Monday: If You Continue in the Faith
Daily Lesson for Monday 23rd of February 2026
Read Colossians 1:23 (NKJV). What do you think Paul means by remaining “grounded and steadfast” in the faith? (See also Colossians 2:5 and Ephesians 3:17.)
There are four different types of “if” statements in Greek, each with different nuances. The one with which Colossians 1:23 begins assumes that the condition is true.
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That is, Paul encourages the Colossians with the thought that they will, indeed, continue in the faith. As Paul soon indicates, he has already seen evidence of their faith and steadfastness (Colossians 2:5). Nevertheless, their hope is still conditional on their persisting on the path of faith that they have entered.
This idea of persisting is the meaning of the Greek word translated “continue” (Colossians 1:23, NKJV). It is used of the scribes and Pharisees who continued to demand of Jesus an answer as to what should be done with the woman caught in adultery (John 8:7); also of Peter continuing to knock at the door after Rhoda recognized his voice but left it locked and ran inside to tell the others (Acts 12:16). It is also used by Paul, who encourages Timothy to remain faithful to the doctrinal and practical instructions he has given (1 Timothy 4:16). His meaning here is similar except that it is applied to believers generally.
As we will see in next week’s lesson, Paul is concerned that the Colossians may chase after human-based ways of salvation instead of holding fast to the hope offered by the gospel (see, for example, Colossians 2:8,20-22). The word “grounded” refers to having laid a solid foundation of faith and love based on God’s Word (see Matthew 7:25, Ephesians 2:20, Ephesians 3:17).
Related to this idea is the Greek word translated “steadfast,” referring to an immovable structure and, by extension, to a Christian who cannot be “moved away from the hope of the gospel” (Colossians 1:23). The same word is used in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (NKJV).
Contrary to the common belief of “once saved, always saved,” Paul is saying something completely different.
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What has been your experience regarding the importance of continuing to exercise faith? That is, why must you always make a conscious choice to do that? What will happen if you don’t? |
Mount Tarawera in New Zealand erupted spectacularly in the 1880s Leaving a 9km crater across the top of it table-shaped summit. In my teen years in the 1960s I wanted to climb this mountain. It was not all that far from my home so one day we went to the mountain and rode to the top of the mountain on motorbikes. In the vigour and enthusiasm of youth we climbed down into the crater only to be faced with a long scoria slope to get back out again. We started up this slope; every step was hard fought. Scoria is light, pebble-sized and sharp. Three steps up and you slipped back two. It was about 50 metres to the top, and at 45 metres I sat down. Then I threw up. At that point, I almost gave up. I sat there for a long time. Eventually my strength and reason returned and I slowly crawled that last 5 metres to the top.
Our lesson today cites:
The operational word is “continue”. Faith is not a static experience. It is a dynamic for living. Paul’s epistles are full of metaphors for growing, fighting, continuing. One of the big fallacies of modern Christianity is that nothing that you do will save you; therefore we have to do nothing. A saved Christian, grows, fights and continues in the faith, not to be saved, but because that dynamic comes with salvation.
There are spiritual mountains to be climbed but even though we have have to have a sit and think experience on that mountain, God is there to give us the strength to continue.
You were not trying to reach the summit to prove you had started the climb. You climbed because you had already begun. In the same way, we continue in faith not to earn salvation, but because salvation produces perseverance.
Like sitting 45 meters up the slope, exhausted and sick, we sometimes reach a point where quitting feels easier than continuing.
But continuing does not mean never resting. It means not turning back.
Paul describes the Adventists life as:A race to finish,a fight to engage,a foundation to hold and a walk to maintain.
One day we will stand in glory and understand that every hard step mattered.
So if today you are:At metre ten — keep climbing.At metre forty-five — rest, but don’t retreat.In the last five metres — crawl if you must.
”But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.” (Colossians 1:23,NLT).
Why is Paul strongly urging the Colossians never to abandon the truth that was preached to them? What compelling reasons did Paul have to make this strong appeal? What spiritual lessons can we learn from Paul?
