Well, it's the first Sunday of
a new year, 2014, and I imagine in recent days you've either
written it in emails or you've said it face-to-face in the workplace,
Happy New Year. It seems to be the kind of thing
that everybody has to say to one another. And there's nothing
particularly wrong with that. It's pleasant and neighbourly
to do that, to say Happy New Year to somebody. But let's realise
that none of us have got any power whatsoever to influence
anything for good. to those to whom we say Happy
New Year. But we can pray for God's blessings on others. What
would be Paul's New Year wish? We shouldn't really say wish,
but prayer. What would be Paul's New Year
prayer for us? That's what I want to look at
this morning. I believe it would be the same as he prayed for
the Colossian believers. The same that he prayed for those
in Colossae. So turn please to Colossians and chapter one. The
first chapter of Colossians. Because I want to look at this
prayer from verse nine of Colossians chapter one. A New Year prayer,
a gospel New Year prayer. It isn't obviously in the original
context anything to do with New Year, but given this is the time
when we say such things to one another, this is what I believe
would be Paul's gospel New Year prayer for his people, for God's
people. What do I mean by his people? I mean he's writing to the Colossians
and the pastor of the church at Colossae, a man called Epaphras,
had given a report to Paul of what these people were like there
at Colossae. And we see how he describes them
in verses 4 and 5 of this chapter. What is it that marks out those
who are the objects of God's grace? He says, since we heard
of your faith in Christ Jesus. and the love which ye have to
all the saints, for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven,
whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel."
What are the characteristics of those that are God's people?
Three things. Hope and love. Faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Faith in the faith of the Lord
Jesus Christ in accomplishing salvation. Trust in him. Faith
without which it is impossible to please God. We please God
by faith in Christ, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. These
are people that have genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
in what he has done in finishing the work of redemption, in accomplishing
salvation for his people, in knowing that justice The divine
justice of God is satisfied in what Christ has done. Faith in
him, trust in him, what will I do? I face judgment, I face
death and judgment every day, what will I do? Know this, that
if you're given belief, Christ has died for you. Christ has
died. Christ has satisfied justice
for you. It's appointed to man to die
once and then the judgment, but in the Lord Jesus Christ you
know that he has satisfied all of the law's demands for you.
God's justice is perfectly satisfied in him. You have faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ. You rest in it. You can sit down
on it solidly knowing that it will support you in that day.
And because you have that faith, you have a hope of eternal glory. You know that this is not it.
You know that this is not the end, that this is just a transitory
phase. This life is but for a moment.
We grow as the flower of the field. We bloom, we flourish,
and then we wither, and we die. This is the fate of every single
one of us, however old or young we are. We all know that this
is the case. But, in the Lord Jesus Christ, believers have
a hope of eternal glory. I know that my Redeemer liveth,
said Job. I know this, and that the worms
destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. I know
that he liveth. He will stand at the latter day
upon this earth. I know he's accomplished all
that is necessary for me. I have this solid hope. I'm waiting
and watching as we start a new year. Let's go into it, waiting
and watching. Maybe this year is the one that
Christ will return. He's promised he will come again
and take us to be with him. We have this hope laid up for
us. Hope of a place where there is
no more sin or crying or tears or death or any of these other
things. For Christ has conquered these things. That last enemy
has been put away. He has conquered it. He has abolished
death for his people. We have this hope laid up for
us in heaven. And this doesn't leave us cold.
It issues forth in love. Love for God, love for Christ,
love for one another. It leaks out a loving spirit,
a loving spirit, a self-sacrificing spirit, a giving spirit, a loving
spirit. These are the marks of true believers.
