God Defines Us and Our Relationships with Regard to His Son - Colossians 1-2

Colossians 1:1-2 (ESV)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

It is easy to rush right through the opening lines of these New Testament letters.  After all, before we read them we already know who the letters are from and who they are written to.  It is also easy to skip them because when we write a letter or email, the introduction is much less important. 

In these NT letters, however, we can find some great truth to meditate upon and to make behavioral adjustments to our living.  In the above we have two of those truths:

1.  Paul identifies himself as an Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God.   It should be noted that who we are in Christ is by the will of God.   We like to think that who we are is who we have made ourselves to be.   We often start the beginnings of conversations talking about who we are and our type of job(s) or role(s).  However, Paul wants this audience to know that he is who he is because God chose to make him who he is; an apostle.    We ought to take note of that and adjust our mindset and behavior to be submissive to God’s rule over us.   

2.  He is writing to the saints and brothers in Christs at the church in the city of Colossae.  These are not just friends of Pauls.   They are saints and brothers in Christ.  That carries so much more meaning than friends or something else Paul could have called them. Our relationship with each others is defined by our relationship with Him.   We are brothers and saints because we have a relationship with the Father, through the Son, that unites us in a unique way.   Note these other introductions in the NT:

Philippians 1:1 (ESV)

Greeting

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

Romans 1:7 (ESV)

To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:2 (ESV)

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

2 Corinthians 1:1 (ESV)

Greeting

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

Galatians 1:1-2 (ESV)

Greeting

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

We could go on and on.  The point is, who we are with God and each others has everything to do with who we are in Christ.  It has nothing to do with the earthly models of friends, work colleagues, partners, team members, etc.  It has everything to do with our being children of God, together with Him.   The best way to be identified is based upon our relationship with Him.