2 Thessalonians 3

2 Thessalonians 3:1

Reconciliation and Ministry

In the previous verses the glory of the Son as Head is presented in two ways: 1. He is Head over the creation. 2. He is Head in the resurrection.

You will see more glories which stand on the one side in connection with the old creation and on the other side with the new creation or resurrection.

Similarly there are also two reconciliations: 1. One of the creation. 2. One of the believers (saints) who form the church (Colossians 1:20-22).

Also there are two ministries which come from Him: 1. The ministry of the gospel that is preached to all creation. 2. The ministry to the church (Colossians 1:23-25).

Colossians 1:20. First we read about the reconciliation of all things, namely the creation. Reconciliation is the bringing about of a relationship of peace where first there was enmity (Romans 5:10). Enmity arose between man and God through sin. Man drew creation with him in his sin. Creation is still under the dominion of satan (John 12:31).

The Lord Jesus broke the power of satan through His work on the cross. The sin of the world will be taken away because of His once and for all accomplished work (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:26). The results of His work will be seen when the Lord Jesus will publicly exercise His authority. Authority has already been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18; Hebrews 1:8-9).

Peace can come because all that caused disturbance is taken away. This peace was made on the cross and will be enjoyed in the kingdom of peace and for all eternity. That will mean a great relief for all that is now groaning in pain under the evil and corrupting power of sin under satan (Romans 8:22).

This peace is based on the “blood of His cross” which is the cross of Christ. The Lord Jesus shed His blood on the cross. Peter calls it ‘the precious blood’ because it is the blood of a Lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:19). This basis is unassailable and holds its values for eternity. You can say this as follows: The basis of reconciliation is defined by the blood of the Lord Jesus, but the reconciliation of the things on earth and in heaven with God, still lies in the future.

The reconciliation of all things of course does not mean the reconciliation of all unconverted people and of satan and his demons. They will not be reconciled but subjected to Christ (Philippians 2:10). It is all about the things on the earth and in the heavens, i.e. the material world. The doctrine of universal salvation is a gross heresy, a lie from satan.

Colossians 1:21. The reconciliation of all things lies in the future. Nevertheless there are people who are already reconciled, including you. Praise the Lord for that. You have faith in the shed blood of Christ for your sins. Once you stood outside of reconciliation, you were alienated from it, and you were even hostile to it. This was expressed in the wicked works you did.

Colossians 1:22. The Lord Jesus became Man in order that you could be reconciled. He bore your sins in “His own body on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24). His death is the sure proof that He bore God’s judgment for your sins. Death, namely, is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). At the same time, however, reconciliation took place through Christ’s death. His death is the sure foundation on which rests the reconciliation.

As a result you stand in the favor of God. He sees you as holy and perfect. Sin will no longer be counted against you. Nobody can bring a single accusation which can succeed against you. God, men and satan can find nothing on which they could lay their fingers. The death of Christ provided for everything.

Christ stands before you as the perfect result of His perfect work in the perfect light of God, and indeed no flaw can any longer be found against this. The just claims of God have been fully complied with by the atoning work of Christ so that no question can be raised against its legality.

Colossians 1:23. After the assurances faith offers, there comes an “if”. That seems to make the foregoing uncertain as though it depends on our commitment to have a part in it and to keep it. The power of this ‘if indeed’ however is that the chaff is separated from the wheat. The aim is to encourage faith and to condemn the self-confident nominal Christians.

A nominal Christian professes with the mouth that he is a Christian. But he has never gone to God with a remorse for his sins. He had never accepted in faith the power of the blood of Christ for the remission of sins. You have part in the foregoing blessings only if your faith is true, and you truly belong to the Lord. You should say ‘Yes’ whole heartedly to this. You will provide evidence that you remain in the faith that came to you through the gospel which you accepted.

What Paul says here is not to bring you eventually to doubt, but on the contrary to encourage you. You would certainly completely agree with Paul that faith is demonstrated by the fact that you are holding it, especially when resistance arises. With your faith you must deal with resistance, both by hostility from people and by the flattery of false teachers.

If your faith is true you are “firmly established and steadfast” and you are “not moved away from the hope of the gospel”. If your faith is not true, that will show up. The hope of the gospel is not to be saved by the gospel but is Christ. The gospel is not a summary of a number of rules that you must keep; the content of the gospel is a Person. If you are connected to Him by faith you will not want to allow anything that obscures or hides your view of Him. This desire for Him is present in everyone who loves Him in truth. I do not doubt that it is so with you also. You have heard this gospel exactly as the Colossians heard it (Colossians 1:6).

Paul became the minister of this gospel. The range of his ministry was the whole creation. The gospel is valid throughout the world and universally applicable (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8). His ministry was directed in a special way to all the nations that are under the heaven (Galatians 2:7), though he certainly did not exclude the Jews. In his love for them wherever he went he first preached to them from the Word of God (Acts 13:46; Romans 1:16). But the gospel was not limited to the borders of Israel. It extended to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

All creation under heaven was the range of Paul’s service. Here you notice the fact that Christ is the Head over creation. As you have read, it embraces all things in heaven and on earth. This, at the same time, is the distinguishing feature of the gospel. The words “under heaven” show that the gospel is not preached in heaven but on earth. The gospel is addressed to the people on earth and not to the angels in heaven.

You saw the same distinguishing features by the two sides of reconciliation. The reconciliation of all things does not mean that all people will be reconciled. Only people who believe in the Lord Jesus will be reconciled. This happens at the very moment they confess their sins and believe that His blood covered their sins before God.

Paul became a minister of this gospel. The Lord Jesus appointed him to this ministry (1 Timothy 1:12). Formerly he was a blasphemer, a persecutor of the church (1 Timothy 1:13). Now he is both a preacher and a teacher (1 Timothy 2:7). He preached the gospel to all people and instructed those who became members of the church by believing the gospel. His ministry to the church is mentioned in the verses following.

Now read Colossians 1:20-23 again.

Reflection: What do you learn about reconciliation in these verses?

2 Thessalonians 3:2

Reconciliation and Ministry

In the previous verses the glory of the Son as Head is presented in two ways: 1. He is Head over the creation. 2. He is Head in the resurrection.

You will see more glories which stand on the one side in connection with the old creation and on the other side with the new creation or resurrection.

Similarly there are also two reconciliations: 1. One of the creation. 2. One of the believers (saints) who form the church (Colossians 1:20-22).

Also there are two ministries which come from Him: 1. The ministry of the gospel that is preached to all creation. 2. The ministry to the church (Colossians 1:23-25).

Colossians 1:20. First we read about the reconciliation of all things, namely the creation. Reconciliation is the bringing about of a relationship of peace where first there was enmity (Romans 5:10). Enmity arose between man and God through sin. Man drew creation with him in his sin. Creation is still under the dominion of satan (John 12:31).

The Lord Jesus broke the power of satan through His work on the cross. The sin of the world will be taken away because of His once and for all accomplished work (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:26). The results of His work will be seen when the Lord Jesus will publicly exercise His authority. Authority has already been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18; Hebrews 1:8-9).

Peace can come because all that caused disturbance is taken away. This peace was made on the cross and will be enjoyed in the kingdom of peace and for all eternity. That will mean a great relief for all that is now groaning in pain under the evil and corrupting power of sin under satan (Romans 8:22).

This peace is based on the “blood of His cross” which is the cross of Christ. The Lord Jesus shed His blood on the cross. Peter calls it ‘the precious blood’ because it is the blood of a Lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:19). This basis is unassailable and holds its values for eternity. You can say this as follows: The basis of reconciliation is defined by the blood of the Lord Jesus, but the reconciliation of the things on earth and in heaven with God, still lies in the future.

The reconciliation of all things of course does not mean the reconciliation of all unconverted people and of satan and his demons. They will not be reconciled but subjected to Christ (Philippians 2:10). It is all about the things on the earth and in the heavens, i.e. the material world. The doctrine of universal salvation is a gross heresy, a lie from satan.

Colossians 1:21. The reconciliation of all things lies in the future. Nevertheless there are people who are already reconciled, including you. Praise the Lord for that. You have faith in the shed blood of Christ for your sins. Once you stood outside of reconciliation, you were alienated from it, and you were even hostile to it. This was expressed in the wicked works you did.

Colossians 1:22. The Lord Jesus became Man in order that you could be reconciled. He bore your sins in “His own body on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24). His death is the sure proof that He bore God’s judgment for your sins. Death, namely, is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). At the same time, however, reconciliation took place through Christ’s death. His death is the sure foundation on which rests the reconciliation.

As a result you stand in the favor of God. He sees you as holy and perfect. Sin will no longer be counted against you. Nobody can bring a single accusation which can succeed against you. God, men and satan can find nothing on which they could lay their fingers. The death of Christ provided for everything.

Christ stands before you as the perfect result of His perfect work in the perfect light of God, and indeed no flaw can any longer be found against this. The just claims of God have been fully complied with by the atoning work of Christ so that no question can be raised against its legality.

Colossians 1:23. After the assurances faith offers, there comes an “if”. That seems to make the foregoing uncertain as though it depends on our commitment to have a part in it and to keep it. The power of this ‘if indeed’ however is that the chaff is separated from the wheat. The aim is to encourage faith and to condemn the self-confident nominal Christians.

A nominal Christian professes with the mouth that he is a Christian. But he has never gone to God with a remorse for his sins. He had never accepted in faith the power of the blood of Christ for the remission of sins. You have part in the foregoing blessings only if your faith is true, and you truly belong to the Lord. You should say ‘Yes’ whole heartedly to this. You will provide evidence that you remain in the faith that came to you through the gospel which you accepted.

What Paul says here is not to bring you eventually to doubt, but on the contrary to encourage you. You would certainly completely agree with Paul that faith is demonstrated by the fact that you are holding it, especially when resistance arises. With your faith you must deal with resistance, both by hostility from people and by the flattery of false teachers.

If your faith is true you are “firmly established and steadfast” and you are “not moved away from the hope of the gospel”. If your faith is not true, that will show up. The hope of the gospel is not to be saved by the gospel but is Christ. The gospel is not a summary of a number of rules that you must keep; the content of the gospel is a Person. If you are connected to Him by faith you will not want to allow anything that obscures or hides your view of Him. This desire for Him is present in everyone who loves Him in truth. I do not doubt that it is so with you also. You have heard this gospel exactly as the Colossians heard it (Colossians 1:6).

Paul became the minister of this gospel. The range of his ministry was the whole creation. The gospel is valid throughout the world and universally applicable (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8). His ministry was directed in a special way to all the nations that are under the heaven (Galatians 2:7), though he certainly did not exclude the Jews. In his love for them wherever he went he first preached to them from the Word of God (Acts 13:46; Romans 1:16). But the gospel was not limited to the borders of Israel. It extended to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

All creation under heaven was the range of Paul’s service. Here you notice the fact that Christ is the Head over creation. As you have read, it embraces all things in heaven and on earth. This, at the same time, is the distinguishing feature of the gospel. The words “under heaven” show that the gospel is not preached in heaven but on earth. The gospel is addressed to the people on earth and not to the angels in heaven.

You saw the same distinguishing features by the two sides of reconciliation. The reconciliation of all things does not mean that all people will be reconciled. Only people who believe in the Lord Jesus will be reconciled. This happens at the very moment they confess their sins and believe that His blood covered their sins before God.

Paul became a minister of this gospel. The Lord Jesus appointed him to this ministry (1 Timothy 1:12). Formerly he was a blasphemer, a persecutor of the church (1 Timothy 1:13). Now he is both a preacher and a teacher (1 Timothy 2:7). He preached the gospel to all people and instructed those who became members of the church by believing the gospel. His ministry to the church is mentioned in the verses following.

Now read Colossians 1:20-23 again.

Reflection: What do you learn about reconciliation in these verses?

2 Thessalonians 3:3

Reconciliation and Ministry

In the previous verses the glory of the Son as Head is presented in two ways: 1. He is Head over the creation. 2. He is Head in the resurrection.

You will see more glories which stand on the one side in connection with the old creation and on the other side with the new creation or resurrection.

Similarly there are also two reconciliations: 1. One of the creation. 2. One of the believers (saints) who form the church (Colossians 1:20-22).

Also there are two ministries which come from Him: 1. The ministry of the gospel that is preached to all creation. 2. The ministry to the church (Colossians 1:23-25).

