“If you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant” (Colossians 1:23).

I once read “if you continue” as casting doubt on my ability to persevere in my faith. It added to my continuing insecurity about my salvation. That wasn’t what Paul was saying. There is more than one way to phrase the word “if” in the Greek language. The different forms can mean “If, and it’s possible” or “If, and you will.” It is the second form that is used here. Paul was saying, “If you continue, and you will.” He wasn’t casting doubt on our security in Christ; he was reinforcing it.

He was explaining that there is no way for us to be made presentable to God apart from faith. We can’t begin in faith and then switch to our own works to maintain what came from faith in God. From start to finish our walk with God is based on our faith in Jesus Christ. Rather than telling us to start in faith and then depend on our own efforts to sustain our salvation Paul was making it clear that we are to continue in faith in the same way we began with faith—by always placing our faith in Jesus and what He has done for us.

The false teachers in Colossae were saying that trust in Jesus wasn’t enough. They maintained that the gospel about Jesus had to be supplemented by their teaching in order for salvation to be secured. Paul was saying, “Don’t go there. Faith in Jesus is enough!”