9 Also, for this reason, since we heard, we do not stop praying for you and asking that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
10 So that you may live for the Lord in a worthy manner pleasing in every way, being fruitful in every good deed, and increasing in [your] knowledge of God.
11 May you be made stronger with all strength according to His glorious power for steadfastness and longsuffering with joy,
12 Giving thanks to the Father who has made us qualified to be partakers of the inheritance for the saints in the light,
13 And who has rescued us from the power of darkness and has moved us into the kingdom of His dear Son
14 In whom we have redemption through His blood—the forgiveness of sins.
B1 Epaphras
C1 Colossians 1:7-8 WEL You also learned [this] from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ for you. 8 Who also told us about your love in the Spirit.
C2 A Colossian and servant of God: Colossians 1:12 WEL Epaphras, who is [one] of you, a servant of Christ, greets you. He is always working diligently for you in prayers, so that you may stand mature and complete in the full will of God.
C3 An evangelist: Colossians 1:7 NIV You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf.
B2 The basics:
C1 Paul heard that a number of Colossians had believed the Gospel.
C2 From the time he heard this, he has prayed for them.
C3 He prays
D1 That they would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will.
E1 God’s will is known by the Scriptures.
E2 There are God’s rules of what we must do and must not do.
F1 An example of a rule we must do: Colossians 3:15 NIV Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
F2 An example of a rule we must not do: 1 Peter 2:1 NIV Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
E3 There are principles of what we must do and must not do.
F1 An example of a principle we must do. Luke 3:14 NIV Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.
G1 This is a rule that soldiers must do, but a principle that the rest of us must do.
G2 The principle is not to extort money, nor to accuse people falsely. We are to be content with our pay.
F2 An example of a principle that we must not do. 2 Corinthians 6:14 NIV Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
G1 The rule of we must not do is worshiping falsely. Psalm 106:28 NIV They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.
G2 The principle is not to yoke ourselves, joining ourselves with unbelievers in marriage, business partnerships, ministry, etc.
F3 The book of Proverbs gives many principles.
E4 There are examples of people’s actions that God blesses or does not bless.
F1 An example of a person’s action that God blesses: Revelation 2:13 New Matthew Bible I know your works and where you dwell, even where Satan’s seat is; and you keep my name and have not denied my faith. And in my days Antipas was a faithful witness of mine, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.
F2 An example of a person’s action that displeases God: 2 Timothy 4:10 NIV for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
D2 This knowledge will be in wisdom and spiritual understanding.
E1 Knowledge is awareness of the facts and truth.
E2 Wisdom is the application of these facts in a situation to the glory of God in love, truth, and holiness.
E3 Understanding is comprehending the why this a fact is and how it works.
C4 The reason for God’s knowledge is to
D1 Live for the Lord which is what we do and say in accordance with His worldview, lifestyle, and rules.
D2 Living like this results in
E1 Being fruitful which is the result of living God’s way.
E2 Increasing in the knowledge about God, which is God’s character traits known and done by us.
C5 The strength to do this is from God. He is omnipotent and omnibenevolent giving grace to remind us and to complete it. (Regarding the problem of evil see here). God’s strength is so powerful that we can be steadfast in the faith regardless of deception or seduction and to be patient with joy. (Happiness is related to events; joy is related to peace, contentment, patience, rest in whatever circumstance. Note that this is God’s joy, not just joy. It is a character trait of God).
C6 Having this knowledge, understanding, and strength should result in thankfulness. We liked to be thanked for things we do and so does God.
C7 God is the one who qualified us. Qualified has the idea that we meet God’s standards of righteousness. Ephesians 2:10 CSB For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
C8 Our inheritance is to be citizens of God’s kingdom, living with God, enjoying all of who He is, serving and loving Him forever with other like-minded beings.
C9 Light has the idea of purity, truth, holiness in all things.
C10 God is the rescuer. Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man, has been, is, and always will be Messiah. (For more about Messiah, there are many topics and verses. You can start here at Manser’s Dictionary of Bible Themes.
C11 We are no longer in the “power of darkness” but in the Kingdom of His dear Son.” These are opposite worldviews and lifestyles.
C12 Jesus meet all the qualifications needed to be our Messiah to bring us forgiveness of sins. He is a volunteer, sinless, and a human. His blood was shed indicating death and fulfilling the penalty from sin.
B3 In summary, Paul prays for the believers in Colossae to have the knowledge of God’s will for the purpose of having a godly worldview and lifestyle with the help of God’s enabling strength resulting in a steadfast faith, patience, thankfulness, for God’s work in redemption, removal from the devil’s kingdom into God’s kingdom which is an everlasting inheritance.
Praise God for His good mercy and promises of the Kingdom of God which is coming. See Revelation 21.
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