THE K I N G ' S B US I NE S S there can be no strengthening of the individual believer (cf. v. 19, R. V.). The outcome of their being thus knit together in love would be “ the riches of the full assurance (or fullness) of understanding.” , (cf. Eph. 4:13-16). The end of this “ fullness of under standing” would be that they would “ know” (fully and clearly know, is the force of the Greek word) “ the mys tery of God.” Paul sums up the mys tery of God, the revealed secret of God, in one word, “ Christ” (R. V. cf. Ch. 1:27). All God has to make known to man is wrapped up in the person of Christ (cf. John 14:6). To know Him is to know all that God has to tell to man. THURSDAY, Nov. 23rd. Col. 2:3-5. In v. 2 Paul has spoken of Christ as being the whole revealed secret of God (“ the mystery of God” ). Paul carries out this thought that Christ is the whole secret of God in v. 3, “ In Whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.” People were aris ing in Colossae (and elsewhere) pre tending to a certain inner (“ esoteric” ) knowledge not possessed by the ordin ary run of men or even by Christians. In reply Paul says “ all the treasures of Wisdom and knowledge” are in Christ. This is an indirect but none the less plain and forcible assertion of the Deity of Christ. If we desire to know all truth we need but to study Him (cf. John 14:6; 16:13, 14). Quesnel says, “ Jesus Christ is a great Book. He who can indeed study Him in the Word of God will know all that he ought to know.” These “ treasures of wisdom and knowledge” which are in Christ are “ hidden.” We must dig to find them. The errorists of Colossae (like certain errorists today) boasted of “ hidden” secrets treasured in “ hidden” books. Paul says all that there is of real worth that is “ hidden” is “ hidden in Christ.” Search, in Him if you wish to learn it. Paul next tells them why he says this, viz., “ That (in order that) no one may delude you with (rather, in) persuasiveness of speech,” i. e., with cunning or high sounding words as distinguished from solid facts. How many there are today who are being “ deluded“ or “ reasoned aside” by “ persuasiveness of speech” or high sounding sophistries of “ Christian Sci ence,” “ Estoeteric Buddhism,” “New Thought,” “ philosophy falsely so called,” “ Rational Theology,” etc., etc.'
1013 It is as true today as it ever was that the “ subtlety of human reasonings has always been the stumbling block of faith.” Paul tells them why he had this deep interest in them, that was, though he was absent physically he was pres ent “ in the spirit,” i. e .,1 in his spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 5:3, 4). Then he adds as an offset to his words of warning and sug gestion of reproach, “ joying and behold ing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.” These latter words might well be translated “ joying and beholding your orderly array, and the solid rank of your faith in Christ.” FRIDAY, Nov. 24th. Col. 2:6, 7. Paul has just spoken of beholding the steadfastness or solidity of their faith in Christ. This was proof that they had “ received Christ Jesus the Lord.” (cf. John 1:12; 1 John 5:11, 12), i. e. that they had received the Person Jesus (and not merely an ideal Christ, or a theolpgical doctrine about Christ, but Christ Jesus Himself) as their Messiah (i. e., Christ, anointed king, cf. 1 John 5:17), Saviour (JesuSy cf. Matt. 1:21), Lord (Divine and Abso lute ruler, cf. Phil. 2:10, 11; Acts 10: 36; Rom. 10:9, R. Y .) Now he exorts them that as they had received Christ Jesus as Lord, they “ walk in Him,” i. e., that their conduct, their daily life be in union with Him, in His strength and under His guidance and control. At conversion they “ received Him,” in their daily walk they were to live out what they had received. Furthermore, they should be “ rooted (in Him)”.—i. e., firmly planted in Him and deriving the nourishment of their lives from Him (cf. Eph. 3:17), and “ builded up in Him,” i. e., new stories of character being constantly added, but always “ in Him” (knit together with Him in His strength and under His guidance and control— cf. 2 Pet. 1:5-7). The partic iple “ rooted” (in the Greek) is in the perfect tense denoting a thing accom plished. The participle “ builded up” is in the present tense, denoting a proc ess continually going on. We are rooted in Christ once for all, but the process of building up in Christ con tinues day by day. Furthermore, they should be “ stablished in (rather “ by” or “ on” ) their faith.” Here again the participle is in the present tense, the process of compacting and solidifying and strengthening their spiritual life should go on continually. This was all
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