Colossians 2:1-5

"For I want you to know how great is my solicitude for you [how severe an inward struggle I am engaged in for you] and for those [believers] at Laodicea, and for all who [like yourselves] have never seen my face and known me personally" Colossians 2:1.

I can't imagine everything Paul is referring to here in this passage concerning his struggle. As I share God's Word with you here and in the classroom at church, or in bible study, it takes allot of study, research, and prayer and preparation to write to you and not error, be judgmental, biased, etc,. There are many other things I could be doing, but I am not a prisoner as Paul was and I can't even pretend to imagine how much worse his conditions were compared to even a prisoner of today. I have friends who teach God's word that suffer physical conditions also, as I believe Paul did. I do share in the fact that I hardly know anyone here, yet there is this same urgency in me and in my friends that Paul is talking about here to "get the truth out there".

It's great that we can think, and pray, and be concerned for one another, at the greatest distance, and those we never saw in the flesh we may hope to meet in heaven, but what was it that Paul really desired for these people? It was the spiritual welfare of others about which he was solicitous. He does not say that they may be healthy, and merry, and rich, and great, and prosperous; but that their hearts may be comforted.

2. "[For my concern is] that their hearts may be braced (comforted, cheered, and encouraged) as they are knit together in love, that they may come to have all the abounding wealth and blessings of assured conviction of understanding, and that they may become progressively more intimately acquainted with and may know more definitely and accurately and thoroughly that mystic secret of God, [which is] Christ (the Anointed One)."

The prosperity of the soul is the best prosperity, and what we should be most solicitous about for others and even ourselves. We have here a description of soul-prosperity. That we are all knit together in love, and for our knowledge to grow to an understanding of the mystery of God and of Christ. When we come to have a more clear, distinct, methodical knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, then the soul prospers. To understand the mystery, either what was before concealed, but is now made known concerning the Father and Christ, or the mystery before mentioned, of calling the Gentiles into the Christian church, as our Father and Christ have revealed it in the gospel. This is what we should labor after, and then the soul prospers.

When our faith grows to a full assurance and bold acknowledgment of this mystery... not only believe with the heart, but we are ready, when called to it, to make confession with our mouth, and are not ashamed of our Master and our holy religion, under the frowns and violence of our enemy. It consists in the abundance of comfort in our souls: That our hearts might be comforted. The soul prospers when it is filled with joy and peace (Rom. 15:13), and has a satisfaction within which all the troubles of this world cannot disturb, and is able to joy in the Lord when all other comforts fail, Hab. 3:17, 18.

So, the more intimate communion we have with our fellow-Christians the more the soul prospers: Being knit together in love. Holy love knits the hearts of Christians one to another; and faith and love both contribute to our comfort. The stronger our faith is, and the warmer our love, the greater will our comfort be.

3. "In Him all the treasures of [divine] wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) and [all the riches of spiritual] knowledge and enlightenment are stored up and lie hidden."

In chapter1:19, he said that all fullness dwells in him, but here he mentions particularly the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. There is a fullness of wisdom in him, as he has perfectly revealed the will of God to mankind. Notice that, the treasures of wisdom are hidden not from us, but for us, in Christ. Those who would be wise and knowing must make application to Christ. We must draw from the treasures which are hidden in Him. He is the wisdom of God, and is of God made unto us wisdom, 1 Cor. 1:24, 30.

4. "I say this in order that no one may mislead and delude you by plausible and persuasive and attractive arguments and beguiling speech."

In verse 4, Paul adds another clue to his urgency for writing. Those we love who may not yet abide in The Holy Spirit and in Gods Word often enough, are or can be, so easily led astray, into error, and even to an early death. Not a death that surprises God. A death that is not what God wanted, but was forced by our ignorance, stubbornness, and rebellion, into Gods' permissive will instead of His perfect will for us. Even within the faith there is a tendency to get waited down by teachings of legalism, loss of salvation, and rituals. And, even worse are the efforts outside of our faith to pull us completely away from Gods' Word.

5. "For though I am away from you in body, yet I am with you in spirit, delighted at the sight of your [standing shoulder to shoulder in such] orderly array and the firmness and the solid front and steadfastness of your faith in Christ [that leaning of the entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness]."

We may be present in spirit with those churches and Christians from whom we are absent in body; for the communion of saints is a spiritual thing. Paul had heard concerning the Colossians that they were orderly and regular; and though he had never seen them, nor was present with them, he tells them he could easily think himself among them, and look with pleasure upon their good behavior.

The order and steadfastness of Christians should be a matter of joy to ministers; they take joy when they can see order, regular behavior, and steadfast adherence to the Christian doctrine. The more steadfast our faith in Christ is, the better order there will be in our whole conversation; for we live and walk by faith, 2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 10:38.

We'll pick up with verse 6 next time.

I love you.