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OUR FRUITFULNESS IN CHRIST
Colossians 1:1-15
Vs. 1, 2 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colosse; Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Vs. 2 – This epistle is specifically to those in whom the Holy Spirit of God dwells, and who are faithfully dwelling in that Spirit.
Grace and peace – Jews greeted one another by the word “peace.” Greek Gentiles greeted one another with the word “grace.” When Paul says grace and peace, he indicates that the church of God, the body of Christ, is made up of those called out of both Jews and Gentiles. Now, instead of being either a Jew or a Gentile, those who believe are saints, a new creation in Christ.
Vs 3, 4 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love you have to all the saints,
The more simple, the more easily focused. The more focused, the more powerful. We believe on Jesus Christ (seek, find, trust), and then share with our spiritual family that which Christ fills us with….LOVE. Simple. Powerful.
Vs. 5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
Vs. 5 – laid up = stored up. Paul refers here to that which we are destined to become, that which awaits those who seek Christ. Hope directs our hearts, decisions and pursuit. We hear the voice of God making known what was hoped for, a little at a time, and we lay hold of it by the faith thus given us by hearing God.
the truth of the gospel – Very important. How can I berate you because you don’t believe like I do, when it is a gospel of love? It would be like me screaming at you that you should be more loving !!!! Like me killing you because you weren’t loving !
Vs 6 Which is come unto you, as in all the world; and brings forth fruit, as in you, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
How does the gospel bring forth fruit? We hear, believe, and thus experience the truth. That truth is that all that God wants us to have comes by Him freely providing it out of His generosity. It cannot be earned. Fruit is a result of us growing in a knowing of that. The word know here is the Greek word gnosko, meaning to know by experience. To know by having a relationship with the thing known. I’m a housepainter. I gnosko painting.
Vs 7-9 As you also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. For this cause we also, since the day we heard, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Vs. 9 – a very full verse. Paul desires that the faithful saints be filled (to capacity…absolutely filled) with the epignosko-ing (thorough/intimate experiential knowing) of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Wisdom is the Greek word sophia. A related, more fundamental word is sophes, meaning “clear.” When things become clear to us, that is (at least the beginning of) wisdom. In I Corinthians 1, Christ is called the wisdom of God. Growing in Christ means growing in wisdom…..growing in clarity. We see what is really going on, and so are able to make decisions that work.
When we see clearly, our options become almost limitless. We see the obstacles, we see clearly where we want to arrive, and we see that there are so many different ways to get there.
Vs 10 That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Vs. 10 – This is God’s desire for us, that we bear much fruit. In John 15:8, Jesus said, Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit..…
What pleases God is not that we “don’t sin”, it’s that we bear fruit. And how do we bear fruit? Abide in Christ. And what is the reward for walking in a knowing of God? An increasing fruitfulness and even more knowing and understanding of God. For to know God is to become like Him.
Vs 11, 12 Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, who has made us meet (has qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;
There is that wisdom. The inheritance of the saints in light. God has prepared us to partake of that inheritance.
Vs. 13 Who has delivered us from the power (exousia – authority) of darkness, and has translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of His dear Son (of the son of His love);
God rescued us from the authority of darkness. Power is the Greek word exousia, meaning authority. “I hate going to family gatherings, everybody is so negative, but I have to go.” This is an example of the authority of darkness, being trapped in a detrimental situation or circumstance and having no idea of how to get out of it. God has rescued us from that. He has translated us (transported or transferred us) into the heart of the kingdom of the Son of His love.
Having been made fit to partake of our inheritance of light, having been enthroned with Christ in the kingdom of His love, we have been enabled to walk in the fruitfulness of a clear understanding of what is really going on. The fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control is destined to grow abundantly in and through our lives, both for our own benefit, and to the benefit of those who fellowship with us.
Vs 14, 15 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins; Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature;
Jesus Christ is the first born, but he is certainly not the last! Welcome to the family of God, a family of fruitfulness!
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Related studies:
Pruned by God.
Jesus – The Bread of Life
HOW to Walk by the Spirit
Bearing Spiritual Fruit
