that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, 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,
Colossians 2:2(NASB)
Much doctrinal truth is reflected within the prayers that Paul prayed for the family of God, and much instruction and wise counsel on how to live the Christian life in a manner that is honouring to the Lord is similarly couched within the content of Paul's intercessions for the saints of God.
Paul laboured hard to preach and teach the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ, and he warned unceasingly of the many false teachers who strove to undermine his God-appointed ministry and to confound the faith of believers with false doctrine, religious legalism, and twisting of the truth.
Paul was often imprisoned for teaching the truth, and it was during such a time that letters of encouragement and instruction were often penned to the Church, and earnest prayer and intercessions for the saints were offered up to the Lord on their behalf.
Ephesians, Philippians, and this book of Colossians were all written from a prison cell, and the theme of this beautiful verse together with Paul's earnest prayer for all the saints, was that their hearts may be encouraged, comforted, and knitted together in love. Paul longed that these believers would be strengthened, confirmed, and securely grounded in the truth of the gospel of Christ.
He longed that each one may have all the riches of an assured conviction, a true understanding and a secure knowledge of the mystery of God which is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. For in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom, knowledge, truth, and life eternal, for Christ is the power of God and He is the wisdom of God, and we are one with Him, by faith.
Paul knew that a divided heart is more susceptible to embrace wrong doctrine, and so he prays they the Church may be knitted together in love and sweet fellowship so that they would be better equipped to stand against the onslaught of wrong teaching. But he also knew that the closer each one was in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Himself, and the more intimately aquatinted they were with Him, the more the Holy Spirit is enabled to open up their understanding of the gospel and the more firmly grounded they become in the faith.
Paul's stated purpose in this verse should be the motivation for all of God's children in these increasingly evil days in which we are living, so that in Christ we may encourage one another in the faith and be united together in a godly love of the truth. May we look to Christ, Who is the centre and circumference of our entire life, knowing that in Him alone are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and Who is the only secure foundation upon which our faith must rest.
Heavenly Father, thank You for sweet fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that our hearts would be knit together in love as we comfort, exhort, and encourage one another. May we grow in knowledge and understanding of You. And may we stand together on the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ, united in Him, for He is the Anchor of our soul and the Rock upon Whom our faith is built. In Jesus' name, AMEN.
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