Paul the
apostle's desire for the Colossian church members was to know the
truth concerning Jesus Christ and His deity so no heresy and
false-teaching would ever penetrate their thinking. He wanted them to
be unified and fully assured of their understanding of the “mystery”
of God, and in chapter two and verse five of his letter addressed to
them, Paul told the Colossians how he was with them even though he
was absent. We read:
For though I be absent
in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit,
joying and beholding
your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
The
verse begins, “For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I
with you in the spirit,...” Paul begins this verse with the
word “For” which in this case means “since, on account
of, herein and assuredly” “though I be absent in the flesh”
or even though Paul was not physically with them, “yet am I with
you in the spirit” which means “with them spiritually”.
Though Paul had never seen the Colossians face to face, his spirit
was with them always.
The
verse goes on to say, “ joying and beholding your order,” Paul
could imagine what it was like to be among the church members in
Colosse, and as he thought upon them he was “joying” or
“rejoicing and glad” “and beholding your order” which
means “discerning, perceiving or seeing with the mind's eye their
arrangement, fixed succession observing a fixed time or orderly
condition”. As Paul thought about the church members and their
services, it was though he was attending church with them, and as he
attended, he was rejoicing over what he saw.
Finally
the verse says, “and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.”
Not only was Paul rejoicing over the church's “order”
but also “the steadfastness” or “firmness or solid
front” “of your faith in Christ” which refers to their
“conviction and belief” in Jesus Christ. As an encouraging
statement about the church members of Colosse's trust in Jesus, Paul
declares and celebrates their holding fast and firm to their
knowledge of Him.
When we
think about Paul's words concerning being with the church of Colosse
even though he was not physically there, we may be inclined to think
of others who attend church services that way. Some say, “I was
with you in spirit”, however they rarely attend physically. Paul's
desire was to attend the church services of the Colossians in any
manner possible as he celebrated their faith in Christ. Perhaps there
are services which we would like to attend in this manner as well,
and as they come to our minds, let us employ the work of prayer for
the church members there. Though we are absent in body, we too can be
with them in spirit, and there is no better way to be with them in
spirit than by praying for them. May the Lord stir our hearts to
attend services all over the world.
Next
time Paul writes about receiving and walking with Christ,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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