Him We Proclaim

Given the context of this passage, which stresses the total sufficiency of Christ, as well as what Paul said elsewhere (Rom. 3:21-26; 2 Cor. 5:17-21), Paul's words (Col. 1:24) do not mean Christ's saving work on the cross lacked sufficient merit to secure our salvation. Rather, Christ's suffering is "lacking" because of the divinely appointed necessity that suffering be endured by Christians, in that the church is called to suffer for and with Christ.