2. AUTHOR & RECIPIENT Colossians 1:1-2; 4:18 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

3. APOSTLE PAUL Jew born in Tarsus Roman citizen Prominent, highly educated (UT) Pharisee Converted going to Damascus, A.D. 35 Primary apostle to the Gentiles Tireless missionary Imprisoned in Caesarea and Rome Died in prison in Rome, A.D. 68

4. COLOSSE Located 100 miles east of Ephesus Colosse, Laodicea, & Hierapolis a tri-city Once prominent became a small town Mixture of Jews and unbelieving Gentiles Home of Philemon, his family & Onesimus Church established by Epaphras while Paul was in Ephesus on his 3 rd journey

5. APOSTLE PAUL

6. COLOSSIAN LETTER Prison letters from Rome: Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, Philippians Delivered by Tychicus and Onesimus A.D. 61-63 Small church in a religious pagan culture Warn against relapse into paganism Warn against heresy: untruth about Christ Exalt the Lord Jesus Christ Emphasize how to live as a Christian

7. WORLDVIEWS Metaphysics: –What is real? Epistemology: –What is true & how do you know? Ethics: –How do you live & by what standard? The new believers in Colosse were having their Christian worldview attacked.

8. DANGER OF RELAPSE Believers converted from unbelief, sensuality, and self-centeredness Evil past: habits and memories Evil culture: in the minority; different Evil “natural” (depraved) residual nature: redeemed but not glorified Satan & demons: constant temptations

9. DANGER OF HERESY Faith is Christ is good, but not enough Faith is Christ is not the essential Minimize Christ’s supremacy & sufficiency Judaistic Ceremonialism necessary Mystical “new religious secrets” Religious visions Angel worship Asceticism necessary Mixture of mysticism, religion, paganism

10. RELEVANCE TO US Naturalism: matter and energy only Modernism: science only not miracles Empiricism: know only through senses Pluralism: no single truth Pragmatism: truth doesn’t matter Relativism: no absolute truth Eastern mysticism: reincarnation Almost Christian: Christ is important, but… Exclusive religions: Christianity is wrong

11. WORLDVIEWS Metaphysics: –What is real? Epistemology: –What is true & how do you know? Ethics: –How do you live & by what standard? Colossians was written & saved because the believers in Temple, Texas are having their Christian worldview attacked.