Tuesday, September
25, 2012, 7:56 a.m. – The Lord put the song “In Harmony” in my mind just as I got ready to sit down to have my
quiet time with him in prayer and in his word. Speak, Lord, for your servant is
listening. I read Colossians 2:1-8
(NIV 1984):
I want you to know how
much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have
not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and
united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete
understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this
so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am
absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how
orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
So then, just as you
received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in
him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with
thankfulness.
See to it that no one
takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on
human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
Struggling
Paul said he was struggling for the believers in Colosse and
in Laodicea. Struggling involves making a great effort to achieve something
and/or to overcome a difficulty, challenge or problem (see Encarta Dictionary).
Paul exerted his physical, mental, emotional and spiritual being for the
encouragement and spiritual growth of the believers in these two cities, and
truly everywhere the gospel had been preached by him, and where he was
privileged to see people come to faith in Jesus Christ.
I wonder how many of us truly struggle for our brothers and
sisters in Christ. In other words, do we exert this kind of effort and time to
see other believers in Christ mature and grow in their faith? This is called
discipleship. As disciples of Christ, we have all been commanded to make
disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey all of Christ’s commands. We
are not just to help people come to faith in Christ, but we are to help them to
grow in their faith, too. In the body of Christ we are to help strengthen and
encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ in their faith. This is not just
the job of the preacher, the deacons and elders, the Sunday School teachers and
small group leaders of our local fellowships, but we should all be struggling
for the spiritual lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Purpose
Paul then explained the purpose of this struggling, which
was that the believers may:
Be Encouraged in Heart
The word “encourage” is often a misunderstood word, or it is
frequently interpreted only one-sided. When we think of the word “encourage” we
often have this picture of someone making us feel good, at peace and at rest
with who we are, where we are, and what is going on in our lives. That is one
aspect of encouragement, which can be distorted through lies. In other words,
we should never lie to people just to make them feel good. We should be truth
tellers always, but not in a blunt, uncaring way, or in saying things that are
not necessary or beneficial to the listener. Yet, we should always make sure
our encouragement is truthful. And, we should offer words of hope, courage,
cheer and inspiration, too.
The other aspect of this word “encourage,” which Jesus,
Paul, the apostles and the prophets before them used regularly - as well as
they utilized the other aspect of encouragement - means to motivate someone
towards a particular course of action, or to urge them to continue doing
something. Paul exemplified this for us here when he encouraged the believers
to continue to live in Christ, rooted in Christ, built up and strengthened in
their faith, and so much more that we read in this passage. To encourage, thus,
means to inspire, reassure, cheer, urge, assist, nurture, persuade and even
push others, sometimes, in a particular direction or on a certain course in
their lives. In this case we are talking about encouraging (urging and
inspiring) other believers to grow in their faith and to continue to maturity.
Be United in Love
“Unity” is another often misunderstood or misinterpreted
word. And, it is essential that we understand the meaning, so that we don’t
fall into error. “Unity” means: harmony, agreement, and accord. It can mean to
form many into one or harmony of opinion, interest or feeling (see Encarta
Dictionary). In music, harmony involves two instruments or voices singing or
playing together, yet they are singing or playing different notes from each
other, yet notes that blend well and fit together. So “unity” or “harmony” does
not mean we lose our individuality or that we must all think exactly alike
without any differences of opinion. We will still maintain our uniqueness (our
part in the body, like our part in the song), yet we will work together with
the other parts harmoniously in blending our various parts together to work as
one unit (one body; one song).
We are to be united in love. God is love and he is the
source of true love. If we are not first of all united with Christ, and in harmony
with him and his will, purposes and direction for our lives, then it is
impossible for us to be united with one another in love. Also, we are to love
others with the love of God that he has for us, and if we are not doing that,
we will not be in unity or in harmony with other believers who are doing that.
There is no fellowship between light and darkness. We have to be walking in the
light of Christ if we want to be in unity with others who are doing the same.
