#5 One Man's Ministry

Lets Read Colossians 1:121-2:3

Pray

If you received a letter from a man you had never met, a man who was a prisoner, accused of being a troublemaker, how would you respond? The Colossian believers faced that exact problem. They knew that Paul had been instrumental in leading their pastor, Epaphras, to saving faith in Christ. They also knew that Epaphras had gone to Rome to consult with Paul and had not yet returned. The church members had received Paul’s letter, brought to them by Tychicus and Onesimus. But the false teachers in Colossae had been discrediting Paul and causing doubts in the people’s minds. “Why listen to a man who is a political prisoner?” they asked. “Can you trust him?”

Paul no doubt realized that this would be the situation, so he paused in the first part of this letter to give some words of explanation. He had been so wrapped up in exalting Jesus Christ that he had not shown any interest in writing about himself! In this section, Paul explained his three ministries.

SHARING THE GOSPEL (1:21-23) “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”

Even though Paul had not personally evangelized Colossae, it was his ministry in Ephesus that led to the founding of the Colossian church. Paul was “made a minister” (). A large part of his ministry consisted in preaching the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. His was a ministry of reconciliation (). Paul reviewed for his readers their own spiritual experience.

Their past alienation (v. 21a). “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind,”

The word ἀπηλλοτριωμένους (apēllotriōmenous) translated “alienated” means “estranged, excluded, seperated .” These Gentiles in Colossae were estranged from God and separated from the spiritual blessings of Israel (). The gods that they worshipped were false gods, and their religious rituals could not take care of their sin or guilt.

But this estrangement was not only a matter of Gentile position; it was also a matter of sinful practices and attitudes. The Gentiles were enemies, which means they were “actively hostile to God.” Even though they had not received a divine law, such as God gave to Israel, these Gentiles knew the truth about God through creation and conscience (). They could not plead ignorance before the bar of God’s justice.

The enmity of their minds led to wicked works. Both in attitude and action, they were at war with God. “For the mind that is set on the flesh [the mind of the unbeliever] is hostile to God” (). This explains why the unbeliever must repent–change his mind–before he can be saved.

Their present reconciliation (vv. 21b-22). “doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,”

They did not reconcile themselves to God; it was God who took the initiative in His love and grace. The Father sent the Son to die on a cross that sinners might be reconciled to God. Jesus died for us when we were “without strength” () and could do nothing for ourselves. “ but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” ().

Paul emphasized the physical body of Jesus Christ that was nailed to the cross. The false teachers denied the Incarnation and taught that Jesus Christ did not have a real human body. Their philosophy that all matter was evil made it necessary for them to draw this false conclusion. But the New Testament makes it clear that Jesus did have a fully human body and that He bore our sins on that body on the cross ().

The purpose of this reconciliation is personal holiness. God does not make peace () so that we can continue to be rebels! He has reconciled (justified) us to Himself so that we may share His life and His holiness (sanctification). We are presented to God “holy and blameless and above reproach before him,” ().

The word holy is closely related to the word saint. Both of these words express the idea of “being set apart, being devoted to God.” In the New Testament, saints are not dead people who during their lives performed miracles and never sinned, as taught in the Catholic church. New Testament saints were living people who had trusted Jesus Christ. Paul wrote this letter to living saints ().

Blameless means “without blemish.” The word was applied to the temple sacrifices, which had to be without blemish. It is amazing that God looks at His children and sees no blemish on them! God chose us to be “holy and without blame” ().

Above Reproach means “free from accusation.” Once we have been reconciled to God, no charges can be brought against us (). Satan, the accuser of the brethren (), would like to hurl charges at us, but God will not accept them (see ). People may have accusations to bring against us, but they cannot change our relationship with God.

