If indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. Colossians 1:23
The operative word here is “if,” which does not mean “contingent upon” the continuance of a behavior, but “inasmuch,” or “since” their particular standing in Christ was indeed already obtained. The preceding verse talks about the Colossians being “reconciled,” “holy and blameless,” and “beyond reproach” by the sacrifice of Jesus.
A Christian life lived in fear that you can fall away at any time and that reconciliation is a perpetual requirement, is not built on “hope laid up for us in heaven,” (1:5) and lacks understanding that we can be rock solid in our standing before Christ, but still in constant need of corrective adjustments by way of Holy Spirit.
Paul goes on to refer to our standing in our faith as “firmly established and steadfast.” He says in Ephesians 3:17 that this faith is “rooted and grounded in love,” which is mentioned in this letter to the Colossians as well in 2:7, that the church was “firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.”
We must remember the nature of the gospel, that it is not static, inanimate, or dead, but “it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth.” (1:7) Paul might as well have been speaking this assurance to you and me.
I cannot verify this now, but I’m of the impression that my dad, who was brought in a denomination whereby it was thought you could lose your salvation, or that faith was contingent upon behavior, one day, fed up, marked a tree in the backyard with a permanent reference to his faith. How fitting that he chose a tree.
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