Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Complete Christians
(Colossians 1:24-29)
As a minister or the early church, Paul’s goal was to “present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (28). The word perfect literally means mature or complete. While ultimate perfection must await our seeing Jesus (I John 3:2), every Christian can grow to maturity in Christ. Today’s passage gives us several stepping stones toward our maturing in the faith:
First, suffering for the faith matures believers (24). Paul’s personal testimony was that he had not yet suffered enough for Jesus! If such is true of Paul, certainly each of us has a way to go! Paul suffered for the sake of the betterment of the church—typically from persecution outside the church. Sadly, many contemporary believers aren’t willing to suffer a little even within the church—doing a stint in the nursery, let’s say.
In addition to suffering, Christians mature as they recognize the presence of Christ within themselves (26, 27). Just as a student succeeds under the watchful guidance of a tutor, so Christian believers mature under the Holy Spirit’s guidance and influence. We must, of course, acknowledge His presence and yield to His impulses.
Thirdly, preaching and godly admonition and teaching bring Christians toward spiritual maturity (28). No one is beyond the need of good, sound Bible teaching and preaching. That means, of course, that every Christian is a “work in progress.” Paul recognized the God’s work in him and the importance of his work in the lives of others (29).
