What does this entail? The passage we wish to examine is: Col. 1:24 "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. Colossians 1:24-29 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I [a]do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking [b]in Christ’s afflictions. Before his conversion Paul was at the forefront of perpetuating this discrimination. Paul had not visited Colossae, but had received reports from Epaphras, the … There was a waist-high wall of partition which separated them. Then in verse 29 Paul tells the church in Philippi to honor Epaphroditus when he comes back, and he gives his reason in verse 30 which has words very similar to Colossians 1:24. We can speak to our heavenly Father in prayer. No one can add to it. In the beginning part, Paul has been saying, "we" and "us." We exalt Christ in our message when we proclaim that the glorious riches of the indwelling Christ are for every person from every race. We can know by faith that God will supply all our needs. How did you manage the money He allowed you to make? Surely not!?! 1:24 Rejoicing In Suffering. Grace and peace to … But in addition to praying for and helping those in other countries who are suffering for Christ’s sake, how can we apply this here and now? Rather it is manifested, made known, revealed -- laid out before us! Paul says that the gospel message, especially that the Gentiles could be full partners along with the Jews, is a mystery; not in the sense that it is known only by a select few, but in the sense that it was formerly unknown, but now God has revealed it. In so doing, he shows us how we can serve Christ well in whatever He has given us to do for Him. We exalt Him when we experience and proclaim that message. As Jesus said (John 15:4-5), it is only when we abide in Him as branches in the vine that we can bear much fruit. Colossians 1:25: “Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, …” Twice (Col. 1:23, 25) Paul says that he was made or became a minister. You may need to talk to the critic to try to get things cleared up and to be reconciled in your relationship. Paul was willing and did in fact labor in the gospel, trying with every ounce of energy and ability he had to make known the unfolded mystery to others, even from his prison cell. John Eadie's Commentary on Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Philippians. Nunc gaudeo in passionibus pro vobis, et adimpleo ea quae desunt afflictionibus Christi in carne mea, pro corpore eius, quod est Ecclesia: 25. But now you know. That’s how Paul became a minister of the gospel: he was not a volunteer for Jesus; he was a conscript! Andrew Hébert | October 13, 2017. But if that is Paul’s meaning, it is still difficult to apply to us American Christians because very few of us know what it means to suffer for the gospel of Christ. The thing lacking in Christ’s afflictions is not the full salvation He secured on the cross, but the price that His followers must pay in the struggle against the powers of darkness to take the salvation Christ offers to every person. Our brothers and sisters around the world know it very well, as you are aware if you read “Voice of the Martyrs” magazine. As he writes in Colossians 3:11, “there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.” Christ is in every believer and every believer is in Christ! Mystery manifested to his saints! So Paul does not mean and the New Testament never teaches that in some way we by our suffering must add merit to Christ’s sacrificial death that paid for our sins. I think that is exactly what the words mean in Colossians 1:24 as well. Some have even dropped out of church and in a few cases, stopped following Christ. Colossians 1:1 "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy [our] brother," “Timothy”: This is Paul’s co-laborer and true child in the faith, who was able to be with him because, although Paul was a prisoner, he had personal living quarters (Acts 28:16-31). Warning every man -- Caution, sounding the alarm! The numerous parallels of vocabulary and matters discussed in Ephesians and Colossians link He was not complaining, as I'm afraid I would be were I in such a situation, but with enthusiasm urging all to live right, happily active in the work of the Lord, knowing that live will soon be over and heaven is waiting! The man with five invested them and made five more. Colossians 1:24–29 completes this passage with an … From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. It's available to all people everywhere! νῦν χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν —“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you.”. Man as a rule does not like to me warned, reproved, or scolded. Colossians 1:24. Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you - For you as a part of the Gentile world. The Old Testament predicted salvation for the Gentiles. 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