These are the marks. Believers who are what they are
because of the Father's electing love and grace. We know we are
what we are because of His electing love and grace and not because
of anything that we've done by being good people and voting
for God and making our choice for Him. No, because of His electing
love and grace. Because of the Son's effectual
redemption when Christ covenanted to come and to come into time
and in that time state to take upon him the flesh of the children
as we were thinking last week to redeem those who are under
the law to pay sins price to pay the price of justice and
then the spirits irresistible regeneration where he comes and
makes us his people as Paul wrote to the Thessalonians beloved
of God bound to give thanks for you brethren beloved of God for
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation you who evidence
this belief he's chosen you to salvation through sanctification
separation of the spirit of God and belief of the truth you believe
that's how I know you're the elect of God knowing brethren
your election of God he says to them in the first epistle
to the Thessalonians knowing brethren your election of God
why because they're believing the gospel of the truth of his
grace in Christ so having Thank God for the fact that these people
are safe and secure in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they've arrived
at a safe and secure position in salvation. Is there nothing
more to be done? Is that it? Do we just forget
about anything else? No. No, not at all. Not at all. If there is true
life, there must be growth, and there must be development, and
there must be increase, and there must be fruit. You know, you
see a plant and you think, I wonder if there's any life left in that.
We've got a Mediterranean plant which did very well in this lovely
summer that we had last year. And in October, it was still
outside, and we got a couple of cold nights, and it didn't
look like it was too happy, so I put it in the greenhouse. And
then, at the start of November, we got a couple of frosty nights,
the very first ones, and it got really cold in the greenhouse,
and I went and looked, and I thought, ooh, that thing looks dead. I
brought it indoors. There was the tiniest little
hint of a bud on it. So I fed it, and I watered it,
and I over-sprayed it. And if I could show you it this
morning, it's absolutely covered in green leaves. And you know
those lovely little Mediterranean flowers that you get down on
the seaside, on the Mediterranean, those lovely trees with the flowers
that you see everywhere? It's got several of those flowers
on it this morning. You see, there's growth. The reason I
know it's alive is because it's growing and it's fruitful. No,
if there's true life, there must be growth and development. growth
must there be in a true believer there must be growth in knowledge
and wisdom and spiritual understanding that leads to a practical outworking
enabled by divine strength these are the things i want to look
at with you this morning i want to look at the knowledge that
paul is praying for the knowledge and then i want to look at what
he says is the outworking of that which is a walk that is
worthy worthy of the gospel that they believe, and then where
they get the source of the strength. Most of the time we'll spend
on the knowledge. Look at verse 9. For this cause
we also, since the day we heard it, of their faith, do not cease,
you know, oh, since we heard it, you're already there, you've
arrived, there's nothing more to do. No, do not cease to pray
for you. Because we know you're God's
people, we don't cease to pray for you. to pray for you and
to desire what? That you might be filled with
the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That you might walk worthy of
the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might
according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering
with joyfulness. We don't cease to pray and to
desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will
and wisdom, will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
What does it mean to be filled with the knowledge of God's will?
What does it mean? It's not primarily knowing which
decisions of life to take. You know, people are always saying,
oh, I wish I knew what the Lord's will was. Should I take this
job, or should I take that job? Should I move to this place,
or should I move to that place? Should I buy this car, or should
I buy that? If only the Lord would show me what his will is,
then I'll do it. No, I don't think it's primarily talking
about that. We've got to be aware of charismatic
thinking in these things. Got to be aware of it. I'm not
saying that God doesn't care about details. He does. He tells us that every hair of
our head is numbered. Do you know how many hairs you've
got on your head? Of course you don't. I don't. But God does. He cares about details. But he's
not saying that we need to be aware of a sort of a charismatic
Arminian view that's so prevalent in the health, wealth, and happiness
movement that calls itself Christianity but is nothing of the sort. It's
not primarily about these things, because these things, these things
are all just things after which, says Jesus in the Sermon on the
Mount, the Gentiles seek, the unbelievers seek. But he says
your Heavenly Father knows you have need of the necessities
of life, And that's where he says in the Sermon on the Mount,
seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all
these other things will be added to you. He knows you have need
of it. We read in Psalm 37, David says, I've been young and I've
been old, but I've never seen his people begging bread. He
knows what you need for life. He knows what you need to keep
body and soul together until he takes you to be with him.
