How to Read and Understand Colossians

Do you ever feel like you are getting information overload? Each day we get notifications from Facebook, Instagram, Email, the news, sports, books (maybe?), and that is not including any sort of relational information we are getting. Friends, family, co-workers, and strangers all send us signals and messages that we are constantly reading to understand the world in which we live. 

So my question for you is, how are you processing that information, and how do you interpret what is true? 

When Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians, he had never visited before, but he had heard what was happening there from Epaphras. In a nutshell, the church of Colossians was getting culture mixed up with their Christianity. They were incorporating things that were not required to be a believer in the mix of what they were saying was true. Paul calls this what it is - false teaching. 

I love the way Paul addresses it though because he doesn’t simply tell them what not to do and not to believe, but he tells them what is true and what they should believe. He emphasizes who Jesus is, and how Christ is the key to understanding everything we need. 

So let’s circle back around to all the information we get each day. How do we decide what information is important and what information is good for our lives? The answer is knowing the person and character of Jesus. Getting to know Jesus personally helps us to understand and filter everything else in our lives. We can’t know Jesus personally if we are not studying the Word. Go ahead and try it. See if it doesn’t change your life. 

WHEN READING COLOSSIANS, LOOK FOR:

-Paul addressing the false teachings

-Characteristics of who Jesus is

-Encouragement and warnings for the church at Colossae