Colossians 1:28—2:1 ‘So that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.’ (1:28)
Achurch minister confided how sad he felt when people left the church, or didn’t seem to move forward in their faith.
He wondered if for them, coming to church was just one of many ‘leisure opportunities’ in a weekend, which might get crowded out by a children’s birthday party, a brunch outing with friends or a sports match.
Acknowledging that going to church of course doesn’t make one a Christian (or not), he yet yearned for Sunday mornings to be a time of rich community and encouragement for the body of believers.
Paul had a pastoral heart like this minister, and in his letter urged the believers to mature in their faith.
He doesn’t want to leave them as spiritual children, but longs that they become strong in wisdom and thus able to discern true and good teaching.
Paul eagerly desires that they will grow in their faith, saying that he will ‘strenuously contend with all the energy’ Christ gives him (1:29) in this goal.
And not only for those there in Colossae, but in Laodicea and indeed for all whom he has not yet met (2:1).
What does it mean to be fully mature in Christ? One measure is how committed we are to our faith – that for us, living with God and serving Him holds the highest priority in our life, however imperfectly we may live that out.
As we find our worth in the Lord, perhaps we need the affirmation of those around us less. We exude the fruits of the Spirit, with love defining our actions.
The ways we mature are as beautifully individual as we all are, but all will reflect the Lord’s work in our lives.
A Prayer To Make:
‘Loving Lord, spark in me a hunger for Your Word and Your Spirit in my life, that You will change me from within and make me mature in You. Amen.’
An Action To Take:
If you attend church regularly, pray for someone whom you might not see each week. If you don’t, ask God to spark passion for you to be part of a church community.
Scripture To Consider:
Ps. 119:104–105; Prov. 9:9–10; Rom. 5:3–4; 1 Cor. 13:11–12