What is it to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. What is it to do that? To seek
His righteousness. Remember elsewhere Paul in Hebrews
says, follow after holiness, righteousness of God, without
which no man shall see God. You must have it. Follow after
it. Pursue it. Seek it. Seek first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness. It's the same as knowing His
will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. This is Paul's
prayer. Oh yes, all these things will need to be sorted out, but
God will sort them out, and they're just things, whichever way up
they turn, the most important thing is that we know His will,
that we be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding. What is God's will? Do we know
what God's will is? What is the will of God? It's
as if, you would think, to hear some people, you would think
that God's word doesn't tell us what God's will is. But God's
word does. God's word tells us exactly what
God's will is. Do you know what God's will is?
I can tell you. John chapter 6, verses 39 and 40. This is
Jesus speaking. He who came down from heaven,
you better believe him. There's nobody speaks with more
authority than him. He came down from eternal glory. He laid it aside for a moment,
for a little while, lower than the angels, that he might come
and minister and speak. and suffer and die to save his
people from their sins and this is what he said this is the father's
will which has sent me he sent me for a purpose this is his
will that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing
but should raise it up again at the last day what's he talking
about? he's talking about the people
the elect, the multitude that no man can number, that the Father
gave to the Son before the beginning of time in eternity, chosen in
Christ before the foundation of the world, that those people,
what's the Father's will? That Christ should not lose one
of them. but that every one of them, behold,
I and the children which he hath given me, that every one of them
should be brought into glory. Lift up your heads, O ye gates,
and lift up ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come
in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts is his name.
When he comes in, first time the Lord strong and mighty, but
then the Lord of hosts. He goes in with those children
because he's lost nothing. This is the Father's will, but
that he should raise it up again at the last day. Are you in the
Lord Jesus Christ this morning? Do you have a faith? Do you have
a good hope of eternal glory? Do you know that as that hymn
says, it is well with my soul because of what Christ has done?
He's going to raise you up at the last day. This is the Father's
will, that Christ will raise you up at the last day. And this,
here's from another perspective, this is the will of Him that
sent me, that everyone that seeth the Son Have you seen the Son
of God? Oh, you say, no, no, I haven't.
He walked the earth 2,000, I mean by faith. Have you seen the Son
of God? Have you seen who he is? Have
you seen where he's come from? What he is? What he's done? What
his purpose is? That everyone that seeth the
Son of God and believeth on him, believes on him, trusts him.
regards as the most solid truth that ever was, that He came for
the salvation of His people, believeth on Him, that every
one of those may have everlasting life. Do you believe on the Son
of God? Do you see Him and believe on
Him? You have everlasting life, and Christ promises, I will raise
Him up at the last day. I will raise Him up. Oh, all
will be raised up. All will be raised up, but most
to a judgment for which they themselves are responsible. But
for these, all that the father gave to the son, he will raise
up at the last day. The salvation of his people is
God's will. That's what his will is, that
you might know. Why is this so important at the
start of yet another year? Why is it Paul's prayer that
you might know more of this fact that the salvation of his people
is the will of God, filled with the knowledge of his will in
all wisdom and spiritual understanding? What is it to know God's will? It's to know what God's word
reveals concerning the holiness of God, the righteousness of
God, the justice of God, the sin that is in the world from
the fall, that God's hatred of sin, of his complete incompatibility
with sin, of the fact that he cannot look upon sin for he is
of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, of his justice which
demands that satisfaction to his law must be made. This is
what it is. to know God's will, to know what
it is that salvation is accomplished, to know something of the fall.