Colossians 1:20. First we read about the reconciliation of all things, namely the creation. Reconciliation is the bringing about of a relationship of peace where first there was enmity (Romans 5:10). Enmity arose between man and God through sin. Man drew creation with him in his sin. Creation is still under the dominion of satan (John 12:31).

The Lord Jesus broke the power of satan through His work on the cross. The sin of the world will be taken away because of His once and for all accomplished work (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:26). The results of His work will be seen when the Lord Jesus will publicly exercise His authority. Authority has already been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18; Hebrews 1:8-9).

Peace can come because all that caused disturbance is taken away. This peace was made on the cross and will be enjoyed in the kingdom of peace and for all eternity. That will mean a great relief for all that is now groaning in pain under the evil and corrupting power of sin under satan (Romans 8:22).

This peace is based on the “blood of His cross” which is the cross of Christ. The Lord Jesus shed His blood on the cross. Peter calls it ‘the precious blood’ because it is the blood of a Lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:19). This basis is unassailable and holds its values for eternity. You can say this as follows: The basis of reconciliation is defined by the blood of the Lord Jesus, but the reconciliation of the things on earth and in heaven with God, still lies in the future.

The reconciliation of all things of course does not mean the reconciliation of all unconverted people and of satan and his demons. They will not be reconciled but subjected to Christ (Philippians 2:10). It is all about the things on the earth and in the heavens, i.e. the material world. The doctrine of universal salvation is a gross heresy, a lie from satan.

Colossians 1:21. The reconciliation of all things lies in the future. Nevertheless there are people who are already reconciled, including you. Praise the Lord for that. You have faith in the shed blood of Christ for your sins. Once you stood outside of reconciliation, you were alienated from it, and you were even hostile to it. This was expressed in the wicked works you did.

Colossians 1:22. The Lord Jesus became Man in order that you could be reconciled. He bore your sins in “His own body on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24). His death is the sure proof that He bore God’s judgment for your sins. Death, namely, is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). At the same time, however, reconciliation took place through Christ’s death. His death is the sure foundation on which rests the reconciliation.

As a result you stand in the favor of God. He sees you as holy and perfect. Sin will no longer be counted against you. Nobody can bring a single accusation which can succeed against you. God, men and satan can find nothing on which they could lay their fingers. The death of Christ provided for everything.

Christ stands before you as the perfect result of His perfect work in the perfect light of God, and indeed no flaw can any longer be found against this. The just claims of God have been fully complied with by the atoning work of Christ so that no question can be raised against its legality.

Colossians 1:23. After the assurances faith offers, there comes an “if”. That seems to make the foregoing uncertain as though it depends on our commitment to have a part in it and to keep it. The power of this ‘if indeed’ however is that the chaff is separated from the wheat. The aim is to encourage faith and to condemn the self-confident nominal Christians.

A nominal Christian professes with the mouth that he is a Christian. But he has never gone to God with a remorse for his sins. He had never accepted in faith the power of the blood of Christ for the remission of sins. You have part in the foregoing blessings only if your faith is true, and you truly belong to the Lord. You should say ‘Yes’ whole heartedly to this. You will provide evidence that you remain in the faith that came to you through the gospel which you accepted.

What Paul says here is not to bring you eventually to doubt, but on the contrary to encourage you. You would certainly completely agree with Paul that faith is demonstrated by the fact that you are holding it, especially when resistance arises. With your faith you must deal with resistance, both by hostility from people and by the flattery of false teachers.

If your faith is true you are “firmly established and steadfast” and you are “not moved away from the hope of the gospel”. If your faith is not true, that will show up. The hope of the gospel is not to be saved by the gospel but is Christ. The gospel is not a summary of a number of rules that you must keep; the content of the gospel is a Person. If you are connected to Him by faith you will not want to allow anything that obscures or hides your view of Him. This desire for Him is present in everyone who loves Him in truth. I do not doubt that it is so with you also. You have heard this gospel exactly as the Colossians heard it (Colossians 1:6).

Paul became the minister of this gospel. The range of his ministry was the whole creation. The gospel is valid throughout the world and universally applicable (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8). His ministry was directed in a special way to all the nations that are under the heaven (Galatians 2:7), though he certainly did not exclude the Jews. In his love for them wherever he went he first preached to them from the Word of God (Acts 13:46; Romans 1:16). But the gospel was not limited to the borders of Israel. It extended to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

All creation under heaven was the range of Paul’s service. Here you notice the fact that Christ is the Head over creation. As you have read, it embraces all things in heaven and on earth. This, at the same time, is the distinguishing feature of the gospel. The words “under heaven” show that the gospel is not preached in heaven but on earth. The gospel is addressed to the people on earth and not to the angels in heaven.

You saw the same distinguishing features by the two sides of reconciliation. The reconciliation of all things does not mean that all people will be reconciled. Only people who believe in the Lord Jesus will be reconciled. This happens at the very moment they confess their sins and believe that His blood covered their sins before God.

Paul became a minister of this gospel. The Lord Jesus appointed him to this ministry (1 Timothy 1:12). Formerly he was a blasphemer, a persecutor of the church (1 Timothy 1:13). Now he is both a preacher and a teacher (1 Timothy 2:7). He preached the gospel to all people and instructed those who became members of the church by believing the gospel. His ministry to the church is mentioned in the verses following.

Now read Colossians 1:20-23 again.

Reflection: What do you learn about reconciliation in these verses?

2 Thessalonians 3:4

Christ in You – Perfect in Christ

In Colossians 1:23 Paul started to say something about his ministry. He talked about his ministry of the gospel that he preached in all creation under heaven. Now he talks about his other ministry, his ministry to the church. This ministry has the same two sides as the headship of Christ and the reconciliation through Christ. And this ministry is also connected on the one hand with the creation and on the other with the resurrection. So there is

a double headship of Christ: 1. Head over the creation and 2. Head of the body,

and a double reconciliation through Christ: 1. of all things, later, and 2. of people, now.

In addition there is a double ministry of Paul: 1. of the gospel and 2. of the church.

Colossians 1:24. For Paul, the service to the body – the church – is associated with sufferings. He suffered to make known the truth of the church. He was imprisoned because of that. He says to the Colossians that these sufferings are for them, “for your sake”. His sufferings for the global church meant the sufferings for the local church. What applies to the local church applies to the global church.

This form of suffering, Paul says, is in addition to the afflictions of Christ for the sake of His body, which is the church. Here he does not speak about the afflictions for Christ, but of Christ. His sufferings had the same character as the sufferings of Christ. This does not mean that he suffered to the same extent, and certainly not because of reconciliation. Reconciliation lacks nothing; it is complete in itself. God purchased the church through the blood of His own Son through His sufferings on the cross (Acts 20:28).

No, it is all about the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Witness on earth. In His being a Witness the Lord Jesus revealed God. This brought enormous afflictions on Him because men did not like to break with their sinful ways and deeds. The Lord Jesus Christ in His life on earth revealed God but not all the eternal purposes of God (John 16:12). Only when the Holy Spirit came on earth, the believers were given insight into the purposes of God through the apostle Paul (Acts 20:27). Witnessing to this truth brought abundant sufferings to Paul. These were not vicarious sufferings but additional sufferings. On the earth the Lord Jesus could not suffer for this truth because He did not reveal it then.

Paul did not view his suffering for the church as a necessary evil. He rejoiced in it. He saw the church as the body of Christ, as a community of people who had a special bond with Christ. He saw what the church meant for the heart of Christ. Therefore he did not shrink from suffering, he is committed to it.

Colossians 1:25. He desired that all those who belonged to the church both then and in the future, would know how unique the church is in her relationship to Christ. That was his ministry.

As he made this fact known he completed the Word of God. Completing or making the Word of God fully known does not mean that Paul wrote the last words of the Scriptures. John did that. It is not about the Bible books, but it is about the themes, about the things God wanted to make known to men.

The communication of the mystery, which was not known earlier, means that he communicated the last thing which God wanted to reveal. All other themes that God wanted to communicate were already known. Think of such things as the law, the kingdom, the redemption, the Person of Christ, and the ways of God. After he revealed this mystery about Christ and the church, no truth was left to be added to all God had revealed.

Colossians 1:26. This mystery was unknown in previous ages and in previous generations. Now it is revealed, certainly not to all people, but only to the church, His saints. It relates to Christ and the church, and especially the fact that believers from the nations and the believers from the Jews together form one body (Ephesians 3:4-6). The church does not exist from Adam; for it was hidden in all previous ages and it has only now been revealed.

Colossians 1:27. The special characteristic of the church is that it is connected to a Head in heaven; that was unimaginable in the times of the Old Testament. The coming of Christ to the earth, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, His ascension and His return to the earth to establish His kingdom in glory, power and majesty were not mysteries; they were already revealed. But a Christ Who is glorified as Man in heaven, as the Head of His body formed by the saved Jews and Gentiles, is found only in the New Testament.

The mystery here, exactly as in the letter to the Ephesians, is the union of Christ with His church. Paul’s emphasis here however is different from that in the letter to the Ephesians. To the Ephesians He presents the church of Christ in heaven; to the Colossians He speaks about ‘Christ in you’. This means that Christ is seen here in His church on earth. This means that the glory of this mystery is only visible in faith.

Another special feature is Christ ‘in you’. In exactly the same way as Paul uses the phrase “for your sake” in Colossians 1:24, he says that this is not about the global church but about the believers in Colossae. What is true of the global church is seen in miniature in the local church. And another thing: the ‘you’ denotes those who were originally Gentiles. To find Christ with the Gentiles is completely new. God used to dwell with His people. When the Lord Jesus came He stayed with His people. But now to find Christ with the pagans sets aside the privileged position of the Jews.

Colossians 1:28. It is all about Christ. Paul and other preachers proclaimed Him, a Person, and not a doctrine or a philosophy. The essence of Christendom is a Person and not a better doctrine. Christ was the substance of his proclaiming, admonishing and teaching. In doing so, he has “every man” in mind. This is strongly emphasized by using the word “every” three times. Every difference had disappeared. It is about every man personally and not in mass.

Paul not only saw the church as a whole but everyone individually. It was a ministry of one to one. The unconverted man he warns of the wrath to come. The converted man he teaches the great truths of the Christian faith. His ambition was that every person should reflect the power of the Word and the Spirit of Christ and grow toward perfection. This is real follow-up and after-care.

Paul is not satisfied that someone only accepts the Lord Jesus as Savior. He is concerned that every person, including you, is presented complete in Christ. He desires that you reach the stage of spiritual adulthood and that is the meaning of the word “complete” (Philippians 3:15; Hebrews 5:14). It is that you grow up to the point where nothing else is important in your life but Christ alone. Then you know not only your standing before God in Christ and that God sees you in Him, but living in God’s presence means everything to you.

That is the meaning of life; a life that has no room for anything from men. Christ is all. It is all about a father in Christ (1 John 2:13). For this it is necessary that you understand Who Christ is, and that your character is formed by this knowledge.

Colossians 1:29. This lofty goal – God’s goal for every man – which the apostle had before his eyes, demanded the use of all his vigor and energy. This also entailed much struggle and resistance, but Christ worked in him and gave him the strength. The servant who has the passion to reach the goal as mentioned in Colossians 1:28 – that Christ is everything for the soul – will find all the power for this ministry in Christ.

Now read Colossians 1:24-29 again.

Reflection: See if Christ is everything in all the spheres of your life.

2 Thessalonians 3:5

Christ in You – Perfect in Christ

In Colossians 1:23 Paul started to say something about his ministry. He talked about his ministry of the gospel that he preached in all creation under heaven. Now he talks about his other ministry, his ministry to the church. This ministry has the same two sides as the headship of Christ and the reconciliation through Christ. And this ministry is also connected on the one hand with the creation and on the other with the resurrection. So there is

a double headship of Christ: 1. Head over the creation and 2. Head of the body,

and a double reconciliation through Christ: 1. of all things, later, and 2. of people, now.

In addition there is a double ministry of Paul: 1. of the gospel and 2. of the church.

Colossians 1:24. For Paul, the service to the body – the church – is associated with sufferings. He suffered to make known the truth of the church. He was imprisoned because of that. He says to the Colossians that these sufferings are for them, “for your sake”. His sufferings for the global church meant the sufferings for the local church. What applies to the local church applies to the global church.

This form of suffering, Paul says, is in addition to the afflictions of Christ for the sake of His body, which is the church. Here he does not speak about the afflictions for Christ, but of Christ. His sufferings had the same character as the sufferings of Christ. This does not mean that he suffered to the same extent, and certainly not because of reconciliation. Reconciliation lacks nothing; it is complete in itself. God purchased the church through the blood of His own Son through His sufferings on the cross (Acts 20:28).

