Section 6
Paul was a person full of Christ. When he spoke, he spoke Christ. When he lived, he lived with Christ. When he worked, he worked with Christ and ministered Christ to the churches. For the sake of the church, he was willing to remain in the flesh that he might minister Christ to the saints.
Verse 25 says, "And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of the faith." The faith here refers to what the saints believe in (Jude 3; 2 Tim. 4:7); progress, to the growth in life; and joy, to the enjoyment of Christ. Paul was willing to remain for the sake of the saints' progress and joy of the faith.
It is possible to be a Christian for years with out having any progress or joy, without growing in life and without enjoying the Lord. We need both the growth in life and the enjoyment of Christ. How about you? What can you say about your progress and your joy? Oh, we need the progress and the enjoyment!
Whether Paul was in prison or out of prison, he was a strong factor of the saints' progress and joy. Because of him the churches could have the growth in life and could be filled with the enjoy ment of Christ. This should also be true of us