Summary:
Paul tells the believers that he wants them to know how great a struggle he has for them, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen him in person.
His desire is that their hearts would be encouraged and joined together in love. He wants them to receive the full assurance that comes from true understanding, leading to the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ Himself. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Paul says this so that no one will deceive them with persuasive arguments. Though he is absent in body, he is with them in spirit, rejoicing to see their good order and the firmness of their faith in Christ.
Teaching:
The “full assurance of understanding” means understanding the Word. It means not only knowing the Word, but truly comprehending and realizing its meaning.
The life of faith is, in a sense, more reasonable than we may think. To live by faith is to live according to the logic of the Word. In order to follow the logic of the Word, we must know the Word. Greater understanding and deeper realization cause our faith to grow.
Therefore, we must continually read the Bible and listen to the Word. We must also think deeply. We should consider whether the Word we have read and heard is truly so. This does not mean merely thinking about the information we have received; it means reflecting on our own lives in light of the Word. When we think about whether what we have read is truly so, and come to understand it, we begin to fear God.
Although we have never seen God, when we understand the world He created, we come to know God as the Creator. Although we have not yet seen God’s judgment, when we understand it, we bow down before God as the Judge.
All these treasures of knowledge are found in Christ. That is why the mystery of God is Christ.
Excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Lee, June 10, 2026
Colossians 2:1-5