No, it is all about the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Witness on earth. In His being a Witness the Lord Jesus revealed God. This brought enormous afflictions on Him because men did not like to break with their sinful ways and deeds. The Lord Jesus Christ in His life on earth revealed God but not all the eternal purposes of God (John 16:12). Only when the Holy Spirit came on earth, the believers were given insight into the purposes of God through the apostle Paul (Acts 20:27). Witnessing to this truth brought abundant sufferings to Paul. These were not vicarious sufferings but additional sufferings. On the earth the Lord Jesus could not suffer for this truth because He did not reveal it then.

Paul did not view his suffering for the church as a necessary evil. He rejoiced in it. He saw the church as the body of Christ, as a community of people who had a special bond with Christ. He saw what the church meant for the heart of Christ. Therefore he did not shrink from suffering, he is committed to it.

Colossians 1:25. He desired that all those who belonged to the church both then and in the future, would know how unique the church is in her relationship to Christ. That was his ministry.

As he made this fact known he completed the Word of God. Completing or making the Word of God fully known does not mean that Paul wrote the last words of the Scriptures. John did that. It is not about the Bible books, but it is about the themes, about the things God wanted to make known to men.

The communication of the mystery, which was not known earlier, means that he communicated the last thing which God wanted to reveal. All other themes that God wanted to communicate were already known. Think of such things as the law, the kingdom, the redemption, the Person of Christ, and the ways of God. After he revealed this mystery about Christ and the church, no truth was left to be added to all God had revealed.

Colossians 1:26. This mystery was unknown in previous ages and in previous generations. Now it is revealed, certainly not to all people, but only to the church, His saints. It relates to Christ and the church, and especially the fact that believers from the nations and the believers from the Jews together form one body (Ephesians 3:4-6). The church does not exist from Adam; for it was hidden in all previous ages and it has only now been revealed.

Colossians 1:27. The special characteristic of the church is that it is connected to a Head in heaven; that was unimaginable in the times of the Old Testament. The coming of Christ to the earth, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, His ascension and His return to the earth to establish His kingdom in glory, power and majesty were not mysteries; they were already revealed. But a Christ Who is glorified as Man in heaven, as the Head of His body formed by the saved Jews and Gentiles, is found only in the New Testament.

The mystery here, exactly as in the letter to the Ephesians, is the union of Christ with His church. Paul’s emphasis here however is different from that in the letter to the Ephesians. To the Ephesians He presents the church of Christ in heaven; to the Colossians He speaks about ‘Christ in you’. This means that Christ is seen here in His church on earth. This means that the glory of this mystery is only visible in faith.

Another special feature is Christ ‘in you’. In exactly the same way as Paul uses the phrase “for your sake” in Colossians 1:24, he says that this is not about the global church but about the believers in Colossae. What is true of the global church is seen in miniature in the local church. And another thing: the ‘you’ denotes those who were originally Gentiles. To find Christ with the Gentiles is completely new. God used to dwell with His people. When the Lord Jesus came He stayed with His people. But now to find Christ with the pagans sets aside the privileged position of the Jews.

Colossians 1:28. It is all about Christ. Paul and other preachers proclaimed Him, a Person, and not a doctrine or a philosophy. The essence of Christendom is a Person and not a better doctrine. Christ was the substance of his proclaiming, admonishing and teaching. In doing so, he has “every man” in mind. This is strongly emphasized by using the word “every” three times. Every difference had disappeared. It is about every man personally and not in mass.

Paul not only saw the church as a whole but everyone individually. It was a ministry of one to one. The unconverted man he warns of the wrath to come. The converted man he teaches the great truths of the Christian faith. His ambition was that every person should reflect the power of the Word and the Spirit of Christ and grow toward perfection. This is real follow-up and after-care.

Paul is not satisfied that someone only accepts the Lord Jesus as Savior. He is concerned that every person, including you, is presented complete in Christ. He desires that you reach the stage of spiritual adulthood and that is the meaning of the word “complete” (Philippians 3:15; Hebrews 5:14). It is that you grow up to the point where nothing else is important in your life but Christ alone. Then you know not only your standing before God in Christ and that God sees you in Him, but living in God’s presence means everything to you.

That is the meaning of life; a life that has no room for anything from men. Christ is all. It is all about a father in Christ (1 John 2:13). For this it is necessary that you understand Who Christ is, and that your character is formed by this knowledge.

Colossians 1:29. This lofty goal – God’s goal for every man – which the apostle had before his eyes, demanded the use of all his vigor and energy. This also entailed much struggle and resistance, but Christ worked in him and gave him the strength. The servant who has the passion to reach the goal as mentioned in Colossians 1:28 – that Christ is everything for the soul – will find all the power for this ministry in Christ.

Now read Colossians 1:24-29 again.

Reflection: See if Christ is everything in all the spheres of your life.

2 Thessalonians 3:6

Christ in You – Perfect in Christ

In Colossians 1:23 Paul started to say something about his ministry. He talked about his ministry of the gospel that he preached in all creation under heaven. Now he talks about his other ministry, his ministry to the church. This ministry has the same two sides as the headship of Christ and the reconciliation through Christ. And this ministry is also connected on the one hand with the creation and on the other with the resurrection. So there is

a double headship of Christ: 1. Head over the creation and 2. Head of the body,

and a double reconciliation through Christ: 1. of all things, later, and 2. of people, now.

In addition there is a double ministry of Paul: 1. of the gospel and 2. of the church.

Colossians 1:24. For Paul, the service to the body – the church – is associated with sufferings. He suffered to make known the truth of the church. He was imprisoned because of that. He says to the Colossians that these sufferings are for them, “for your sake”. His sufferings for the global church meant the sufferings for the local church. What applies to the local church applies to the global church.

This form of suffering, Paul says, is in addition to the afflictions of Christ for the sake of His body, which is the church. Here he does not speak about the afflictions for Christ, but of Christ. His sufferings had the same character as the sufferings of Christ. This does not mean that he suffered to the same extent, and certainly not because of reconciliation. Reconciliation lacks nothing; it is complete in itself. God purchased the church through the blood of His own Son through His sufferings on the cross (Acts 20:28).

No, it is all about the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Witness on earth. In His being a Witness the Lord Jesus revealed God. This brought enormous afflictions on Him because men did not like to break with their sinful ways and deeds. The Lord Jesus Christ in His life on earth revealed God but not all the eternal purposes of God (John 16:12). Only when the Holy Spirit came on earth, the believers were given insight into the purposes of God through the apostle Paul (Acts 20:27). Witnessing to this truth brought abundant sufferings to Paul. These were not vicarious sufferings but additional sufferings. On the earth the Lord Jesus could not suffer for this truth because He did not reveal it then.

Paul did not view his suffering for the church as a necessary evil. He rejoiced in it. He saw the church as the body of Christ, as a community of people who had a special bond with Christ. He saw what the church meant for the heart of Christ. Therefore he did not shrink from suffering, he is committed to it.

Colossians 1:25. He desired that all those who belonged to the church both then and in the future, would know how unique the church is in her relationship to Christ. That was his ministry.

As he made this fact known he completed the Word of God. Completing or making the Word of God fully known does not mean that Paul wrote the last words of the Scriptures. John did that. It is not about the Bible books, but it is about the themes, about the things God wanted to make known to men.

The communication of the mystery, which was not known earlier, means that he communicated the last thing which God wanted to reveal. All other themes that God wanted to communicate were already known. Think of such things as the law, the kingdom, the redemption, the Person of Christ, and the ways of God. After he revealed this mystery about Christ and the church, no truth was left to be added to all God had revealed.

Colossians 1:26. This mystery was unknown in previous ages and in previous generations. Now it is revealed, certainly not to all people, but only to the church, His saints. It relates to Christ and the church, and especially the fact that believers from the nations and the believers from the Jews together form one body (Ephesians 3:4-6). The church does not exist from Adam; for it was hidden in all previous ages and it has only now been revealed.

Colossians 1:27. The special characteristic of the church is that it is connected to a Head in heaven; that was unimaginable in the times of the Old Testament. The coming of Christ to the earth, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, His ascension and His return to the earth to establish His kingdom in glory, power and majesty were not mysteries; they were already revealed. But a Christ Who is glorified as Man in heaven, as the Head of His body formed by the saved Jews and Gentiles, is found only in the New Testament.

The mystery here, exactly as in the letter to the Ephesians, is the union of Christ with His church. Paul’s emphasis here however is different from that in the letter to the Ephesians. To the Ephesians He presents the church of Christ in heaven; to the Colossians He speaks about ‘Christ in you’. This means that Christ is seen here in His church on earth. This means that the glory of this mystery is only visible in faith.

Another special feature is Christ ‘in you’. In exactly the same way as Paul uses the phrase “for your sake” in Colossians 1:24, he says that this is not about the global church but about the believers in Colossae. What is true of the global church is seen in miniature in the local church. And another thing: the ‘you’ denotes those who were originally Gentiles. To find Christ with the Gentiles is completely new. God used to dwell with His people. When the Lord Jesus came He stayed with His people. But now to find Christ with the pagans sets aside the privileged position of the Jews.

Colossians 1:28. It is all about Christ. Paul and other preachers proclaimed Him, a Person, and not a doctrine or a philosophy. The essence of Christendom is a Person and not a better doctrine. Christ was the substance of his proclaiming, admonishing and teaching. In doing so, he has “every man” in mind. This is strongly emphasized by using the word “every” three times. Every difference had disappeared. It is about every man personally and not in mass.

Paul not only saw the church as a whole but everyone individually. It was a ministry of one to one. The unconverted man he warns of the wrath to come. The converted man he teaches the great truths of the Christian faith. His ambition was that every person should reflect the power of the Word and the Spirit of Christ and grow toward perfection. This is real follow-up and after-care.

Paul is not satisfied that someone only accepts the Lord Jesus as Savior. He is concerned that every person, including you, is presented complete in Christ. He desires that you reach the stage of spiritual adulthood and that is the meaning of the word “complete” (Philippians 3:15; Hebrews 5:14). It is that you grow up to the point where nothing else is important in your life but Christ alone. Then you know not only your standing before God in Christ and that God sees you in Him, but living in God’s presence means everything to you.

That is the meaning of life; a life that has no room for anything from men. Christ is all. It is all about a father in Christ (1 John 2:13). For this it is necessary that you understand Who Christ is, and that your character is formed by this knowledge.

Colossians 1:29. This lofty goal – God’s goal for every man – which the apostle had before his eyes, demanded the use of all his vigor and energy. This also entailed much struggle and resistance, but Christ worked in him and gave him the strength. The servant who has the passion to reach the goal as mentioned in Colossians 1:28 – that Christ is everything for the soul – will find all the power for this ministry in Christ.

Now read Colossians 1:24-29 again.

Reflection: See if Christ is everything in all the spheres of your life.

2 Thessalonians 3:7

Christ in You – Perfect in Christ

In Colossians 1:23 Paul started to say something about his ministry. He talked about his ministry of the gospel that he preached in all creation under heaven. Now he talks about his other ministry, his ministry to the church. This ministry has the same two sides as the headship of Christ and the reconciliation through Christ. And this ministry is also connected on the one hand with the creation and on the other with the resurrection. So there is

a double headship of Christ: 1. Head over the creation and 2. Head of the body,

and a double reconciliation through Christ: 1. of all things, later, and 2. of people, now.

In addition there is a double ministry of Paul: 1. of the gospel and 2. of the church.

Colossians 1:24. For Paul, the service to the body – the church – is associated with sufferings. He suffered to make known the truth of the church. He was imprisoned because of that. He says to the Colossians that these sufferings are for them, “for your sake”. His sufferings for the global church meant the sufferings for the local church. What applies to the local church applies to the global church.

This form of suffering, Paul says, is in addition to the afflictions of Christ for the sake of His body, which is the church. Here he does not speak about the afflictions for Christ, but of Christ. His sufferings had the same character as the sufferings of Christ. This does not mean that he suffered to the same extent, and certainly not because of reconciliation. Reconciliation lacks nothing; it is complete in itself. God purchased the church through the blood of His own Son through His sufferings on the cross (Acts 20:28).