I said last week that where there is a deficient view of the fall
and of our sinful state, there will bound to be a deficient
view of salvation and what it is truly to be saved. It's to
be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding, to know more and more of the debts from
which if you are saved you have been saved, to know more and
more of the debts of our own depravity in the flesh, to know
more and more of the debt that we owe to the law and justice
of God, and to know more and more of the payment to the uttermost
that our Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished for his people,
to know more and more of how God can be just and yet justify
those who are sinners. How God can be a just God and
a savior. This is not just the dead letter
of religious orthodoxy. This is not what Paul is praying
for, that you might be able to pass an exam on the dead letter
of religious orthodoxy. This is inner filling that he's
praying for. Inner filling with the knowledge
of God's wisdom and spiritual understanding where it is in
our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 11, look at this, strengthened
with all might according to his glorious power unto all patients
and long-suffering with faithfulness. Sorry, end of verse 10. And increasing
in the knowledge of God. Increasing in the knowledge of
God. Knowing God. Not just knowing
about God, but knowing God. Philippians 3, verse 10. Paul
says, this is where he wants to be, that I may be found in
him, that I may know him. and the power of his resurrection.
That I may know him. I know about David Cameron. I know something about David
Cameron. I don't know David Cameron. I know about all sorts of people,
all sorts of figures of history. But I don't know them. I never
knew them as people like I know some of you. I never knew them
in that way. No. This is knowing God. Knowing God personally. Talking
with God. face-to-face, as a friend, as
a man talks with his friend. This is how Moses spoke with
God, the friend of God. He spoke with God as a man speaks
with his friend, face-to-face, and not through mysteries and
riddles. But it's to know more of the mystery revealed to his
saints. This is what Paul is praying.
Above all else, what should we pray for one another? You're
all in different circumstances. We're all in different situations.
All with different trials of life to face. All with great
big crossroads and diversions ahead and decisions to be made.
But this is the thing above all else, that you would know more
of the will of God. That you would know more of it.
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, to know more of the mystery that
God has revealed to his saints by his own choice. The mystery
of godliness. Great is the mystery of godliness,
writes Paul to Timothy. Great is the mystery of godliness.
What's great about the mystery of godliness? He goes on, he
tells us, God was manifest in the flesh. That God came, as
we've seen over the last two weeks, that at the fullness,
when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his
son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem those that
are under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons,
whereby we cry Abba, Father. God was manifest in the flesh.
As the children have partaken of flesh and blood, so he himself
partook of the same, that through death he might destroy him that
had the power of death. That is the devil. God was manifest
in the flesh when our Lord Jesus Christ walked this earth. A man
of no comeliness that we should desire him. A man just like any
others. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. A man
whom they looked at and they disregarded just as an ordinary
man. Who on earth does he think he
is? God was manifest in the flesh. God was justified in the spirit. He was seen of angels. He was
preached unto the Gentiles. He was believed on in the world.
He was received up into glory. And why did he do all of these
things? Look down at verse 12. This is what Paul prays that
we might know more of as we go into this new year all through
our lives, that we might know more of this. Giving thanks unto
the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in light. He's fitted and qualified his
people to inherit all that he has for his son and his people
in eternal glory. This is what Paul prays that
we might know as the people of God. If we are the people of
God, this is what he prays that we might know more of. And all
these other things will be added to you. Seek first the kingdom
of God and his righteousness. And all these other things will
be added to you, giving thanks to the Father which hath made
us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
life. How has he made us meet? How
has he qualified us? By satisfying his justice on
our behalf. This is how he's qualified us.
This is how he has. He who is of purer eyes than
to behold iniquity can smile upon us as a heavenly father
upon the children he loves because in the Lord Jesus Christ he has
paid sins penalty by taking the sins of his people, being made
the sins of his people that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. And when he looks upon the righteousness
of God that is now in us who believe, he's pleased. He's pleased. He sees us qualified. He sees
us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
life. Oh, that God would teach me more and more of these things,
that I might know more and more of these things. Verse 13, who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated
us into the kingdom of his dear son, that we might know more
of his will in accomplishing these things in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding, that he's delivered his people. that
he's rescued his people, that he's plucked his people out of
peril as burning brands from the fire. You know when you get
a big bonfire going and there's a decent bit of wood and it started
to be singed around the edge and it's beginning to catch light
and you think, oh, I could use that for something else and you
grab it and you pull it out of the fire and the flames go up.
