Colossians 1: 5 – Love because of the expectation

… and the love which you have for all the saints, because of the expectation reserved for you in the heavens, which you hear before in the word of truth of the Evangel…

Paul had heard from Epaphras about the faith in Christ Jesus among the Colossians and about their love for all the saints. Both faith (= trust) and love (Gr. agape = unconditional love) come from within. No person can produce this on their own, let alone give it to someone else. The faith and love that operated among the Colossians was the outworking of “the word of the truth of the Evangel.”

One could read the above text as meaning that “the expectation” of the Colossians is the reason for Paul’s thanksgiving. It is more obvious to understand that the Colossians had love for all the saints because of the common expectation laid up for them in the heavens. People did not look at each other based on the past, but from hope and expectation! After all, we will be revealed together with Christ in glory in the future (Col.3:4). Anyone who looks at others in this way sees no sin or failure, but only perfect glory. What a motive to love others!

Delen: