Endurance (Col. 1:11b)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/4/2017 10:42 PM

My Worship Time                                                                                               Focus:  Endurance

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Colossians 1:11b

            Message of the verses:  “strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously”

“1) Steadfastness, constancy, endurance

1a) in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings”

            This is the definition of the word “steadfastness” from my Online Bible Greek/English dictionary as this word speaks of endurance, and this is the last result of true spiritual knowledge which is joyous endurance of trials.  I suppose that if you are looking at an example from Scripture, other than that of our Lord Jesus Christ, we could look at Acts 16:25 “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”  This speaks of Paul and Silas in a Philippian jail after they had been beaten when according to law they should have not been beaten, and yet they still demonstrated “joyous endurance” under this trial.

            We have looked at the definition of the word steadfastness but John MacArthur writes that this Greek word is closely related to the Greek word makrothumia which is translated as patience.  “If there is a distinction, it is that hupomone refers to patience with people (Richard C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament [Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 1983]…Both refer to the patient enduring of trials.”

            Believers can endure through these kinds of trials by knowing the Word of God and trusting the Holy Spirit of God to see them through different trials.  We can endure these trials with joy and with that we want to look at the book of Hebrews which speaks of this in the life of our Lord.  “1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

            Now when I look at verse eleven in the NASB there is a paragraph divide, but the paragraph divide comes in the middle of a sentence.  John MacArthur writes Commentators are divided on whether meta charis should be connected with verse 12.  It seems best, however, to connect the phrase with verse 11.  ‘Giving thanks’ (v. 12) already includes the element of joy.  Knowledge of God’s truth gives us the ability to endure trials joyously, as did Paul himself (cf. Acts 16:25).”  We already looked at that verse earlier.  The Greek “meta charis” which we quoted earlier literally means “with joy.”

            MacArthur concludes this second chapter in his commentary on Colossians by writing “It was Paul’s constant prayer for the Colossians that they be filled with the knowledge of God’s will.  He knew that only when believers are controlled by that knowledge can they walk worthy of the Lord and please Him.  Paul knew further that such knowledge was required for a fruitful life, spiritual growth, strength, and joyful endurance of trials.”

1/4/2017 11:06 PM