No, it is all about the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Witness on earth. In His being a Witness the Lord Jesus revealed God. This brought enormous afflictions on Him because men did not like to break with their sinful ways and deeds. The Lord Jesus Christ in His life on earth revealed God but not all the eternal purposes of God (John 16:12). Only when the Holy Spirit came on earth, the believers were given insight into the purposes of God through the apostle Paul (Acts 20:27). Witnessing to this truth brought abundant sufferings to Paul. These were not vicarious sufferings but additional sufferings. On the earth the Lord Jesus could not suffer for this truth because He did not reveal it then.

Paul did not view his suffering for the church as a necessary evil. He rejoiced in it. He saw the church as the body of Christ, as a community of people who had a special bond with Christ. He saw what the church meant for the heart of Christ. Therefore he did not shrink from suffering, he is committed to it.

Colossians 1:25. He desired that all those who belonged to the church both then and in the future, would know how unique the church is in her relationship to Christ. That was his ministry.

As he made this fact known he completed the Word of God. Completing or making the Word of God fully known does not mean that Paul wrote the last words of the Scriptures. John did that. It is not about the Bible books, but it is about the themes, about the things God wanted to make known to men.

The communication of the mystery, which was not known earlier, means that he communicated the last thing which God wanted to reveal. All other themes that God wanted to communicate were already known. Think of such things as the law, the kingdom, the redemption, the Person of Christ, and the ways of God. After he revealed this mystery about Christ and the church, no truth was left to be added to all God had revealed.

Colossians 1:26. This mystery was unknown in previous ages and in previous generations. Now it is revealed, certainly not to all people, but only to the church, His saints. It relates to Christ and the church, and especially the fact that believers from the nations and the believers from the Jews together form one body (Ephesians 3:4-6). The church does not exist from Adam; for it was hidden in all previous ages and it has only now been revealed.

Colossians 1:27. The special characteristic of the church is that it is connected to a Head in heaven; that was unimaginable in the times of the Old Testament. The coming of Christ to the earth, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, His ascension and His return to the earth to establish His kingdom in glory, power and majesty were not mysteries; they were already revealed. But a Christ Who is glorified as Man in heaven, as the Head of His body formed by the saved Jews and Gentiles, is found only in the New Testament.

The mystery here, exactly as in the letter to the Ephesians, is the union of Christ with His church. Paul’s emphasis here however is different from that in the letter to the Ephesians. To the Ephesians He presents the church of Christ in heaven; to the Colossians He speaks about ‘Christ in you’. This means that Christ is seen here in His church on earth. This means that the glory of this mystery is only visible in faith.

Another special feature is Christ ‘in you’. In exactly the same way as Paul uses the phrase “for your sake” in Colossians 1:24, he says that this is not about the global church but about the believers in Colossae. What is true of the global church is seen in miniature in the local church. And another thing: the ‘you’ denotes those who were originally Gentiles. To find Christ with the Gentiles is completely new. God used to dwell with His people. When the Lord Jesus came He stayed with His people. But now to find Christ with the pagans sets aside the privileged position of the Jews.

Colossians 1:28. It is all about Christ. Paul and other preachers proclaimed Him, a Person, and not a doctrine or a philosophy. The essence of Christendom is a Person and not a better doctrine. Christ was the substance of his proclaiming, admonishing and teaching. In doing so, he has “every man” in mind. This is strongly emphasized by using the word “every” three times. Every difference had disappeared. It is about every man personally and not in mass.

Paul not only saw the church as a whole but everyone individually. It was a ministry of one to one. The unconverted man he warns of the wrath to come. The converted man he teaches the great truths of the Christian faith. His ambition was that every person should reflect the power of the Word and the Spirit of Christ and grow toward perfection. This is real follow-up and after-care.

Paul is not satisfied that someone only accepts the Lord Jesus as Savior. He is concerned that every person, including you, is presented complete in Christ. He desires that you reach the stage of spiritual adulthood and that is the meaning of the word “complete” (Philippians 3:15; Hebrews 5:14). It is that you grow up to the point where nothing else is important in your life but Christ alone. Then you know not only your standing before God in Christ and that God sees you in Him, but living in God’s presence means everything to you.

That is the meaning of life; a life that has no room for anything from men. Christ is all. It is all about a father in Christ (1 John 2:13). For this it is necessary that you understand Who Christ is, and that your character is formed by this knowledge.

Colossians 1:29. This lofty goal – God’s goal for every man – which the apostle had before his eyes, demanded the use of all his vigor and energy. This also entailed much struggle and resistance, but Christ worked in him and gave him the strength. The servant who has the passion to reach the goal as mentioned in Colossians 1:28 – that Christ is everything for the soul – will find all the power for this ministry in Christ.

Now read Colossians 1:24-29 again.

Reflection: See if Christ is everything in all the spheres of your life.

2 Thessalonians 3:8

Christ in You – Perfect in Christ

In Colossians 1:23 Paul started to say something about his ministry. He talked about his ministry of the gospel that he preached in all creation under heaven. Now he talks about his other ministry, his ministry to the church. This ministry has the same two sides as the headship of Christ and the reconciliation through Christ. And this ministry is also connected on the one hand with the creation and on the other with the resurrection. So there is

a double headship of Christ: 1. Head over the creation and 2. Head of the body,

and a double reconciliation through Christ: 1. of all things, later, and 2. of people, now.

In addition there is a double ministry of Paul: 1. of the gospel and 2. of the church.

Colossians 1:24. For Paul, the service to the body – the church – is associated with sufferings. He suffered to make known the truth of the church. He was imprisoned because of that. He says to the Colossians that these sufferings are for them, “for your sake”. His sufferings for the global church meant the sufferings for the local church. What applies to the local church applies to the global church.

This form of suffering, Paul says, is in addition to the afflictions of Christ for the sake of His body, which is the church. Here he does not speak about the afflictions for Christ, but of Christ. His sufferings had the same character as the sufferings of Christ. This does not mean that he suffered to the same extent, and certainly not because of reconciliation. Reconciliation lacks nothing; it is complete in itself. God purchased the church through the blood of His own Son through His sufferings on the cross (Acts 20:28).

No, it is all about the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Witness on earth. In His being a Witness the Lord Jesus revealed God. This brought enormous afflictions on Him because men did not like to break with their sinful ways and deeds. The Lord Jesus Christ in His life on earth revealed God but not all the eternal purposes of God (John 16:12). Only when the Holy Spirit came on earth, the believers were given insight into the purposes of God through the apostle Paul (Acts 20:27). Witnessing to this truth brought abundant sufferings to Paul. These were not vicarious sufferings but additional sufferings. On the earth the Lord Jesus could not suffer for this truth because He did not reveal it then.

Paul did not view his suffering for the church as a necessary evil. He rejoiced in it. He saw the church as the body of Christ, as a community of people who had a special bond with Christ. He saw what the church meant for the heart of Christ. Therefore he did not shrink from suffering, he is committed to it.

Colossians 1:25. He desired that all those who belonged to the church both then and in the future, would know how unique the church is in her relationship to Christ. That was his ministry.

As he made this fact known he completed the Word of God. Completing or making the Word of God fully known does not mean that Paul wrote the last words of the Scriptures. John did that. It is not about the Bible books, but it is about the themes, about the things God wanted to make known to men.

The communication of the mystery, which was not known earlier, means that he communicated the last thing which God wanted to reveal. All other themes that God wanted to communicate were already known. Think of such things as the law, the kingdom, the redemption, the Person of Christ, and the ways of God. After he revealed this mystery about Christ and the church, no truth was left to be added to all God had revealed.

Colossians 1:26. This mystery was unknown in previous ages and in previous generations. Now it is revealed, certainly not to all people, but only to the church, His saints. It relates to Christ and the church, and especially the fact that believers from the nations and the believers from the Jews together form one body (Ephesians 3:4-6). The church does not exist from Adam; for it was hidden in all previous ages and it has only now been revealed.

Colossians 1:27. The special characteristic of the church is that it is connected to a Head in heaven; that was unimaginable in the times of the Old Testament. The coming of Christ to the earth, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, His ascension and His return to the earth to establish His kingdom in glory, power and majesty were not mysteries; they were already revealed. But a Christ Who is glorified as Man in heaven, as the Head of His body formed by the saved Jews and Gentiles, is found only in the New Testament.

The mystery here, exactly as in the letter to the Ephesians, is the union of Christ with His church. Paul’s emphasis here however is different from that in the letter to the Ephesians. To the Ephesians He presents the church of Christ in heaven; to the Colossians He speaks about ‘Christ in you’. This means that Christ is seen here in His church on earth. This means that the glory of this mystery is only visible in faith.

Another special feature is Christ ‘in you’. In exactly the same way as Paul uses the phrase “for your sake” in Colossians 1:24, he says that this is not about the global church but about the believers in Colossae. What is true of the global church is seen in miniature in the local church. And another thing: the ‘you’ denotes those who were originally Gentiles. To find Christ with the Gentiles is completely new. God used to dwell with His people. When the Lord Jesus came He stayed with His people. But now to find Christ with the pagans sets aside the privileged position of the Jews.

Colossians 1:28. It is all about Christ. Paul and other preachers proclaimed Him, a Person, and not a doctrine or a philosophy. The essence of Christendom is a Person and not a better doctrine. Christ was the substance of his proclaiming, admonishing and teaching. In doing so, he has “every man” in mind. This is strongly emphasized by using the word “every” three times. Every difference had disappeared. It is about every man personally and not in mass.

Paul not only saw the church as a whole but everyone individually. It was a ministry of one to one. The unconverted man he warns of the wrath to come. The converted man he teaches the great truths of the Christian faith. His ambition was that every person should reflect the power of the Word and the Spirit of Christ and grow toward perfection. This is real follow-up and after-care.

Paul is not satisfied that someone only accepts the Lord Jesus as Savior. He is concerned that every person, including you, is presented complete in Christ. He desires that you reach the stage of spiritual adulthood and that is the meaning of the word “complete” (Philippians 3:15; Hebrews 5:14). It is that you grow up to the point where nothing else is important in your life but Christ alone. Then you know not only your standing before God in Christ and that God sees you in Him, but living in God’s presence means everything to you.

That is the meaning of life; a life that has no room for anything from men. Christ is all. It is all about a father in Christ (1 John 2:13). For this it is necessary that you understand Who Christ is, and that your character is formed by this knowledge.

Colossians 1:29. This lofty goal – God’s goal for every man – which the apostle had before his eyes, demanded the use of all his vigor and energy. This also entailed much struggle and resistance, but Christ worked in him and gave him the strength. The servant who has the passion to reach the goal as mentioned in Colossians 1:28 – that Christ is everything for the soul – will find all the power for this ministry in Christ.

Now read Colossians 1:24-29 again.

Reflection: See if Christ is everything in all the spheres of your life.

2 Thessalonians 3:9

Christ in You – Perfect in Christ

In Colossians 1:23 Paul started to say something about his ministry. He talked about his ministry of the gospel that he preached in all creation under heaven. Now he talks about his other ministry, his ministry to the church. This ministry has the same two sides as the headship of Christ and the reconciliation through Christ. And this ministry is also connected on the one hand with the creation and on the other with the resurrection. So there is

a double headship of Christ: 1. Head over the creation and 2. Head of the body,

and a double reconciliation through Christ: 1. of all things, later, and 2. of people, now.

In addition there is a double ministry of Paul: 1. of the gospel and 2. of the church.

Colossians 1:24. For Paul, the service to the body – the church – is associated with sufferings. He suffered to make known the truth of the church. He was imprisoned because of that. He says to the Colossians that these sufferings are for them, “for your sake”. His sufferings for the global church meant the sufferings for the local church. What applies to the local church applies to the global church.

This form of suffering, Paul says, is in addition to the afflictions of Christ for the sake of His body, which is the church. Here he does not speak about the afflictions for Christ, but of Christ. His sufferings had the same character as the sufferings of Christ. This does not mean that he suffered to the same extent, and certainly not because of reconciliation. Reconciliation lacks nothing; it is complete in itself. God purchased the church through the blood of His own Son through His sufferings on the cross (Acts 20:28).

No, it is all about the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Witness on earth. In His being a Witness the Lord Jesus revealed God. This brought enormous afflictions on Him because men did not like to break with their sinful ways and deeds. The Lord Jesus Christ in His life on earth revealed God but not all the eternal purposes of God (John 16:12). Only when the Holy Spirit came on earth, the believers were given insight into the purposes of God through the apostle Paul (Acts 20:27). Witnessing to this truth brought abundant sufferings to Paul. These were not vicarious sufferings but additional sufferings. On the earth the Lord Jesus could not suffer for this truth because He did not reveal it then.

