Colossians 1:23

23. if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.

Translation and Paraphrase

23. (While Christ has reconciled you and designs to present you faultless before God, this will happen only) if you preserve in the faith, builded upon the foundation, and firm, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you heard about (and which has been) preached in all (the) creation under heaven, (and) of which I Paul was made a minister, (that is, a minister of the gospel).

Notes

1.

If we desire to be in that number when the saints go marching in and to be presented before God holy and without blemish, there is a condition that we must meet: we must continue in the faith. Compare Hebrews 4:14.

2.

The necessity of continuing in the faith is the theme of the whole book of Hebrews. It is stated briefly here in Colossians 1:23. If we shrink back from the faith, we shrink back unto perdition (destruction). Hebrews 10:39.

3.

The aim and obligation of reconciliation:

(1)

Aimholiness.

(2)

Obligationsteadfastness.

4.

Paul describes the condition of those who continue in the faith as grounded (which literally means builded upon a foundation), and steadfast (immoveable), and not moved away from the hope of the gospel (the hope presented in gospel). 1 Corinthians 15:58. Concerning the hope in the gospel, see notes on Colossians 1:5.

5.

Paul's allusion to the hope of the gospel caused him to make two observations about the gospel:

(1) It was preached in all creation under heaven.

(2) Paul himself had been made a minister of the gospel. (Paul's reference here to his ministry led into the following section, Colossians 1:24-29; Colossians 2:1-5.)

6.

The fact that the gospel was preached in all creation under heaven in the first century alone, shows that the gospel can be spread over the world in one generation. We seem to lack the faith or the courage to attempt to do this. Compare notes on Colossians 1:6.

In Matthew 24:14 Jesus said, This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come. In view of the fact that Paul said that in his generation alone the gospel had been preached in all creation, we cannot say that the end cannot come yet because the gospel has not been preached in all nations.

Study and Review

34.

What condition must we meet if we are to be presented as holy unto God? (Colossians 1:23)

35.

Explain the term grounded, (Colossians 1:23)

36.

From what must we not be moved away?

37.

Where did we learn of our hope?

38.

Where had the gospel been preached within Paul's lifetime?

39.

To what does the whereof in Colossians 1:23 refer? (Or, to put it in another way, Of what had Paul been made a minister?)