Colossians 1:10-12
The goal of understanding God's will fully was that the Colossians would be able to live one day at a time in a manner that would glorify and please their Lord. The metaphor "walk," signifying conduct in the progress of life, has its origin in Jewish rather than Greek culture. The Hebrew verb halak, translated "walk," gave rise to the technical term "halakhah," which denotes the rabbinic rulings on how the Jews were to interpret the law in their daily lives. [Note: See Dunn, p. 71.] "Please" (Gr. aresko) refers to an attitude that anticipates every wish (cf. 2Co_5:9).
"In my pastoral ministry, I have met people who have become intoxicated with 'studying the deeper truths of the Bible.' Usually they have been given a book or introduced to some teacher's tapes. Before long, they get so smart they become dumb!
The 'deeper truths' they discover only detour them from practical Christian living.
Instead of getting burning hearts of devotion to Christ (Luk_24:32), they get big heads and start creating problems in their homes and churches.
All Bible truths are practical, not theoretical. If we are growing in knowledge, we should also be growing in grace (2Pe_3:18)." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:111.]
Four characteristics (each a present participle) mark this worthy walk (an aorist infinitive in the Greek text, Col_1:10-12). First, it includes continuously bearing fruit in character and conduct in every type of good work (cf. Gal_5:22-23). Second, it includes growing. Paul's idea was that the Christian can continue to grow in his knowledge of God's will revealed in Scripture. As he does so, he not only bears fruit but grows in his ability to bear fruit, as a fruit tree does.
"What rain and sunshine are to the nurture of plants, the knowledge of God is to the growth and maturing of the spiritual life." [Note: Vaughan, p. 178.]
Third, it includes gaining strength manifested in steadfastness (endurance under trial, "the capacity to see things through"). [Note: F. W. Beare, The Epistle to the Colossians, p. 158.] It also includes patience (longsuffering restraint), and joy (cf. Php_4:13; 2Ti_2:1). Fourth, it includes expressing gratitude to God consistently.
"There is a kind of patience that 'endures but does not enjoy.' Paul prayed that the Colossian Christians might experience joyful patience and longsuffering." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:113.]
Three causes for thankful gratitude follow in Col_1:12-13.
Constable.
III. THE CHRISTIAN'S CONDUCT 4:1-6:20
Practical application (chs. 4-6) now follows doctrinal instruction (chs. 1-3).
"Now the apostle moves on from the new society to the new standards which are expected of it. So he turns from exposition to exhortation, from what God has done (in the indicative), to what we must be and do (in the imperative), from doctrine to duty, . . . from mind-stretching theology to its down-to-earth, concrete implications in everyday living." [Note: Stott, p. 146.]
Ephesians 4:1-6:9
A. Spiritual walk 4:1-6:9
Paul had explained the unity of Jewish and Gentile believers in the church and had prayed for the realization of that unity in experience (Eph_2:11 to Eph_3:21). He now told how to attain a spiritual walk, namely, a life that manifests the Holy Spirit's control.
"The key word in this last half of the book is walk (Eph_4:1; Eph_4:17; Eph_5:2; Eph_5:8; Eph_5:15), while the key idea in the first half is wealth." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:34.]
Ephesians 5:1-6
3. Walking in love 5:1-6
In addition to calling his readers to walk in unity (Eph_4:1) and holiness (Eph_4:17), Paul urged them to walk in love (Eph_5:2). He first advocated positive love (Eph_5:1-2) and then negatively warned to abstain from evil (Eph_5:3-6).
Ephesians 5:2
This verse explains how we are to imitate God, namely, by loving. The measure and model of our love should be Christ's love for us. He loved us to the extent of dying for us. His self-sacrifice was pleasing and acceptable to God, as a sweet aroma. Jesus' death was both an offering of worship to God, like the burnt and meal offerings in Judaism, and a sacrifice of expiation, like the sin and trespass offerings. We also express our love most when we lay down our lives for those we love, particularly God (1Jn_3:16).
". . . there is not a single place in Paul's writings, nor in the New Testament generally, where the death of Christ can be spoken of as only an example to be followed, without the further expression of its atoning significance." [Note: Foulkes, p. 139.]