This is how God describes his people. plucked as brands from
the fire, plucked out of peril, snatched from Satan's clutches
because he has come and he's disarmed the strong man of this
world, the prince of this world. He's disarmed him. How has he
disarmed him? In his death on the cross, he
has taken away every accusation that Satan can bring against
his people. As Paul says, who then shall
bring any charge against God's elect? Christ has died. Christ
has already paid for it. The fire of God has fallen. The
ground is already burned there. You stand there, you stand on
ground where the judgment of God cannot fall a second time,
or God would be unjust. And God is not unjust. He is
a just God and a Savior. released from that charge sheet
that would condemn, for Christ has taken it out of the way,
all that handwriting that was against us, and He has nailed
it to His cross for every one of the people whom the Father
gave to Him before the beginning of time, chosen in Him before
the foundation of the world. That charge sheet that would
justly condemn, He has taken it away, nailed it to His cross,
and paid for it, paid its price, satisfied justice for it. And
he's translated us. He's transformed us into Christ's
kingdom. So that we're citizens. Yes,
we're citizens of this world. Yes, we live in this world with
responsibilities in this world. But he's put a new man inside
who is a citizen of the kingdom of Christ. Seek first his kingdom
and his righteousness. He's translated us into the kingdom
of his dear son. Translated there. Into the kingdom
of his dear son. Verse 14. In his son, in whom,
we have redemption through his blood. Even the forgiveness of
sins, redemption. What is redemption? It's purchase. It's the paying of the price.
It's the paying of the price to get it back, to redeem it,
to remake it your own. It was your own. You put it into
the shop that lends you money on account of it, and then when
you've got the money, you go and redeem that thing. He came,
and he has redeemed. How has he redeemed? Through
his blood. It was the precious, infinite
value blood of Christ, the man. The man. the one who was god
who became man for the purpose of death that he might destroy
death in whom we have redemption through his blood and what does
that purchase the forgiveness of sins how can we be forgiven
our sins you know that people uh... i i was listening on the
radio to some people talking about forgiveness for crimes
can you forgive and they were saying some were saying i can't
forgive and others were saying oh yes i can forgive and you
know i think in it all One thing is completely overlooked and
forgotten, and that is justice. Justice. How can there be forgiveness
without justice? God does not forgive without
justice. God forgives on the basis of
justice satisfied. He forgives on the basis of redemption
accomplished. Christ came for his people. and
satisfied justice, and paid the price of justice. He redeemed. He paid the ransom to release
his people from going down into the pit of hell. Release him
from that, for I have found a ransom. And this is Christ paying for
the sins of his people. Oh, that we might be filled with
the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual knowledge. This is seeking first the kingdom
of God and his righteousness. And all these other things that
we might think are so important will be added to us. Don't be
anxious, don't be concerned for these things. That we might know
more of God's will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
That we might increase in the knowledge of God. As Peter says
at the end of his second epistle, 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 18, grow
in grace. It's an exhortation. he's telling
you, he's exhorting, grow in grace do something about it,
grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, oh that you might grow in the knowledge of him grow
in that grace and that knowledge of him knowing what about him,
let's just look at the next three verses the next three verses,
verse fifteen A bit more about the Redeemer. Grow in grace in
the knowledge of this one who is the image of the invisible
God. Oh, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. He's the image of the invisible
God. If you want to know what the
Father is like, what the very essence of God who dwells in
unapproachable light is like, He is the image of the invisible
God. Hebrews chapter 1 verses 1 to
3 is the image of the invisible God he's the outshining of God
he's the word of God he's the firstborn of every creature doesn't
mean first created as the Jehovah's Witnesses tell us not at all
the firstborn the originating force of every creature that's
who he is for by him were all things made and says John chapter
1 verses 1 2 or 3 without him was nothing made that was made
If he is a made creature, then that verse is nonsense. Without
him was nothing made that was made. He's the firstborn of every
creature. The image of the invisible God.
