To Encourage You

Hebrews 13:3 “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”

I asked my adult Sunday School class the following question some time ago: “Do you love Christians whom you have never met?” I asked that question because when we look at the Scriptures, it is clear that the apostle Paul did.  In Colossians 2:1 Paul writes the following words to the Colossian church (a church whom he had never met personally): “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face.”  Paul wrote these words from a Roman prison.  Yet, he was very concerned for the church at Colosse and he had heart-felt desires for them. He follows verse 1 with the following words which explain why he was struggling: “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” 

Paul’s “struggles” were likely the same as Epaphras’ struggles that Paul mentions later in the letter.  Epaphras was from Colosse, but at the time Paul wrote Colossians, Epaphras was in Rome with Paul.  In Colossians 4:12, Paul says this about him: “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.” 

You see, for both Paul and Epaphras, the believers in Colosse, though out of sight, were not out of mind. They loved these people and continually prayed for their well-being.  It’s the same idea being expressed in the verse above from Hebrews 13 where Christians are urged to “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” 

It’s important to note that much of the Bible, particularly the New Testament, was written from persecuted Christians to persecuted Christians. In the first century in which these accounts were written, many believers were being treated harshly and even martyred for their faith. The same holds true today, although we don’t hear much about it in our country.  However, just check out the accounts that are documented by organizations such as “The Voice of the Martyrs” (https://www.persecution.com/) and you’ll quickly see that what was true in the first century is still true today.  And God wants us to be concerned for such people. He expects us to pray for them, and in this way to love them. He would have us to at least try to put ourselves in their shoes and act accordingly. 

Jesus told us that “whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12). I particularly like the New International Version translation of this verse, which says, “for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” In other words, it is by practicing what is known as “the golden rule,” that we practice the greatest commandment in the Word of God, a commandment that sums up all the other commandments found anywhere else in the Scriptures, i.e., to “love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” 

In the story of the good Samaritan Jesus clarified that a neighbor was anyone that we learn is in need, whether we know that person personally or not. And so, again, this question: Do you love Christians whom you have never met?  We should, for each and every one of them is a brother or a sister in Christ.  And if we care about them, if we care about and love the persecuted believers around the world, then we should be praying for them.  May God help us to do just that. May we be mindful of those who are suffering for the sake of the gospel.  And although we may never meet them this side of heaven, heaven will certainly and wonderfully reveal how we’ve loved these precious Christians with our prayers.