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Everyone Perfect

Everyone Perfect

Words of Faith 10-18-19

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2019

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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Colossians 1

[28] We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.   [29] To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.  

 

      So, this was the truth that Paul and his companions proclaimed-- the mystery kept hidden for ages and generations, but now disclosed to the saints-- Christ in you, the hope of glory (1:26-27).  This was not just a subtle part of Paul's teaching or one of several seminars you could book with his agent.  This was it! 

      This was the truth they preached.  This was the truth they admonished-- that is, they warned people about and corrected them gently.  This was the truth that they taught by word and by example.  That is to say, Paul and the pastor from Colosse-- Epaphras, were in complete agreement and working in harmony with the Spirit to teach this truth.  Their hope and goal was to present everyone perfect in Christ.

      Paul and his team were not content to have a few holy people who lived the life on behalf of everyone.  They would not settle for some of the folks "getting it" while many did not.  There was no reason for anyone not to be perfected in Christ by His indwelling presence, except for their own rebellion.  Even that was unacceptable.

       So, it was toward this end that they labored and struggled.  The Greek means that they worked to the point of total weariness!  They would not give up!  They struggled-- agonidzomai.  Paul agonized over the believers that they might live the victorious Christian life by the power of the Spirit.  Why?  There was no reason they should not!  The victory was available to them because of the mystery of Christ, the hope of glory.  So, they worked with all of the energy that the Spirit of God would afford them so powerfully.

        Does this mean that everyone in Colosse was perfected in Christ?  Probably not.  But it was not because Paul and his colleagues gave up.  They struggled tenaciously not only to proclaim the Gospel of salvation but to declare the hope of glory-- Christ in us.

       Here is a question.  How are we doing in our proclaiming, admonishing and teaching?  Are we tenaciously committed to the goal that everyone should be presented to the Lord perfected in Christ?  Or do we give up?  Do we teach a class for a few weeks and then find it does not fit our schedule anymore?  Do we work for a while and then drift away?  Or do we labor for the King with every bit of energy He will afford us?  Do we press on toward the calling that He has put in us?  Or do we quit when there is some disappointment or setback?  These are admonishing questions. 

 

       Father God, I want to serve Your will, tenacity, and steadfastness.  I commit myself to not give up.  Fill me with Your energy.  Keep me from exhaustion and disappointment.  Give me strength for the struggle so that I may present as many as possible perfected in Christ.  In Jesus' Name. 

 

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, and our website, and our church app, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.  

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