The document provides an overview and summary of the key themes in the New Testament book of Colossians. It discusses that Paul's letter to the Colossians emphasizes complete maturity and growth in Christ. It outlines some of the false doctrines that had influenced the Colossian church. The summary then examines several aspects of maturity according to Colossians, including maturity from Christ as the leader who completely suffered for believers, and maturity of Christians who have complete knowledge of God's will, understanding of Christ, thankfulness, speech, and confidence.

1. The Gospels
Acts of the Apostles
Paul’s Letters
Other Letters
Revelation
A Walkthru’ of the New Testament
Lesson 13: Colossians – Complete Maturity in Christ

2.  Romans – Life Transformation Journey
 1 Corinthians - Heaven’s Gold
 2 Corinthians – Jars of Clay
 Galatians – No longer I
 Ephesians - Pushing Limits
 Philippians - The Mind of Christ
 Colossians – Complete Maturity in Christ
 1 Thessalonians – Cascading Hope
 2 Thessalonians – Confident Hope
 1 Timothy - Fighting Fit
 2 Timothy – Fearless Faithfulness
 Titus – Double Grip
 Philemon – The Avatar

3. EVENT TIMELINE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

4.  Introduction
 Supremacy of Christ
 Maturity from Leader
 Maturity of Christian
 Maturity Checklist/s
 Discussion

5. 28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and
teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we
may present everyone fully mature in
Christ. 29 To this end I
strenuously contend with all the energy Christ
so powerfully works in me. Ch 1

6.  Paul’s letter to the Colossians was written
around 62 A.D., during imprisonment in
Rome.
 Colosse, once significant, was on the wane
 The inhabitants were mostly Gentiles.
 Paul had never visited Colosse.
 He was in contact with Epaphras (founder of
the church which met in Philemon’s
house).[1]

7. Countering false doctrines including primitive Gnosticism,
Paul stresses the divine person and finished nature of the
creative and redemptive work of Christ (1:14-22; 2:8-15).
The following had crept into the Colossian church [2]:
1. Human philosophy based on the traditions of men.
2. Jewish or Judaistic elements
3. Ascetic elements to control the flesh (2:20-23)
4. Worship of angels (2:18)
5. Mystery, secrecy, superiority, in knowledge.

8. In this letter Paul emphasizes
growth and spiritual maturity.
Words like “full”, “fullness”,
“complete”, “overflowing” are used
a number of times both in the
context of Christ’s position in God
and our position in Christ.

9. Supremacy of Christ
•Image of God
•Filled with God
•Head of the Church
•Supreme over creation
•Holds together creation
•Reconciles creation to
himself
Maturity From Leader
•Complete Christ’s suffering
•Completely cover God’s word
•Complete wisdom to teach
•Complete the ministry
received
•Complete prayer support
Maturity of Christian
•Completely know God’s will
•Completely understand Christ
•Complete thankfulness
•Completely seasoned speech
•Complete confidence and
maturity

10. 15 The Son is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn over all creation.16 For
in him all things were created: things in heaven
and on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all
things have been created through him
and for him. 17 He is before all things, and
in him all things hold together. Ch 1

11. 18 And he is the head of the body, the
church; he is the beginning and the
firstborn from among the dead, so that
in everything he might have the
supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have
all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and
through him to reconcile to himself all
things, whether things on earth or things in
heaven, by making peace through his
blood, shed on the cross. Ch 1

12. Image of God
Filled with God
Head of the Church
Supreme over creation
Holds together creation
Reconciles creation to himself

13.  In what ways did the false doctrines in the
Colossian church lower the stature of Christ
 What are the things and people that replace
Christ today?
 In what ways do we as a Church replace
Christ today? – By doctrine? By practice?

14. Complete Christ’s suffering
Completely cover God’s word
Complete wisdom in teaching
Complete the ministry received
Complete prayer support

15. 24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you,
and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in
regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his
body, which is the church. Ch 1
What does it mean by complete Christ’s
suffering?

16. Beautiful Blistered Feet
A missionary walked from village to
village preaching the gospel amidst
many hardships. He was driven out of a
village and exhausted went to sleep
just outside the village.

17. The villagers saw his blistered feet while he
slept and realized that they may have sent
out a man of God who had suffered to give
them a message.

