Three Goals for Every Church

In our last chapter, Paul explained that his suffering and all that he was going through and
doing was so that the church might be mature in Jesus. We talked about what maturity in
Jesus really means. I said that it really boils down to LEARNING TO TRUST JESUS. Paul
continues that idea in chapter two when he says “for this I toil” that you might be brought to
maturity.
In chapter two he uses the word agona again. Note how it looks like the word “agonize” in
English. I suppose how he “agonizes” for them is in his praying for them, in his writing them,
and in his thinking of them. He is agonizing for them. What is the struggle that Paul is talking
about? I think Paul is doing all that he can to ensure that they, as a church, become certain
things.