Colossians 2:1

Colossians 2:1 says, For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;  Paul said that he was in conflict over the believers in Colosse and those at Laodicea.  He had heard of their faith, but he had not yet visited them.  Paul was just as concerned for them as he was for churches that he had started, and he was concerned that they were truly founded on the gospel of Christ.  We need to be concerned and in prayer for churches today, even if we have no personal contact with them.  Verse two adds, That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;  Paul said that it was his desire that their hearts be comforted by being knit together in love for God and each other, by their knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and Jesus Christ.  We still do not totally understand the relationship of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but know that They are One God.  Verse three continues, In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  Paul said that wisdom and knowledge were hidden in God.  We may know a lot about the world today from a worldly point of view, but until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we will never have true knowledge and understanding.  Truth can only be found in God's word.  Verse four states, And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.  Paul said that they needed to be grounded in the knowledge of God so that they would not be beguiled by enticing words.  We can hear many things today that sound tempting, but if they are in conflict with God's word, we need to not give in to the temptation to believe them.  In order for this to happen, we must know what God's word says, and in order to do this, we must study His word.  I believe we should do this daily as individuals and together with other Christians frequently.  Verse five adds, 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.  Paul said that even though he wasn't able to be with them physically that he was with them in the spirit.  We will never be able to be physically present in all the churches around the world today, but we need to be joined with them in the Spirit.  We should do this with prayer and concern that they are founded on faith in Jesus Christ.  Paul said he had heard of their stedfastness in their faith in Christ, and this should be what we want people to hear about churches today.  We don't really need to be concerned about their denomination, but only about their faithfulness to Jesus Christ.  It also does not matter how large or small they may be.  Verse six continues, As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  Paul said that since they had received Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord that they were to walk by faith in Him.  I believe we too often look at the problems in our life instead of looking to God in faith.  This causes us to worry and doubt God too often.  We must walk by faith in Jesus Christ, as Paul said those many years ago.  Verse seven concludes, Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Paul said that the Christians at Colosse needed to be rooted in and building on their faith in Christ, and so should we today.  He said that they should be established in faith.  Everything that we as followers of Christ do today should be done because our life is established by faith in Christ.  This is what we should teach in the church today, just as Paul told the Christians at Colosse then, and if we do, we should abound in thanksgiving to God.   We as Christians, when we are established in our faith in Jesus Christ should always be giving praise and thanksgiving to God.