COLOSSIANS 1:9-14 9For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so that you will 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; 11strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 13For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
- Leaders should constantly hold up their flocks to the Lord (Col. 4:3.)
- The gospel is (1) a body of truth to be believed; (2) a person to be received; and (3) a life like that person’s to live. God’s will is that individuals personally respond to Christ (John 6:29,40) who is the goal of all “spiritual wisdom and understanding.”
- God’s will is that believers live godly lives.
- Believers must yield to the Spirit to produce effective, godly lives (Eph. 5:18).
- Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).
No more dead works: The first foundation stone in the Christian life is to repent from dead works (Heb. 6:1, 2). A dead work is a work which originates with self rather than God. It is a work which follows satan’s suggestion to live out of MY initiative. This is the FOUNDATIONAL SIN, out of which all other sins flow. So if at the point of salvation, we deal with this one foundational sin, this will restore us to a relationship with our Heavenly Father. We can once again live out of His voice and receive His power.