Show us the Father and that will suffice, said Philip. Philip,
have I been so long with you, and yet you have not known me?
He who has seen me has seen the Father. He is the image of the
invisible God. Great is the mystery of godliness.
God was manifest in the flesh. For by him were all things created. He, this one, this man who is
the image of the invisible God, created all things that are in
heaven and that are in the earth visible and invisible whether
they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all
things were created by him and for him for his eternal purposes
of salvation of glory and he is before all things And by him
all things consist again. What Hebrews says, he upholds
all things by the word of the power of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, God manifest in the flesh. This is what Paul
is praying that we should know more of, know more of who he
is, know more of what he has done in accomplishing redemption.
This is the thing. This is what I think is so clear
to us as we look at the scriptures and we seek God's mind in these
things. There's a lot around that calls
itself Orthodox Christianity, but it's all about offering possibilities
to people. The true gospel is not an offer
of possibilities. The true gospel is a declaration
of salvation accomplished for the people the father gave to
the son. And that's what we seek to declare. And that's what's
distinctive. I don't know if you read the
the leader in the latest edition of the New Focus magazine, but
I thought that was very good, very, very clear. You want to
know what makes the difference? That's what makes the difference.
It's a declaration of redemption that is accomplished. And it's
to know more of these things that you would be filled with
the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. And when you know that, as you
grow in that knowledge, whether it's riches versus poverty, whether
it's worldly success versus what the world counts as failure,
whether it's liberty to walk the streets and do what you want
versus imprisonment, you know, as it was with John Bunyan all
that time ago, locked up for 12 years in Bedford jail. Whatever
it is, they all become secondary matters that we can leave in
our father's hands. Do you know there was nobody
more free than John Bunyan when he was locked up for those twelve
years because he was growing in grace and in the knowledge
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He was being increasingly
filled with the knowledge of his will. He was rich beyond
measure, though incarcerated by a society that hated the gospel
of his grace. All of these things are secondary
matters we can leave in our father's hands. Knowing this, knowing
this, I've said, he numbers the hairs of your head. I'm not saying
that these things, these practicalities of life are irrelevant. But what
I'm saying is seek first the kingdom of God. Humble yourselves,
says Peter, 1 Peter 5, 6 and 7. Humble yourselves therefore
under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due
time, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. The God who is sovereign over
all things, controls all things, and he cares for his people.
He has promised never to leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews
13, five and six. Let your conversation be without
covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have.
For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
So we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not
fear what man shall do unto me. God's will is about the salvation
of his people, accomplishing satisfaction to his justice on
behalf of his people. This is Paul's prayer. I might
put it this way, this is his New Year wish, that we know more
of this. 1 Corinthians 14 verse 10, brethren,
be not children in understanding. Be not immature in understanding
of spiritual things. Children, as he says to the Ephesians,
in Ephesians 4 verse 14, are tossed to and fro and carried
about by every wind of doctrine. Tossed to and fro, carried about
by, whichever direction the wind blows they seem to go with it.
They're not steadfast, they're not built on the rock, they're
not founded on the rock, they're not anchored to the rock. He
says, be not children, be not immature in understanding. In
malice, be children, don't do those things, but in understanding,
be men, be mature, be filled with this knowledge of God. And
the result of it, verse 10, that ye might walk worthy of the Lord
unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work. The result
and the outworking of the inner principle is a life that is different. Let's just read Ephesians chapter
4. Ephesians chapter 4. Let's turn
back there. Verse 17. I often say the best
commentary on the scriptures is the scriptures. Find a passage
that enlightens it. Ephesians 4 verse 17. Paul says
this to the Ephesians, this I say therefore and testify in the
Lord that ye henceforth walk, which means live your lives,
not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind, just
fulfilling the desires of the flesh, having the understanding
darkened, not enlightened by the knowledge of God, being alienated
from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them.
