SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/1/2017 11:48 PM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-2 Settled in Understanding
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Colossians
2:2c-5
Message of the
verses: “and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance
of understanding,
resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so
that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am
absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your
good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.”
I said that we would begin this SD with the word “understanding,” sunesis is the Greek word that is translated understanding. MacArthur writes that this “refers to applying biblical principles to everyday life. It is the exclusive property of Christians because ‘a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised’ (1 Cor. 2:14). Because ‘those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh’ (Rom. 8:5), they are ‘darkened in their understanding’ (Eph. 4:18).”
As believers live out this spiritual truth then they will
truly understand it and this will led to the assurance of their salvation,
something we looked briefly at in our last SD.
This will lead to the “full assurance of understanding.” Some believers have a hard time believing
that they are saved, and this is not because they have a lack of knowledge, but
their primary problem is a failure to apply the truths that they already
know. MacArthur adds “Truth that finds solid
footing in a strong heart and works itself out in love of fellow believers
results in deep conviction. That is the
basis for assurance.”
We have written earlier about the heresies that were
spreading in the Colossian Church, and because of that Paul stresses the need
that the Colossians include and understanding of “a true knowledge of God’s
mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge.” This speaks of
the deity of Jesus Christ, which is something that they were struggling
with. It also speaks of what Paul
describes as a mystery, something that had been hidden in the OT times, but now
is revealed in the New Testament times.
As we look at this last quote from our verses we can see that what Paul
is describing to them is that Jesus Christ is indeed truly God. Only God can have all of the hidden treasures
of wisdom and knowledge. Jesus Christ is God’s mystery. Paul records the following in 1 Tim. 3:16
which is actually a first century hymn.
“And by common confession great
Is the mystery of godliness:
He who was revealed in the flesh,
Was vindicated in the Spirit,
Beheld by angels,
Proclaimed among the nations,
Believed on in the world,
Taken up in glory.”
MacArthur writes that “All these phrases refer to
Christ. In the early church, as in our
own day, it was virtually important to have a grasp on Christ’s deity. No person can be a Christian at all without
this true knowledge of Jesus Christ as the incarnate God. Yet so many Christians who affirm the deity
of Christ live as if He were not the One in whom all spiritual sufficiency
resides.”
3/2/2017 12:12 AM
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