Colossians Chapter 2 Verses 1-5

Col. 2:1 “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; 2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 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.”

“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 speaks here of a conflict that he is personally having. There is a people in Colosse and at Laodicea whom he has heard about their faith and love toward the Lord and he has a desire to go visit them, but also realizing that he can only go by the Lord’s direction and enablement. This is a conflict that God’s ministers have when they have heard of the faith and love of the Lord’s people at a location where they have not preached the word and they have a desire to go, but also have other responsibilities or commitments that hinder them from going.

“That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;”

“That their hearts might be comforted…” The precious gospel of the grace of Christ is a great comfort for the Lord’s people. One of Paul’s desire was to come and preach the gospel of the grace of Christ to the brethren and sisters at the Colossian church in order to comfort their hearts with the message of God’s grace.

“Being knit together in love…” There is a rich binding in the Lord’s church. That binding is the love of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love that we have for one another and the love that we have for the gospel truth. These things bind our hearts together in love.

“Unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding…” There are many riches in the understanding of the grace of Christ and of the word of God. Moreover, the more that we understand the greater those treasures are to us. Paul desired to further the understanding of the saints at Colosse and impart unto them more of these rich treasures of understanding. Furthermore, the more we understand the more we are assured of God’s love and grace towards us.

“To the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;” Paul speaks of a “mystery of God.” A mystery is something that is hidden from some, but revealed unto others. There are several verses of scripture that speak to us of the mystery of God:

1. Mark 4:11 “And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:”
2. Rom. 16:25 “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,”
3. Eph. 1:9 “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:”
4. Eph. 3:3 “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; as I wrote afore in few words,”
5. Eph. 3:4 “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)”
6. Eph. 3:9 “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:”
7. Eph 6:19 “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,”
8. Col. 1:26 “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:”
9. Col. 4:3 “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:”

There are several observations we can make about the above verses of scripture concerning “the mystery:”

1. The mystery is said to be “the mystery of the kingdom of God.”
2. The mystery is hidden from some and revealed unto others.
3. The understanding of the mystery came by revelation.
4. This mystery was kept secret from the beginning of the world, until the gospel age.
5. Our knowledge of the mystery is according to God’s good pleasure.
6. There is a fellowship in the mystery.
7. The mystery is also called the “mystery of the gospel.”
8. The mystery is made manifest to his saints.
9. Paul asked the saints to pray for a door of utterance that he might speak the mystery of Christ.

In studying the passage of scripture in Ephesians chapter 1 concerning the mystery of God’s will it should become clear to us that the mystery is God’s covenant grace in which He chose a people before the foundation of the world, and predestinated them to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself, and made them accepted in Christ, and redeemed them by the blood of Christ and predestinated them to an eternal inheritance.

“And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.” Paul knew that there were men who would beguile the disciples with enticing words. Paul warned the elders at Ephesus: Acts 20:29-31 “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” Likewise, Paul wrote in Eph. 4:14 “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” There are false prophets and false teachers who would make merchandise of the Lord’s people and through enticement deceive them into believing something other than the “mystery of the gospel of Christ.”

“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.” This certainly teaches us that we should maintain good order in the house of God and be steadfast in our faith in Christ.