The most important thing in our Christian lives is not how we look in our own sight or in the sight of others (), but how we look in God’s sight. I recall counseling a Christian who was in the habit of reminding herself of her past sins and failures. She seemed to enjoy having other people criticize her. I kept reminding her of what she was in God’s sight. Her constant emphasis on her failures denied the work that Jesus Christ had done for her on the cross. It took time, but eventually she accepted her wonderful new position in Christ and began to get victory over criticism and depression.

Paul’s emphasis on our holy standing before God was certainly an attack on the false teachers, for they promised their followers a kind of “perfection” that nothing else could give. “You already have a perfect standing in Christ,” Paul wrote, “so why seek for it anywhere else?”

Their future glorification (v. 23). “if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”

“The hope of the gospel” means that blessed hope of our Lord’s return (). Paul had already mentioned this hope: “The hope which is laid up for you in heaven” (). Later in the chapter, he calls it “the hope of glory” ().

There was a time when these Gentile Colossians were without hope (). The reason? They were without God. But when they were reconciled to God, they were given a wonderful hope of glory. All of God’s children will one day be with Christ in heaven (). In fact, so secure is our future that Paul stated that we have already been glorified! (). All we are waiting for is the revelation of this glory when Jesus Christ returns ().

Paul’s statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see ). Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation? No, the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we “keep up our salvation.”

Paul used an architectural image in this verse–a house, firmly set on the foundation. The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes, and the word translated “not shifting” can mean “earthquake stricken.” Paul was saying, “If you are truly saved, and built on the solid foundation, Jesus Christ, then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you. You have heard the gospel and trusted Jesus Christ, and He has saved you.”

In other words, we are not saved by continuing in the faith. But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved. It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (; ).

SUFFERING FOR THE GENTILES (1:24-27) “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Paul’s enemies made much of the fact that the great apostle was a prisoner of Rome. The false teachers in Colossae probably ridiculed Paul and used this as a weapon to fight the truth of the gospel. But Paul turned this weapon around and used it to defeat his enemies and to build a closer relationship with the church in Colossae.

Paul’s rejoicing (v. 24). “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,”

How could anyone rejoice in suffering? To begin with, Paul was suffering because of Jesus Christ. It was “the fellowship of his sufferings” (). Like the early apostles, Paul rejoiced that he was “counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (). A Christian should never suffer “as a thief, or as an evildoer,” but it is an honor to “suffer as a Christian” (). There is a special blessing and reward reserved for the faithful believer who suffers for the sake of Christ ().

Paul had a second cause for rejoicing in his suffering: He was suffering because of the Gentiles. Paul was the chosen apostle to the Gentiles (). In fact, he was a prisoner in Rome because of his love for the Gentiles. He was arrested in Jerusalem on false charges, and the Jews listened to his defense until he used the word Gentiles (see .). It was that word that infuriated them and drove them to ask for his execution. (The full account is given in , and an exciting account it is.)

So the Gentile believers in Colossae had every reason to love Paul and be thankful for his special ministry to them. But there was a third cause for Paul’s rejoicing: He was suffering for the sake of Christ’s body, the church. There was a time when Paul had persecuted the church and caused it to suffer. But now Paul devoted his life to the care of the church. Paul did not ask, as do some believers, “What will I get out of it?” Instead he asked, “How much will God let me put into it?” The fact that Paul was a prisoner did not stop him from ministering to the church.

It is important to note, however, that these sufferings had nothing to do with the sacrificial sufferings of Christ on the cross. Only the sinless Lamb of God could die for the sins of the world (). Paul was “filling up in his turn the leftover parts of Christ’s sufferings” (, literal translation). The word afflictions refers to the “pressures” of life, the persecutions Paul endured. This word is never used in the New Testament for the sacrificial sufferings of Jesus Christ.

The sacrificial sufferings of Christ are over, but His body, the church, experiences suffering because of its stand for the faith. The Head of the church in heaven feels the sufferings that His people endure. (“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” []) Paul was taking his turn in sharing these afflictions, and others would follow in his train. But Paul did not complain. “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ” ().

