保罗记挂着信徒的需要
歌罗西书二章1至7节
1我愿意你们晓得，我为你们和老底嘉人，并一切没有与我亲自见面的人，是何等地尽心竭力；
2要叫他们的心得安慰，因爱心互相联络，以致丰丰足足在悟性中有充足的信心，使他们真知神的奥秘，就是基督；
3所积蓄的一切智慧知识，都在他里面藏着。
4我说这话，免得有人用花言巧语迷惑你们。
5我身子虽与你们相离，心却与你们同在，见你们循规蹈矩，信基督的心也坚固，我就欢喜了。
6你们既然接受了主基督耶稣，就当遵他而行，
7在他里面生根建造，信心坚固，正如你们所领的教训，感谢的心也更增长了。
信息分享
留意他为他们向神祈求些甚么：是得安慰、得坚固和得着激励。我们今天同样需要神安慰和激励我们。由于有虚假的道理在歌罗西的信徒中间传播，以致削弱了信徒之间的相交关系。我们今天在这方面亦必须警醒。
保罗期望他们能用爱心互相连系起来。二章19节表达了相同的观念。信徒之间加强团结的其中一个方法，是先去承认和接受一个事实，就是在基督的身体里，每个信徒都有本身的位分。
然后，保罗指出我们可以清楚知道我们在基督里的身份。我们必须进入神的话语，明白神对我们的教导，我们才能更深地认识祂。我们不可让别的东西取代基督的位置──甚至是事奉的工作，也不可以取代了主。
第6节为我们提供了「基督徒」的最简单定义：接受了主耶稣基督的人，就是基督徒。「主耶稣基督」这三个名字合而为一，对我们是别具意义的。「耶稣」表示救主。「基督」代表了神所膏立的王。至于「主」，就当然代表掌管我们生命的主人了。
保罗在第6节再次用到「行」这个字。「遵基督而行」乃是成长的表现。初生的婴孩不懂得走路，但随着成长，他学会走路。同样地，重生的基督徒在主里日渐成长，便会懂得每天与主同行。一个体弱或瘫痪的人，不能够起来走路；同样地，灵命软弱或倒退的基督徒，也不能遵基督而行。
第7节提到生根和建造。一棵树必须在泥土里扎根，才能稳固地成长和吸收养分。我们的灵命岂不是一样？「建造」这个观念，让我们想到房子乃是由根基开始，一层一层地建造起来，直至完全建成为止。我们的生命是否这样日渐建立起来呢？
PAUL'S CONCERN FOR THE COLOSSIANS
Colossians 2:1-7
1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,
2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.
5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Message
Notice his different prayer requests for these people. He wanted them to be comforted, or strengthened and encouraged. We all need this today. False teaching in the Colossian church weakened the bonds of fellowship. It does today. It is an area we need to guard carefully.
Paul wanted them to be knit together in love. The same thought is expressed in another way in verse 19. One of the means of strengthening fellowship is to recognize and accept the place each one has in the body of Christ.
Then Paul speaks about the full assurance of understanding, or that we might know what our position is in Christ. We will only get to know him better as we enter more fully into what his Word has to say to us. We must not let anything take the place of Christ in our lives, not even service for him.
One of the simplest definitions of a Christian is in verse 6 of our reading-one who has received Christ Jesus the Lord. Each of the three names mentioned has a meaning for us. Jesus means Savior. Christ means God's appointed one. Lord, of course, means master or the one who rules over me.
Also in verse 6 Paul mentions our walking. Walking is the result of life. It is the continuation of what has begun. As a child grows so it learns to walk. As a Christian grows so he or she learns to walk with Christ. Ill health or paralysis may prevent physical walking. Spiritual weakness or backsliding can easily prevent our walking with and for Christ.
Verse 7 adds two more words-rooted, built up and established. A rooted tree has its source of both security and nourishment in the ground in which it grows. Can you apply that spiritually? Being built up reminds us of a house being built-it is only gradually, bit by bit, that a house is at last completed. Can you think of ways to apply this today to your life?