Workers of the Church with a Mission (4)
[Colossians 1:24-29]
Third and last, the workers of the church with a mission proclaim Christ, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom.
Colossians 1:28 says, "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ." We must become wise parents. Wise parents, as stated in Ephesians 6:4, nurture their children with the discipline and instruction of the Lord. In other words, our parents should educate and strengthen our children and continue to nurture them until they mature. The word "nurture" used here is the same word as in Ephesians 5:29, where husbands are instructed to "nourish" their wives. In essence, fathers not only have the responsibility to spiritually lead their wives at home but also to nurture their children. So, how should we nurture our children as parents?
- We parents should nurture our children "in the training of the Lord."
In other words, just as our parents, having received discipline from the Lord and been corrected, should walk in the way the Lord has walked, we should nurture our children in this manner. Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it." We must teach our children the way they should go, the path of wisdom, or the path of a godly life. In my teaching efforts, especially with my own children and the children of the church, I strive, though imperfectly, to impart three things: (1) Right Values, (2) Clear Purpose, and (3) an Eternal View of Life.
- We parents should nurture our children through the Lord's "instruction."
In other words, we should lovingly advise, warn, and guide our children. The purpose of this instruction is to present them perfect in Christ (Col. 1:28).
In today's passage, Colossians 1:28, the Apostle Paul wrote the following letter to the faithful saints of the Colossian church: "Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ." When we look at this passage, we see that Paul used three verbs: (1) 'proclaim,' (2) 'warn,' and (3) 'teach.' Regarding the first verb 'proclaim,' Paul urged the saints of the Colossian church to proclaim none other than the "hope of glory," which is "Christ" (v. 27). In other words, Paul encouraged them to proclaim Jesus Christ, who is the hope of the heavenly kingdom, the hope of the gospel, and the hope of glory. Considering the second verb 'warn,' Paul told the Colossian saints to "warn everyone with all wisdom." The meaning of the word 'warn' here includes exhortation, admonition, and correction. It primarily involves guiding believers' lives, especially leading them to repent if they have done something wrong (Internet). For instance, Paul warned the Galatian saints about behaviors such as jealousy, drunkenness, revelries, and the like, stating that those who engage in such activities will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:21). Moreover, Paul warned the Corinthian saints not to follow the example of the Israelites who sinned against God during the time of Moses (1 Cor. 10:6). In Titus 3:10, Paul advised Titus to warn divisive people or those belonging to heretical sects. Considering that the Colossian church was facing threats from heretical ideologies, Paul warned them to stand firm in their faith (Col. 1:23). Regarding the third verb 'teach,' Paul taught the Colossian saints the "word of the truth of the gospel" (v. 5), the "word of God" (v. 25). As a minister appointed by the Lord, Paul proclaimed Jesus Christ and His gospel, warned against the threat of heretical doctrines, and taught the truth about who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for our salvation. He also instructed the Colossian saints on how to live as new creations in Christ (3:1-10). Paul's purpose in proclaiming Christ, warning, and teaching with all wisdom was summed up in Colossians 1:28b: "... that we may present everyone mature in Christ."
Apostle Paul's purpose for the saints of the Colossian church was to present each person as mature in Christ. In other words, when Paul proclaimed Christ, warned with all wisdom, and taught the Colossian saints, his goal was to establish them as individuals living mature Christian lives (Internet). An interesting point is that in Colossians 1:22, Paul had already mentioned that the Father's purpose, through Christ's physical death, was to reconcile the Colossians who were once enemies of God due to their evil deeds, making them holy, blameless, and beyond reproach. In summary, Paul's purpose was for the Colossian saints to stand before God as holy, blameless, and mature Christians in Christ. "For this purpose," Paul diligently labored with the power that worked within him, which he attributed to the Holy Spirit. Colossians 1:29 in the Modern Korean Bible states, "To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me." Thus, Paul exerted his best effort, relying on the strength of the Holy Spirit working within him, and in doing so, he dedicated his hope to the living God, the Savior of all believers. In 1 Timothy 4:10 (Modern Korean Bible), Paul expressed, "That is why we labor and strive because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe." We too, placing our hope in the living God, must work diligently with the strength of the Holy Spirit within us, doing our best to proclaim Christ, admonish with all wisdom, and teach others. This is what we, as workers of the church entrusted by the Lord, should rightfully do. Our purpose is to establish each person as a mature believer in Christ. I hope and pray that both you and I may bear this precious fruit, receiving commendation from the Lord as "Well done, good and faithful servants."
I would like to conclude our reflection on the Scripture. We are workers of the church entrusted with a mission from the Lord. Therefore, just as Jesus endured suffering for us, being the body of the Lord's church, we must also endure suffering for the sake of the church (Col. 1:24). Additionally, as workers of the church with a mission from the Lord, we must wholeheartedly convey God's word to the saints of the church (v. 25). Furthermore, we are called to proclaim Christ, admonish and teach with all wisdom, establishing each person as a mature believer in Christ. Let us all place our hope in our living God and, with the strength of the Holy Spirit working within us, strive our best to proclaim Christ, share God's word abundantly, and admonish and teach with all wisdom. May we bear this precious fruit amid the suffering for the church, and I pray that each one of us receives commendation from the Lord, becoming worthy of praise.