Please refer back to the entry posted on June 30 for an overview of our passage, found at Col. 1:9 – 14. Our verse for this lesson is, “so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col.1:10 NASB). This verse was phrased as follows:
For the purpose of this blog entry we will give only a brief comment about each line of the phrase shown above.
“so as to walk in” is translated “so that you may live” (NET) and “so that you may lead lives” (NRSV). How we walk is how we live; how we behave. It is how we conduct one’s self or regulate one’s life.
“a manner worthy of the Lord” indicates that we are to please the Lord, not other people with a life that is worthy or a life of value having sufficient worth or importance measured in spiritual terms, not in worldly terms. A walk that is done in a worthy manner will be one that is fully pleasing to the Lord, that will bear fruit in every good work, and that will increase in the knowledge of God.
“fully pleasing to him” is expressed in Eph. 5:10 as “trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” How can we learn what is pleasing to the Lord? Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so that we may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
“bearing fruit in every good work” requires more space than we have here. Fruit is something that contains the potential for additional life or can sustain life. Think of an apple. Its seeds will produce apple trees with more fruit, but the apple when eaten will sustain life. Spiritual fruit can be produced only by one abiding in Christ (John 15:4 – 5) as he works. This fruit can be love with its characteristics of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22 – 23) or bringing people to Christ (John 4:36).
In the last lesson we covered the “knowledge of his will.” In this lesson it is “increasing in the knowledge of God.” We are chosen by God the Father to obey Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:1 – 2). We are to understand and know God (Jer. 9:23 – 24). We are to cease striving (let go, relax) and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).
We can now add to our personal prayer and obtain the following:
Father, I pray that you will fill me with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that I may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
For the purpose of this blog entry we will give only a brief comment about each line of the phrase shown above.
“so as to walk in” is translated “so that you may live” (NET) and “so that you may lead lives” (NRSV). How we walk is how we live; how we behave. It is how we conduct one’s self or regulate one’s life.
“a manner worthy of the Lord” indicates that we are to please the Lord, not other people with a life that is worthy or a life of value having sufficient worth or importance measured in spiritual terms, not in worldly terms. A walk that is done in a worthy manner will be one that is fully pleasing to the Lord, that will bear fruit in every good work, and that will increase in the knowledge of God.
“fully pleasing to him” is expressed in Eph. 5:10 as “trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” How can we learn what is pleasing to the Lord? Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so that we may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
“bearing fruit in every good work” requires more space than we have here. Fruit is something that contains the potential for additional life or can sustain life. Think of an apple. Its seeds will produce apple trees with more fruit, but the apple when eaten will sustain life. Spiritual fruit can be produced only by one abiding in Christ (John 15:4 – 5) as he works. This fruit can be love with its characteristics of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22 – 23) or bringing people to Christ (John 4:36).
In the last lesson we covered the “knowledge of his will.” In this lesson it is “increasing in the knowledge of God.” We are chosen by God the Father to obey Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:1 – 2). We are to understand and know God (Jer. 9:23 – 24). We are to cease striving (let go, relax) and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).
We can now add to our personal prayer and obtain the following:
Father, I pray that you will fill me with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that I may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