Paul did not view his suffering for the church as a necessary evil. He rejoiced in it. He saw the church as the body of Christ, as a community of people who had a special bond with Christ. He saw what the church meant for the heart of Christ. Therefore he did not shrink from suffering, he is committed to it.

Colossians 1:25. He desired that all those who belonged to the church both then and in the future, would know how unique the church is in her relationship to Christ. That was his ministry.

As he made this fact known he completed the Word of God. Completing or making the Word of God fully known does not mean that Paul wrote the last words of the Scriptures. John did that. It is not about the Bible books, but it is about the themes, about the things God wanted to make known to men.

The communication of the mystery, which was not known earlier, means that he communicated the last thing which God wanted to reveal. All other themes that God wanted to communicate were already known. Think of such things as the law, the kingdom, the redemption, the Person of Christ, and the ways of God. After he revealed this mystery about Christ and the church, no truth was left to be added to all God had revealed.

Colossians 1:26. This mystery was unknown in previous ages and in previous generations. Now it is revealed, certainly not to all people, but only to the church, His saints. It relates to Christ and the church, and especially the fact that believers from the nations and the believers from the Jews together form one body (Ephesians 3:4-6). The church does not exist from Adam; for it was hidden in all previous ages and it has only now been revealed.

Colossians 1:27. The special characteristic of the church is that it is connected to a Head in heaven; that was unimaginable in the times of the Old Testament. The coming of Christ to the earth, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, His ascension and His return to the earth to establish His kingdom in glory, power and majesty were not mysteries; they were already revealed. But a Christ Who is glorified as Man in heaven, as the Head of His body formed by the saved Jews and Gentiles, is found only in the New Testament.

The mystery here, exactly as in the letter to the Ephesians, is the union of Christ with His church. Paul’s emphasis here however is different from that in the letter to the Ephesians. To the Ephesians He presents the church of Christ in heaven; to the Colossians He speaks about ‘Christ in you’. This means that Christ is seen here in His church on earth. This means that the glory of this mystery is only visible in faith.

Another special feature is Christ ‘in you’. In exactly the same way as Paul uses the phrase “for your sake” in Colossians 1:24, he says that this is not about the global church but about the believers in Colossae. What is true of the global church is seen in miniature in the local church. And another thing: the ‘you’ denotes those who were originally Gentiles. To find Christ with the Gentiles is completely new. God used to dwell with His people. When the Lord Jesus came He stayed with His people. But now to find Christ with the pagans sets aside the privileged position of the Jews.

Colossians 1:28. It is all about Christ. Paul and other preachers proclaimed Him, a Person, and not a doctrine or a philosophy. The essence of Christendom is a Person and not a better doctrine. Christ was the substance of his proclaiming, admonishing and teaching. In doing so, he has “every man” in mind. This is strongly emphasized by using the word “every” three times. Every difference had disappeared. It is about every man personally and not in mass.

Paul not only saw the church as a whole but everyone individually. It was a ministry of one to one. The unconverted man he warns of the wrath to come. The converted man he teaches the great truths of the Christian faith. His ambition was that every person should reflect the power of the Word and the Spirit of Christ and grow toward perfection. This is real follow-up and after-care.

Paul is not satisfied that someone only accepts the Lord Jesus as Savior. He is concerned that every person, including you, is presented complete in Christ. He desires that you reach the stage of spiritual adulthood and that is the meaning of the word “complete” (Philippians 3:15; Hebrews 5:14). It is that you grow up to the point where nothing else is important in your life but Christ alone. Then you know not only your standing before God in Christ and that God sees you in Him, but living in God’s presence means everything to you.

That is the meaning of life; a life that has no room for anything from men. Christ is all. It is all about a father in Christ (1 John 2:13). For this it is necessary that you understand Who Christ is, and that your character is formed by this knowledge.

Colossians 1:29. This lofty goal – God’s goal for every man – which the apostle had before his eyes, demanded the use of all his vigor and energy. This also entailed much struggle and resistance, but Christ worked in him and gave him the strength. The servant who has the passion to reach the goal as mentioned in Colossians 1:28 – that Christ is everything for the soul – will find all the power for this ministry in Christ.

Now read Colossians 1:24-29 again.

Reflection: See if Christ is everything in all the spheres of your life.

2 Thessalonians 3:11

All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge

Colossians 2:1. For Paul it is important that the Colossians knew that he is fighting a great spiritual struggle for them and neighboring Laodicea. He adds: “And for all those who have not personally seen my face.” He expands the circle to all the children of God through the centuries. He wants everyone, including you, to realize that he has a great struggle for every believer. He struggles to make the believers understand that the church is one with the Head in glory. He desires that this full awareness works in their hearts.

He struggles for them because he saw the danger of false teachers, and as a result the Colossians could lose this awareness. He struggles in prayer for this in his imprisonment. He is not struggling against the heretics but for the believers. If believers live in accordance with what they have become and what they have received in Christ, false teachers cannot gain control over them. We should not underestimate the importance of prayer for each other as we struggle along with Paul.

Colossians 2:2. It is good to tell someone that you are praying for him or her. It is an encouragement, a blessing for the heart of the other. They feel supported. Thus prayer is a great tool that God has given to us to comfort others. Even if you are someone who perhaps does not have a public service in the church you can be an instrument of comfort and encouragement. This service is open to every child of God, and can be done anywhere. Paul did it while he was imprisoned; you can do it in your room (Matthew 6:6). You should not think little of comforting a heart as if it were something trivial. It is the fruit of a prayer struggle.

Encouragement is needed when fear and discord arise due to emerging heresies, for encouragement provides the heart with strength and resistance. When someone’s heart is encouraged, it affects all aspects of his life, “for from it [flow] the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

There is one more fruit of this prayer struggle. The believers will be united against the upcoming enemies with their heresies. They will be firmly knit together, with the bond of “love” indeed. Interconnected believers who love each other form an impregnable fortress. Note that it is about a fellowship experience. We cannot experience this individually.

If you isolate yourself you can study the Bible and get spiritual insight, but it will not be possible for you to be strengthened by experience. Maybe you can explain what it means to be united in love, but it is quite different to experience it. You can never really understand something if you do not experience what it means. For example if you are not married you can know about it, but you can only really know it if you are married.

Believers who are knit together are not only protected from evil but they are also open to what is good. Paul comes still closer to the heart of this struggle. He wants to take the believers to the treasury of faith. That treasury is the Person of Christ. All the riches are to be found in Him. Paul wants them to understand this.

If you understand the mystery of God, you have complete security and you know for sure that nothing further can be added. But as long as there is a propensity for pagan philosophy or Jewish traditions, you lack the complete security. You are wronging yourself and above all you are wronging Christ. He is everything. He wants to be everything to you and He is not happy with anything less than that; neither are you, are you? That is why Paul is anxious that you come to the knowledge of the mystery of God.

Colossians 2:3. And where can this knowledge be found? In Christ. For in Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. Christ is the great treasury of Divine riches. There is nothing apart from Him that can be complementary to this. Nobody can add something to Him. Everything is hidden in Him, which at the same time is inviting all to search for these treasures. All these treasures are accessible to all believers.

This however requires exertion. Treasures are hidden for their high value. They do not lie on the surface. You know however where you must dig: in Christ. The big question is: ‘How much is this treasure worth to you?’ Your appreciation will be determined by your efforts. Do you doubt its value? Look again closely: all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The word ‘all’ does not allow any exception.

Job makes an impressive comparison of wisdom with the finest metals which can be obtained only with much strenuous effort, and concludes that even all these treasures are eclipsed by wisdom (Job 28:1-28). Job wondered: “But where can wisdom be found?” (Job 28:12). Here is the answer: in Christ.

The wisdom of God in Christ is revealed in a special way by the existence of the church. The manifold wisdom of God is seen in the church (Ephesians 3:10). That Christ would connect Himself with people who are sinners by nature and let them share in His glory, only the wisdom of God could have thought of that.

In Christ you can know all that can be known of God. There is no true knowledge outside of Christ. People can have interesting ideas or express assumptions both about the origin of creation and about how man can come into contact with God. But whether it is about the origin of heaven and earth or about the church, only in Christ will you get to know both the one and the other.

Colossians 2:4. Paul says all this because the right view is the great protection against misleading teachings. Knowledge of the mystery will keep you from being receptive to errors. You will not be impressed when people approach you with persuasive argument and give the best of their nice rhetoric. A beautiful and fluent argument and a glowing speech are no guarantee that the truth is spoken. Paul himself did not make use of persuasive argument. The power of God was perceivable in him (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

What is notable with people who want to undermine your faith is that they build their arguments on probabilities, and that their learning system is based on derivations of assumptions. But the truth does not require arguments. One does not need to defend the truth. Speak the truth and the truth will defend itself.

Colossians 2:5. Although Paul and the Colossians had never seen each other, Paul was always busy with these believers. He took upon himself the responsibility for them because they belonged to the church and he was a minister of the church. His deep concern for the churches came on him daily (2 Corinthians 11:28). The evidence of this concern is seen first in the fact that he constantly prayed for them, second that he wrote this letter, and third that he sent Tychicus to them.

Yet there is not only worry. Before speaking further about the seducers, he points out some things that he saw in the Colossians he was happy about. Their good discipline and the stability of their faith in Christ were presented to him so alive that he could see them with his spiritual eyes. Besides their outward order there was also an inner steadfastness which consisted of faith in Christ. Christ was the object of their faith. Outer order and inner stability are mutually reinforcing. They are both necessary to prevent your faith from being taken away from you.

But be on your guard! The enemy can also try other ways to undermine the stability of your faith. When he cannot take away anything from you he would like to add something that apparently deepens your faith. In reality however he wants to scoop out your faith and make it powerless. This is illustrated by the verses following.

Now read Colossians 2:1-5 again.

Reflection: What treasures have you discovered in Christ?

2 Thessalonians 3:12

All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge

Colossians 2:1. For Paul it is important that the Colossians knew that he is fighting a great spiritual struggle for them and neighboring Laodicea. He adds: “And for all those who have not personally seen my face.” He expands the circle to all the children of God through the centuries. He wants everyone, including you, to realize that he has a great struggle for every believer. He struggles to make the believers understand that the church is one with the Head in glory. He desires that this full awareness works in their hearts.

He struggles for them because he saw the danger of false teachers, and as a result the Colossians could lose this awareness. He struggles in prayer for this in his imprisonment. He is not struggling against the heretics but for the believers. If believers live in accordance with what they have become and what they have received in Christ, false teachers cannot gain control over them. We should not underestimate the importance of prayer for each other as we struggle along with Paul.

Colossians 2:2. It is good to tell someone that you are praying for him or her. It is an encouragement, a blessing for the heart of the other. They feel supported. Thus prayer is a great tool that God has given to us to comfort others. Even if you are someone who perhaps does not have a public service in the church you can be an instrument of comfort and encouragement. This service is open to every child of God, and can be done anywhere. Paul did it while he was imprisoned; you can do it in your room (Matthew 6:6). You should not think little of comforting a heart as if it were something trivial. It is the fruit of a prayer struggle.

Encouragement is needed when fear and discord arise due to emerging heresies, for encouragement provides the heart with strength and resistance. When someone’s heart is encouraged, it affects all aspects of his life, “for from it [flow] the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

There is one more fruit of this prayer struggle. The believers will be united against the upcoming enemies with their heresies. They will be firmly knit together, with the bond of “love” indeed. Interconnected believers who love each other form an impregnable fortress. Note that it is about a fellowship experience. We cannot experience this individually.

If you isolate yourself you can study the Bible and get spiritual insight, but it will not be possible for you to be strengthened by experience. Maybe you can explain what it means to be united in love, but it is quite different to experience it. You can never really understand something if you do not experience what it means. For example if you are not married you can know about it, but you can only really know it if you are married.

Believers who are knit together are not only protected from evil but they are also open to what is good. Paul comes still closer to the heart of this struggle. He wants to take the believers to the treasury of faith. That treasury is the Person of Christ. All the riches are to be found in Him. Paul wants them to understand this.

If you understand the mystery of God, you have complete security and you know for sure that nothing further can be added. But as long as there is a propensity for pagan philosophy or Jewish traditions, you lack the complete security. You are wronging yourself and above all you are wronging Christ. He is everything. He wants to be everything to you and He is not happy with anything less than that; neither are you, are you? That is why Paul is anxious that you come to the knowledge of the mystery of God.

