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Faith In Christ

Text: Colossians 1:4

What can cause a person to find such joy in praying for others? We catch a glimpse of the source of joy in the following text.

“Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus
and of your love for all the saints.”

Colossians 1:4

1. “Since we heard”

a) The word “since” may also be translated “when”.

b) The construction in the Greek text suggests that it is a temporal participle to signify.

i) Paul had learned of the faith of the Colossians from Ephaphras.

ii) When he heard of their faith his heart gave thanks to God the Father.

2. Two aspects were highlighted

a) “Faith in Christ Jesus”

i) The heart should rejoice when it hears of people coming to faith in Christ.

ii) Faith in Christ means that salvation has been wrought for the soul.

iii) A sinner has been redeemed.

iv) He is now a child of God and is part of the community of the saint and brotherhood.

b) “And”

i) The word “and” (Greek “kai”) is the most common of all the conjunctions used in the Greek New Testament.

ii) It is always challenging to ask how the “kai” was used.

iii) The conjunction “and” may be seen as connective.

iv) In which case the conjunction simply joins “faith and love”.

v) But it is probably more than just a plain connection here.

vi) The conjunction “kai” can be used in an adjunctive manner.

c) “And of your love for all the saints”

i) Faith in Christ produced a special sense of love for other people.

ii) The adjunctive use of the word “and” would highlight this love for the saints.

iii) This love stems from genuine faith in Christ.