AUG 3

Colossians 2:1
Memorise Ephesians 4:14
“…great conflict I have for you…”

ARE YOU AWARE OF EVERY SPIRITUAL SNARE IN YOUR PATH?

Paul starts the second chapter of Colossians with these words of warning: “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.” See here the concern of Paul for fellow believers even though he had never met them! The word “conflict” here is in Greek agon, which is the root word of agonizomai, which was translated as “striving” in the previous verse (Colossians 1:29), carrying the idea of agonizingly struggling to win a prize. Paul was struggling against spiritual forces which are in great conflict with his goal of presenting every man perfect in Christ Jesus. These forces were not just in the Colossian church, but in the region at large, as the church in Laodicea was also attacked. Paul was warning against false teachers who were teaching a false gospel. As their spiritual mentor, Paul was very concerned for them, and thus wrote this whole epistle to warn them of the spiritual dangers that they were facing. You might ask: how come the Colossians could not see this danger? While the faith of the Colossians was strong, these false teachers were so deceptive that they deceived many, but Paul had the God given spiritual maturity to be able to see through such deception (Ephesians 4:14).

Do you think you can see every spiritual danger in your path? Unless you are spiritually naive or that proud of your own spiritual ability, your answer must be a humble ‘no’. We need to heed the warnings of those spiritually stronger than we are and can see such danger coming, and thank God for these faithful watchmen that care for us so much. Unfortunately, there is a strong tendency for teens and youth to think that they know much more than those older than they are, or to think that these pastors and elders are crying wolf far too often to be taken seriously. They desire to have the freedom to make their own mistakes in life. Realize that the pastors and elders are amongst the most spiritually mature members of the flock (1 Peter 5:3), so it is grossly unwise to disregard their warnings. For example, how often have ignored their warnings for you to choose friends carefully in this wicked world, only to later confess that you have been led astray by bad company? Surely it is better to heed such well-meaning warnings, then to later berate circumstances for causing you to sin? If by God’s grace you can see spiritual dangers that other teens cannot see, then like Paul, warn them, lest they fall!

Thought: Do you really know more than those older than you are?
Prayer: May I take every warning from God’s watchmen seriously, never lightly.