Colossians: Full Redemption
Who has delivered us out from the authority of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in Whom we have full redemption; the forgiveness of sins, Colossians 1:13, 14
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A Gathered of People (δημος)
Demos (δημος) means a gathered people. It is distinct in use from a crowd (ὄχλος) or an assembly (ἐκκλησία). Demos is organized, where a crowd is chaotic.
When the Jews learned of Paul’s success in preaching the Gospel of the risen Christ, they sought out malignantly evil men to cause an uproar in the city. When they came to where they assumed Paul was residing, after not finding him, they grabbed the owner of the house and brought him out to the gathered people, Acts 17:5. Demos (δημος) is not the same concept as an assembly (ἐκκλησία), which describes a group of people brought together for a common reason, such as with the Ephesians gathering because Demetrius and his fellow tradesmen stirred up the city against Paul and the saints in Ephesus because faith in Christ was threatening their profits from selling idols, Acts 19:39.
Peter uses a form of “demos (δημος)”, which means to be a pilgrim – alongside the gathered people. 1 Peter is written to the elect pilgrims of the dispersion of Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 1 Peter 1:1. Through his letter, Peter encourages us to abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul while we are out among the Gentiles, for we are sojourners and pilgrims in the world, 1 Peter 2:11.
Using the concept of a gathered people, Paul describes what happens to Christians when they pass away before the Lord returns.
Indeed, we are confident and well pleased rather to be absent (out from the gathered people) out from the body and at home (in the gathered people) facing the Lord, 2 Corinthians 5:8.
Although not all saints of the Church will face death, for when Christ returns, those who are […]
Possession (περιποίησις)
Possession (περιποίησις) describes one’s personal property. It is rooted around the concept of what you are doing or making. Therefore, possession is not equivalent to acquiring (κτάομαι) as one who purchases citizenship, Acts 22:28, or has gold and silver, Matthew 10:9.
The Church is a personal possession of God, set apart as a royal priesthood, and chosen to proclaim the praise of the One Who called her out from darkness into His marvelous light, 1 Peter 2:9. Therefore, Christ gave the Church the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of her inheritance until the full redemption of the possession, Ephesians 1:14, for she is called to possess His glory, 2 Thessalonians 2:14.
When Christ ascended, He gave gifts to men. One of these gifts is a Pastor even teacher, who is responsible for the edification of the assembly to bring her to a oneness of the faith until a full experiential knowledge of the Son of God so that she is no longer tossed around by every wind of teaching by the trickery of men seeking to deceive her. Therefore, the Pastor is to take heed to himself so that he oversees and shepherds the assembly, for Christ purchased her through His blood and, consequently, she belongs to Him, Acts 20:28. Pastors who serve well in this duty will possess a good standing and great boldness in the faith, 1 Timothy 3:13.
The tribulation period is a time of judgment. First upon the dispensation of law, then in the latter half judgment upon the Gentiles. The Church will not be upon the earth at this time because God has not appointed her to any wrath but to possess salvation, 1 Thessalonians 5:9.
As possessions (περιποίησις) of God, for He is […]
Brought to an Intended End (τέλειος)
In First Corinthians chapter thirteen verse ten, Paul writes of a time when a complete thing (τέλειος) will render ineffective that which is out from a part. Due to poor translations and hermeneutics applied to this passage, a lot of confusion has resulted from using “perfect”, especially around the conclusion of the use of specific Spiritual gifts and prophecy within the assembly. The Greek word τέλειος (telios), found in First Corinthians chapter thirteen verse ten, does not carry the same meaning as the English concept of “perfect”; rather, it conveys completion through bringing something to its intended end. Whether or not it is without flaw has to do with what the goal, or intent, was for that thing.
When Scripture articulates the concept of maturity concerning a human, it refers to a person’s lifestyle upon the earth, not in their resurrected state. Otherwise, it indicates completion, such as with the greater and more complete Tabernacle in the heavens that Christ entered into to obtain eternal salvation in Hebrews chapter nine verse eleven. In First Corinthians chapter two verse six, Paul writes that he speaks a wisdom for the mature, not a wisdom of this malignantly evil age. Paul uses the same concept of maturity while addressing the Christians in Jerusalem who went back to living under law and, therefore, were not training their senses to discern what is proper from what lacks in character. Solid food is for the mature, whereas milk is for the inarticulate babbler, Hebrews chapter five verse fourteen. Due to their lack of maturity, they need someone again to teach them the basics of the oracles of God. In First Corinthians chapter fourteen verse twenty, Paul uses τέλειος (telios) for maturity […]
Image and Likeness
In the first chapter of Genesis, Scripture records that God states He would make man in His image and likeness, Genesis 1:26. However, by Genesis 5:3, after the fall of Adam, the likeness and image of humans is that of Adam, for he passed on his corrupt nature to his children, Genesis 5:3.
The concept of image (צֶ֫לֶם – tsĕ-lĕm) is that which has a similar appearance. When examining God’s appearance, we find that He dwells in light, 1 Timothy 6:16; therefore, when God created Adam, He wrapped him in light so that Adam would have a similar image. When Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, they were stripped of this image, Genesis 3:7. It is worthy to note here that the word used in Genesis 3:7, often translated as naked (עֲרוּמִּ֔ים), actually means stripped (עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם). They both knew they were stripped, for they could visibly see that they had lost their covering. However, this does not mean that the similarity to God was lost entirely to humans, for Adam was made in the image of God. This is why, after the Noahic flood in the dispensation of government, a new rule is placed upon the household that if a man sheds the blood of another man, his life is to be forfeit, Genesis 9:6. Although Adam was created in a state of innocence (not knowing good and evil) and resided in the garden during a time when there was no sin upon the earth, his offspring inherit his corrupt nature resulting from the penalties of spiritual and physical death for his trespass and sin, which brought death into this world, Romans 5:12, 17.
In the realm of false religions, an image refers to the […]