In our lifetime, we must have had someone who strongly urged or appealed to us to do or not to do something. Human beings at some point acts as “guardian angels”. In matters of eternal consequences, God will not remain silent, but to send a “guardian angel” to give warning or provide the right direct. The Colossians were at verge of being persuaded by false teachers that Christ was not sufficient for their salvation. They were about to abandon the foundation of their salvation. Hence, Paul had to make an urgent appeal to them not to drift away from the salvation of Jesus Christ. We are equalled persuaded and reminded that there is one true salvation that is only found in Christ Jesus. Paul is strongly telling us that receiving this gospel and not staying in it, is as good as not have received it. Paul was making a strong pastoral appeal to the Colossians to be grounded, immovable, and anchored in the truth that they had received.
It is worthwhile to note how persuasive Paul was in making is strong appeal. “The gospel… has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven.” (ESV). Paul is simply saying that this gospel is not a myth. It is authentic, authoritative, and has got a global validation. Paul’s authority and justification to make the appeal is God given – “appointed as a servant of the gospel.”. In his persuasion, Paul knew that this gospel is the only one which unites God with humanity. It costed Christ’s life. It secured eternal hope to all humanity including the Colossians who were outside the house of the promise. It was all encompassing and Paul was not ashamed to proclaim it.
There are valuable lessons to be learned from Paul strong appeal; truth must be guarded, firmly grounded, and defended. Receiving the gospel and not staying in it, is as good as not receiving at all. Those who are in leadership position, must be able to elucidate the gospel the gospel of Jesus Christ with clarity and in spirit. We must remain steadfastly in this gospel because we have made our calling and election sure(2 Peter 1:10).
Thank you for your profound comment, especially, “There are valuable lessons to be learned from Paul strong appeal; truth must be guarded, firmly grounded, and defended. Receiving the gospel and not staying in it, is as good as not receiving it at all. Those who are in leadership position, must be able to elucidate the gospel of Jesus Christ with clarity and in spirit.”
This statement is the fundamental basis of today’s lesson. Paul is urging us to not only become knowledgeable about the gospel, but we must seek to have it transformed our lives as we grow in it. This clarity of knowledge can only come from the Holy Spirit. Thus, our spiritual growth will be Spirit induced, and the fruits that we bear would be Spirit induced.
It is quite easy to continue attending church services or even midweek fellowship, to advance in church leadership, and to remain a successful pastor, elder, or departmental leader, yet be diverted and fall from the grace of God. It is therefore possible to be a church leader and still have no genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. In reality, it is easier to remain a church member than to continue steadfastly in the faith. Many believers have backslidden, and there are leaders and pastors who attend and even lead church services without true faith. No wonder Paul urged believers to continue in the faith rather than live a lifestyle that does not represent God. As he wrote in Epistle to the Colossians 1:23, “If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”
Just as in any project, continuity is the bedrock of success even in our spiritual journey and continuity embraces perseverance and persistence.
A great inventor like Thomas Edison tried and failed more than a 1000 times before he was able to invent a light bulb, he gave all of him to the project and became successful eventually.
As we continue on the spiritual journey, let us be creative in order to wade off fatigue, engage in constant Bible study to get refreshed daily and “watch and pray” as Jesus commanded, as our sure defense from satanic infiltrations and deceitful strategies.
failures, disappointments and discouragements are essential ingredients that helps us to rigid our faith in God as we continue to march on to heaven.
As pilgrims, what we seek has eternal value, so are we going to give up half way or are we going to persevere as we continue keeping on?
When we continue in faith,we shall not find it hard to reconcile with others who may have wronged us in any way. When we are grounded in Christ we shall always strive to reconcile with us.
My personal job is to continually fight myself and keep a constant connection with the Power of everything positive (God).”…for it is God who works in you to will and to act to fulfill his good purpose”.
I am single. I have never been married. I have no children. In fact I am the only child of a single mother who was distant from her family. Dad was never really in the picture nor his kin. As you should realize having vibrant , healthy human relationships has never been “a walk in the park” for me. Fortunately I have a small group of friends, people with whom I spend quality time (some of them more than the others) . I have begun to realize that inspite of their faults I have grown to love them and trust them and some of them have passed the level of friendship -to some extent they have become family. Can I leave it to your imagination if you willfully and consistently spend quality time with God who is the one altogether lovely and faultless what can occur. It becomes a relationship that you don’t have to fight to keep , your embrace is so emotional; its almost as if you can’t let go.