The goal of understanding God's will fully was that the Colossians would be able to live one day at a time in a manner that would glorify and please their Lord. The metaphor "walk," signifying conduct in the progress of life, has its origin in Jewish rather than Greek culture. The Hebrew verb halak, translated "walk," gave rise to the technical term "halakhah," which denotes the rabbinic rulings on how the Jews were to interpret the law in their daily lives. [Note: See Dunn, p. 71.] "Please" (Gr. aresko) refers to an attitude that anticipates every wish (cf. 2Co_5:9).
"In my pastoral ministry, I have met people who have become intoxicated with 'studying the deeper truths of the Bible.' Usually they have been given a book or introduced to some teacher's tapes. Before long, they get so smart they become dumb!
The 'deeper truths' they discover only detour them from practical Christian living.
Instead of getting burning hearts of devotion to Christ (Luk_24:32), they get big heads and start creating problems in their homes and churches.
All Bible truths are practical, not theoretical. If we are growing in knowledge, we should also be growing in grace (2Pe_3:18)." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:111.]
Four characteristics (each a present participle) mark this worthy walk (an aorist infinitive in the Greek text, Col_1:10-12). First, it includes continuously bearing fruit in character and conduct in every type of good work (cf. Gal_5:22-23). Second, it includes growing. Paul's idea was that the Christian can continue to grow in his knowledge of God's will revealed in Scripture. As he does so, he not only bears fruit but grows in his ability to bear fruit, as a fruit tree does.
"What rain and sunshine are to the nurture of plants, the knowledge of God is to the growth and maturing of the spiritual life." [Note: Vaughan, p. 178.]
Third, it includes gaining strength manifested in steadfastness (endurance under trial, "the capacity to see things through"). [Note: F. W. Beare, The Epistle to the Colossians, p. 158.] It also includes patience (longsuffering restraint), and joy (cf. Php_4:13; 2Ti_2:1). Fourth, it includes expressing gratitude to God consistently.
"There is a kind of patience that 'endures but does not enjoy.' Paul prayed that the Colossian Christians might experience joyful patience and longsuffering." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:113.]
Three causes for thankful gratitude follow in Col_1:12-13.
Constable.
III. THE CHRISTIAN'S CONDUCT 4:1-6:20
Practical application (chs. 4-6) now follows doctrinal instruction (chs. 1-3).
"Now the apostle moves on from the new society to the new standards which are expected of it. So he turns from exposition to exhortation, from what God has done (in the indicative), to what we must be and do (in the imperative), from doctrine to duty, . . . from mind-stretching theology to its down-to-earth, concrete implications in everyday living." [Note: Stott, p. 146.]
Ephesians 4:1-6:9
A. Spiritual walk 4:1-6:9
Paul had explained the unity of Jewish and Gentile believers in the church and had prayed for the realization of that unity in experience (Eph_2:11 to Eph_3:21). He now told how to attain a spiritual walk, namely, a life that manifests the Holy Spirit's control.
"The key word in this last half of the book is walk (Eph_4:1; Eph_4:17; Eph_5:2; Eph_5:8; Eph_5:15), while the key idea in the first half is wealth." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:34.]
Ephesians 5:1-6
3. Walking in love 5:1-6
In addition to calling his readers to walk in unity (Eph_4:1) and holiness (Eph_4:17), Paul urged them to walk in love (Eph_5:2). He first advocated positive love (Eph_5:1-2) and then negatively warned to abstain from evil (Eph_5:3-6).
Ephesians 5:2
This verse explains how we are to imitate God, namely, by loving. The measure and model of our love should be Christ's love for us. He loved us to the extent of dying for us. His self-sacrifice was pleasing and acceptable to God, as a sweet aroma. Jesus' death was both an offering of worship to God, like the burnt and meal offerings in Judaism, and a sacrifice of expiation, like the sin and trespass offerings. We also express our love most when we lay down our lives for those we love, particularly God (1Jn_3:16).
". . . there is not a single place in Paul's writings, nor in the New Testament generally, where the death of Christ can be spoken of as only an example to be followed, without the further expression of its atoning significance." [Note: Foulkes, p. 139.]
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