Struggle for the Church – Colossians 2:1-5

Nothing brings me greater joy than to see the church I love recovering from a period of disorder and even a failure of love. No one that I know of wrote an epistle to this church to help it get back on track, but there were sure a lot of prayers made for this church, by those inside and outside. And God answered them.

Paul did not found the Colossian church, but one of his disciples did, and for him that makes it one of his churches for which he labors, prays, and, when he sees something amiss, sends a letter.

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. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. (Colossians 2:1-5, ESV)

Paul took his responsibility as shepherd over all the churches he planted and those planted by his converts very seriously. And when he heard that this congregation and that at Laodicea might be threatened with a false teaching that seemed very plausible to them it drew his concern. He knew that in Christ alone are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Such knowledge produces in those fully assured of it the kind of love that knits people together and the kind of wise living that leads to good order. “Good order” would include unity, productive meetings, and intentional outreach.

Paul is saying that because of who Jesus is, the supreme Creator, the one who has both human and divine nature in one person, the most pre-eminent person in all the universe, God, that all wisdom and all knowledge lies in Him. In fact, that is something that could only be said of God. So for anyone to claim knowledge apart from him or in contradiction to his knowledge is to be false and guilty of leading others astray.

Christ’s knowledge is available to us in general revelation, what is revealed to us through creation about who God is, and through special revelation, the Scriptures. We may explore both for greater understanding about how to live in relationship with Him. The knowledge revealed in Scripture is focused on how messed up we are as people, rebellious against God’s rule, how gracious God is in having provided redemption and forgiveness, how we receive that redemption by faith alone, and how we are to live in obedience to Him.

If you and I are not finding ourselves knit together in love with other believers and loving those outside the faith as well, something is amiss in our faith. If we are finding the arguments of false, non-apostolic teaching “plausible” enough to abandon the gospel teaching we received, something is amiss. We need those who led us to Christ to find reason for rejoicing in our good order and firmness of faith, that is, our godliness and our adherence to the true gospel. And the world will take note of it, too.