Power of the Gospel: From Saved to Strengthened

 Uniting Heaven and Earth

Christ in Philippians and Colossians 

Lesson 9 - Thursday

Power of the Gospel

Read: Colossians 1:28–29

When Epistle to the Colossians 1:28–29 says, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ,” Paul’s focus is crystal clear: Christ and maturity in Christ for every believer.

Notice what drives him. Not popularity. Not comfort. Not theological debate for its own sake. His aim is to present everyone mature. That word “everyone” is repeated three times because the gospel is not elite. It’s not for the spiritually gifted only. It’s not for leaders alone. It’s for every single believer—young or old, Jew or Gentile, weak or strong.

Paul understood something we sometimes forget: salvation is the beginning, not the finish line.

Just as parents celebrate milestones in a child’s life, God expects growth in His children. If a child never learns to walk or speak, something is wrong. In the same way, if a Christian never grows in obedience, discernment, humility, and love, that’s a red flag. Growth is normal. Stagnation is not.

Paul says this growth happens through two things: warning and teaching. That means encouragement and correction. Comfort and confrontation. Scripture doesn’t just affirm us—it shapes us. It rebukes us when needed. It stretches us. If we only want the comforting parts of the Bible and ignore the warnings, we stunt our own development.

So what does it mean to be “perfect in Christ Jesus”?

The word “perfect” here carries the idea of maturity, completeness, wholeness. It does not mean sinless perfection in this life. It means being fully formed in Christ—our thinking shaped by His truth, our desires aligned with His will, our character reflecting His love.

Here’s the key: we don’t become mature by trying harder in our own strength. Paul immediately says he “toils, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” The power behind maturity is not human willpower—it is Christ’s power at work in us.

And this is where the cross becomes central.

When you understand what Jesus accomplished at the cross—fully paying for sin, reconciling you to God, declaring you righteous—you stop striving to earn acceptance. You grow from security, not for security. Maturity flows from gratitude, not guilt. Because Christ finished the work of salvation, we are free to grow into what He has already declared us to be.

You are not maturing to become loved. You are maturing because you already are.

The gospel has power—not only to save you from hell, but to transform you daily. But transformation requires cooperation. You must accept the teaching. You must heed the warnings. You must stay rooted in Christ.

Growth is expected. And it is possible—because His power is at work in you.

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Prayer

Father,
Thank You for the power of the gospel—not only to save me, but to transform me. Forgive me for the times I’ve resisted growth or ignored Your warnings. Help me to receive Your Word with humility and obedience. Shape my thinking, refine my character, and align my heart with Christ. Thank You that I do not strive for acceptance, but grow from it. Work in me by Your power so that I may become mature in Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

More on Lesson 9: Reconciliation and Hope  

This Quarter's Sabbath School Lessons Here: Christ in Philippians and Colossians