18. So the evangelist filled up the
afflictions of Jesus with his beautiful
blistered feet. He represented Christ
and his sufferings while sharing the
gospel with those who had never heard
it before.

19. 25 I have become its servant by the commission
God gave me to present to you the word of
God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has
been kept hidden for ages and generations,
but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. Ch 1

20. 28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and
teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we
may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
Ch 1

21. 17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete
the ministry you have received in the Lord.” ch
4

22. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant
of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always
wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand
firm in all the will of God, mature and fully
assured. Ch 4

23. In John Maxwell’s words, “Leadership is
influence – nothing more, nothing less”.
As we all influence people knowingly or
unknowingly, discuss how you fare with
respect to the leadership benchmark set in this
epistle:
 Complete Christ’s suffering
 Completely cover God’s word
 Complete wisdom in teaching
 Complete the ministry received
 Complete prayer support

24. “The one indispensable
requirement for
producing godly, mature
Christians is godly,
mature Christians.” –
Kevin DeYoung

25. Complete knowledge of God’s will
Complete in Christ
Complete thankfulness
Completely seasoned speech
Complete confidence and maturity

26.  We continually ask God to fill you with the
knowledge of his will through all the
wisdom and understanding that the Spirit
gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of
the Lord and please him in every way: bearing
fruit in every good work, growing in the
knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with
all power according to his glorious might so
that you may have great endurance and
patience, ch 1

27. 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in
heart and united in love, so that they may have
the full riches of complete understanding, in
order that they may know the mystery of God,
namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Ch 2

28.  ..he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical
body through death to present you holy in his
sight, without blemish and free from
accusation—23 if you continue in your faith,
established and firm, and do not move from
the hope held out in the gospel. Ch 1
 10 and in Christ you have been brought to
fullness.. Ch 2
 2 Set your minds on things above, not on
earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is
now hidden Christ in God. ch 3

29.  16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you
richly as you teach and admonish one
another with all wisdom through
psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit,
singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Ch
3
 5 Be wise in the way you act toward
outsiders; make the most of every
opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be
always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so
that you may know how to answer everyone. Ch 4

30.  12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant
of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always
wrestling in prayer for you, that you may
stand firm in all the will of God, mature and
fully assured. Ch 4
 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your
heart, as working for the Lord, not for human
masters, 24 since you know that you will
receive an inheritance from the Lord
as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are
serving. Ch 3

31. Complete Maturity Checklist
Complete Knowledge of God’s Will
1 Is every work bearing fruit? 
2 Do you have strength and patience to endure all things? 
3 Is your life worthy of Christ? 
4 Do all your actions please God? 
5 Is your knowledge of God continuously increasing? 
Complete in Christ
6 Are you positive you are saved and going to be pure without blemish? 
7 Have you got rid of old practices? 
8 Do you view things from God’s perspective? 
9 Have you developed increased compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness and patience?

10 Have you forgiven as God has forgiven? 

32. Complete Maturity Checklist (Cont’d)
Complete Thankfulness
11 Are you overflowing with thankfulness? 
12 Is God’s glory the motive for all your actions? 
13 In trials does peace rule in your heart? 
14 Do you pray with thankfulness for your leaders? 
Completely Seasoned Speech
15 Is your conversation always full of grace? 
16 When you need to answer someone for your faith, are your words
carefully chosen?

17 Have you learnt to admonish with positive biblical basis? 
Complete Confidence
18 Are you confident you are in the centre of God’s will? 
19 Are you confident that all efforts will be rewarded? 
20 Are you confident you are growing in maturity 

33. Supremacy of Christ
•Image of God
•Filled with God
•Head of the Church
•Supreme over creation
•Holds together creation
•Reconciles creation to
himself
Maturity From Leader
•Complete Christ’s suffering
•Completely cover God’s word
•Complete wisdom to teach
•Complete the ministry
received
•Complete prayer support
Maturity of Christian
•Completely know God’s will
•Completely understand Christ
•Complete thankfulness
•Completely seasoned speech
•Complete confidence and
maturity

34.  In what ways can we share in Christ’s
suffering?
 Practically, how can we put off bad habits and
put on good habits?
 How can we keep our minds at Christ’s level
(ch 3) when the world around and often the
church functions at a lower level?
 In Col 3:18-22, which instruction do you find
most challenging? How do you overcome the
challenges?

35. 1. biblegateway.com
2. bible.org