OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS

  I. CHRIST THE HEAD OF ALL THINGS IN CREATION AND REDEMPTION:

     1. Address and greeting -- 1:1,2.

     2. Thanksgiving for the faith and love of the Colossian
        Christians -- 1:3-8.

     3. Prayer for their progress in the knowledge of Christ as head
        of all things -- 1:9-23.

     4. The apostle's joy in his sufferings and labors for
        Christ -- 1:24-29.

 II. BE NOT LED AWAY FROM CHRIST THE HEAD:

     1. Importance of the subject -- 2:1-7.

     2. Reason why they should be steadfast, and not drawn away by
        the influence of false teachers -- 2:8-15.

     3. Warnings against ritualistic prohibitions and against angel
        worship -- 2:16-19.

     4. These enforced by the fact of their having died with
        Christ -- 2:20-23.

III. LIVE AS THOSE SHOULD LIVE WHO HAVE RISEN WITH CHRIST:

     1. Fellowship with the exalted Christ, the motive of the new
        life -- 3:1-4.

     2. Exhortations -- negative and positive -- 3:5-17.

     3. Special precepts as to household relations -- 3:18-4:1.

     4. Exhortations in relation to prayer and comfort towards those
        without --4:2-6.

 IV. CONCLUDING EXHORTATIONS:

     1. Personal intelligence -- 4:7-9.

     2. Salutations and messages -- 4:10-17.

     3. Farewell greeting -- 4:18.

                         (Taken from Commentary on N.T. Epistles
                          by David Lipscomb)
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