Smoodock's Blog

Paul warns us in Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Now, I’ve already highlighted this verse in my study immediately preceding this one. However, I want to discuss it further, because, for the most part, I don’t think many Christians are cognizant of the gravity of Paul’s mention of these folks. I know, at least for me, Paul’s words are very enlightening and offer credence to other matters I’ve come to understand through previous studies.

Other than addressing vestiges of their former pagan worldview, I don’t believe Paul was saying the Colossian church was plagued with one or more groups of false teachers who had overcome the believers’ faith, as was done earlier by Judaizers in the churches of Galatia. There, Paul claimed believers had been removed from Christ to follow another gospel (Galatians 1:6), and he wondered if their walk in Christ had been in vain (Galatians 3:1-5). Nevertheless, concerning his Epistle to the Colossians, Paul describes believers there as “saints and faithful brethren in Christ” (Colossians 1:2), and he thanks God for them (verse-3), concluding that the Gospel of Christ is bearing fruit in them, as it does throughout the world (verse-6).

Why would Paul say these things to and about the church of God in Colossae, if their faith had been overcome by false teachers? The problem, at least as I understand it, is, when we come to Christ, we come to him, while we still have a lot of baggage. We come with a worldview that doesn’t quite fit in with our walk with Christ. It seems to me that Paul was addressing things in the Colossian church that he would have addressed immediately upon preaching the Gospel, but he didn’t raise up this church, did he (Colossians 1:5-7)? That was done by a man named Epaphras. Who is he?

Some scholars believe Epaphras was a missionary who had founded the church at Colossae and, possibly, also at Laodicea and Hierapolis. However, I cannot agree with this understanding. The manner in which Paul had to acquaint the Colossians with Christ, as he truly is (Colossians 1:15-20), seems to imply that their teacher, Epaphras, was, himself, ignorant of these things about his Savior. Instead, I believe it is more likely that Epaphras was a merchant, who was probably introduced to Christ, while on a business trip, perhaps in Galatia or in Ephesus, or one of the other churches that Paul raised up. Wherever he learned of Christ, he wasn’t there long enough to become fully grounded in his new faith. Nevertheless, like almost every new believer who comes to know Jesus, today, he wants to share him with other folks, and this is how, I believe, the Colossians came to understand who Jesus is. Thus, the immaturity of their faith, including their lack of correct understanding of who Christ really is, was passed on to the church(s) Epaphras founded.

What, then, is our take-away, if a lot of what we’ve done is wrong and was done in ignorance? On the other hand, what is to become of us, who have force-fitted Christ into a wrong worldview? How do we, who love Christ, but either have done or have believed things that aren’t really Christ, fit into the Body of Christ? Are we truly Christian?

First of all, I don’t believe we should feel guilty of wrongdoing. Neither Epaphras nor the church at Colossae were criticized by Paul. On the contrary, he describes Epaphras as a fellow laborer and faithful minister (Colossians 1:7), also a servant of Christ (Colossians 4:13) and a fellow prisoner (Philemon 1:23). Whatever the reason why Epaphras was in Rome, whether on business or sent there by the church at Colossae to know Paul’s state, or for some other unknown reason, the fact is, he was at that time being trained by Paul, as an informed disciple of Christ.

As for the church of Christ at Colossae, Paul addressed them as faithful brethren (Colossians 1:2), who were now being taken under the wings of Paul and other mature Christians, and informed of the things they ought to know and understand (Colossians 1:1-2; 4:7-9).

Ignorance isn’t a sin or something one needs to feel guilty over. Neither is Christ ashamed of folks who are ignorant, but call upon his name. Instead, he stands ready to inform the ignorant of all they should know, when and if they are ready to receive accurate knowledge about himself. While childlike ignorance isn’t sinful in itself, willful ignorance or a desire to remain immature does miss the mark, as that pertains to where Christ wants us to be. Willful ignorance betrays one’s fear to change and to face one’s mistakes and be numbered with those who love the truth. Yet, even under these circumstances, the Lord is patient, non-condemning, and waits for us to be ready to walk with him to an ever increasing maturity in the faith.