Relationships stay alive with continual interractions.It is the same with us and God;We need to remain faithful to God continually in order to keep alive the relationship we have in God. In my personal devotion, I’ve come ro realize the daily need of a fresh and new encounter with Jesus. The spiritual encounter or experience you had two weeks ago cannot care for today’s spiritual need just life the food you ate a week ago cannot satisfy today’s hunger.
To be “grounded in the faith’ requires at the minimum the understanding that ‘having faith’ is a ‘good thing’ – that it is beneficial to one’s life. Jesus Christ is recorded as saying: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matt.18:3.
The Christian ‘Faith’ is a special faith. It is super-human, does not depend on anything contributed by those who have accepted to live their life by this all encompassing Faith. Love for God, humility, trust, and a willing dependency on Him are required in order to be ‘grounded in this faith’.
This Faith has nothing tangible to hold on to. No relics, rituals, no physical manifestations or images of a deity to bow down to, no place dedicated to represent the center for our worship. This Faith has its place in the born-again heart of the believer who accepts Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, sent to show His spiritual children the Way Home.
We need to guard our heart, nurture, take care of this precious Faith as it is the only means by which we can maintain our lifelong, living relationship with our unseen heavenly Father as represented to us by His Son Christ Jesus – John 14:8-9.
Some of you may disagree with me and that’s okay. But I feel there has to be some happy medium between “once saved, always saved” which is unbiblical and the idea that we risk being lost if we don’t “always make a conscious choice” to exercise faith. I am wondering what the author meant by conscious choice? What does that look like? Is it praying a certain prayer every morning? Being sure to have daily devotions? Checking off a list? And how often must this be done? Hourly? Daily? Weekly?
I have never been married, but I will default to Maurice’s illustration (or some variation of it) because I think it fits. How often do happily married people make a conscious choice to stay married? Do they do it every day? On their anniversary? Or is it just something they do by the choices they make each day? And do they worry that if they don’t make this conscious choice they are likely to divorce? I can’t imagine a marriage would be very enjoyable if one thought this way.
Same with our relationship with God. I pray in the morning. I spend time with Him each day, usually in the evening. I connect with Him throughout the day, most of the time. But I don’t know if I really consciously affirm my faith regularly and I’m not sure that’s actually dangerous. And if I felt that way, the joy in my relationship with God would quickly disappear.
Some days I have a less than ideal day. Sometimes I’m not as focused when I’m praying or get distracted during my devotions. Sometimes I waste time on things that don’t build me up spiritually. Should I die part way through that day, would I be lost? I certainly hope not. Like Peter, I may start to sink because I took my eyes off Jesus, but I believe He’s ready to pull me up and restore me.
Now, if I have day after day like that, yes, I will gradually move away from God. That being said, I believe the issue is less with the bad days which God’s grace and forgiveness covers and more with the fact that pulling away from God makes us care about Him less and less. Eventually we don’t even care about our situation. And that’s very dangerous. However, I have found that God is constantly speaking to us and pulling us back to Himself. He will not give up easily.
Christina, I claim the promise of Rom. 8:1-2 “There is therefore no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit; for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death.” (No condemnation…!) If Christ be in you, you are no longer under the law but under grace if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. You must be born again and awake to life in Christ Jesus each day.
The more you exercise your muscles, the more they become stronger. Just like any action whether it be good or bad, those particular actions become more solid in the characteristics of the individual. Faith is the same. The more we exercise faith, it becomes stronger and we learn more and more to rely, trust and live in Christ. When people give up on having a faith which can move mountains because of certain aspects of their lives which lead away from the Lord and chose to see that as the limit to their faith, then we have not truly exercised a faith which the Lord has given as a gift, or as a fruit. And if we see faith as a fruit, what actual gift leads to the gift of faith? The indwelling of the Holy Spirit Gal 5:22-23. Evidently those who have this fruit, the Lord says through Paul, – “…against such, there is no law.” In other words, the law no longer condemns you as you keep the law through the Holy Spirit. Having the fruit of the Spirit is keeping the law without using our own strength, but through the love for, of, and in Christ. Our motivation becomes one of gratitude and joy to surrender our hearts to Jesus.