GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES.
Vers. 3–5. Good News and its Good Effects.
I. The good news, what it was.—That certain at Colossæ had not only the Gospel, but had known the grace of God in truth, and were now joined to Christ by faith and to His people by love.
II. What were the results.—1. Abundant thanksgiving to the God of redemption. 2. Constant prayer. 3. This epistle.
III. Application.—1. It is well that ministers should be informed of the success of the Gospel, both for their own encouragement and to secure their sympathy, prayers, and counsel for the young converts. 2. Established Christians and especially ministers should assure young converts of the gratitude, joy, and sympathy they feel and the prayers they present on their behalf. 3. If our hearts are right, we shall rejoice at the success of the Gospel.—Preacher’s Magazine.
Ver. 5. Hope a Stimulus to Christian Perseverance—
- In gaining the heavenly reward.
- Because the heavenly reward is secure.—“Laid up for you.”
- Is based on truth already known.—“Whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel.”
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Verses 6–8.
The True Gospel universally the Same.
Wherever the Gospel comes it carries with it the ineffaceable impress of its Divine origin, and of its universal adaptability to the condition of humanity. There are certain truths that are self-evident to the understanding and are not susceptible of proof. They are axiomatic and must be admitted as such before any satisfactory system can be constructed upon them. Of this character are the fundamental truths of the Gospel. Their authority is supreme, and their evidential force irresistible. But a truth may be universally self-evident, and not be universally adopted. It is at this point the guilt of the unbeliever is incurred. The Gospel comes to mankind with ever-accumulating evidences of its Divine truthfulness; but men resist it. This is the condemnation. “He that believeth on the Son is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already” (John iii. 18). The false teachers, against whom the apostle warns the Colossians, sought to spoil the Gospel by the intermixture of ideas from Jew and Gentile.