“If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;”
My Notes
What Does Colossians 1:23 Mean?
Paul describes the condition for the Colossians' hope: if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. The hope is secure. The condition is continuation.
"Grounded and settled" — two architectural terms. Grounded means having a foundation. Settled means stable, firm, not easily displaced. The faith has a foundation and a structure. Both are necessary.
"Be not moved away from the hope of the gospel" — the danger is drift, not dramatic departure. Being moved away is gradual, subtle, and often imperceptible until you are far from where you started.
"Which ye have heard" — the gospel they received at the beginning. Paul is not introducing new teaching. He is calling them to persist in what they already know. The danger is not ignorance of the gospel. It is abandonment of it.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Where are you subtly drifting from the gospel you first received?
- 2.What does being 'grounded and settled' look like — what practices anchor you?
- 3.How is gradual drift more dangerous than dramatic departure?
- 4.What would it take to re-ground yourself in the hope of the gospel this week?
Devotional
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled. The if is the challenge. The faith is real. The hope is genuine. The gospel is true. But it requires continuation — staying, persisting, not drifting.
Grounded and settled. Not tossed about. Not shifting with every wind. Grounded — having roots deep enough that the storms do not uproot you. Settled — stable enough that the noise does not destabilize you.
Be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. Moved away. Not running away — moved. Gradually. Almost imperceptibly. The drift that happens when you stop paying attention. One degree at a time until you are facing a completely different direction.
Which ye have heard. The gospel Paul is calling them to continue in is not a new gospel. It is the one they heard at the beginning. The danger is not that they need more truth. It is that they are abandoning the truth they already have.
Are you continuing? Not just believing — continuing. Not just having started — persisting. The faith that saves is the faith that stays. And the staying requires being grounded, settled, and unmoved.
Where are you drifting? One degree at a time, barely noticeable, slowly moving away from the hope you started with?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
If ye continue in the faith,.... In the doctrine of faith which they had received and embraced; and in the grace of…
If ye continue in the faith - In the belief of the gospel, and in holy living. If this were done, they would be…
If ye continue in the faith - This will be the case if you, who have already believed in Christ Jesus, continue in that…
Here is a summary of the doctrine of the gospel concerning the great work of our redemption by Christ. It comes in here…
if With a certain emphasis in the Greek, pressingon the saints the need of watching and prayer; a need which leaves…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture