Colossians 2:5
For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
Although Paul could not be with this church on a continual basis, God having given him an itinerant ministry which involved much travel, still Paul's love and concern for this church never flagged or failed. From a distance, he kept an eye on what was happening there. Paul says there were two specific things that brought joy to him in relation to this church
First, their order
Second, the stedfastness of their faith
My thoughts this morning turned to their order. God's Word tells us that God is interested in the order in the church.
John Gill's commentary says of this verse
"....the order of their church discipline, they having regular officers, pastors, and deacons, ordained among them; who rightly performed their offices, and had respect and subjection yielded to them; the ordinances of the Gospel were duly administered, and constantly attended on; the members of the church were watched over, admonitions were given, and censures laid where they were necessary, and everything was done decently and in order; which was a beautiful sight, and gave the apostle an uncommon pleasure. "
To see a church working as a church is supposed to is a beautiful sight in the eyes, not only of the Apostle, but of the God who inspired him to pen these words.
For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
Although Paul could not be with this church on a continual basis, God having given him an itinerant ministry which involved much travel, still Paul's love and concern for this church never flagged or failed. From a distance, he kept an eye on what was happening there. Paul says there were two specific things that brought joy to him in relation to this church
First, their order
Second, the stedfastness of their faith
My thoughts this morning turned to their order. God's Word tells us that God is interested in the order in the church.
John Gill's commentary says of this verse
"....the order of their church discipline, they having regular officers, pastors, and deacons, ordained among them; who rightly performed their offices, and had respect and subjection yielded to them; the ordinances of the Gospel were duly administered, and constantly attended on; the members of the church were watched over, admonitions were given, and censures laid where they were necessary, and everything was done decently and in order; which was a beautiful sight, and gave the apostle an uncommon pleasure. "
To see a church working as a church is supposed to is a beautiful sight in the eyes, not only of the Apostle, but of the God who inspired him to pen these words.
No comments:
Post a Comment