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, 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, 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. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Comment: The Church, the Body of Christ, is not buildings but people! The statement above, “in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church”, has always made me think deeply. Is anything lacking in what God in Jesus has done for us? In a few words I think that once saved by the ‘blood applied’, as the old hymn says quoting the thoughts of scripture, we are not instantly sanctified nor freed from sinning (although God gives us power to resist), nor mature. We are New Creatures but have a way to go to perfection! And that God helps us to do by His Indwelling Spirit but it takes commitment. Our works don’t save us but they will be assessed (judged). Thank God that He gives us Help on our way to being sanctified and mature! I love the expression of the pastoral heartfelt thoughts of Paul as summed up here, “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” God made the world, He runs the world, He is Omniscient and Omnipotent. Jesus is God. Why should I doubt that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. are hidden in Christ!
Job 40: 6-9 – Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right? Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?
Prayer: Help me to stand like the person which you have made me, Jesus, and to grow into maturity.
As I read it! 