the church, he is also the heart and the soul. 

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Colossians 2:16a – Only Jesus

Therefore do not let anyone judge you …

Summary: Paul continues to explain what it means to be a believer in Jesus. Human rules count for nothing. All that matters is faith in our Savior.

As I sat down to write this meditation, I was debating with myself about whether or not I should tackle the whole verse. The more I stared at it, the more the first seven words cried out for special attention. So … before you judge me, know that I at least thought about including the whole verses before I chopped it up.

When Paul says, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you …” I tend to think to myself, “Yeah, right.” How does Paul expect us to stop people from judging us? On top of this is a larger question: How is the church supposed to function if people are not to judge?

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Colossians 2:8d – The Path to Unity

…rather than on Christ.

Summary: As we come to the end of this verse, Paul points us, once again, to the only one who can save us: Jesus. 

Wait a minute! How did we get here again? 

Let’s review: 

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)

In this one sentence, Paul has outlined a major threat to those of us who believe in Jesus. A “hollow and deceptive philosophy” is a persuasive argument that looks substantial on the outside but inside is empty, void of any real value. 

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Colossians 2:8b – A Touchy Subject

… which depends on human tradition …

Summary: This passage continues Paul’s thoughts on protecting the church from “hollow and deceptive philosophy.” The challenging part is trying to figure out what he is talking about.

In this passage, Paul explains a bit more about the “hollow and deceptive” philosophies that he has in mind. Here, he adds that they depend on “human tradition.” Interestingly, the word Paul uses for “tradition” has a particular meaning in Greek. 

Parádosis” is the Greek word for “a precept; specially, the Jewish traditionary law:—ordinance, tradition” (Strong’s G3862). It appears that he was thinking of the Jewish believers who insisted that circumcision was still necessary for salvation (See Galatians 2:12 and Titus 1:10). 

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