Colossians 2:3. And where can this knowledge be found? In Christ. For in Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. Christ is the great treasury of Divine riches. There is nothing apart from Him that can be complementary to this. Nobody can add something to Him. Everything is hidden in Him, which at the same time is inviting all to search for these treasures. All these treasures are accessible to all believers.

This however requires exertion. Treasures are hidden for their high value. They do not lie on the surface. You know however where you must dig: in Christ. The big question is: ‘How much is this treasure worth to you?’ Your appreciation will be determined by your efforts. Do you doubt its value? Look again closely: all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The word ‘all’ does not allow any exception.

Job makes an impressive comparison of wisdom with the finest metals which can be obtained only with much strenuous effort, and concludes that even all these treasures are eclipsed by wisdom (Job 28:1-28). Job wondered: “But where can wisdom be found?” (Job 28:12). Here is the answer: in Christ.

The wisdom of God in Christ is revealed in a special way by the existence of the church. The manifold wisdom of God is seen in the church (Ephesians 3:10). That Christ would connect Himself with people who are sinners by nature and let them share in His glory, only the wisdom of God could have thought of that.

In Christ you can know all that can be known of God. There is no true knowledge outside of Christ. People can have interesting ideas or express assumptions both about the origin of creation and about how man can come into contact with God. But whether it is about the origin of heaven and earth or about the church, only in Christ will you get to know both the one and the other.

Colossians 2:4. Paul says all this because the right view is the great protection against misleading teachings. Knowledge of the mystery will keep you from being receptive to errors. You will not be impressed when people approach you with persuasive argument and give the best of their nice rhetoric. A beautiful and fluent argument and a glowing speech are no guarantee that the truth is spoken. Paul himself did not make use of persuasive argument. The power of God was perceivable in him (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

What is notable with people who want to undermine your faith is that they build their arguments on probabilities, and that their learning system is based on derivations of assumptions. But the truth does not require arguments. One does not need to defend the truth. Speak the truth and the truth will defend itself.

Colossians 2:5. Although Paul and the Colossians had never seen each other, Paul was always busy with these believers. He took upon himself the responsibility for them because they belonged to the church and he was a minister of the church. His deep concern for the churches came on him daily (2 Corinthians 11:28). The evidence of this concern is seen first in the fact that he constantly prayed for them, second that he wrote this letter, and third that he sent Tychicus to them.

Yet there is not only worry. Before speaking further about the seducers, he points out some things that he saw in the Colossians he was happy about. Their good discipline and the stability of their faith in Christ were presented to him so alive that he could see them with his spiritual eyes. Besides their outward order there was also an inner steadfastness which consisted of faith in Christ. Christ was the object of their faith. Outer order and inner stability are mutually reinforcing. They are both necessary to prevent your faith from being taken away from you.

But be on your guard! The enemy can also try other ways to undermine the stability of your faith. When he cannot take away anything from you he would like to add something that apparently deepens your faith. In reality however he wants to scoop out your faith and make it powerless. This is illustrated by the verses following.

Now read Colossians 2:1-5 again.

Reflection: What treasures have you discovered in Christ?

2 Thessalonians 3:13

All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge

Colossians 2:1. For Paul it is important that the Colossians knew that he is fighting a great spiritual struggle for them and neighboring Laodicea. He adds: “And for all those who have not personally seen my face.” He expands the circle to all the children of God through the centuries. He wants everyone, including you, to realize that he has a great struggle for every believer. He struggles to make the believers understand that the church is one with the Head in glory. He desires that this full awareness works in their hearts.

He struggles for them because he saw the danger of false teachers, and as a result the Colossians could lose this awareness. He struggles in prayer for this in his imprisonment. He is not struggling against the heretics but for the believers. If believers live in accordance with what they have become and what they have received in Christ, false teachers cannot gain control over them. We should not underestimate the importance of prayer for each other as we struggle along with Paul.

Colossians 2:2. It is good to tell someone that you are praying for him or her. It is an encouragement, a blessing for the heart of the other. They feel supported. Thus prayer is a great tool that God has given to us to comfort others. Even if you are someone who perhaps does not have a public service in the church you can be an instrument of comfort and encouragement. This service is open to every child of God, and can be done anywhere. Paul did it while he was imprisoned; you can do it in your room (Matthew 6:6). You should not think little of comforting a heart as if it were something trivial. It is the fruit of a prayer struggle.

Encouragement is needed when fear and discord arise due to emerging heresies, for encouragement provides the heart with strength and resistance. When someone’s heart is encouraged, it affects all aspects of his life, “for from it [flow] the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

There is one more fruit of this prayer struggle. The believers will be united against the upcoming enemies with their heresies. They will be firmly knit together, with the bond of “love” indeed. Interconnected believers who love each other form an impregnable fortress. Note that it is about a fellowship experience. We cannot experience this individually.

If you isolate yourself you can study the Bible and get spiritual insight, but it will not be possible for you to be strengthened by experience. Maybe you can explain what it means to be united in love, but it is quite different to experience it. You can never really understand something if you do not experience what it means. For example if you are not married you can know about it, but you can only really know it if you are married.

Believers who are knit together are not only protected from evil but they are also open to what is good. Paul comes still closer to the heart of this struggle. He wants to take the believers to the treasury of faith. That treasury is the Person of Christ. All the riches are to be found in Him. Paul wants them to understand this.

If you understand the mystery of God, you have complete security and you know for sure that nothing further can be added. But as long as there is a propensity for pagan philosophy or Jewish traditions, you lack the complete security. You are wronging yourself and above all you are wronging Christ. He is everything. He wants to be everything to you and He is not happy with anything less than that; neither are you, are you? That is why Paul is anxious that you come to the knowledge of the mystery of God.

Colossians 2:3. And where can this knowledge be found? In Christ. For in Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. Christ is the great treasury of Divine riches. There is nothing apart from Him that can be complementary to this. Nobody can add something to Him. Everything is hidden in Him, which at the same time is inviting all to search for these treasures. All these treasures are accessible to all believers.

This however requires exertion. Treasures are hidden for their high value. They do not lie on the surface. You know however where you must dig: in Christ. The big question is: ‘How much is this treasure worth to you?’ Your appreciation will be determined by your efforts. Do you doubt its value? Look again closely: all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The word ‘all’ does not allow any exception.

Job makes an impressive comparison of wisdom with the finest metals which can be obtained only with much strenuous effort, and concludes that even all these treasures are eclipsed by wisdom (Job 28:1-28). Job wondered: “But where can wisdom be found?” (Job 28:12). Here is the answer: in Christ.

The wisdom of God in Christ is revealed in a special way by the existence of the church. The manifold wisdom of God is seen in the church (Ephesians 3:10). That Christ would connect Himself with people who are sinners by nature and let them share in His glory, only the wisdom of God could have thought of that.

In Christ you can know all that can be known of God. There is no true knowledge outside of Christ. People can have interesting ideas or express assumptions both about the origin of creation and about how man can come into contact with God. But whether it is about the origin of heaven and earth or about the church, only in Christ will you get to know both the one and the other.

Colossians 2:4. Paul says all this because the right view is the great protection against misleading teachings. Knowledge of the mystery will keep you from being receptive to errors. You will not be impressed when people approach you with persuasive argument and give the best of their nice rhetoric. A beautiful and fluent argument and a glowing speech are no guarantee that the truth is spoken. Paul himself did not make use of persuasive argument. The power of God was perceivable in him (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

What is notable with people who want to undermine your faith is that they build their arguments on probabilities, and that their learning system is based on derivations of assumptions. But the truth does not require arguments. One does not need to defend the truth. Speak the truth and the truth will defend itself.

Colossians 2:5. Although Paul and the Colossians had never seen each other, Paul was always busy with these believers. He took upon himself the responsibility for them because they belonged to the church and he was a minister of the church. His deep concern for the churches came on him daily (2 Corinthians 11:28). The evidence of this concern is seen first in the fact that he constantly prayed for them, second that he wrote this letter, and third that he sent Tychicus to them.

Yet there is not only worry. Before speaking further about the seducers, he points out some things that he saw in the Colossians he was happy about. Their good discipline and the stability of their faith in Christ were presented to him so alive that he could see them with his spiritual eyes. Besides their outward order there was also an inner steadfastness which consisted of faith in Christ. Christ was the object of their faith. Outer order and inner stability are mutually reinforcing. They are both necessary to prevent your faith from being taken away from you.

But be on your guard! The enemy can also try other ways to undermine the stability of your faith. When he cannot take away anything from you he would like to add something that apparently deepens your faith. In reality however he wants to scoop out your faith and make it powerless. This is illustrated by the verses following.

Now read Colossians 2:1-5 again.

Reflection: What treasures have you discovered in Christ?

2 Thessalonians 3:14

All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge

Colossians 2:1. For Paul it is important that the Colossians knew that he is fighting a great spiritual struggle for them and neighboring Laodicea. He adds: “And for all those who have not personally seen my face.” He expands the circle to all the children of God through the centuries. He wants everyone, including you, to realize that he has a great struggle for every believer. He struggles to make the believers understand that the church is one with the Head in glory. He desires that this full awareness works in their hearts.

He struggles for them because he saw the danger of false teachers, and as a result the Colossians could lose this awareness. He struggles in prayer for this in his imprisonment. He is not struggling against the heretics but for the believers. If believers live in accordance with what they have become and what they have received in Christ, false teachers cannot gain control over them. We should not underestimate the importance of prayer for each other as we struggle along with Paul.

Colossians 2:2. It is good to tell someone that you are praying for him or her. It is an encouragement, a blessing for the heart of the other. They feel supported. Thus prayer is a great tool that God has given to us to comfort others. Even if you are someone who perhaps does not have a public service in the church you can be an instrument of comfort and encouragement. This service is open to every child of God, and can be done anywhere. Paul did it while he was imprisoned; you can do it in your room (Matthew 6:6). You should not think little of comforting a heart as if it were something trivial. It is the fruit of a prayer struggle.

Encouragement is needed when fear and discord arise due to emerging heresies, for encouragement provides the heart with strength and resistance. When someone’s heart is encouraged, it affects all aspects of his life, “for from it [flow] the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

There is one more fruit of this prayer struggle. The believers will be united against the upcoming enemies with their heresies. They will be firmly knit together, with the bond of “love” indeed. Interconnected believers who love each other form an impregnable fortress. Note that it is about a fellowship experience. We cannot experience this individually.

If you isolate yourself you can study the Bible and get spiritual insight, but it will not be possible for you to be strengthened by experience. Maybe you can explain what it means to be united in love, but it is quite different to experience it. You can never really understand something if you do not experience what it means. For example if you are not married you can know about it, but you can only really know it if you are married.

Believers who are knit together are not only protected from evil but they are also open to what is good. Paul comes still closer to the heart of this struggle. He wants to take the believers to the treasury of faith. That treasury is the Person of Christ. All the riches are to be found in Him. Paul wants them to understand this.

If you understand the mystery of God, you have complete security and you know for sure that nothing further can be added. But as long as there is a propensity for pagan philosophy or Jewish traditions, you lack the complete security. You are wronging yourself and above all you are wronging Christ. He is everything. He wants to be everything to you and He is not happy with anything less than that; neither are you, are you? That is why Paul is anxious that you come to the knowledge of the mystery of God.

Colossians 2:3. And where can this knowledge be found? In Christ. For in Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. Christ is the great treasury of Divine riches. There is nothing apart from Him that can be complementary to this. Nobody can add something to Him. Everything is hidden in Him, which at the same time is inviting all to search for these treasures. All these treasures are accessible to all believers.

This however requires exertion. Treasures are hidden for their high value. They do not lie on the surface. You know however where you must dig: in Christ. The big question is: ‘How much is this treasure worth to you?’ Your appreciation will be determined by your efforts. Do you doubt its value? Look again closely: all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The word ‘all’ does not allow any exception.

Job makes an impressive comparison of wisdom with the finest metals which can be obtained only with much strenuous effort, and concludes that even all these treasures are eclipsed by wisdom (Job 28:1-28). Job wondered: “But where can wisdom be found?” (Job 28:12). Here is the answer: in Christ.

The wisdom of God in Christ is revealed in a special way by the existence of the church. The manifold wisdom of God is seen in the church (Ephesians 3:10). That Christ would connect Himself with people who are sinners by nature and let them share in His glory, only the wisdom of God could have thought of that.

