Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 34 Q.

But as He inspired the Apostle Paul to write the letter to the Colossians, the Holy Spirit pulls the We know this because of several passages in the Bible like Colossians 1:16.

You probably don't think of yourself in the same glowing terms the Bible does, but you should! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 102 Q. May we swear by saints or other creatures? A. No. A legitimate oath means calling upon God as the one who knows my heart to witness to my truthfulness and to punish me if I swear falsely. No creature is worthy of such honor Summary Too often we treat the introductions to Paul's letters in the Bible the same way we treat the wrapping paper on a birthday present. As beautiful as it is in and of itself, we're not interested in the wrapping paper, but in the substance of the present it introduces. So we rip through it eager to get a what comes next. But every so often it's good to just stop and admire the beautiful greetings that introduce these tremendous books of the Bible. Often the theology present in these opening paragraphs is every bit as substantial as it is in the body of the letters themselves. One of the reasons it's tempting to quickly move past the introductions is that they seem so repetitive. Nearly all of the epistles (letters) in the Bible open with the phrase "Grace and peace to you..." Because we see it so often, our eye almost automatically skips over it. But let that sink in for a moment. These are the words that God greets you with; the same holy, just and perfectly righteous God that you rebelled against in sin and who has every right to unleash never ending wrath upon you, now offers you grace and peace. This is the same greeting you'll hear from Him when you go to His house this coming Lord's Day. The reason God extends grace and peace to you is because of what He considers you to be: this greeting is extended to the saints. Dig Deeper Your first reaction to being described as a saint is probably that there must be some mistake. After all, the word saint literally means 'holy,' and you're likely quite aware of how unholy you are. It seems like the term saint ought to be used sparingly; certainly Peter and Paul were saints, as were the other apostles, along with significant martyrs and heroes of the faith throughout history. They weren't perfect, but they were pretty close. But God doesn't extend His grace & mercy to sorta-saints. Almost perfect isn't perfect, which is what God requires. Ironically, it's this distinction that qualifies you for the sainthood. Peter and Paul, and St. Joseph, St. Francis and St. Patrick and dozens of other 'saints' all were tremendous people and most certainly heroes of the faith, but that's not why God considers them to be saints. No, God considers these men saints for the same reason He considers you to be one: because of the "hope laid up for you in heaven," which you've heard about and accepted "in the word of the truth, the gospel (v5)." In other words, you're a saint - a holy person - because you are in Christ, and the perfect righteousness He earned has been credited to you. Because you stand firmly in God's grace, mercy and peace, you have no need for any other intermediary between you and God other than our Lord Jesus Christ. You don't need to pray through a certain saint in certain situations or make oaths or vows in the name of Saints who seem holier than you. You are a saint, so you - in Christ - have standing before God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who extends to you His grace, mercy and peace. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will live as the saint God has declared you to be; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 Timothy 5

Titus 3:3-7 (NIV) 3  At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Today: Colossians 4

Titus 3:3-7 (NIV) 3  At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds 14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3: Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Epehesians 1:3-

Titus 3:3-7 (NIV) 3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds

Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Today: Colossians 3

Today: Colossians 3

Bible.com Philippians 3:7–14 (NIV) 7  But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity

Baptism signifies and seals, but it doesn't save. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 72 Q. Does this outward washing with water itself wash away sins? A. No, only Jesus Christ’s blood and the Holy Spirit cleanse us from all sins Summary Passages like today's are difficult for people who've grown up knowing Christ. Many of us can't remember a time when we didn't know the truth of God's Word, and although we certainly didn't live up to that Word each day and have done things we're deeply ashamed of, we can't honestly say that our foolishness and disobedience stemmed from our not knowing the love of God or our Savior. What a blessing we've been given to always know and live in God's grace! Maybe some of you can point to a specific time where you went from living in malice and envy to being renewed in the Holy Spirit, and you've experienced the night and day difference that comes from suddenly coming to know Christ. What a blessing you've been given, to understand clearly that your salvation doesn't stem from doing a bunch or righteous deeds, but because of God's mercy! Regardless of how or when you came to be aware of your salvation, know that all Christians became Christians in the exact same way: by being washed. The sacrament of baptism signifies the fact that when you were re-born, whether that happened so early in life that you can't remember, or it just happened last week, that you were washed and made clean by the power of the Holy Spirit. Dig Deeper It's important to remember that the sacrament of baptism, while both beautiful to experience and witness, and necessary because our Savior commanded it, does not in and of itself actually save the recipient. As we've recently been reminded, sacraments are signs and seals. Baptism signifies that the recipient's sins have been washed away, and there's not enough water in the world to physically accomplish the cleansing that we require to live in peace with a holy God. Paul here reminds us that the true washing we need comes by the power of the Holy Spirit who has been 'poured out on you generously through Jesus Christ your Savior. We also talk about the covenant often when baptizing a person, noting that their baptism seals them into the covenant family of God - that is, the Church. As awesome as that is, v7 reminds us that as a baptized member of the church, you're not just joined to a distinct group of people, rather you've become an heir of God and you have the certain hope of eternal life. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has shown His kindness and love to His children by washing them in the power of the Holy Spirit; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that having been made clean by the washing you've experienced, you will stay clean and free from sin. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Luke 4