View source for Col 1:24 How are we to understand what Paul says here - does this imply that Christ's redemptive work on the cross was incomplete as some teach?

==Col 1:24	How are we to understand what Paul says here - does this imply that Christ's redemptive work on the cross was incomplete as some teach?==

What Paul is simply saying here is that he too was enduring sufferings for the church like Christ endured. 

These sufferings have been promised to every follower of Christ down through the ages when they are faithful to Christ's command to preach the gospel (CP Mk 10:29-30; Ro 8:17-18; 2Ti 3:12). 

Paul rejoiced in his sufferings, seeing them as an extension of Christ's sufferings for the church through his ministry (CP Ac 9:10-16; 1Cor 4:9-13; 2Cor 1:3-7; 4:8-15; 6:3-13; 7:4; 12:10; Php 2:17-18; 2Ti 3:11). Col 1:24 does not teach, as some claim, that Christ's expiatory sufferings - His atonement - climaxed on the cross, were incomplete and had to be supplemented by Paul's sufferings. 

Paul's sufferings add nothing to the completeness of Christ's atonement (CP Jn 1:29; Ro 5:8-11, 17-19; He 7:22-28; 8:1-6; 9:11-15, 24-26; 10:5-14; 1Jn 2:2). Paul's sufferings are simply used by God to extend Christ's atonement into the lives of others in the church (CP Php 1:12-14, 29-30; 1Pe 5:10). 

See also comments on Jn 19:30.

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