So, first of all we must be united with Christ in relationship, thought,
purposes and will, then we can be united with other believers who are of like
mind.
Yet, we must be so careful here that we recognize the
difference between unity with man and his purposes and goals and unity with
Christ. Many preachers of the gospel are stressing “unity,” but it is not unity
with Christ, but with man, and with man’s goals. This calls for much
discernment. Under this kind of unity, those who are truly following Christ
will often be ostracized because they are not in “unity” with man’s goals and
objectives.
Have full riches of
understanding
We cannot have the full riches of understanding of God, his
word and all that he has in mind for us if we are not sitting daily at his
feet, listening to him, and then obeying what he teaches us. We can have all
the head knowledge in the world, but this kind of understanding is spiritual
wisdom, discernment and knowledge of God, and of his will and purposes for our
lives. And, it only comes through the daily exercise of spending time in God’s
word, in hearing his voice and in obeying what he says. We must continue (keep
going; persevere) to live (walk of faith; how we live out our Christian life
daily) in Christ, pursuing him daily. We get rooted in Christ through being
with him, listening to what he says and then obeying what he teaches us
day-by-day (see John 10; Luke 9:23-24). This is also how we are built up in
Christ and are strengthened in the faith.
Not be Deceived
Sermons, Bible studies with other believers, commentaries,
books by Christian authors, etc. are all also helpful to us in our walk with
Christ, yet they should never be our primary source of our Christian growth and
development, because man is human, and man may get things wrong, or may even
willfully set out to deceive us by adding or taking away from the truth of the
gospel of Jesus Christ. So, we must check out everything we hear or read
against God’s word, prayerfully, asking God to lead us into all truth.
There are all kinds of hollow and deceptive philosophies
existing within the church today, at least that I know of in America. And, they
do present themselves with “fine-sounding arguments,” too. And, they can trap
us and trip us up if we are not wise and discerning, and if we are not in God’s
word daily. Legalism (adding to the gospel works of men) is one that Paul often
addressed in the church in his time, since the Jewish believers in Christ had
just come out of the Old Covenant relationship with God and they were trying to
grasp and understand the New Covenant and how this worked in all practicality.
Legalism was pretty strong in my growing up years, but it has waned much in
recent years as the “Distorted Grace” movement has swept across evangelical
Christianity in America.
Yet, it is not just the legalists who depend upon human
tradition, fine-sounding arguments, and the basic principles of this world. The
“Distorted Grace” movement does, too, i.e. speaking of those who take away some
of the necessary and required components of the gospel message, i.e. they cut
it in half. They teach Christ crucified for our sins, risen from the dead,
ascended to heaven and coming again, but they don’t teach the true meaning of
the cross of Christ in our lives. They water down the gospel to suggest that
all one has to do is to pray a prayer, oftentimes consisting merely of an
acknowledgment of being a sinner and of inviting Jesus Christ into one’s heart.
Yet, this inviting of Christ into one’s heart must be accompanied by true
repentance and a turning of one’s heart and mind away from following after the
flesh (sin), to following after Jesus Christ (see John 10: Luke 9:23-24;
Ephesians 4:17-24). This is not adding works to faith. This is the meaning of true
faith.
In the same way, count
yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let
sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer
the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer
yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer
the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall
not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. ~ Rom.
6:11-14
In Harmony / An
Original Work / September 2, 2012
Based off Ro. 12:9-21; 1 Pet. 3:8-15
Love each other truly.
Cling to what is good.
Hate all that is evil.
Never lack in zeal.
Serve the Lord with
fervor.
Joyful in hope be;
Patient in affliction;
Praying faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.
Share with all God’s
people
Who are found in need.
Do not be conceited.
Sympathetic be.
Love, and show
compassion
In humility.
Keep your tongue from
evil.
Peaceful you must be.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.
God sees who are
righteous;
Listens to their
prayers.
But He’s against evil
–
Is His to avenge.
Do not fear what they
fear.
Suffer patiently.
In your hearts, make
Christ Lord.
Serve Him faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.
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