Raw faith is essential to following Christ.
(Colossians 1:21-23) And you were once alienated and hostile in mind because of your evil actions. But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him – if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the FAITH, and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel, has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a minister of it.
1. The Alienation of Sin
(21) You were once alienated and hostile in mind because of your evil actions.
A. Culture no longer calls sin – sin.
(Hebrews 13:8) Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever.
B. God still calls sin – sin.
C. Sin still alienates men from God.
2. The Reconciliation of Faith
(22-23a) But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him – if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the FAITH, and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard.
A. Faith in Jesus must be undivided.
B. Faith in Jesus must be sincere.
3. The Proclamation of The Gospel
(23) This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a minister of it.
(Romans 1:18-20) God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. From the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what He has made.
A. God has written on the hearts of all men:
a. Every culture in history has embraced the existence of an unseen spirit world.
b. Every culture has acknowledged “superior” spirit beings and worshiped them as gods.
c. Every culture has believed these deities get offended and must be appeased by a sacrifice.
B. The Gospel of Jesus Christ:
a. God is the Superior Being.
b. Sin is what has offended Him.
c. Jesus is the precious sacrifice.
d. FAITH in Jesus is all that saves us.
We should strive to be an example of what it means to be a Christ follower.
Colossians 4:12-17
It’s important to God that we have order in our lives.
Colossians 3:18-4:1
Keep Christ at the center of our worship, our walk and our lives.
Colossians 2:16-23
