325. An Apostolic Struggle

The Colossians had received much from God and had been taught by the faithful minister of Christ, Epaphras. Col. 1:7 and 4:12-13. Nevertheless, Paul says, “For I want you to know what a great conflict [struggle—Norw.] I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.” Col. 2:1. If the Colossians were holy and believing brothers who had love for all the saints, why did the apostle have to struggle for them? The form of doctrine had been delivered to them, but they were still lacking something. That is evident in his prayer for them in Chapter 1:9: “That you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

The same is true in our present day church. The form of doctrine may be correct, but not everyone is obedient to it, so they never attain to the riches of the full assurance of understanding.

When a pattern-maker has created a form with all its ingenious taps and voids and tubes, it is sent to the foundry to be filled. The blocks of pig iron are melted down, and the glowing mass is poured into the form. Every nook and cranny must be filled. After this comes the turning and polishing.

We experience the same thing when we are becoming new creations in Jesus Christ. The form must be filled with good works, and all impurity must be forced out. For flesh and blood this is like a glowing mass. It is the fire Jesus came to cast upon the earth. When the love of money is being driven out of the form and replaced with generosity, we experience the sufferings of Christ. The same is true of anger, irritation, pride, etc. All these things are to be forced out and replaced by meekness, longsuffering, patience, and humility.

This was Paul’s great struggle. When this takes place, we are “knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ.”

Disobedience to the form of doctrine brings stagnation and poor conduct in the church of God. We are to be formed according to Christ’s image and strengthened with all might according to His glorious power for all patience and longsuffering.

If the pattern-maker makes the tiniest mistake on the form, such as placing a tap on the right side which should have been placed on the left according to the blueprints, then the whole cast is worthless. The pattern-maker must take the blame and do the whole thing over again. For the workshop this means the loss of many days’ wages and a lot of work.

Those who minister the Word have a tremendous responsibility when presenting themselves as teachers. If they make the smallest mistake in the form, all of it will be rejected because nothing must be added and nothing taken away. Complete faithfulness and exactness in every area is required.

Read Ephesians 1, and you will see that it was the same with the Ephesians. They lacked the Spirit of wisdom and revelation and enlightened eyes of the heart, despite having faith in the Lord Jesus and love for all the saints.

From this we understand that there is a long way to go before we attain unto Christ as Head over every principality and power, Him in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily. Col. 2:9.

May we therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering. Col. 3:12.

The form of doctrine must be filled with these virtues, and all that is contrary to them must be driven out. The apostle had a great struggle for this to be accomplished. That is easy to understand. Preaching a sermon is nothing compared to a struggle like this. It can rightly be called an apostolic struggle, and who is capable for such an unselfish struggle? “I want you to know about this struggle,” says Paul, and it would be blessed if God’s churches in our days could understand this great struggle too.