Results 1 - 13 of 13
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Filling up what is lacking? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44697 | ||
I was wondering about this verse in light of Heb 10:10-14: "By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." How is it that we "fill up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions," when He has already offered the perfect sacrifice? Thanks, Cheryl |
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2 | Filling up what is lacking? | Col 1:24 | Makarios | 44729 | ||
Greetings Cheryl, Excellent question! Just what does Paul mean by "what is lacking?"... I have included some commentary that will help us to explore Colossians 1:24 in light of verses such as Hebrews 10:10-14.. "..filling up what is lacking. Does not mean that there was a deficiency in the atoning sacrifice of Christ. Rather, it means that Paul suffered afflictions because he was preaching the good news of Christ's atonement. Christ suffered on the cross to atone for sin, and Paul filled up Christ's afflictions by experiencing the added sufferings necessary to carry this good news to a lost world." (1) "...fill up ... what is lacking. Paul was experiencing the persecution intended for Christ. In spite of His death on the cross, Christ's enemies had not gotten their fill of inflicting injury on Him. So they turned their hatred on those who preached the gospel (cf. John 15:18,24; 16:1-3). It was in that sense that Paul filled up what was lacking in Christ's afflictions (see notes on 2 Cor. 1:5; Gal. 6:17). (*) " (2) And also, "1:24 Because of the union of believers with Christ, Paul's sufferings for the sake of the church can be called Christ's afflictions as well." (3) Today's English Version [TEV] renders this verse in this way, "And now I am happy about my sufferings for you. For by means of my physical sufferings I help complete what still remains of Christ's sufferings on behalf of his body, which is the church." So by reading a few of the above interpretations, we can see from other's points of view that Paul did not intend to mean that Christ's sacrifice was in any way 'incomplete', but that he and all Christians would help to "complete" the afflictions of Christ whenever they are mistreated or persecuted because of His message to all mankind. Whenever we witness, we are 'showing Christ' to that person or group, and we are identifying ourselves truly with Christ, even to the point of bearing part of the afflictions that began when He was crucified and continue to this day. May we also prove worthy to share in Christ's afflictions as we minister the Gospel to all of the unsaved that we know! Blessings to you, Makarios (*) - I will quote the notes on 2 Cor. 1:5 and Gal. 6:17 from the MacArthur Study Bible upon request. (1) The Zondervan NASB Study Bible, 1999, the Zondervan Corporation, Kenneth Barker, General Editor (2) MacArthur Study Bible, 1997, Word Publishing, John MacArthur, Author and General Editor (3) Ryrie Study Bible Expanded Edition, 1995, The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Th.D., Ph.D. |
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3 | Does it include all suffering? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44783 | ||
Thank you for your very well-delineated answer, Makarios! I was wondering, though: Would these sufferings that constitute a share in Christ's sufferings only be those that result directly from our efforts to share the Good News? Haven't there been many who have patiently borne sickness and other misfortunes "for His sake," and is this Scripturally sound? Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter on suffering says, "One can say that with the passion of Christ all human suffering has found itself in a new situation. And it is as though Job had foreseen this when he said: "I know that my Redeemer lives...," (Job 19:25) and as though he had directed towards it his own suffering, which without the Redemption could not have revealed to him the fullness of its meaning." Jacob Muller said that it is more than “suffering for the sake of Christ (in tribulation and persecution), or in imitation of Christ. It means all suffering, bodily or spiritual, which overtakes the believer by virtue of his new manner of life, his ‘Christ life’ in a world unbelieving and hostile to Christ.” Do the sufferings of Christ in which we share include not only His passion and death on the cross, but also His suffering at seeing the Father's house turned into a den of thieves, or at seeing His beloved friend Lazarus dead, or when the nine lepers failed to show gratitude for their healing? Is our sharing in these types of sufferings also a share in the suffering of Christ? --Cheryl |
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4 | Does it include all suffering? | Col 1:24 | Makarios | 44791 | ||
