Paul starts off with some encouraging words:
“We
always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the Love that you have for all
the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have
heard before in the word of truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed
in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing- as it also does among
you…” (v 3-6)
The growth of the Colossian’s faith is probably the most encouraging
to Paul, who most likely misses everyone he knew and longs to be there to see
people’s faith growing. But what’s really cool is that Paul hears of the change
that the gospel has made in these people’s lives, even sitting imprisoned
several worlds away! Even though the Colossian testimony is incredibly making
its way around the known world, Paul says that it’s kinda normal, because that’s
the kind of fruit the gospel causes. Throughout all the world, the love and
provision of Jesus is changing people from the inside out, because that’s just
what the gospel does!
In light of their growth, Paul prays that the Colossians
would keep growing:
“We have not ceased to pray for
you, asking that you may be filed 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. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His
glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the
Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in
light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to
the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of
sins. (v 9-14)
Those who choose to put their faith in Jesus and His sacrificial
provision of atonement for their sins, are foundationally, categorically
changed by God. The Bible calls it being made into a new creation.[2]
You are no longer who you were in your sinfulness, but you have been made new and
set free from the old bonds of sin. That’s what Paul is mentioning when he
talks about being ‘transferred’ from a domain of darkness to Jesus’ kingdom. We
are irrevocably changed and made new from the inside out, which by God’s power
and presence, causes unmistakable change in the life of a believer.
Which leads to the question, has the gospel changed you? If
you really put your faith in Jesus and call yourself His follower, you’re gonna
be changed by Him, and it’s not going to be a change that you can contain or
keep hidden. It’s going to come out, and if you continue growing and living
faithfully for Jesus, people all over the world are gonna hear about your life,
just like the Colossians. But something tells me that most people (myself
included sometimes) don’t want the whole world knowing about their faith. So we
try to keep the gospel change that’s within them hidden from people’s eyes, and
in so doing we limit our relationship with Jesus. I know it can be scary to let
people know about your faith, and to let God’s power change you from the inside
out. But thankfully, we don’t have to be ashamed of God’s work within us,
because He’s gonna take care of us. Paul had the same faith-filled hope even as
he sat chained to a Roman guard, still passionately loving and following after
God.
So if you don’t see the gospel’s change in your life, here’s
some tips straight from Paul Himself! He prayed that the Colossians would grow
by
1) Increasing their knowledge of God
2) Walking in a manner that pleases God
3) Bearing fruit, and increasing in knowledge of God.
Paul repeats himself there at the end, but it’s a circle! To
be changed by Jesus you have to know Him and apply yourself to know Him well
just like you would your best friend. This is done by learning about who they
are, and by spending time with them. So we learn about who Jesus is by
regularly reading the Bible, and by spending time with Him in prayer! As you do
that, you will see change happen in your life that will make you live
differently, in a way that is pleasing to God. And as you live in ways that are
pleasing to God, you’ll get to see some pretty big accomplishments of growth,
or fruit, in your life. And then, you keep learning about Jesus.
Being changed by God is pretty simply really, you just have
to spend time with Jesus, be open to be changed by Him, and not be ashamed of
it. Got change?
[1]
Colossians 1:1-14, Youth Paperback Bible p. 272.
[2] “New
Creation” -2 Corinthians 5:17, YPB p. 562.