The Big E - Colossians 1

All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. Colossians 1:6-8

Remember that these churches that Paul is writing to encourage are church plants…..new churches. The founding and growth of this church is credited to Epaphras. Paul considers him a “fellow servant” or bond-servant. This term Paul used on himself throughout the epistles, but twice did he refer to anyone else in this manner, once here and the other to Timothy.

Let me back up though…..another verse that smacks me around a bit is the first one….and we could let it get by as just a greeting….but it really is so much more than that;
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God Colossians 1:1
By the will of God? Think about that…..Paul didn’t muster enough gumption to become an apostle, he didn’t claim to “choose” to be become an apostle….he loves and lives the ways of Jesus, by the will of God.
I think that one of the biggest problems that I have with both free-will & election….is that election sounds exclusive….but free-will sounds self-righteous. Here Paul seems to solve this for me, at least in this instance. Thoughts?