Mature in Christ (Colossians 1:24-29)
The growth of the church, both quantitative and qualitative, is Paul's mission from God.
In this newsletter, we’ll conclude our walkthrough of Colossians 1.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
- Colossians 1:24, ESV
Paul announces his joy in suffering for the people of God. This parallels other passages in Paul’s letter where his suffering for the church is a source of joy:
I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
- Philippians 1:12-13, ESV
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
- Romans 5:3-5, ESV
Suffering is never “fun” but we are called to find joy in it. Paul could rejoice in his suffering because he knew that the imprisonments and persecutions he endured were the seed of the church’s growth.
When Paul says that he is “filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions”, he is not saying that Jesus’ suffering on the cross was insufficient for salvation. That would contradict other assertions from Paul (e.g. Romans 5:18). Instead, this language is used by Paul to refer to the proclamation of the Gospel and the relating of the sufferings of Christ to people who did not witness the crucifixion directly. To use another Pauline phrase from Romans 12:1, he is offering his body as a “living sacrifice”. His suffering is a visible word: proclaiming the fully-sufficient atoning suffering of Christ.
John Piper puts it this way:
Nothing is missing in Christ’s afflictions in their atoning worth. Paul can’t add anything to the atoning value of Jesus Christ. The beauty, the wonder, the value, the worth, and the merit of Christ crucified to cover sins is infinite. You can’t add anything to it. There’s nothing missing from it. There’s no lack in it…Suffering is not an accident. Suffering is not a mere result of faithfulness to the Great Commission. Suffering is a strategy of God to complete the Great Commission because Paul said, “In my sufferings for your sake, I am filling up, I am completing, I am spreading, I am taking, I am bringing the sufferings of Christ to you.”
- John Piper, Filling Up What is Lacking in Christ’s Afflictions (emphasis added)
This conclusion fits well with the context where Paul goes on to talk about his commission from God to build the church.
of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,
- Colossians 1:25, ESV
This commission or calling is described by Paul as a “stewardship” (Gr. oikonomia). This word refers to the management or administration of a household that would be delegated by a wealthy ruler. Think of Joseph’s role in the house of Potiphar in Genesis as an example.
Paul is saying that God has placed him in the church to oversee the household of God. Paul describes the church as the “household of God” in Ephesians 2:19 and 1 Timothy 3:15. He also describes it as a “household of faith” in Galatians 6:10.
Elders, pastors, and other church leaders are appointed by God to administer His household and keep things in order. The main way this is done is through exhorting the faithful to live faithfully according to the word of God. Paul instructs Timothy to “preach the Word” as an essential duty as he (Timothy) leads the church in Ephesus (2 Tim. 4:2).
The Mystery
the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
- Colossians 1:26-28, ESV
Paul is suffering for the church and has been appointed by God to manage His household through the proclamation of His Word.
The message that Paul brings and proclaims is summarized as the “mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed”.
In Paul’s usage, “mystery” doesn’t mean something we don’t understand. Instead, it means the exact opposite: something that was unknown but has now been revealed. The primary thing this refers to in the writings of Paul is the inclusion of Gentiles in the plans and promises of God. Here, in Colossians, Paul writes about the mystery this way: “Christ in you [the Gentile Colossians]”.
The message of Paul’s commission is the Gospel for the Gentiles. Something that was typified and foreshadowed in the Old Testament but not fully revealed until the New Testament.
Here are just a few examples of this “mystery” latently foreshadowed in the OT:
Genesis 12:3: God promises Abram that He will bless him and that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Isaiah 19:24-25: In these verses from the prophecy of Isaiah, God calls two Gentile nations: Egypt and Assyria, “my people” and “the work of my hands” respectively. They share the place of Israel which God calls “my inheritance”. In fact, in v. 24, Israel is not even given the first place in these nations. “In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth,”
Amos 9:10-11: This passage from the prophecy of Amos speaks of a time in the future when God would restore the Davidic kingdom and Israel would “possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,”. This prophecy was fulfilled in the New Covenant as Gentiles came to faith in the Gospel (Acts 15:15-17).
The Mission
Paul’s proclamation of the mystery of salvation for the Gentiles is for the purpose of presenting everyone “mature in Christ”. This is Paul’s mission: maturity of faith in believers so that they might be prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
We read further in v. 29:
For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
- Colossians 1:29, ESV
So yes, it is Paul’s mission from God to present everyone under his care “mature in Christ”. But it is ultimately God’s own mission to do so. And He works through Paul and His other servants (you and me) to accomplish it.
This language of “presenting” the church is used in Ephesians 5:27 where Paul says that it is Christ Himself who does this presenting.
As we go about our days let us never forget that this is the heart of the mission of Christ: presenting His bride to Himself without spot or wrinkle or blemish. For us, our role is to grow in maturity.
Paul’s suffering helps to grow the church. Both quantitatively and qualitatively.
The church grows through suffering since Paul writes in Philippians 1:12 that his suffering has served to “advance the Gospel”. The church grows in numbers through the suffering of the saints. Tertullian, a theologian from the 2nd century, is credited with saying, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church”. The Church grows through persecution and trial.
The church also grows qualitatively in maturity through the loving discipline of God. And Paul’s zeal for developing mature faith in the people God had placed him over was something he rightfully took very seriously.
May we have the same zeal for mature faith in ourselves and in those we share the household of God with. And may we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that our trials are for our growth.
En haima autou (By His blood)