Only after their hearts had been comforted could the Colossians receive the revelation concerning Christ. Because this matter is so important, this book emphasizes the heart instead of the spirit. We cannot present others full-grown in Christ unless their hearts have been comforted. If their hearts have not been cherished, they will not be able to receive anything we minister to them concerning Christ. Therefore, the first step in presenting others full-grown in Christ is to comfort their hearts unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding. Especially the leading ones should look to the Lord for the grace to be able to comfort all the distracted, dissatisfied, and disappointed hearts. When the hearts of the saints have been comforted, it will be easy for us to minister the riches of Christ to them. But if the saints have problems in their hearts, they will have trouble with their minds. The only way to solve the problems in the mind is for the hearts to be adjusted through the Lord’s cherishing. This is a crucial lesson for us all to learn.
In 1:29 Paul said that he struggled according to Christ’s operation within him. This struggle was his labor to present every man full-grown in Christ. He endeavored to do this by announcing Christ, by warning every man, and by teaching every man in all wisdom.
According to 1:29, the operation of Christ operates in us in power. There is a difference between Christ operating in us and Christ’s operation operating in us. Because Christ as the hope of glory operates in us, there is an operation which also operates in us. Christ Himself operates in us. But Christ operating in us causes an operation which also operates in us. This operation operates in us in power.
Every saved person has at least some experience of Christ’s operation. To be saved is not merely to have our sins forgiven and to be justified by God. It is also to have Christ imparted into us. The Christ who dwells in us also operates in us. As we have pointed out, His operating becomes the operation that operates in us. Paul’s struggling for the saints was according to this operation.
Some saints may feel that they sense very little of Christ’s operation within them. The reason for this lack is the shortage of prayer. We need to go to the Lord with a repentant heart and say, “Lord, I am still so natural, so much in the self and in the old man. Lord, forgive me and cleanse me with Your precious blood. Lord, I desire to be enlightened, purified, and made transparent. I ask You to show me what You want of me. Expose me so that I may be filled with You.” If we pray in this way, Christ’s operation will have a way to operate within us.
I can testify that I am energized by Christ’s operation. The more I pray, the more His operation energizes me. However, if I fail to pray, I would become cold and quiet. The reason you may sense little of Christ’s operation within you is that you strive too much and pray too little to contact the Lord. By opening to the Lord in prayer, you give ground for Christ’s operation to operate within you. Then you will be able to struggle according to this operation to present others mature in Christ.
Christ’s operation operates in power. Paul refers to this power in Ephesians 3:7 and 20. In Ephesians 3:7 he speaks of “the operation of His power,” and in 3:20, of the “power which operates in us.” This power is the power of resurrection life (Phil. 3:10) within the believers (Eph. 1:19). It is the very power that operated in Christ to raise Him from the dead, to seat Him at God’s right hand in the heavenlies, and to subject all things under His feet (Eph. 1:20-22). Hence, this power is the resurrection power, the transcending power, and the subduing power. According to Christ’s operation in such a power, we may struggle to present others full-grown in Christ.
What Paul did in struggling to present others full-grown in Christ is an example which serves for the perfecting of the saints for the building up of the Body of Christ. It is to struggle according to the operation of Christ that operates in us, that is, to labor by the resurrecting, transcending, and subduing power within us.