Christ Preeminence is Detailed to the Colossians Volume 16

Paul fights and contends in Prayer and Teaching for the Truth to the Colossian Believers

Colossians 2:1-3 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. KJV

Now Paul turns briefly to tell these Colossian believers (even though it is thought by many, myself included, that he had never met them personally) how much he longed to see them only walking in the truth and wisdom that comes from Christ Jesus our Lord only so he says, “For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;” (Colossians 2:1) (KJV). The English word ‘conflict’ Paul uses here to describe his state or condition is translated by the Greek word agon meaning here figuratively an effort or anxiety: - conflict, contention, fight, race. In other words, Paul was fighting for these Colossian believers to see only the truth and wisdom that comes from Christ alone and nothing else outside of Him, so he fights or contends for them by prayer and by teaching them through this letter (as well as the epistle written to the Church @ Laodicea (Colossians 4:16) which we do not have only known why by the Divine Purpose of Christ Jesus our Lord). It was Paul’s purpose to see every man presented ‘perfect’ or spiritually mature in Christ Jesus our Lord, so he did what he could only do for these Colossian believers and for every believer in Christ that he had not taught face to face and that was by way of letter. Note: “It appeared Paul’s fighting, struggling, and contending for these believers was very well needed and Divinely inspired by God the Holy Spirit knowing what was to become of the Church @ Laodicea seeing these words of rebuke directed to them by our Lord Jesus Christ many years after the Apostle Paul had already gone up to Heaven to be with our Lord, “And to the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write, These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing --- and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked --- I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent.” (Revelation 3:14-19) (NKJV).”

The Apostle Paul considered himself to be a debtor (Romans 1:14-15) to all the Gentiles because this was his primary mission given to him by Christ Jesus our Lord Himself (Acts 9:15), so he was most eager to see these non-Jews who knew nothing of YAHWEH be fully taught in all of the truth of His Ways or that they might have the entire conviction of the truth clearly laid out for them as he said to the Ephesian Church elders when he departed from them for the last time in the flesh, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:26-27) (NKJV). Paul was very desirous for them to find all they needed for their day to day life, for their spiritual battles and fights with the invisible devil and devils and the two legged devils, and for all the internal conflicts that were within themselves or in their old man or old woman or old nature in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ strengthening them by His Spirit in the inner man or inner woman and so he now says, “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;” (Colossians 2:2) (NKJV). When Paul says here, “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love”, he simply means he fights in intercessory prayer for them that they might all be united in the truth of the Gospel and be given moral and emotional strength coming from God’s Love to them and God’s Love for them in all of their trials and persecutions as they continually grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. When Paul says here, “unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding”, he is desiring for them to know this comfort from God by virtue of their being fully and completely certain first of their own personal salvation, and that they would believe all things that he Paul (through the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit) is teaching them in his letter about all the truths of Christianity as the Prophet Jeremiah said the similar things in this manner, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,’ says the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24) (NKJV).

When referring to the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ, Paul uses the English word ‘acknowledgement’ which is translated by the Greek word epignosis meaning recognition, that is, (by implication) full discernment, or to become fully acquainted with, in this case presented here by Paul, who the One True God (YAHWEH) really and truly is, in that He is One, yet He represents Himself in three (3) Persons; The Father, The Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, this understanding of God being so great and so far beyond our finite minds and beings to fully comprehend, then we see why the Divine Godhead has chosen to make Himself known to us through Jesus Christ our Lord whom the first Apostles handled Him, touched Him, ate with Him, lived with Him in the flesh, therefore we now find Paul uses this language to describe to us who and what our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ means to us now, “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3) (NKJV). Christ is God and in Him only is all that God is and ever will be as Paul said most Heavenly with these words written to the believers in Ephesus, “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.” (Ephesians 3:8-12) (NKJV).

“It was their spiritual welfare about which he was solicitous. He does not say that they may be healthy, and merry, and rich, and great, and prosperous; but that their hearts may be comforted. Note, The prosperity of the soul is the best prosperity, and what we should be most solicitous about for ourselves and others.” Matthew Henry

“Let us learn the lesson, that, for all Christian people, sympathy in the battle for God, which is being waged all over the world, is plain duty. For all Christian teachers of every sort, an eager sympathy in the difficulties and struggles of those whom they would try to teach is indispensable. We can never deal wisely with any mind until we have entered into its peculiarities. We can never help a soul fighting with errors and questionings until we have ourselves felt the pinch of the problems, and have shown that soul that we know what it is to grope and stumble. No man is ever able to lift a burden from another’s shoulders except on condition of bearing the burden himself.” Expositor’s Bible Commentary

“But how could he, in Rome, wage conflict on behalf of the Church at Colossae? No external conflict can be meant. He could strike no blows on their behalf. What he could do in that way he did, and he was now taking part in their battle by this letter. If he could not fight by their side, he could send them ammunition, as he does in this great Epistle, which was, no doubt, to the eager combatants for the truth at Colossae, what it has been ever since, a magazine and arsenal in all their warfare. But the real struggle was in his own heart. It meant anxiety, sympathy, an agony of solicitude, a passion of intercession. What he says of Epaphras in this very Epistle was true of himself. He was ‘always striving in prayer for them.’ And by these wrestling’s of spirit he took his place among the combatants, though they were far away, and though in outward seeming his life was untouched by any of the difficulties and dangers which hemmed them in. In that lonely prison cell, remote from their conflict, and with burdens enough of his own to carry, with his life in peril, his heart yet turned to them and, like some soldier left behind to guard the base while his comrades had gone forward to the fight, his ears listened for the sound of battle, and his thoughts were in the field. His prison cell was like the focus of some reverberating gallery in which every whisper spoken all round the circumference was heard, and the heart that was held captive there was set vibrating in all its chords by every sound from any of the Churches.” Expositor’s Bible Commentary

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…