Greetings Cheryl! Yes, you are absolutely correct: the affliction that we bear in Christ's stead is not in itself limited to that of spreading the Gospel message! I could completely support the thoughts that you have shared in your first paragraph with Philippians 1:29, "For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake." Romans 8:35 adds many different perspectives of suffering that is also included in the afflictions that Christians go through - "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" In fact, it could be said that suffering is part of our calling as Christians.. 1 Peter 2:21 "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps." and 2 Tim. 1:8 "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God." As children of God, we are heirs of God, and we also share in His suffering (Romans 8:17). There are many instances of Jesus "suffering" even before He was not on the cross! First of all, His own family and entire hometown rejected Him, as well as anyone else who found out that He was a Nazarene. He moved as a child to avoid being killed, He was misunderstood at the temple by His parents, He had to go away to a quiet place after His cousin John the Baptist had been beheaded, He truly wept (the Son of God wept!!) as Lazarus lay dead in his grave. He wept for all Jerusalem, even as He made His triumphal entry! He felt rejection and abandonment by His disciples, His disciples denied that they even knew Him, and doubted Him when He rose again, He felt alone and forsaken - even by His Father in heaven! He was despised and rejected of the Pharisees, Scribes, Herodians and the Jewish people, and was not rich in material gain. He suffered and was angry when He cleared the temple, He felt ingratitude after He healed, Satan tempted Him as many times as he could, and lost every single time! He agonized to the point of sweating blood in Gethsemane, but yet He found the strength to go through with His mission! He was betrayed with a kiss, his garments and belongings were divided up and gambled over, people attempted to stone Him, and His heart was broken by those who refused to believe in Him. He cared for the sick and the troubled, and He was merciful to all who recognized their need for Him, He felt intimidation, the Pharisees tried to corner Him so that they could use His own words against Him, He was ridiculed and even disfigured, but He was the Son of God! And if Christ's suffering and afflictions are not limited to or narrowed down to just what He did on the cross, then neither are ours, since we also suffer in many of the same various ways that He did! But yet, by suffering, Christ proved Himself to be the perfect sacrifice (Heb. 10:10), and we will also be perfected in this way (1 Peter 5:10, Romans 5:3). But all forms of suffering in His name are covered by Christ, and they are part of His affliction. We are blessed if we suffer for doing what is right! (1 Peter 3:14-17) Blessings to you and thank you for your compliment! Your Brother in Christ, Makarios |
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5 | Does it include all suffering? | Col 1:24 | Makarios | 44793 | ||
Greetings again Cheryl, There was one other point that I forgot to add.. All suffering that is done in His name (by Christians) is that which is covered by Him and is part of His afflictions. The sufferings of those who do evil and the consequences of the sins of the unsaved are not part of His afflictions and are not covered by Christ, since they are not children of God. However, when a person does become saved and is then a child of God, then Christ's blood and atonement covers over all of their past sin! And then they also take part in suffering for His name. Blessings to you, Makarios |
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6 | Suffering automatically sanctified? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44805 | ||
Excellent observations, Makarios! So, I'm wondering about your qualification of suffering that is done "in His name": Are you referring to the practice of consciously "offering up" our trials in prayer as part of becoming a "living sacrifice" (Rom 12:1)? Or do our sufferings become sanctified through Him regardless? Perhaps the Holy Spirit offers them on our behalf, even when we do not consciously do so ourselves? --Cheryl |
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7 | Suffering automatically sanctified? | Col 1:24 | Makarios | 44809 | ||
Greetings Cheryl! I believe that our sufferings as Christians become sanctified through Him regardless, even as we pray for the individual and for the situation at hand. We know that God notices all of our righteous deeds, and that we will receive the greater glory by offering up our suffering to God in prayer rather than to make a show of it in response to our pride or to win other's sympathy. But I say this without trying to diminish the importance of continually praying to God for all things, and to keep in a constant state of prayerfulness. Blessings to you, Makarios |
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8 | Seeking out suffering? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44812 | ||
