Inductive Bible Study Method for Colossians 1:11 (2-5-2014)
“strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long-suffering with joy;”
Paul is writing a letter to the people of Colosse. Paul found out that the Colossians heard of the Gospel, had saving faith in Jesus and loved the Spirit. He is encouraging them in their walk with Christ, giving them his testimony, telling them that he hasn’t ceased to pray for them, and telling them all about Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit.
This is the section this verse is taken from, in my own words. Since the day we heard that you had become believers, we have been devoted to praying for you. We have been asking that you be filled with God’s will, His wisdom and understanding. Walk worthy of the Lord, being pleasing to Him, being fruitful by your works, and growing in the knowledge of Christ. Be strengthened with His power, having patience and perseverance with joy.
As believers, we are to be filled with the Spirit of God. In having the Holy Spirit dwell in us, we can seek God’s will and gain His wisdom and understanding. Last week’s IBS’s were all about wisdom, and even after seeing what wisdom was and how to get it, God still just wants us to ask if we lack it. James 1:5 says “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
We are to walk worthy of the Lord, to be pleasing to Him and to be fruitful by our works. This can sometimes get misconstrued as needing works to earn salvation. Ephesians 2:8-10 says “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in Him.”
I use this verse a lot, but it applies to a LOT of areas in my life. It’s nothing that we did to earn salvation - it’s only by God’s grace through faith. If we are saved and have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, the result should be good fruit in our lives. Works does not equal salvation, salvation bears good works.
When we are allowing the Holy Spirit into our lives, we are strengthened by God’s power - not our own. When we are in the flesh, we are operating by our own strength and wisdom. In my life, I have seen so many times where I acted in my own power and although God used it for His glory in the end, it was always sinful and never honoring to the Lord.
Lastly, believers are to have patience and perseverance with joy. I’d like to leave those last two words out of this, “with joy”. Unfortunately, we are to have joy in everything we do unto the Lord. I lack in patience and perseverance, so when I see that I’m supposed to have joy in those things, I’m even more overwhelmed by the fact that I can’t do anything without God’s help.
The point here is not to strive to do these things in my strength. The point is to acknowledge to God that we are nothing without Him. Its hard, but I have to face the music every day that I can’t live this life without Him. I need His help for every single thing I do. I try to take the small things and tell God I can handle it, but I can’t even do THAT. This is part of surrendering to Christ every day, to tell Him that I need Him.
My application is to ask Jesus for His joy, strength and patience in addition to surrendering my life to Him every day.
NAAMAN AND FAITH ONLY BELIEVERS BY STEVE FINNELL
ReplyDeleteHave you ever noticed the parallels between Naaman's cure of his leprosy and faith only believers doctrine of forgiveness of sin?
Naaman wanted his leprosy washed away, but he did not want to follow the plan of God's man, the prophet Elisa.
Faith only believers want to have sins washed away, but they do not want to follow the plan of the man Jesus selected to implement that plan, the apostle Peter.
2 Kings 5:10-11 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean. 11 But Naaman was furious and went away and said, "Behold, I thought, 'He will surely come to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper'
Naaman thought calling on the name of the Lord and waving of Elisha's hand would cure his leprosy. Naaman did not want to get wet. Naaman did not want to baptize himself seven times. Naaman thought "faith only" would cure his leprosy.
Acts 2:37-38....what shall we do?" 38 Peter said to them, "Repent and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Faith only believers do not want to get wet. They do not want to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. They want to call on the name of the Lord and say the "Sinner's Prayer."
Naaman's servant convinced him to follow Elisha's plan.
2 Kings 5:14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean.
Naaman's leprosy was not removed by faith only. Naaman's leprosy was removed and his flesh was restored only after he baptized himself seven times in the Jordan. Naaman did not sprinkle himself seven times in the Jordan . Naaman did not pour himself seven times in the Jordan. Naaman dipped (baptized) himself in the Jordan seven times. Naaman had faith in the God of the prophet Elisha, however, obedience was required in order to have his leprosy cured.
UNDER THE NEW COVENANT faith is essential in order to have sins forgiven, however, obedience in water baptism is also required in order to have sins forgiven.
NAAMAN HAD A DIFFERENT VIEW OF HIS LEPROSY CURE; THAN FAITH ONLY BELIEVERS DO OF THEIR BAPTISM.
Naaman did not say dipping in water had absolutely nothing to do with his being cleansed of leprosy.
Naaman did not proclaim that his leprosy was cleansed the minute he believed God had the power to cure his leprosy.
Naaman did not assert that dipping in the Jordan was an outward sign of his cure that had taken place before he entered the water.
Naaman did not say he baptized himself because his leprosy had already been cured.
Naaman did tell others that he baptized himself because Elisha command it, and it was just an act of obedience.
Naaman did not proclaim that his leprosy was cured by faith only.
Naaman did not say dipping in the Jordan was "a work of righteousness" and works cannot wash away leprosy.
Naaman failed to assert that baptizing himself was a testimony of his faith, but was not essential to having his leprosy cured.
QUESTION: Can "faith only" believers reject what God's man, the apostle Peter, said about repentance and water baptism and
have their sins forgiven? (Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21)
THERE IS NO VERSE OF SCRIPTURE THAT STATES, THAT MEN ARE SAVED BY "FAITH ONLY."
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