Scripture
“Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” (Col 1:24)
Observation
When I was a young Christian, this verse troubled and confused me. What was lacking in Christ’s afflictions? How can Paul, who is a human being, add to Christ’s atonement? This verse has been highly debated by Bible scholars throughout church history.
Scripture must always be read in context and understood in its entirety. It is also helpful to compare different Bible translations to see how each brings out the meaning of the original text and provides a fuller understanding of the passage. The KJV translation reads, “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church”.
Nothing is lacking in Christ’s atonement for our sins. On the cross, when he said, “it is finished”, it was complete (John 19:30). The price for the sins of mankind was paid in full by the blood of Jesus. No one can add anything to it.
As the body of Christ, we are called to parttake in Christ’s sufferings. Jesus himself said, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). We are the body of Christ, and Jesus is the Head. When a part of the body suffers, Jesus suffers too. We see this in the encounter with Paul on the road to Damascus. Paul (Saul) before his conversion, was persecuting Christians. But Jesus asked, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”. Jesus did not say, “Why are you persecuting my people?”. Instead Jesus asked, “Why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4). This is because the suffering of Jesus’s people is the suffering of Jesus.
The Bible talks about our calling to participate in Christ’s sufferings:
“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings” (Phil 3:10).
“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Rom 8:17)
“For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” (2 Cor 1:15)
“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.” (Phil 1:29)
In suffering for Christ, Paul was participating in Christ’s sufferings, together with the body of Christ. He was fulfilling the call on the body of Christ to participate in the sufferings of Christ, and contributing to the afflictions of Christ which was appointed for the church which is the body of Christ.
Application
The Bible says that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim 3:12). If we are not being persecuted, we have to examine our life to see if we are truly living an obedient life. If we hide our witness in Christ, and follow the world, there will be no persecution. When we make choices honoring God, that is visible to the people around us, and that is when persecution happens in one way or the other.
How do we respond to persecution? It is easy to hide our witness and go along with the crowd, and become a people-pleaser. Are you a God-pleaser or a people-pleaser? Have we counted the cost in truly following Christ (Luke 14:28)?
Prayer
Father, I thank you for forgiving my sins and delivering me from hell. Thank you that I am a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). Help me to walk in a manner worthy of the calling that you have placed on my life (Eph 4:1). Help me to come out of any sinful way in my life, and be separate and to touch no unclean thing, so that you will receive me (2 Cor 6:17). Lord, your word says that he who chooses to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God (James 4:4). Help me to be your friend, and not the friend of the world. Help me not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of my mind with the word of God (Rom 12:2). Help me to remember your words that I am blessed when people insult me, persecute me, and falsely say all kinds of evil against me because of you (Matt 5:11). Make my life a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to you (Rom 12:1). In Jesus’s name. Amen
- Asha Chacko George
