Re-Thinking the Title of This Blog

After reading Colossians 1:6 there seems to be a problem with the title of this blog. It was a clever title at the time, but right now it isn't right. There is an error in the assumption that the Gospel does a single work, and then stops, moves on to the next people, gets preached somewhere else, effects another area, then it all stops.

Colossians 1:6 says differently.

Col 1:6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;

The Gospel is constantly bearing fruit. It's not just a one-time salvation bringer. It's not just the carrier of a heaven's hope. It is a living thing that is constantly bearing fruit. We bear fruit, but the fruit is not of us. The fruit is coming from the hidden work of the Gospel that works in us. It was still working in the Colossians, which is why Paul was able to pray for them such a specific prayer in verse 9.

It seems that the young bond-servant (Epaphras, a young man who gave up his will, to know and follow the will of Him Who sent him), told Paul that these people in his home church had a special love in the Spirit (not "of" the Spirit, or "for" the Spirit, but "in" the Spirit!). Paul heard this and said "Oh! Here is something I have been waiting to hear. Here is a people who have something greater than they had before, when they just had a love for all God's people. They have a love in the Spirit! This is beyond them. This love is outside of their ability. It is a reaching love that has power. It goes to more than just God's people. It goes to the whole town, to the next village, and even to the remotest part of the world. And, it goes to the very heart of God into His very nature and character. This love in the Spirit is a pure, Godly love that draws people closer to the heart and mind and will of the Lord. It sees into the heart of God. But, oh, we need to pray now. Now we can pray! There needs to be a direction! Love without purpose, direction, is just window-dressing. It goes nowhere. It is pretty, but not useful. They need to see God's purpose in giving them this love. They need to understand what possessing the love in the Spirit means."

So, he prays the tremendous prayer in verse 9.

Col 1:9 For 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,

Only because he was told of this special love generated of and by and through the Holy Spirit can Paul pray this prayer. He heard that these people were becoming a spiritual people. So, he prayed that they would understand. Yes, to combat the error that was creeping into the church from the gnostics, but even more to the point that they would be a spiritual people with spiritual understanding. He wanted them to know the eternal purpose of God, and now they began to have the capacity to see it.

What a work the Gospel was doing in them! What fruit! What power! They were growing and bearing fruit, and Paul prayed that everything they did, every activity, would bear this fruit. It can't happen unless they walk completely in this new life of the Spirit. There is no fruit in the flesh. There is no growing anything in the flesh, but more flesh.

Where is the fruit today? Where is the Gospel bearing this fruit here? It is in parts of the world. Right now in Russia, there is fruit. But it is a hard battle. There is much oppostion. But the Gospel is thriving in the darkest of places. It is constantly bearing fruit, just like the scriptures say. The fields are white unto harvest with the fruit of the Gospel.

A Picture of the Spiritual Life

If there was ever a picture (painting, exquisite photograph, impressionistic interpretation) of the spiritual life, it can be found in Deut 8. why do we make it so hard to see what life with Christ should be?

He said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He said we should not carry around any heavy load. Life in Christ is freeing, energizing, always full and satisfying. What a struggle we have in living this life. Well, if we are struggling, then we have not moved into the land.

Here is an outline of the land that we should be living in:

1. The spiritual life should be this: Deut 8:4
1. Vs 6 – Walk in His ways – learn
2. Vs 7 – Brooks, fountains, springs
3. Vs 8 – Food of all kinds
4. Vs 9 – Wealth
5. Vs 10 – This food satisfies/Blesses
6. Vs 11-18 But there is a danger
7. Vs 19 There is a cost to the spiritual life

Oh, how we struggle. Why? The Lord has given us so much. He has made so much available to us. Yet we work the fields as common laborers. We are not field-hands. We are heirs of a great abundance.

But, along with abundance comes the danger of abusing or becoming proud. It is interesting that this wonderful passage has both the wealth and the cost of the spiritual life. There are dangers in the land.

It will take our entire lives to see and live in this land, and to appreciate it for what it is. May the Lord open our eyes to what He is offering us.

Groaning

2Co 5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2Co 5:2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven;

My mother went to be with the Lord this past Monday. We praise the Lord for assurance. We trust Him for all we have, all we are, and all we will be. What else is there?

2Co 5:6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--
2Co 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight--

But, we do not grieve. We are not allowed to, knowing what we know:

1Th 4:13 Now also we would not have you ignorant, brethren, about those who fall asleep [[7]in death], that you may not grieve [for them] as the rest do who have no hope [beyond the grave].