You see, this is why he wants you to know more Because ignorance
of the things of God leads to darkness. Because of the blindness
of their heart, who, being past feeling, have given themselves
over, because there's nothing in the mind to constrain them,
they've given themselves over to lasciviousness, all kinds
of immorality, to work all uncleanness with greediness. the very opposite
of that which is a testimony of the gospel of Christ within.
But ye have not so learned Christ, O that ye might know his will
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. If so be that ye have heard him
and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus, that ye
put off concerning the former conversation the old man which
is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the
spirit of your mind." This is what Paul is praying. Be renewed
in the spirit of your mind. No more of the truth and blessings
and glory of God's grace in the gospel. And that ye put on the
new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness
is this not saying exactly what he's saying and praying for the
Colossians that they might know that we might walk worthy that
the rule of the fallen flesh the rule of the fallen flesh
might be subdued Paul says elsewhere Galatians chapter 5 the flesh
wars against the spirit the new man of the Spirit of God and
the two are contrary to one another so that you don't do what you
want to do very often but growing in the knowledge of God's will
increase the rule of the new man that God has put there. J.C. Philpott put it this way in his
reading of the other day, this is not what is called progressive
sanctification as if the flesh got holier and holier for that
is still ever the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts but this is a growth of that new man which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness. He says walk worthy. Walk worthy. This is not about
progressively sanctifying yourself. This is not about thinking that
you can please God with the sinless life because you can't if we
say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not
in us. But he's saying walk worthy of that which is inside. I've
often put it this way, and I think it's a good illustration. Honor
the regiment. What regiment am I talking about?
Of saints dwelling in light. Polish the boots. Shine the buttons. Take off the old man's rags.
Put on the demeanor of the new man. Not living under the Mosaic
law as a rule of life, but constrained and motivated by the love of
Christ. The love of Christ constrains
us. Because of what we increasingly know, of his glorious salvation
for sinners such as we are. You want people to be generous
and giving? What do you do? You tell them
that the law says they must give a tenth of all they have? No,
you show them the Lord Jesus Christ. You point to him, who
though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor. And then
I defy any true saint to remain spitefully, niggardly regarding
the things that he has and the needs of others. This is what
you do. You point to Christ. You say,
I try, but I fail so often. Of course you do. We still live
in the flesh. We're powerless to please God. Without faith in Christ, it's
impossible to please God. Where are we going to get the
strength from? He says, strengthen, verse 11, with all might, according
to his glorious power. unto all patience and long-suffering
with joyfulness. The source of power and the source
of the ability to perform this walk that is worthy is God's
glorious power. As he said to Paul when he prayed
for that thorn in the flesh to be taken away, three times he
said, my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is
made perfect in your weakness, resting in him. Even in the prison
cell, as Bunyan was, whether it's a prison cell of physical
incarceration, or a prison cell of illness, or disability, or
financial constraint, or physical weakness, or whatever other concerns
of this life there might be, he gives strength to live that
life worthy of the truth that we know. to all patience, all
long-suffering, all joyfulness. Let's close by turning back to
Psalm 37. Just turn back to Psalm 37, and
I just want to read the first eight verses without comment. Think in the light of what we've
been thinking. This is what was written hundreds and hundreds
of years before Paul wrote what we've been reading in Colossians.
Psalm 37, the first eight verses, and we'll close with this. fret
not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against
the workers of iniquity, for they shall soon be cut down like
the grass and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do
good, so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt
be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give
thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord,
trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass. and he shall
bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy judgment
as the noonday. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently
for him. Fret not thyself because of him
who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked
devices to pass. Cease from anger and forsake
wrath. Fret not thyself in any wise
to do evil.