Hello again Makarios, and thank you for your prompt reply! So far we've only been discussing unavoidable suffering. But are there cases (like fasting) where suffering is legitimately to be sought? And aren't there times when suffering is wrongly sought, consciously or subconsciously, as in the case of people who seem to have an uncanny way of landing themselves in difficult situations? Or do you see all of these sufferings as permitted and sanctified through Christ? And what would be our proper response, then? To never seek to escape suffering, or to seek to escape it and mitigate it for others, to the glory of God? --Cheryl |
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9 | Seeking out suffering? | Col 1:24 | Makarios | 44827 | ||
Greetings Cheryl! How can we define suffering in a way that is 'avoidable'? If suffering is 'avoidable', then is it really suffering? - Makarios |
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10 | Seeking out suffering? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44885 | ||
Good point, Makarios. To give you an example, I married a man, years ago, who I knew was abusive. But I loved him and throughout our hellish marriage, I consoled myself that I was suffering for Christ. Many people would say that that suffering was avoidable, and that therefore my sufferings in that marriage cannot be placed under the sufferings of Christ. And in hindsight, aren't most sufferings avoidable, anyway? Major catastrophes are the exception, not the norm. Most of what we suffer, we bring upon ourselves through our choices, do we not? --Cheryl |
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11 | Seeking out suffering? | Col 1:24 | Makarios | 44888 | ||
Greetings Cheryl, And thank you for your response! I believe that perhaps we should go back to the 'drawing board' and define what exactly it means to "suffer for Christ." And then, when we have came to a Biblical definition, then we could proceed to define some of these fine elements that we have both been describing in association with 'suffering in His name.' If I were to begin such a study, then I could think of no better way to begin than with a study of the life of the apostle Paul. Blessings to you, Makarios |
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12 | Suffering for Christ | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44893 | ||
That is the crux of the issue, Makarios: What does it mean to suffer "for Christ"? I cannot answer this. I am asking my Christian brothers and sisters for input. Thanks, Cheryl |
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13 | Suffering for Christ | Col 1:24 | Makarios | 44908 | ||
Greetings Cheryl, Thompson's Chain Topics has this entry for our subject.. "SUFFERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS SAKE MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS relating to (A) SUFFERING FOR CHRIST, general references to #Ac 5:41; 9:16; Ro 8:17; 8:36; 2Co 1:7; 11:23; Php 3:10 #2Ti 2:12; Heb 11:25; Jas 5:10; 1Pe 2:20; 3:14; 4:16; 5:10 (B) "FOR CHRIST'S SAKE" some trial believers may be called upon to endure Persecution #Mt 5:11 Hatred #Mt 10:22 Loss of Life #Mt 10:39 Renunciation of Worldly Treasures #Mt 19:29 Suffering #Ac 9:16 Loss of Reputation #1Co 4:10; 2Co 4:5 Death #2Co 4:11; 12:10; Php 1:29 (C) REPROACH SUFFERED #Lu 6:22; 1Ti 4:10; Heb 10:33; 11:26; 13:13; 1Pe 4:14 --SEE Rejoicing (3), JOY Persecution (1), SUFFERING Stripes, NATION, THE (D) SAINTS DESPISED #1Sa 17:42; 2Sa 6:16; Ne 2:19; 4:2; Job 12:4; Ps 119:141 #1Co 1:28; 4:13 --SEE Saints Hated, HATRED Derision, DERISION Aha, AHA (E) IMPRISONMENT OF SAINTS (1) General References to #Ge 39:20; 1Ki 22:27; 2Ch 16:10; Jer 37:15; 38:6; La 3:53 #Mr 6:17; Ac 5:18; 12:4; 16:23; 23:35; 26:10; 2Co 11:23 --SEE Fetters, FETTERS FETTERS (2) Of Paul #Eph 3:1; 4:1; 6:20; Php 1:7,13; Col 4:3,18; 2Ti 1:8,16; 2:9 (F) PERSECUTION (1) General Examples of #1Ki 19:2; 22:27; 2Ch 16:10; 24:21; Jer 20:2; 32:2; Da 3:20; 6:16 #Ac 4:3; 5:40; 8:1; Heb 11:36 --SEE Beatings, NATION, THE Scourging, NATION, THE Stoning, NATION, THE NATION, THE Stripes, NATION, THE NATION, THE (2) Of Christ #Lu 4:29; 23:11; Joh 5:16; 7:1; 8:37; 10:39 --SEE Sufferings of Christ, SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST (3) Of Paul #Ac 9:29; 13:50; 14:5,19; 16:22; 18:12; 21:36; 22:22; 23:10 #1Co 4:12; 2Co 4:9; 11:24; 2Ti 2:9; 3:11 --SEE Suffering for Christ's Sake, SUFFERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS SAKE (4) Predicted concerning the Church #Mt 10:17; 24:9; Lu 21:12; Joh 15:20; 16:2; 2Ti 3:12; Re 2:10 (5) General References to #Ps 7:1; 31:15; 119:86,157,161; 143:3; Jer 15:15; La 5:5 -- Of the Jews. SEE Jews Persecuted, ISRAEL-THE JEWS (G) SMITING of the righteous (1) General References to #1Ki 22:24; Isa 50:6; Mt 27:30; Joh 18:22; Ac 23:2 (2) Upon the Cheek #1Ki 22:24; Job 16:10; Lu 6:29 (H) MARTYRDOM (1) General References to #Mt 10:21; Ac 21:13; 1Co 13:3; Re 6:9; 20:4 (2) Examples of -- Zechariah #2Ch 24:21 -- John the Baptist #Mr 6:27 -- Abel #Lu 11:51 -- Stephen #Ac 7:58 -- James #Ac 12:2; Heb 11:37; Re 6:9" I believe that after reading the following verses and studying the information presented, that we would have a much better grasp of what is Biblically meant by "suffering for Christ." Blessings to you, Makarios |
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