by Rick Combs
Colossians 1:9-11 “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; 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; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness”.
If we break this passage down, we see the importance of knowing some things. Paul desires that the saints at Colosse “might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom”. What is the admonition? To be filled with knowledge. The rest of verse 9 tells us that it is knowledge that leads to wisdom and understanding.
Verse 10 shows us the result of this; “that we might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing”. Paul continues to give us additional results of having the knowledge of His will. We will be “fruitful in every good work” as well as increasing into more knowledge. The result of this increasing knowledge is that we might be “strengthened with all might” (vs. 11).
It is vital to notice that all of these wonderful promises are given to us through knowledge and understanding. This involves the mind. There is not one word here about feeling anything.
Growing spiritually into maturity does NOT involve feelings, but knowledge.
I did an interesting study of the number of times the following words are used in the Pauline Epistles (KJB). They are; know, knowing, mind, minded, understanding, knowledge. That number is 199.
I also calculated the number of times the words feel, feeling, sense is used by Paul. That number is 1. Interestingly, the only reference that is given to the word “feeling” is Ephesians 4:19, “Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness”.
Feelings come from our fallen flesh that is so vulnerable to a deceitful heart. Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it”?
Therefore, our path to correct spiritual salvation and growing into maturity is through the knowledge of the Word of God. The feelings of the heart must follow the lead of what we know from our Bible. Feelings come and go. They are like the whispers of the wind that blows and tosses its’ subjects to and fro.
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine…”. (Ephesians 4:13-14).
How do we come into the perfect maturity of “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”? It is through the “knowledge of the Son of God”.
How do I know this? I read it!
Grace and peace unto you.