In Christ you can know all that can be known of God. There is no true knowledge outside of Christ. People can have interesting ideas or express assumptions both about the origin of creation and about how man can come into contact with God. But whether it is about the origin of heaven and earth or about the church, only in Christ will you get to know both the one and the other.

Colossians 2:4. Paul says all this because the right view is the great protection against misleading teachings. Knowledge of the mystery will keep you from being receptive to errors. You will not be impressed when people approach you with persuasive argument and give the best of their nice rhetoric. A beautiful and fluent argument and a glowing speech are no guarantee that the truth is spoken. Paul himself did not make use of persuasive argument. The power of God was perceivable in him (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

What is notable with people who want to undermine your faith is that they build their arguments on probabilities, and that their learning system is based on derivations of assumptions. But the truth does not require arguments. One does not need to defend the truth. Speak the truth and the truth will defend itself.

Colossians 2:5. Although Paul and the Colossians had never seen each other, Paul was always busy with these believers. He took upon himself the responsibility for them because they belonged to the church and he was a minister of the church. His deep concern for the churches came on him daily (2 Corinthians 11:28). The evidence of this concern is seen first in the fact that he constantly prayed for them, second that he wrote this letter, and third that he sent Tychicus to them.

Yet there is not only worry. Before speaking further about the seducers, he points out some things that he saw in the Colossians he was happy about. Their good discipline and the stability of their faith in Christ were presented to him so alive that he could see them with his spiritual eyes. Besides their outward order there was also an inner steadfastness which consisted of faith in Christ. Christ was the object of their faith. Outer order and inner stability are mutually reinforcing. They are both necessary to prevent your faith from being taken away from you.

But be on your guard! The enemy can also try other ways to undermine the stability of your faith. When he cannot take away anything from you he would like to add something that apparently deepens your faith. In reality however he wants to scoop out your faith and make it powerless. This is illustrated by the verses following.

Now read Colossians 2:1-5 again.

Reflection: What treasures have you discovered in Christ?

2 Thessalonians 3:15

All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge

Colossians 2:1. For Paul it is important that the Colossians knew that he is fighting a great spiritual struggle for them and neighboring Laodicea. He adds: “And for all those who have not personally seen my face.” He expands the circle to all the children of God through the centuries. He wants everyone, including you, to realize that he has a great struggle for every believer. He struggles to make the believers understand that the church is one with the Head in glory. He desires that this full awareness works in their hearts.

He struggles for them because he saw the danger of false teachers, and as a result the Colossians could lose this awareness. He struggles in prayer for this in his imprisonment. He is not struggling against the heretics but for the believers. If believers live in accordance with what they have become and what they have received in Christ, false teachers cannot gain control over them. We should not underestimate the importance of prayer for each other as we struggle along with Paul.

Colossians 2:2. It is good to tell someone that you are praying for him or her. It is an encouragement, a blessing for the heart of the other. They feel supported. Thus prayer is a great tool that God has given to us to comfort others. Even if you are someone who perhaps does not have a public service in the church you can be an instrument of comfort and encouragement. This service is open to every child of God, and can be done anywhere. Paul did it while he was imprisoned; you can do it in your room (Matthew 6:6). You should not think little of comforting a heart as if it were something trivial. It is the fruit of a prayer struggle.

Encouragement is needed when fear and discord arise due to emerging heresies, for encouragement provides the heart with strength and resistance. When someone’s heart is encouraged, it affects all aspects of his life, “for from it [flow] the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

There is one more fruit of this prayer struggle. The believers will be united against the upcoming enemies with their heresies. They will be firmly knit together, with the bond of “love” indeed. Interconnected believers who love each other form an impregnable fortress. Note that it is about a fellowship experience. We cannot experience this individually.

If you isolate yourself you can study the Bible and get spiritual insight, but it will not be possible for you to be strengthened by experience. Maybe you can explain what it means to be united in love, but it is quite different to experience it. You can never really understand something if you do not experience what it means. For example if you are not married you can know about it, but you can only really know it if you are married.

Believers who are knit together are not only protected from evil but they are also open to what is good. Paul comes still closer to the heart of this struggle. He wants to take the believers to the treasury of faith. That treasury is the Person of Christ. All the riches are to be found in Him. Paul wants them to understand this.

If you understand the mystery of God, you have complete security and you know for sure that nothing further can be added. But as long as there is a propensity for pagan philosophy or Jewish traditions, you lack the complete security. You are wronging yourself and above all you are wronging Christ. He is everything. He wants to be everything to you and He is not happy with anything less than that; neither are you, are you? That is why Paul is anxious that you come to the knowledge of the mystery of God.

Colossians 2:3. And where can this knowledge be found? In Christ. For in Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. Christ is the great treasury of Divine riches. There is nothing apart from Him that can be complementary to this. Nobody can add something to Him. Everything is hidden in Him, which at the same time is inviting all to search for these treasures. All these treasures are accessible to all believers.

This however requires exertion. Treasures are hidden for their high value. They do not lie on the surface. You know however where you must dig: in Christ. The big question is: ‘How much is this treasure worth to you?’ Your appreciation will be determined by your efforts. Do you doubt its value? Look again closely: all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The word ‘all’ does not allow any exception.

Job makes an impressive comparison of wisdom with the finest metals which can be obtained only with much strenuous effort, and concludes that even all these treasures are eclipsed by wisdom (Job 28:1-28). Job wondered: “But where can wisdom be found?” (Job 28:12). Here is the answer: in Christ.

The wisdom of God in Christ is revealed in a special way by the existence of the church. The manifold wisdom of God is seen in the church (Ephesians 3:10). That Christ would connect Himself with people who are sinners by nature and let them share in His glory, only the wisdom of God could have thought of that.

In Christ you can know all that can be known of God. There is no true knowledge outside of Christ. People can have interesting ideas or express assumptions both about the origin of creation and about how man can come into contact with God. But whether it is about the origin of heaven and earth or about the church, only in Christ will you get to know both the one and the other.

Colossians 2:4. Paul says all this because the right view is the great protection against misleading teachings. Knowledge of the mystery will keep you from being receptive to errors. You will not be impressed when people approach you with persuasive argument and give the best of their nice rhetoric. A beautiful and fluent argument and a glowing speech are no guarantee that the truth is spoken. Paul himself did not make use of persuasive argument. The power of God was perceivable in him (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

What is notable with people who want to undermine your faith is that they build their arguments on probabilities, and that their learning system is based on derivations of assumptions. But the truth does not require arguments. One does not need to defend the truth. Speak the truth and the truth will defend itself.

Colossians 2:5. Although Paul and the Colossians had never seen each other, Paul was always busy with these believers. He took upon himself the responsibility for them because they belonged to the church and he was a minister of the church. His deep concern for the churches came on him daily (2 Corinthians 11:28). The evidence of this concern is seen first in the fact that he constantly prayed for them, second that he wrote this letter, and third that he sent Tychicus to them.

Yet there is not only worry. Before speaking further about the seducers, he points out some things that he saw in the Colossians he was happy about. Their good discipline and the stability of their faith in Christ were presented to him so alive that he could see them with his spiritual eyes. Besides their outward order there was also an inner steadfastness which consisted of faith in Christ. Christ was the object of their faith. Outer order and inner stability are mutually reinforcing. They are both necessary to prevent your faith from being taken away from you.

But be on your guard! The enemy can also try other ways to undermine the stability of your faith. When he cannot take away anything from you he would like to add something that apparently deepens your faith. In reality however he wants to scoop out your faith and make it powerless. This is illustrated by the verses following.

Now read Colossians 2:1-5 again.

Reflection: What treasures have you discovered in Christ?

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Brought to Fullness in Christ

The enemy is tirelessly busy attacking the nature of believers, namely, the nature of their faith. He wants to damage their trust in God – that is the meaning of believing – as much as possible. He will try to make you doubt certain truths of the faith. For example, he tries to persuade you that God did not mean all that. If you reject his arguments and repel his attacks, he will try a different way. When he does not succeed in taking away something from you he will try to add something to your faith. He offers some appealing motivation. Do you want to believe more and better, and deepen your faith? Then he has the exact solution for it.

Colossians 2:6. To avoid yielding to this danger, the enrichment by additions to your faith, Paul takes you back to the beginning. You have received Christ and accepted Him. Is there anything else that you accepted besides Christ? Indeed, you were not saved – nor were the Colossians – by Jewish or Greek wisdom or by Christ plus additional wisdom. It is clear and must be strongly emphasized that Christ is sufficient for your salvation. He is also sufficient for your walk as a Christian. All that is required for salvation comes from Him.

Further you have accepted Him as “the Lord”. You have accepted Him as the absolute sovereign Ruler of your life. There were no negotiations. As it was when you first accepted Him, it should be so even today.

“So walk in Him” is a commandment and that means other ways of walk are forbidden. Walk in Him means that you put into practice what you know of Him and that you are doing His will in your life.

Colossians 2:7. You draw your life force from Him, and not from any philosophy because you are “rooted … in Him”. That way you are standing firm like a tree that withstands the storms. Rooted in Him reminds you of what happened at your conversion. Christ is presented here as the soil in which you were rooted at your conversion. From then on you get your entire food from Him. Therefore it is important to be firmly rooted and your roots penetrate deeper and deeper in Him.

“Built up in Him” makes us think of a house. Here you see Christ as the corner stone on which you build your life’s house. The structure of the house is dependent on Him; the construction is done in Him. Therefore you must align yourself with Him so that He can show you the plan and process of building.

When you are deeply rooted in Him, orientating yourself to Him for the building up of your faith life, you will be strengthened in the faith. Faith is the truth of faith that you believe. Faith finds its center in Christ. Faith affects Him. Confirmed in faith means to be confirmed in Christ. You can see that it is all about Him. Even in your life of faith all things are from Him, through Him and for Him.

These were not new things for the Colossians. They had already been taught them. I wonder if it is so with you too. In any case you have the touchstone in your hand to test the teachings that you received at your conversion and thereafter. You might discover some things in your life that need to be changed, also your view of things. You will also have the desire to apply them and do them as it is said here. After you have received the right teachings and accepted them you will surely overflow with gratitude.

There is much reason for thanksgiving if you let work in you what you have become and received in Christ, considering how this is perfectly enough for now and forever. Thankfulness to God is at the same time a protection against temptation to doubt the faith delivered to the saints once and for all. When your heart is full of the wonderful truths of the gospel your thanksgiving will ascend to God. Thanksgiving is an effective antidote to the poison of false teachers.

Colossians 2:8. “See to it” Paul insists. Do not think you are immune to the wiles of the enemy. He prowls around and considers every believer a prey. He plans even to carry you away as loot from the Lord Jesus. Two means he uses are philosophy and empty deception.

Philosophy is as old as the world, but it has never saved a man from misery and sorrow caused by sin. The reason is the world’s philosophy ignores sin and pretends sin doesn’t exist. That is the reason every solution philosophy offers is empty deception. This cannot be otherwise because philosophy is a product of the tradition of men and connects seamlessly with the elementary principles of the world. The elementary principles of the world are all the individual parts that make up the world’s system. God has no place in this system.

If the tradition of men besides Christ gains any value over the knowledge of God, it is in contradiction to the Scripture (Matthew 15:3-9). If you begin to favor the traditions instead of the Bible, it means that doubt replaces assurance. Traditions are from men and not from God. Where traditions get room, the door to the elementary principles of the world is opened.

In many ways they have crept into the service to God. You recognize traditions where outward appearance is the measure of the spiritual level of the service. The Spirit of God is supplanted by an order that is made by men. For example consider situations where only qualified, eloquent people should preach, and where altar, cloth, music and icons decorate the whole event.

Paul sets the whole system aside with one stroke of the brush or better with one name: Christ. The twofold danger, philosophy and human tradition, is contrary to Christ. He who has Him has everything.

Colossians 2:9. What do you need more than that you have Him, in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily? This is almost the same expression that we find in chapter 1 (Colossians 1:19). There he refers to the time when Christ was on earth to fulfill the counsels of God. Today (Colossians 2:9) He is in heaven as the result of the finished work of redemption.

In both the expressions you can see what Christ was when He came to earth and what He still is and will remain forever. He took a body then and has always had a body since, although now He has a glorified body. He became Man in order to remain so forever. The dwelling of the fullness of the Godhead in Him is a present and an ongoing dwelling of the fullness of the Godhead in the glorified Son of God at the right hand of God.

