I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ , for the sake of His body, which is the church, (25) of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God, which was given me for you, to fulfill the word of God, (26) the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. (27) To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  (28) Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.  

The letter to the Colossians was written by the apostle Paul. In Colossae, Paul was frequently under attack as to the authority of his ministry by those who tried to corrupt the gospel and  by some who claimed superior and secret knowledge of Gods plan of salvation. Our verses today offer some detail about the integrity of Paul’s ministry.

Paul was an apostle by divine appointment and he didn’t learn the gospel from man but from God. He rejoiced in persecutions because he did not suffer in vain – his afflictions he cheerfully endured in as much as they were profitable to all the pious as example and promoted the welfare of all Christ’s Church. Paul is NOT saying that the suffering of Christ Jesus was not sufficient or not redemptive but he – and we – suffer persecution to confirm the faith of the church. Paul did NOT suffer as an imitator but instead in thanksgiving and by doing so he edified  the church willingly and with rejoicing. Paul applied to his own preaching the glorious secret of God which was committed to him; making express mention of the calling of the Gentiles.  The whole world – until Christ – had been alienated from God and now in Christ is called to the hope of salvation. That salvation is of the Lord only and is Christ in us.

Faith is not an opinion to be shaken by various movements. God placed him (Paul) in Christ as an apostle to teach men that in Christ nothing is lacking.