Paul’s responsibility (vv. 25-27). “of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Had Paul compromised with the Jews and stopped ministering to the Gentiles, he could have been spared a great deal of suffering. But he could not abandon his calling just for personal safety and comfort. He had been made a minister by God; he had been given a “stewardship” (dispensation) and he had to be faithful to his calling (). It was not a matter of choice: he was called to fulfill the Word of God. This can mean “I must preach the Word fully and not compromise any truth.” It can also mean “I am commissioned by God’s Word and I must be faithful to discharge my office.”

Paul’s special message regarding the Gentiles had to do with what he called “the mystery.” To us today, a mystery is something eerie and perhaps frightening, but this was not the way the word was defined in Paul’s day. The false teachers used this word to describe the inner secrets of their religions. A mystery is a “sacred secret,” hidden in the past and now revealed by the Holy Spirit (see ).

God called the nation of Israel to be His people, He gave them His law (including the priesthood and sacrifices), and He gave them a wonderful land. He promised them a King who would one day establish a glorious kingdom and fulfill the many promises made to Abraham and David. The Old Testament prophets wrote about a Messiah who would suffer and a Messiah who would reign. They could not explain the seeming contradiction (see ). They did not understand that the Messiah first had to suffer before He could enter into glory ().

Jesus Christ came to earth, was rejected by His people, and was crucified. He arose again and returned to heaven. Did this mean that God’s promised kingdom for Israel was now abandoned? No, because God had initiated a new program–His mystery–that was not explained by the Old Testament prophets. The mystery is that today God is uniting Jews and Gentiles in the church (). When the church is completed, then Jesus Christ will return and take His people to heaven (). Then He will again deal with Israel as a nation and establish the promised kingdom ().

Imagine what this message meant to the Gentiles. They were no longer excluded from the glory and riches of God’s grace! During the Old Testament dispensation, a Gentile had to become a Jewish proselyte in order to share in the blessings of Israel. But in the new dispensation, Jews and Gentiles alike are saved by faith in Jesus Christ (). No wonder the Jewish false teachers opposed Paul. He dared to say, “There is no difference!”

We who have grown up in somewhat Christian surroundings have a tendency to take all of this for granted. But think of the excitement this message must have generated in a church composed of new believers who had no background in the church. Once they were outside the covenants of God, but now they were members of His family. Once they were living in spiritual ignorance and death, but now they were alive and sharing in the riches of God’s wisdom in Christ. Once they had no hope, but now they had a glorious hope because Christ now lived within! It would be good for us today to recapture some of that “first love” excitement.

STRIVING FOR THE SAINTS (1:28–2:3) “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

We have met Paul the preacher, sharing the gospel, and Paul the prisoner, suffering for the Gentiles. Now we meet Paul the prayer warrior, striving in prayer for the individual saints that they might mature in the faith. The words striving () and conflict () are athletic terms. They refer to the strenuous effort put forth by the runner to win the race. Our English word agony comes from the Greek word from which they are based.

Paul’s instruction (v. 28a). “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,”

“Whom” refers, of course, to Jesus Christ. “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord” (). The false teachers exalted themselves and their great “spiritual” attainments. They preached a system of teaching, but Paul preached a Person. The gnostics preached philosophy and the empty traditions of men (), but Paul proclaimed Jesus Christ. The false teachers had lists of rules and regulations (, ), but Paul presented Christ. What a difference in ministries!

Paul not only preached (the word means “to announce with authority as a herald”), but he also warned. While it is good to proclaim positive truth, it is also necessary to warn God’s people against the lies of the Enemy (). In fact, God’s people should be alert to warn one another (admonish in ). Paul considered himself a spiritual father to the local churches, and it was his duty to warn his children ().

But Paul was also a teacher of the truth. It is not enough to warn people; we must also teach them the positive truths of the Word of God. How far would we get in our travels if the highway signs told us where the roads were not going? Not very far! It is good to win a man to Christ, and then to warn him about the dangers ahead; but it is also important to teach that convert the basic truths of the Christian life.

