Focal Passage: Colossians 1:9-14; 21-29
There are a lot of discussion these days on how to go about fulfilling the Great Commission. If we break it down, we find it has two parts. One, we are to make disciples. In other words, we are to help others find salvation through Jesus Christ. Secondly, after making disciples, we are to teach them everything Jesus commands us to do.
The first part we are vigorous to engage in. Not surprising, that’s the part that determines our eternal destiny.
But the second part is equally important. No, our eternal destiny is not in question, but our effectiveness in our understanding and relationship to God most certainly is.
Jesus accepts us just the way we are unto salvation, but He loves us too much to just leave us there. He has a plan for our life and we will never know all of what that plan can be unless we grow in our understanding and relationship with Him.
Nimmo
Furthermore, we will never know what we can become if we do not grow in our understanding of what He can and will do through us. Just as importantly, God expects us to produce good works and righteousness as worship to Him. Just as a newly planted fruit tree is expected to someday bear fruit, so God expects fruit in our relationship with Him as well.
We open our study in Colossians with Paul addressing a problem with some false teachers trying to derail the young believers in the Church at Colossae.
With their false teachings they were distorting the truth of the gospel and clouding the Colossians understanding of grace and freedom in Christ causing them to stumble in their faith.
They were also calling into question the all sufficiency of Christ in salvation thus distorting the truth of the Gospel. Paul is writing to them to encourage them not to abandon the teachings they have been taught and to continue to grow in their understanding of God.
In verses 9-14, he reminds them they are important to him and that he has been praying for them. These weren’t just general prayers, but specific prayers. He tells them he has been praying that God would fill them with knowledge of His will in wisdom and spiritual understanding.
The purpose was for them to grow in their relationship with God which would bear fruit in their lives and provide strength and endurance and a deeper faith.
In verses 21-23, Paul reminds them of how far they have come — how they have grown from where they were to where they are now. He reminds them that they did not know God then but now because they have grown in their faith, they are growing in their understanding of who He is and what He has done for them. He encourages them to continue to grow in their knowledge and understanding of God through faith.
In verses 24-29, Paul shares what his journey of faith has produced for him — how his growth in Christ has revealed his mission and understanding of what God has called him to do. It is a reminder that God will do the same for them if they continue to grow in their understanding of Christ. B&R
