A Prayer for Christlike Maturity
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Paul’s goal, his prayer, and his labor was for these saints to be mature believers in Christ. He wanted them to be firm, steadfast, complete, grounded in Christ alone as a means for their sanctification.
Our sanctification is possible because of Christ. Our sanctification is possible only through Christ. Our sanctification is impossible apart from Christ. This Paul’s point in this letter to the Colossians.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
He (Christ ALONE) has reconciled you in the body of his flesh through his death on the cross, why? to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
Christ in you, the hope of glory- whom we preach (that is Christ ALONE), warning and teaching, why? that we may present every man perfect (mature, complete) in Christ. This is the goal (Christlike maturity) for which Paul labours, and strives, and works.
1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
I want you to know how great is my conflict or struggle for you, why? that you might have full assurance and understanding of the mystery of God even the Father- which is Christ!
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Paul’s message- you can only grow in your relationship with God, you can only become steadfast and mature in your faith, if you seek after the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is: Central, Sufficient, Preeminent!
This great and awesome ministry of Christ on our behalf for our sanctification is contrasted with the utter failure and complete inability of false teachings to produce Christian growth.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
Not holding to the Head (Christ), the critical error, fatal flaw in man-made false teaching and religion.
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
Not is any honour to the satisfying of the flesh- false teachings, man made religions are on no honor (no value) in satisfying (stopping the indulgence) of the flesh.
What is Paul saying? A series of man made rules (touch not, taste not, handle not) are utterly useless in stopping the indulgences of your flesh. They cannot produce Christlike maturity in your life.
Any attempt at sanctification where Christ is not central is not just useless but dangerous to our spiritual growth.
In our Living the Exchange class, the question was asked, “if we are dead to the power of sin why do we keep on sinning?” That question has been swirling around in my mind lately, and I think part of the answer is found in Colossians. I think that Satan is crafty and subtle and sneaky. And I wonder if we as believers fall prey to the error warned against in Colossians. I wonder if at least part and maybe a large part of our efforts toward sanctification are done without Christ at its center. In other words, we develop our own man-made set of rules and practices, and depend on them instead of Christ to grow spiritually. If I part my hair this way I will be more spiritual. If I wear this kind of clothes, or if I don’t eat this kind of food, or if I don’t watch TV on a Sunday, or if I read only a certain version of the bible, then I will become more spiritual. Now, I am not saying that these things are wrong in and of themselves. But when we depend on them to become Christlike and mature Paul says, “They are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”
The question I want to ask and answer this afternoon is why? Why is man-made false teaching dangerous and a completely unable to produce Christlike maturity?
Again, I appreciate Paul’s approach to dealing with this false teaching. He doesn’t come right out and “lam-blast” them with, “how dare you be foolish enough to follow false teaching.” Instead in vv. 3-8 he thanks God for their faith in Christ and their love for the saints. Now Paul prays to God. He prays to God for these believer’s growth and maturity in Christ. This is what Paul wants for them. This is where Paul wants their faith in Christ to go. Now, there is a tremendous amount we can learn about is terms of how we should pray from this passage. A few months ago we did a series on Paul’s prayer life in which I covered a lot of this content. And so I want to examine this text from a different angle this afternoon. Because I believe in examining Paul’s prayer for these believers and understanding what Paul wants their faith to look like we see something that only God through Christ can produce in our lives. And the flip side of that is we see what false teaching, what man made religion is completely unable to do- and thus we understand its dangers and its failures.
Why is man-made false teaching dangerous and a completely unable to produce Christlike maturity?
I. It is contrary to the will of God
I. It is contrary to the will of God
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
*9 Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς,
And because of this we,
ἀφʼ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσαμεν,
from the day we heard of it (faith in the Christ Jesus, love in the Spirit),
οὐ παυόμεθα ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι ⸋καὶ αἰτούμενοι⸌,*
have not ceased concerning you praying and asking,
ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ
that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will
From eternity past, the will of God has been to redeem sinners and to reconcile them to Himself through the blood of Jesus on the cross in order to present us holy and blameless before Him.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
God’s will is for you, Christian, to be holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight, not just in the future, but now through the working of Christ’s blood on the cross. No where does God say that his will is for you to become Christlike and mature in your faith through man made rules and regulations.
Why is man-made false teaching dangerous and a completely unable to produce Christlike maturity?
