In Colossians 1:24-29 Paul wrote about being a minister of Christ and his sufferings for the church and the price he paid to fulfill the Word of God.
Colossians 1:24-29
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily (Colossians 1:24-29)
Paul was a minister of Jesus Christ and the church and didn’t mind going through all the sufferings for Christ’s sake and His body’s sake.
Paul knew the importance of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in the world and calling sinners to repentance. He preached salvation and reconciliation to God by faith and regeneration in Christ (the death of the old man (flesh) and the resurrection from the dead of the new man (spirit) in Christ).
Paul knew that without the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ many people would be lost, which is not according to God’s will.
And so Paul preached the gospel among the Jews and the Gentiles, to whom he was called. He warned the people, visited the local churches and edified the saints in the wisdom of God. So that, they would get to know the will of God and grow up into the image of Christ.
Paul paid the price to fulfill the Word of God
Paul knew about the strive and hardships and was aware of the price to fulfill the Word of God among the saints. And so Paul experienced resistance, strive, and persecution while fulfilling his task as a minister of Jesus Christ and the church.
Because to fulfill the Word of God among the saints, meant to fully preach the truth of God and not everyone appreciated this.
Paul not only spoke encouraging words, but also hard words.
He called the saints to live holy lives and remove the sin from their lives, and be loyal to God.
Paul was not afraid of speaking the truth of God and correcting and warning the saints. Because without correction and warnings people can’t grow or grow in the wrong direction.
Paul instructed the saints in all wisdom. He corrected and warned them in love, because He didn’t want anyone of them to be lost, but that all would be and remain saved. (Read also: Is once saved, always saved true?).
Many times hard words are necessary to awaken people spiritually and cause a change in the church (in the lives of the saints).
The true preaching of the gospel
Although the words and approach of Paul were according to the will of God, in our days, many Christians consider Paul’s words and approach harsh, unloving, and inhuman.
This is mainly because many Christians are not born again., Their flesh still reigns and their carnal mind dictates them what to do. Because of this, people can’t hear and bear the words and truth of God anymore, and receive correction and warnings from God.
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee (Titus 2:11-15)
Carnal Christians can’t hear and bear the truth of God’s Word
Many people are led by their feelings. When people warn and correct them, they feel offended, indignant, hurt, and treated unfairly. As a result, they become angry and walk away from the person or church that corrected them.
This only proves that the person is carnal and the flesh of the person has not died in Christ, but is still alive and in control. Unfortunately many churches are influenced by this carnal behavior.
In order to prevent their words causing unpleasant feelings and emotions in people, and people feeling offended and leaving the church, the preachers and elders of the church stay silent.
They don’t warn and correct the people, but they leave them alone. Because they’re afraid of losing them.
And so, they let them have their way, and use the words love, respect, and forgiveness to justify their actions.
In many churches, the leaders not only leave the church visitors alone, but also allow them to stay the way they are and justify their sins.
They even command the members and visitors of the church to do the same thing and follow their example. And so many churches accept the works of the flesh which are not according to the will of God.
Church ministers fear the world instead of God
Many church ministers fear the world instead of God. Out of fear for the world, opinions of people, rejection, and losing people, church ministers adjust the words of the Bible and water down the gospel down because they take the feelings, emotions, and opinions of people into account.
And so they prove, by their actions, that their fear (awe) of people is greater than their fear of God. They walk in false love and false grace and are promoters of sin instead of promoters of righteousness.
The love and grace of God doesn’t compromise with the world and sin. (Read also: ‘Is Jesus a Promoter of sin?)
If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for My Name’s sake, because they know not Him that sent Me (John 15:19-21)
How perfect love cast out fear
God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son Jesus Christ, Jesus gave His life out of love, and if you love God above all, you will give your life to Him. Just like Paul, who loved God above all and had given his whole life to -and for Him and didn’t rely on himself, but relied wholeheartedly on Him.
Unlike many church leaders today, who walk in fear for people and sympathize and compromise with the wickedness of the world and adjust and/or reject the words of God, Paul walked in the love of (and for) God, which cast out all fear.
The love of God overcomes any kind of fear, and cast out: fear for the world, fear for people, fear for the devil and demons, fear to preach the gospel, fear to speak the truth of God, fear for rejection, fear for resistance, fear for persecution, fear for strive, fear for sufferings, etc.
Despite all the resistance, persecutions, imprisonments for the sake of the Name of Jesus Christ, Paul continued and endured all things to complete his task and fulfill the Word of God, even the mystery which had been hidden from ages and from generations, but was revealed to His saints, and to warn and teach every man in all the wisdom of God to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day
2 Timothy 1:7-12
‘Be the salt of the earth’
