Colossians 2:1by Dr. Grant C. RichisonTo: Colossians Main Menu To: Grace Notes Home Page Colossians 2:1"For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh"A great danger threatened the church in the Lycus Valley. A false doctrine known as gnosticism invaded the churches there. This doctrine violated the person of Christ holding him as a phantom and not a real person. Other doctrines of concern were legalism and carnal asceticism. All of these ideas threaten Christianity and vital Christian living. It was a great counter attack by Satan to violate the church of the Valley. Evidently this attack made some "in roads" into Christianity. Believers in Colosse and Laodicea succumbed to this attack. Gnosticism took many spiritual prisoners. Many doubted their salvation. They fell victim to the Satanic counterattack. Those more mature became discouraged, disoriented, depressed and scattered because of it. In this chapter Paul argues that Christ supersedes all these false doctrines. He is totally adequate for anything we might face. ---------- "For I want you to know" Whenever Paul uses this phrase it indicates a statement of importance. Invariably, the thing that we should know is the very thing that we do not know. Here Paul wants the church to know how much he cared for them, "I want you to know that I care about you." Although he was an author, missionary, church planter, evangelist and teacher, he had a pastor's heart. "But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us" (I Thes. 2:7,8). "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again" (II Cor. 5:14,15). The motivation for others-orientation is the love that Jesus has toward us. PRINCIPLE: A great value to God is for Christians to live for others. APPLICATION: By nature people love themselves. We naturally turn inward. When a person comes to Christ he acquires a new heart for people. God commences a great outward orientation toward others when we begin the Christian life. We love others because Christ first loved us. ---------- "what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea" The church in Colosse and Laodicea routed by false doctrine caused a "great conflict" in the person of Paul. Their distortion of truth caused him personal anguish. His care for the church went to the extent of agony to his person. His agony was over their comporting with apostasy. The word "conflict" means the contest for a prize at the great Greek national games. Generally the word portrays any struggle or trial that may involve peril. Paul indicates that his agony for them is "great." He wants them to know how much he cares. In the next verse he gives the purpose for telling them how much he cares -- that their hearts might be "comforted." Evidently this invasion into the church greatly hurt the church in the Lycus Valley as well. "For" in the phrase "for you" is a term of substitution. Paul was in agony and conflict on the behalf of the Colossians and the Laodiceans. Whenever a church reverts into false doctrine it renders great pain to leadership. Instability in truth leads to an unsteady Christian life. Laodicea, like Colosse, lay in the Lycus Valley on the Lycus River. The city situated on a trade route enjoyed prosperity. There is no book of the Bible written to the Laodiceans. However, Paul did write them (Col. 4:16). John warns the Laodiceans of lukewarmness because of her riches (Rev. 3:14-19). Paul carried a burden for both the churches at Colosse and at Laodicea neither of which ever met him personally. He was a churchman in the finest sense of the word. In II Corinthians 11 he catalogues the things he suffered for the church. In verse 28 he writes, "Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches." He knew how Satan loves to invade and ruin churches. If we are truly burdened for Christians, we will minister to them, " For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister" (Heb. 6:10). A church needs both obstetricians and pediatricians. People require loving care of a pediatrician after they become Christians. PRINCIPLE: Christians should carry a burden for the church. APPLICATION: Do you care about the household of faith? Are you willing to give yourself for the church? It may at times cause great personal pain but the church is worth it. ---------- "and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh" Paul cared deeply for those he never met or personally evangelized. He never visited Colosse or Laodicea. He cared for them by praying for them and writing the epistle of Colossians. PRINCIPLE: Christians care deeply about those they never meet. APPLICATION: Do you are about people you have never met? Do you care about the church in other parts of the world? Do you keep in touch? It is possible to fellowship at a distance through personal support and information. We can pray for others who are at great distance from us. Now in the day of the internet, we can contact many of them at a moment's notice. Copyright © 1995, Dr. Grant Richison. All rights reserved. There is no charge for Grace Notes Materials. 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