“Let no one delude you”: The apostle as moralist in the letter to Colossians

Abstract

The letter to Colossian Christians depicts the apostle as moralist, a teacher of what is good and right, while warning against immorality as he understands it. Some in Colossae have become disoriented or even deluded by teachings contrary to those of the apostles, prompting a moralistic response from Paul. The letter prompts ethics reflection for a contemporary Christian context of potential moral disorientation and delusion on issues such as honesty in government, immigration, and ownership of handguns. Discernment of moral matters is enhanced by tools such as Rosell’s “FARM Box” and a typology of moral situations. Some matters raised by Paul give reason to question the apostle’s moral teachings, such as those pertaining to wives and slaves. Mostly, his letter to Colossians makes good moral sense, arguably with universal application of rules such as, “Above all . . . walk in love.”