Chapter 2:2 [For my concern is] that their hearts may be braced (comforted, cheered, and encouraged) as they are knit together in love, that they may come to have all the abounding wealth and blessings of assured conviction of understanding, and that they may become progressively more intimately acquainted with and may know more definitely and accurately and thoroughly that mystic secret of God, [which is] Christ (the Anointed One).
3 In Him all the treasures of [divine] wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) and [all the riches of spiritual] knowledge and enlightenment are stored up and lie hidden. tab
2 I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God.
3 Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery!
4 I’m telling you this because I don’t want anyone leading you off on some wild-goose chase, after other so-called mysteries, or “the Secret.” THE MESSAGE
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| Jesus is considered by scholars such as Weber to be an example of a charismatic religious leader. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Paul’s prayer was for this body of believers who he considered to be faithful to be knit together in love. He understood the importance of the relationship the body of Christ must have with each other. Christians need other Christians to brace their hearts with comfort, cheer and encouragement. Lone Christians will sink every time. Fellowship causes us to grow in our conviction and understanding of the word of God. The loving relationships we have with other Christians are of extreme eternal value and the more relationships we have in the body of Christ the more wealth and blessings we have. Modern day Christians forget the value of these relationships and sacrifice them all too easily for entertainment, career, jealousy, pride and any other frivolous situation. We need to make fellowship with other Christians a priority in our lives if we truly want to be faithful and ultimately pleasing to God our Father.