Paul not only preached Christ, but he also “taught Christ,” for in Christ are “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (). It was not necessary to introduce any new teaching, for all that a believer needs to know is related to Jesus Christ. “Teaching every man in all wisdom” was Paul’s concern (). Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. The false teachers promised to give people a “hidden wisdom” that would make them “spiritually elite.” But all true spiritual wisdom is found only in Jesus Christ.

Paul’s intent (v. 28b; 2:2-3). “we may present everyone mature in Christ. that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

He wanted to present every believer “mature in Christ Jesus.” The word perfect was a favorite word with the gnostic teachers. It described the disciple who was no longer a novice, but who had matured and was fully instructed in the secrets of the religion. Paul used it to mean “complete, mature in Christ.” This is the goal of all preaching, warning, and teaching.

What are the evidences of this spiritual maturity? Paul described them next ().

Encouragement–“that their hearts might be comforted.” Our English word encourage means “with heart.” To encourage people is to give them new heart. Shallow sympathy usually makes people feel worse, but true spiritual encouragement makes them feel better. It brings out the best in people.

Endearment–“being knit together in love.” The mature Christian loves the brethren and seeks to be a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. He is a part of spiritual unity in the church. An immature person is often selfish and causes division.

Enrichment–“unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding.” Paul mentioned the riches of Christ earlier (). Too many Christians are living like paupers when they could be living like kings. Mature Christians do not complain about what they don’t have. Rather, they make use of the vast resources that they do have in Jesus Christ.

Enlightenment–“full assurance of understanding.” The mature believer has assurance in his heart that he is a child of God. The spiritual knowledge that he has in Christ constantly enlightens him and directs him daily. I have often counseled believers who told me they lacked assurance of their salvation. Invariably, they have been neglecting God’s Word and living in ignorance.

God wants us as His children to have “understanding” and “wisdom and knowledge” (). The word translated “understanding” literally means “to place together.” It is the ability to assess things. Wisdom implies the ability to defend what we understand. Knowledge suggests the ability to grasp truth. All of these terms were also used by the gnostics.

Paul’s intercession (1:29–2:1). “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. ​ For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,”

“For this I labor to the point of exhaustion, agonizing” is a literal translation of the first part of . What a picture of prayer! So much of our praying is calm and comfortable, and yet Paul exerted his spiritual muscles the way a Greek runner would exert himself in the Olympic Games. He also taught Epaphras to pray the same way ().

This does not mean that our prayers are more effective if we exert all kinds of fleshly energy. Nor does it mean that we must “wrestle with God” and wear Him out before He will meet our needs. Paul described a spiritual striving: It was God’s power at work in his life. True prayer is directed to the Father (), through the Son (in His name, ), in the power of the Holy Spirit (). When the Spirit is at work in our lives, then we can pray mightily in the will of God.

How does the Spirit assist us in our praying? For one thing, the Spirit teaches us the Word and shows us the will of God (). Prayer is not our trying to change God’s mind. It is learning what is the mind of God and asking accordingly (). The Holy Spirit constantly intercedes for us even though we do not hear His voice (). He knows the Father’s will and He helps us pray in that will.

There are times when we simply do not feel like praying–and that is when we must pray the most! The Spirit gives us divine energy for prayer, in spite of the way we feel. The resurrection power of Jesus Christ is made available to us ().

In these verses Paul explained his ministry, and in so doing, he silenced the accusations of the Enemy. He also stirred the affections of the believers as they realized how much Paul had done for them.

All of us are not called to be apostles, but each one of us does have a God-given ministry. We can share the gospel and be soul winners. We can suffer for Christ and fulfill the ministry God has given us. We can strive in prayer for God’s people and encourage them to mature. Paul took time to minister to individuals; note the repetition of “every man” in . If we minister to only a few believers, we are helping the whole church.