It is not that only certain aspects of the Godhead dwell in Christ, but the totality of all God’s attributes, for He is God Himself. He does not share His Divine power and majesty with any single creature. The body He has taken is imperishable forever.

Colossians 2:10. The conclusion Paul draws from this, of course is breath-taking. He says that you are in Him, in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and in Him you have been made complete. You lack nothing. In Him you are perfect before God.

On the one hand you see that God is presented in Him in all His fullness (Colossians 2:9); on the other hand you possess in Him the completion and perfection of God. You lack nothing in terms of your position before God. There is nothing and no one who can take place between you and Christ, because you are in Him. Philosophy and tradition can add nothing to this perfect position. On the contrary anything you take from them will drive you far from God. Do you want that? And remember that He is beyond not only all men, but also beyond all angelic powers created by Him.

In that Person you have been made complete. What more do you want?

Now read Colossians 2:6-10 again.

Reflection: What contrasts do you find in these verses?

2 Thessalonians 3:17

Brought to Fullness in Christ

The enemy is tirelessly busy attacking the nature of believers, namely, the nature of their faith. He wants to damage their trust in God – that is the meaning of believing – as much as possible. He will try to make you doubt certain truths of the faith. For example, he tries to persuade you that God did not mean all that. If you reject his arguments and repel his attacks, he will try a different way. When he does not succeed in taking away something from you he will try to add something to your faith. He offers some appealing motivation. Do you want to believe more and better, and deepen your faith? Then he has the exact solution for it.

Colossians 2:6. To avoid yielding to this danger, the enrichment by additions to your faith, Paul takes you back to the beginning. You have received Christ and accepted Him. Is there anything else that you accepted besides Christ? Indeed, you were not saved – nor were the Colossians – by Jewish or Greek wisdom or by Christ plus additional wisdom. It is clear and must be strongly emphasized that Christ is sufficient for your salvation. He is also sufficient for your walk as a Christian. All that is required for salvation comes from Him.

Further you have accepted Him as “the Lord”. You have accepted Him as the absolute sovereign Ruler of your life. There were no negotiations. As it was when you first accepted Him, it should be so even today.

“So walk in Him” is a commandment and that means other ways of walk are forbidden. Walk in Him means that you put into practice what you know of Him and that you are doing His will in your life.

Colossians 2:7. You draw your life force from Him, and not from any philosophy because you are “rooted … in Him”. That way you are standing firm like a tree that withstands the storms. Rooted in Him reminds you of what happened at your conversion. Christ is presented here as the soil in which you were rooted at your conversion. From then on you get your entire food from Him. Therefore it is important to be firmly rooted and your roots penetrate deeper and deeper in Him.

“Built up in Him” makes us think of a house. Here you see Christ as the corner stone on which you build your life’s house. The structure of the house is dependent on Him; the construction is done in Him. Therefore you must align yourself with Him so that He can show you the plan and process of building.

When you are deeply rooted in Him, orientating yourself to Him for the building up of your faith life, you will be strengthened in the faith. Faith is the truth of faith that you believe. Faith finds its center in Christ. Faith affects Him. Confirmed in faith means to be confirmed in Christ. You can see that it is all about Him. Even in your life of faith all things are from Him, through Him and for Him.

These were not new things for the Colossians. They had already been taught them. I wonder if it is so with you too. In any case you have the touchstone in your hand to test the teachings that you received at your conversion and thereafter. You might discover some things in your life that need to be changed, also your view of things. You will also have the desire to apply them and do them as it is said here. After you have received the right teachings and accepted them you will surely overflow with gratitude.

There is much reason for thanksgiving if you let work in you what you have become and received in Christ, considering how this is perfectly enough for now and forever. Thankfulness to God is at the same time a protection against temptation to doubt the faith delivered to the saints once and for all. When your heart is full of the wonderful truths of the gospel your thanksgiving will ascend to God. Thanksgiving is an effective antidote to the poison of false teachers.

Colossians 2:8. “See to it” Paul insists. Do not think you are immune to the wiles of the enemy. He prowls around and considers every believer a prey. He plans even to carry you away as loot from the Lord Jesus. Two means he uses are philosophy and empty deception.

Philosophy is as old as the world, but it has never saved a man from misery and sorrow caused by sin. The reason is the world’s philosophy ignores sin and pretends sin doesn’t exist. That is the reason every solution philosophy offers is empty deception. This cannot be otherwise because philosophy is a product of the tradition of men and connects seamlessly with the elementary principles of the world. The elementary principles of the world are all the individual parts that make up the world’s system. God has no place in this system.

If the tradition of men besides Christ gains any value over the knowledge of God, it is in contradiction to the Scripture (Matthew 15:3-9). If you begin to favor the traditions instead of the Bible, it means that doubt replaces assurance. Traditions are from men and not from God. Where traditions get room, the door to the elementary principles of the world is opened.

In many ways they have crept into the service to God. You recognize traditions where outward appearance is the measure of the spiritual level of the service. The Spirit of God is supplanted by an order that is made by men. For example consider situations where only qualified, eloquent people should preach, and where altar, cloth, music and icons decorate the whole event.

Paul sets the whole system aside with one stroke of the brush or better with one name: Christ. The twofold danger, philosophy and human tradition, is contrary to Christ. He who has Him has everything.

Colossians 2:9. What do you need more than that you have Him, in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily? This is almost the same expression that we find in chapter 1 (Colossians 1:19). There he refers to the time when Christ was on earth to fulfill the counsels of God. Today (Colossians 2:9) He is in heaven as the result of the finished work of redemption.

In both the expressions you can see what Christ was when He came to earth and what He still is and will remain forever. He took a body then and has always had a body since, although now He has a glorified body. He became Man in order to remain so forever. The dwelling of the fullness of the Godhead in Him is a present and an ongoing dwelling of the fullness of the Godhead in the glorified Son of God at the right hand of God.

It is not that only certain aspects of the Godhead dwell in Christ, but the totality of all God’s attributes, for He is God Himself. He does not share His Divine power and majesty with any single creature. The body He has taken is imperishable forever.

Colossians 2:10. The conclusion Paul draws from this, of course is breath-taking. He says that you are in Him, in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and in Him you have been made complete. You lack nothing. In Him you are perfect before God.

On the one hand you see that God is presented in Him in all His fullness (Colossians 2:9); on the other hand you possess in Him the completion and perfection of God. You lack nothing in terms of your position before God. There is nothing and no one who can take place between you and Christ, because you are in Him. Philosophy and tradition can add nothing to this perfect position. On the contrary anything you take from them will drive you far from God. Do you want that? And remember that He is beyond not only all men, but also beyond all angelic powers created by Him.

In that Person you have been made complete. What more do you want?

Now read Colossians 2:6-10 again.

Reflection: What contrasts do you find in these verses?

2 Thessalonians 3:18

Brought to Fullness in Christ

The enemy is tirelessly busy attacking the nature of believers, namely, the nature of their faith. He wants to damage their trust in God – that is the meaning of believing – as much as possible. He will try to make you doubt certain truths of the faith. For example, he tries to persuade you that God did not mean all that. If you reject his arguments and repel his attacks, he will try a different way. When he does not succeed in taking away something from you he will try to add something to your faith. He offers some appealing motivation. Do you want to believe more and better, and deepen your faith? Then he has the exact solution for it.

Colossians 2:6. To avoid yielding to this danger, the enrichment by additions to your faith, Paul takes you back to the beginning. You have received Christ and accepted Him. Is there anything else that you accepted besides Christ? Indeed, you were not saved – nor were the Colossians – by Jewish or Greek wisdom or by Christ plus additional wisdom. It is clear and must be strongly emphasized that Christ is sufficient for your salvation. He is also sufficient for your walk as a Christian. All that is required for salvation comes from Him.

Further you have accepted Him as “the Lord”. You have accepted Him as the absolute sovereign Ruler of your life. There were no negotiations. As it was when you first accepted Him, it should be so even today.

“So walk in Him” is a commandment and that means other ways of walk are forbidden. Walk in Him means that you put into practice what you know of Him and that you are doing His will in your life.

Colossians 2:7. You draw your life force from Him, and not from any philosophy because you are “rooted … in Him”. That way you are standing firm like a tree that withstands the storms. Rooted in Him reminds you of what happened at your conversion. Christ is presented here as the soil in which you were rooted at your conversion. From then on you get your entire food from Him. Therefore it is important to be firmly rooted and your roots penetrate deeper and deeper in Him.

“Built up in Him” makes us think of a house. Here you see Christ as the corner stone on which you build your life’s house. The structure of the house is dependent on Him; the construction is done in Him. Therefore you must align yourself with Him so that He can show you the plan and process of building.

When you are deeply rooted in Him, orientating yourself to Him for the building up of your faith life, you will be strengthened in the faith. Faith is the truth of faith that you believe. Faith finds its center in Christ. Faith affects Him. Confirmed in faith means to be confirmed in Christ. You can see that it is all about Him. Even in your life of faith all things are from Him, through Him and for Him.

These were not new things for the Colossians. They had already been taught them. I wonder if it is so with you too. In any case you have the touchstone in your hand to test the teachings that you received at your conversion and thereafter. You might discover some things in your life that need to be changed, also your view of things. You will also have the desire to apply them and do them as it is said here. After you have received the right teachings and accepted them you will surely overflow with gratitude.

There is much reason for thanksgiving if you let work in you what you have become and received in Christ, considering how this is perfectly enough for now and forever. Thankfulness to God is at the same time a protection against temptation to doubt the faith delivered to the saints once and for all. When your heart is full of the wonderful truths of the gospel your thanksgiving will ascend to God. Thanksgiving is an effective antidote to the poison of false teachers.

Colossians 2:8. “See to it” Paul insists. Do not think you are immune to the wiles of the enemy. He prowls around and considers every believer a prey. He plans even to carry you away as loot from the Lord Jesus. Two means he uses are philosophy and empty deception.

Philosophy is as old as the world, but it has never saved a man from misery and sorrow caused by sin. The reason is the world’s philosophy ignores sin and pretends sin doesn’t exist. That is the reason every solution philosophy offers is empty deception. This cannot be otherwise because philosophy is a product of the tradition of men and connects seamlessly with the elementary principles of the world. The elementary principles of the world are all the individual parts that make up the world’s system. God has no place in this system.

If the tradition of men besides Christ gains any value over the knowledge of God, it is in contradiction to the Scripture (Matthew 15:3-9). If you begin to favor the traditions instead of the Bible, it means that doubt replaces assurance. Traditions are from men and not from God. Where traditions get room, the door to the elementary principles of the world is opened.

In many ways they have crept into the service to God. You recognize traditions where outward appearance is the measure of the spiritual level of the service. The Spirit of God is supplanted by an order that is made by men. For example consider situations where only qualified, eloquent people should preach, and where altar, cloth, music and icons decorate the whole event.

Paul sets the whole system aside with one stroke of the brush or better with one name: Christ. The twofold danger, philosophy and human tradition, is contrary to Christ. He who has Him has everything.

Colossians 2:9. What do you need more than that you have Him, in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily? This is almost the same expression that we find in chapter 1 (Colossians 1:19). There he refers to the time when Christ was on earth to fulfill the counsels of God. Today (Colossians 2:9) He is in heaven as the result of the finished work of redemption.

In both the expressions you can see what Christ was when He came to earth and what He still is and will remain forever. He took a body then and has always had a body since, although now He has a glorified body. He became Man in order to remain so forever. The dwelling of the fullness of the Godhead in Him is a present and an ongoing dwelling of the fullness of the Godhead in the glorified Son of God at the right hand of God.

It is not that only certain aspects of the Godhead dwell in Christ, but the totality of all God’s attributes, for He is God Himself. He does not share His Divine power and majesty with any single creature. The body He has taken is imperishable forever.

Colossians 2:10. The conclusion Paul draws from this, of course is breath-taking. He says that you are in Him, in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and in Him you have been made complete. You lack nothing. In Him you are perfect before God.

On the one hand you see that God is presented in Him in all His fullness (Colossians 2:9); on the other hand you possess in Him the completion and perfection of God. You lack nothing in terms of your position before God. There is nothing and no one who can take place between you and Christ, because you are in Him. Philosophy and tradition can add nothing to this perfect position. On the contrary anything you take from them will drive you far from God. Do you want that? And remember that He is beyond not only all men, but also beyond all angelic powers created by Him.

In that Person you have been made complete. What more do you want?

Now read Colossians 2:6-10 again.

Reflection: What contrasts do you find in these verses?