Finding True Peace (Colossians 1:1-2).

Class Outline:

Thursday July 2, 2026

 

Intro: 

 

COL 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God

 

An apostle is a man appointed by God and sent by God to attend to the needs of others by showing them the truth about Christ.

 

Today, we have the apostle’s letters or epistles. Though an epistle concerns a certain people, in our case, Colossae, and a certain situation, infiltration of false doctrine in a small church in Asia 2000 years ago, the truth in the epistle is eternal because the solution to their problem is the truth about the dignity and sole sufficiency of Jesus Christ as the Mediator and Head of all creation and the church. That truth will never change and so the 2000 year old, 1500 word letter, is timeless with some of the most important truths of all time. 

 

One of those truths is peace. 

 

Main idea: Peace for the believer is first being reconciled to God by justification through the cross of Christ and then he will experience a disposition of peace. 

 

COL 1:2

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 

 

1. Defining peace: 

 

Peace: eirene - a state of well being or peace corresponding to the Hebrew Shalom (health, welfare). 

 

Harmony in relationship. 

EPH 4:3

being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

 

We cannot have peace with one another unless we have peace with God. It is right in the text. 

 

“Peace [to you] from God our Father.” 

 

2. Knowing you have peace with God gives inner peace and peace with others. 

 

Paul desires all to live in the peace that they have with God. Every believer in Christ has peace with God.

 

The more you understand your peace with God and live your life by its reality, the greater will be your experience of peace, within yourself and with others. 

 

What is, then, peace with God? 

 

Reconciliation: the relationship sphere of salvation. 

 

Reconciliation (katallasso, apokatallasso): to exchange hostility for a friendly relationship. 

 

3. The problem is you. 

 

ROM 5:10

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life

 

God doesn’t change. That’s a problem for us. We have to change. How do we change? 

 

The problem is on our end. Enmity is our fault. 

 

EPH 2:16

through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity

 

4. You must change: 

 

All who believe are given new birth and entered into Christ. 

 

Redeemed: 

EPH 1:7-8

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us.

 

God propitiated: 

ROM 3:23-25

 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith

 

Imputed righteousness: 

2CO 5:21

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

 

Sanctified (saint): 

HEB 10:14

For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 

 

Made complete: 

COL 2:9-10

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

 

All together, along with other matters: crucified and resurrected with Him, elected, adopted as sons and daughters with inheritance, ransomed (redeemed): it all points to another wonderful word used - justification. 

 

Justification: a declaration by God respecting the Christian that he has been made forever right and acceptable to Himself. [L.S. Chafer]

 

The unmistakable theme of sacrifice that runs throughout all passages about the cross means that Christ died for us, in our place. 

 

5. And here’s another beautiful part to this: In reconciliation, we were not involved. 

 

The sinner is not involved. He does not offer the sacrifice (“I lay down My life … no one takes it from Me.”).

 

Nor can the sinner be the sacrifice (not qualified). God gives Christ to the world in order to effect reconciliation and Christ stands in the place of men to offer Himself to God, to expiate (hilasmos) the sin of the people. In His death there is a double movement. Christ represents God with men, but in it He also represents men with God. 

 

1TI 2:5-6

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

 

There can be no reconciliation without our being justified through the atoning work of Christ. 

 

Conclusion:

 

Christ made peace for us with God by standing in our place and dying for us. Christ changed us and satisfied the Father’s judgment.

 

Because we are forever justified, we are reconciled to God and therefore have peace with God forever.

 

ROM 5:1-11

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

 

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

 

Now the believer can see the path to the disposition of peace, that tranquility within and also that harmony in the midst of relationships.

 

Is sin ruining your peace? Confess for you are forgiven. Repent for you have been accepted.

 

Is a lack of success ruining your peace? You are a son or daughter in the house of the Lord - forever.

 

Do you have fear? God is your Father. You are at peace with Him. You can draw near to Him.

 

Is your marriage full of conflict? Speak to one another about the reconciliation you both have with God. That blessing, you will find to be bigger than any problems. Forgive one another for God in Christ has forgiven you.

 

Do you have a personality clash with someone? They have peace with God as you, if a believer, and may have that same peace tomorrow if an unbeliever. You are not looking at the finished product when you are looking at anyone.

 

Examine the areas of your own soul in which life often robs your peace and then apply to it these principles you heard.