notes

Main point summary

We haven’t stopped praying for you that you would know how to live worthy of the gospel and also live it out being strengthened knowing the joy of eternal life set before you.

Bracket

editing

NT

Colossians 1:9-12

esv

mine

And so, r from the day we heard,

s we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that

temporal

t you may be filled with the knowledge of his will

in all u spiritual wisdom and understanding,

actionmanner

so as v to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,

w fully pleasing to him,

ideaexplanation

x bearing fruit in every good work

and increasing in the knowledge of God.

series

actionpurpose

y May you be strengthened with all power ,

according to his glorious might,

ground

for z all endurance

and patience

a with joy,

b giving thanks 1 to the Father,

who has qualified you 2

to share in c the inheritance of the saints in light.

John 15:5 Without me you can do nothing. We are not made to do these works alone. It is this mystery that God himself becomes the substance of our new self as we give our lives to him. This also means that we join Jesus in “doing only what we see the Father doing”. He is the one that brings forth fruit in us.

This is what it means to labor with endurance and patience with joy: remembering thankfully that he and not our works has qualified us for what it is all about: eternal life (through Jesus), finally being unified with God. The hope of glory.

Notice how this bracket shows really well that before work or a change of lifestyle we need to know (at least a part of) the why. Often Christians evangelize in a way of criticizing others and telling them how they should change their lives (which is good and important!!) but without telling them the why. It is the knowledge of God’s will that gives me wisdom and understanding of how I can respond. The response doesn’t come first. I’m therefore for example not just pursuing purity in a radical way because this is what you do as a Christian, but because I know that it is God’s will for me as his child and image bearer to portray his character, which is - among other things - shown by living in purity. I am not lustful, angry, greedy or jealous because I am satisfied in God and his love for me.

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