This week, we launched a brand new series titled Faith Under Pressure, a journey through the book of Colossians. Written by the Apostle Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome around AD 60-62, this letter was sent to a church he had likely never visited personally. Yet, his love for them—and for us—shines through as he addresses how to maintain faith when the world tries to squeeze us into its mold.
Orthodoxy Before Orthopraxy
Paul structures his letter with a specific purpose: Orthodoxy before Orthopraxy. This fancy theological phrase simply means that “right doctrine” (what we believe) must come before “right practice” (how we live).
Why does this matter? Because “stinking thinking leads to stinking living”. Everything we do begins as a thought. If we want our actions to honor God, we must first capture our thoughts and ensure our beliefs are grounded in the supremacy of Christ. When we get the right doctrine, it naturally leads to the right living.
A Pastor’s Prayer for You
Even though Paul hadn’t met the Colossians, he prayed for them with a deep, shepherding heart. His prayer in Colossians 1 reveals three specific desires that we should also desire for ourselves and one another:
- Filled with the Knowledge of His Will: This isn’t just intellectual head knowledge; it is relational. It’s about knowing God intimately—the way a spouse knows their partner. It is about having your affections stirred for the presence of God so that you aren’t just reciting Scripture, but living it.
- Walk in a Manner Worthy of the Lord: Paul prays that our “walk” would match our “words”. If we claim to be followers of Christ, our lives shouldn’t contradict that claim. We want to represent the Kingdom well, ensuring that we aren’t hypocrites but are living out the truth we profess.
- Strengthened for Endurance and Patience: Paul prays for strength, but not necessarily for an easy life. He prays for strength “according to His glorious might” for the purpose of endurance and patience. God doesn’t always remove us from the struggle, but He gives us the power to “shine even in the struggle” with joy.
Transferred and Transformed
The foundation of our endurance is gratitude. Paul reminds us to give thanks because the Father has “transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son”.
To be transferred means to be moved from one condition to another. We have been moved from incarceration to freedom, from condemnation to forgiveness, and from the enemy’s kingdom to God’s family. Because of this transfer, we are now “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ”.
Your worth is rooted in who you belong to, not in what you do. You don’t live to earn God’s love; you live from it. Just as a loving father doesn’t disown his children when they make mistakes, God’s love for you is unconditional and eternal.
Father, thank You for transferring me from darkness into Your marvelous light. I confess that sometimes my thoughts are not aligned with Your truth, and my walk does not always match my words. Fill me today with an intimate knowledge of Your will. I ask for Your strength—not just to escape my struggles, but to endure them with patience and joy. Thank You that my worth is settled because I am Your child and a co-heir with Christ. Help me to live from that love today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Our mission at ONE is that No ONE Walks Alone. If you know someone who is feeling the pressure of life right now, share this post with them to remind them of their inheritance and freedom in Christ.
