Here are thirty lessons on spirituality, drawn from Peter Adam’s study of Colossians:

1. Spirituality is not for the elite, but for all.  It is for ‘the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ, Col 1:2.
2. Authentic Christianity is marked by faith, love and hope, Col 1:4f.
3. Faith, love and hope are the fruit of the gospel, Col 1:6.
4. We honour those who bring this message to us, Col 1:7.
5. Unceasing, thankful prayer is fundamental to true spirituality.  People are doubly encouraged when we tell them we are praying for them, Col 1:3,9.
6. People of faith still need to grow; still need to be ‘filled with the knowledge of God’s will’, so that their lives are ‘worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him’, so that they bear fruit in every good work, endure, and keep giving thanks to God, Col 1:9-12.
7. A gospel-focused people will continue to be thankful for all that the gospel has achieved for them and in them, Col 1:11-14.
8. True spirituality is full of Christ, Col 1:15-20.
9. Biblical spirituality acknowledges the invisibility of God, and the unique status of Christ as the revealer of the invisible God.  It also marvels of the work of Christ in us, renewing us to be what we were meant to be, Col 3:11.
10. Full spirituality recognises Christ’s dignity, status and worth in creation, Col 1:16f, 20.
11. True spirituality recognises Christ’s supremacy in redemption.  He is head of the church, the firstborn from the dead, the possessor of the divine fullness, and the agent of the reconciliation of all things, Col 1:18-20.
12. The measure of Christ’s work of reconciliation is seen in believers.  Formerly, we were estranged, hostile, and opposed to God in thought and deed, Col 1:21.  But those same people will one day be presented ‘holy and blameless and irreproachable before him’, Col 1:22.
13. One way in which God preserves us is by urging us, through his faithful ministers, to ‘continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel’, Col 1:23.  True spirituality is marked by standing firm in the gospel.
14. Faithful ministers will, like Paul, ‘serve’ the gospel (Col 1:23) and the church (Col 1:24f).  Indeed, we serve the gospel by serving the church, and vice-versa.
15. The minister who is faithfully serving the gospel and the church can rejoice in sufferings, Col 1:24.
16. Suffering for the sake of the gospel is Christ-like, but not redemptive, Col 1:24.
17. Gospel spirituality rejoices in God’s gracious purposes for all the nations, Col 1:26f.
18. Gospel spirituality is for everyone, and to this end all need to be appropriately warned, as well as taught, Col 1:28.
19. The is no place for quietism (‘Let go and let God’) in gospel ministry.  Success does not come without hard work.  ‘For this I toil and struggle’ (Col 1:29; also 2:1).  But this very energy comes from God.
20. Paul wants his readers to continue to live in Christ, remain established in the faith, and abound in thanksgiving, Col 2:6f.  These are the remedies against falling away from Christ.  Pious Christians are attracted to the first, orthodox Christians to the second, and enthusiastic Christians to the third.  But we need all three.
21. Why should we continue in Christ?  Because the whole fullness of deity dwells in him, Col 2:9f.  Why would we look anywhere else?  Hence the warning in Col 2:4,8 – do not be taken in by plausible arguments, or empty deceit.  Don’t be gullible; be discerning.
22. It is easy to those tempted to self-indulgence to suppose that asceticism and moral severity provide a way out.  In the case of the Colossians, circumcision, laws about food, drink and religious festivals, self-abasement before angels, visions, and other strict regulations, seemed to offer paths to ‘the higher life’ (Col 2:11-20).  But such things draw our attention away from Christ, Col 2:10-22.  Moreover, they exchange the reality for the shadow, New Testament faith for the Old Testament.  Our attention should be on the heavenly, where Christ is (Col 3:1-14), rather than on the things of this world.
23. The Colossians tended to confuse earth-bound symbols with heavenly realities.  Because we died and were raised with Christ, Col 2:12f, and our live is hidden with Christ in God, Col 3:3, we can make moral changes by that same power.  These moral changes are negative (putting to death fornication, greed, anger, slander, and so on, Col 3:5-9), and positive (putting on compassion, kindness, humility, and so on, Col 3:12-15).
24. The peace of Christ (Col 3:15) is not an individual feeling of peacefulness, but rather the peace which rules in his body, the church.
25. The word of Christ dwells richly in us (Col 3:16) when all the entire church teaches and admonishes one another in wisdom.  Individual spirituality flourishes best when corporate spiritual is in good health.  And this happens when ‘the word of Christ’ dwells richly among us.
26. Be thankful! Paul returns again and again to this theme, Col 1:11f; 2:7; 3:15; 3:16; 3:17.
27. True spirituality recognises our mutual care for one another.  We have responsibilities towards the others, just as they have towards us, Col 3:18-4:1.
28. We can, and should, ‘serve the Lord Christ’ (Col 3:24) in the humblest of daily tasks.
29. We should use and value all types of prayer, with thanksgiving, Col 4:2.  Petition and intercession are not to be regarded as lower forms of prayer.  Jesus himself taught us to pray for our daily bread.  Paul was willing to make quite specific requests, Col 4:3.
30. Note models of strenuous prayer, such as Epaphras, Col 4:12; also Col 1:29; 2:1.  Let’s offer big prayers, because we have a big God.  Ambitious ministry needs to backing of ambitious prayers!

Hearing God’s Words, IVP, pp90-98.