保羅的讚賞
歌羅西書一章3至8節
3我們感謝神、我們主耶穌基督的父，常常為你們禱告；
4因聽見你們在基督耶穌裡的信心，並向眾聖徒的愛心，
5是為那給你們存在天上的盼望；這盼望就是你們從前在福音真理的道上所聽見的。
6這福音傳到你們那裡，也傳到普天之下，並且結果，增長，如同在你們中間，自從你們聽見福音，真知道神恩惠的日子一樣。
7正如你們從我們所親愛、一同作僕人的以巴弗所學的。他為我們（有古卷：你們）作了基督忠心的執事，
8也把你們因聖靈所存的愛心告訴了我們。
信息分享
他首先為他們感謝神(3節)。讓我們反省自己，是否經常為到其他信徒而感謝神？這是許多基督徒都欠缺的。
接著，他為他們禱告。保羅每天都為到許多教會和信徒的需要禱告。這對我們有何提醒呢？
然後，他稱他們是有信心的。這亦可表示他們是值得信任的。基督徒能夠在事奉上表現出忠心可靠，是很重要的。任何教會都需要有值得信賴的信徒參與事奉，才能有穩固的發展。
信徒滿有信心，對教會也是莫大的祝福。基督教的信仰，始於個人決志相信耶穌基督和祂的話語。接著，我們仍是藉著信心與祂相交，在祂裡面得著永恆的保障。即使在開始的時候我們只有微弱的信心，但只要學習每天信靠主，我們對神的信心就能與日俱增。
保羅還稱讚他們向眾聖徒顯出愛心。這稱讚實在很難能可貴。去愛那些可愛和趣味相投的人並不難；但保羅在此是稱讚他們愛「眾聖徒」，即沒有厚此薄彼的愛心。基督豈不是教導我們：「我們若彼此相愛，別人就知道我們是祂的門徒」嗎？
保羅還稱讚他們有盼望。基督徒與非基督徒的其中一項最大分別，就是在於基督徒有盼望。基督徒自認是人生的客旅，這世界不是他們的家；他們的盼望是在於神應許賜他們永生。信徒的信心是繫於基督的十字架；而盼望則使他們看見天上的榮耀。
PAUL'S PRAISE FOR THE COLOSSIAN CHRISTIANS
Colossians 1:3-8
3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints;
5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,
6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf,
8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
Message
Firstly he was thankful for them (v. 3). Stop and ask yourself. Do I give thanks for fellow Christians? The grace of gratitude too often lies undeveloped in many Christians' hearts.
Secondly, he was prayerful for them. Paul seems to have had a very long prayer list which he covered regularly. He said so to many of the churches. What does that say to us today?
Then he described them as faithful. It can mean both reliable or full of faith. To be reliable is a great asset in Christian service. If others can depend on us to do what we promise, it is a wonderful help in any church.
To be full of faith is also a tremendous blessing in a church situation. Christianity begins with personal faith in Jesus Christ and his Word. Then our relationship with him continues by faith. We are eternally secure in him. However our personal confidence, our vision of what God can do will grow as we learn day by day to put our trust in the Lord.
Paul also said they had love for all the saints. Isn't that a beautiful compliment? It is easy to love those we like or those who agree with us but Paul says they loved all saints. Do we need to underline that one word 'all'? What did Christ say? By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another.'
There are other words too that Paul used when he spoke of the Colossian Christians. One is that they had hope. This is one of the great differences between a Christian and the rest of the world. The Christian says 'This world is not my home-I'm just passing through'. Our hope is based on the promises of God and helps us take our eyes off this world and focus them on the next. Faith lays hold of the cross. Hope looks on to the glory.