Sunday, 19 March 2017
…who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. Colossians 1:8
This is referring to Epaphras of the previous verse. He had come to Paul with word concerning those at Colossae. When he came, he had “declared to us your love.” The word “declared” gives the sense of “made manifest.” He had brought the love of the body to light for Paul and Timothy to understand the wonderful fellowship which had developed there. This love is, as Paul notes, “in the Spirit.”
The love among them was more than a sense of general, natural affection, but rather it was a love deeply rooted in what Christ had done for them, bringing them into the family of God and the body of believers. The Spirit had confirmed this to them, and this is the good news that was brought to the ears of Paul and Timothy. Certainly it was a point of great rejoicing to them.
Life application: It is not unusual for us to get a bit jaded in the church as we show up and are just one of many faces in the congregation. However, each person there who has called on Christ is a child of God through adoption. If we can remember this as we interact with our brothers and sisters, it would be a great help in putting aside petty differences and thus working together for the common good within the church.
Heavenly Father, help each of us to remember that when we enter our respective churches to worship, we are joining together with others who have been purchased through the shed blood of Christ. Because of this, they too are members of Your family through adoption. Understanding this, may we put aside our petty differences, and strive together for Your glory and for the good of the body. Amen.