The apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians while he was in prison in Rome. Like a doctor, Paul listened to what he heard from the Colossians and about them. He diagnosed that there was an infection in their city, a very serious one. It had to be identified and removed for healing to occur. False teachers were teaching that Jesus was not the Lord, just a lord. They were teaching that faith in Jesus was not enough for them to be spiritual. They needed to add other “experiences” to the mix. To contradict this infection, we find in Colossians the greatest declaration of Christ’s deity and sufficiency found in Scripture.

The book of Colossians is all about what believers can know about Christ that is true. It also shows you what God does for you whenever you choose to put your faith in His Son. Colossians shows you how to approach many practical areas of life living God’s way rather than the world’s way. And, it helps you build godly relationships with those around you. The Healthy Living Bible Study will help you to get firmly entrenched in truth you can know so that you can dwell there and stay spiritually healthy. We’ll never know all there is to know about God. There will always be some mystery about Him. But, there’s plenty enough revealed in the Bible to satisfy your desire to know Him truthfully and to know how to live your life in Christ truthfully.

Heresy is an infection in the Body of Christ. It’s not just error. It is anti-truth! And like an infection in the human body, it always affects life so it must be addressed. Thankfully, the answer to all heresy is truth! Knowing truth gives us a spiritual immune system that fights and prevents infection. Infection is bad. Untreated infection can be deadly. Knowing the truth of God that you have in Jesus Christ gives you an immune system that fights and prevents spiritual infection. Let Jesus satisfy your heart needs with His truth and His love so you can get well and stay well. Colossians teaches truth that is the prescription for healthy living. Philemon shows how to live it out.

The prescription for healthy living has three parts. First, you dwell in the truth of God you can know. Next, you humbly accept what you don’t know or understand. And then, you discern any teaching that you read or hear through the complete revelation of God’s Word. These three parts help you to fight spiritual infections or prevent their influence over you.

Every Christian should study Colossians. Christianity is Christ! It is not a lifestyle. It’s not rules of conduct. It’s not a society of people who have joined together by the sprinkling or covering of water. Christianity is a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. In Colossians chapter 1, Paul writes the strongest statement of the supremacy and deity of Jesus as the Christ and the Lord found anywhere in the New Testament. If you have any insecurities about God’s forgiveness of your sins, how to live out the Christian life, and even how to handle relationships, Colossians will teach you truth to apply to those issues as well.

The best way to study the Bible uses the inductive process. First, carefully observe the text. What does it actually say? Then, interpret the text. What was the author’s intended meaning for the audience that would read or hear it, including us today? And finally, apply what you learn. How do you live this out in your life? This is the best way to study the Bible. Look at what is there. Learn what it means and teaches you. Then, live it out in your life. All “Joyful Walk Bible Studies” use the inductive process. 

We recommend working through the book of Philippians, a well-crafted expression of gratitude and joy. This joy comes through your relationship with Jesus Christ. The deeper your relationship with Jesus and with His people the greater the joy that awaits you and the less your joy is dependent on external circumstances. This study of Philippians will encourage you to know Jesus and know joy! If you want an overview of all of Paul’s letters to get a good perspective of what they teach, work through the short and easy study “Grace Overflowing” before studying Colossians. Ask the Lord to show you where to start.