II. It lacks the ministry of the Holy Spirit
II. It lacks the ministry of the Holy Spirit
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ
that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will
ἐν* πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει πνευματικῇ,*
in all (Spiritual) wisdom and Spiritual understanding,
The Greek is constructed in such a way that I believe the word “Spiritual” modifies both the words “wisdom” and “understanding.” Paul’s prayer was for Spiritual wisdom and Spiritual understanding. I also believe the word “Spiritual” should be capitalized. In other words this wisdom and understanding comes from the Holy Spirit of God.
The word “filled” is the same word used in Eph 5.18
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
I think Paul is praying that these believers would understand the will of God in its fullest sense. The only way that is possible is for the Spirit of God to fill them and give them wisdom and understanding. Man-made false teaching is completely lacking the ministry of the Holy Spirit. These false teachers were fully convinced that if they followed rules and regulations that they could achieve a level of spirituality that was above that of the normal Christian. But their wisdom, their understanding was not in line with God’s will neither were they filled with the Holy Spirit. Their wisdom and understanding was flawed, it was earthly, it was fleshly.
Why is man-made false teaching dangerous and a completely unable to produce Christlike maturity?
III. It produces a walk that is unworthy and unpleasing to God
III. It produces a walk that is unworthy and unpleasing to God
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Paul says we are praying for you
that you might be filled with the will of God
that your wisdom and understanding might be the product of the fill of the Holy Spirit of God
So that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.
Paul wants these believers to walk (to live their lives) in such a way that it is worthy of the Lord.
12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Paul qualifies that statement of walking worthy of God with this:
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,
“To please the Lord in all respects” to be “fully pleasing to Him”
Stop and think about that for a second. How do you live in such a way that it is WORTHY of ALMIGHTY GOD? How do you live in such a way that you PLEASE the Lord in all respects?
We are utterly unworthy apart from Christ.
We are utterly unpleasing apart from Christ.
It is Christ and his blood shed for us that makes us worthy. That and only that. It is the blood of Christ that makes us pleasing in God’s sight.
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Any attempt on our part towards sanctification apart from Christ cannot produce a walk that is worthy and pleasing to God.
Why is man-made false teaching dangerous and a completely unable to produce Christlike maturity?
IV. It bears no fruit and produces no growth
IV. It bears no fruit and produces no growth
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
10 περιπατῆσαι ⸆ ἀξίως τοῦ κυρίου
to walk worthy of the Lord
εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρεσκείαν,
to please the Lord in all respects
ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ καρποφοροῦντες
bearing fruit in all kinds of good deeds
καὶ αὐξανόμενοι ⸂τῇ ἐπιγνώσει*⸃ τοῦ θεοῦ,*
and growing in the knowledge of God
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Why is man-made false teaching dangerous and a completely unable to produce Christlike maturity?
V. It lacks divine power
V. It lacks divine power
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
11 ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι
Being strengthened with all power
κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ
according to his glorious (divine) might
εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν˸.* Μετὰ χαρᾶς
for all endurance and patience with joy.
Paul wants these believers to walk worthy of God, pleasing to the Lord in all respects.
What does that look like?
It looks like bearing fruit in all kinds of good works
and growing in the knowledge of God
How is that even possible? That is an incredibly high standard to live up to.
This can only be accomplished as they are strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power.
In all power (δύναμις) being continually empowered/enabled/strengthened (δυναμόω)
according to the might of His glory / according to his glorious (divine) might
The fact of the matter is our calling is high, our standard is daunting- to be worthy and fully pleasing of God. This is only possible through being strengthened with all power according to His glorious (divine) might. Only the divine mighty power of God can do something like this. A man-made system of sanctification is completely devoid of God’s power, and thus completely ineffective and making us Christlike.
23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
Why is man-made false teaching dangerous and a completely unable to produce Christlike maturity?
VI. It lacks divine joy
VI. It lacks divine joy
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν˸.* Μετὰ χαρᾶς
for all endurance and patience with joy.
Paul wants these believers to walk worthy of God, pleasing to the Lord in all respects.
What does that look like?
It looks like bearing fruit in all kinds of good works
and growing in the knowledge of God
How is that even possible?
This can only be accomplished as they are strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power.
What is the result?
All endurance and patience with joyfulness.
And so clearly any system or attempt to become holy to become spiritual apart from Christ is dangerous and completely ineffectual.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.