“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 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”
Have you ever been made to feel like a fool? I know I have. It can be quite embarrassing. Think about the constant flow of the latest new fads, which all sound and look great, which all promise to do this or that. Surely this is the way to go! And only afterwards do we find out that it didn’t provide what it had promised. You shared this with your friends, you told people on social media that this new thing is wonderful and can solve all your problems. Oh, the embarrassment when it didn’t work! Let’s be honest, in one way or another, we’ve all been there. It could have been a diet. It could have been a way to get ahead in your job or a shortcut for your schoolwork. It could have been a spiritual practice that would cure it all.
These kinds of false teachings and trendy fads have been going on for ages! The Christians in Colossae, whom Paul is writing to in Colossians, were under heavy pressure by those around them to listen, to hear, and to do what they said. They often had teachers telling them that Jesus was good, but that he was not enough. They needed Jesus plus their observances to diet plans, ascetic practices, and much more. (Col 2:8, 16, 18)
This was a threat to those in the Colossian church! Paul, upon hearing a report from the pastor of that church, immediately began to pray for them. He prayed that they would be “filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” You see, Paul knew how important this knowledge, spiritual wisdom, and understanding would be for the Colossians. Paul wanted to point them back to the true gospel they had already received (Col 1:5, 23).
Why does Paul pray this for them? It’s because he doesn’t want them to move from the sure hope that they have in the gospel of Jesus. He knows that this knowledge, spiritual wisdom, and understanding leads them to fulfill God’s will for them. In this case, for them 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.” The idea of walking relates to how one lives (conduct). Having this knowledge, spiritual wisdom, and understanding directly impacts your daily actions and conduct. It also provides help when discerning fads, trends, and other promises. It helps one to be able to be wise in how they live, in what they do, and in whom they follow. Paul is pointing them and us back to the gospel, which is the good news of what Jesus has accomplished for us. Being filled with this spiritual knowledge allows us to walk worthily and bear fruit. This comes from the work of the Holy Spirit through the source of Scripture. Scripture is the primary source of knowledge for the believer. Think back to Psalms 1:1-3. Who is it that is like the tree that yields fruit in its season and leaf does not wither? It is the one whose “delight is in the law (Word) of the Lord and on His law (Word) he meditates day and night.” (Ps 1:2)
This is a season where we have many distractions, many temptations, many things that compete for our attention, and many things that promise hope, fulfillment, joy and peace. May we turn to the only true source of all these promises. Let us turn to the one who fulfills what He promises. Let us turn to the Lord, to him and him alone.
Ryan