What is the message for believers today who, like the Galatians, have been called to salvation in "this present age of wickedness"? In studying Galatians, you will find a sincere attempt to answer this question as well as others that were critical to the people then, and to us today. Philippians offers a fresh understanding of the social situation and consequent pressures in Philippi in Paul's day. Paul holds up the humble submission of Christ as the pattern to be followed. The commentary thus seeks both to explain the meaning of the text and to show its application to the Church's life today. Colossians focuses on the all-sufficient Christ. The Lord Jesus deserves the place, not a place in the lives of Christians. The Colossian Christians were being diverted by alluring alternatives. Paul resisted this, as we must today in the face of extreme fundamentalisms and secular mysticisms. We must know the non-negotiable essence of the Christian gospel.
