Colossians 1:9

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

'FOR THIS CAUSE' -Probably involving all the blessings manifested by this congregation (Colossians 1:3-8), including their love for Paul and Timothy.

'WE ALSO' -Paul and Timothy, including those associated with him (Colossians 4:10-14).

'SINCE THE DAY WE HEARD IT' -i.e. the day they have received the favorable news of the church here from Epaphras.

'DO NOT CEASE TO PRAY AND MAKE REQUEST FOR YOU' -(1 Thessalonians 5:17). It would seem that Paul and his associates had prayed for the church in Colossae even before Epaphras had arrived. But since his arrival and hearing the good news about this congregation (Colossians 1:3-8), and the threats they faced, prayers for this church had been "re-doubled". This congregation had become. pre-occupation among Paul and his fellow-workers.

'THAT YE MAY BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL' -

'FILLED' -Note how Paul isn't afraid to pray for too much. 'The Lord does not want his people to ask for too little. In the spiritual sphere he does not want them to live frugally..' (Hendriksen p. 56) In the absence of miraculous gifts, such as inspiration, this "filling" would only happen as the result of "study" (2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:11).

'KNOWLEDGE' -1922. epignosis ep-ig'-no-sis; from 1921; recognition, i.e. (by implication) full discernment, acknowledgement: -(ac-)knowledge(-ing, -ment).

'HIS WILL' -And not our will.

Points to Note:

1. 'It is vain to try to serve God without knowing what he desires of us.' (Hendriksen p. 56)

2. The "knowledge" prayed for isn't "speculation" concerning the nature of God, etc..Rather, it is that each Christian would "fully know" the will of God revealed in the Scriptures. Carefully note: (a) An accurate interpretation of the Bible is more than. possibility, rather, it is God's will for each Christian (Ephesians 5:17; 2 Timothy 2:15). (b) Some doctrines might be hard to understand (2 Peter 3:15), but they are not impossible to understand. (c) Each Christian can fully know the Scriptures. The Bible isn't written on. level only for some elite class. (d) It doesn't take you the rest of your life to figure out what God wants you to do. And neither should it take us the rest of our lives to figure out an essential biblical teaching. (e) And the person who says, 'The more. study the Bible, the less. know', is obviously doing something wrong in reference to their study methods. (f) Paul didn't see. Christianity in which mature and studied Christians were increasingly more "confused" about the will of God. Paul didn't see. Christianity in which there would be an "steady increase" in gray areas.

3. Paul often prays for churches and the subject of. full knowledge, often comes up in those prayers (Ephesians 1:17; 1 Peter 1:9).

4. Especially in view of the fact that this congregation was facing or would face false teachers, who boasted in "superior knowledge" (Colossians 2:8) and "new revelations" (Colossians 2:18); these Christians desperately need to: (a) Know the truth and know it well. (b) Be convinced that the religion of Jesus Christ contained the "full truth" (John 16:13). Robertson notes, 'The cure for these intellectual upstarts is not ignorance, not obscurantism, but more knowledge of the will of God.' (p. 475)

5. 'It's great object is to know the will of God. We are trying not so much to make God listen to us as to make ourselves listen to him...It so often happens that in prayer we are really saying, "Thy will be changed", when we ought to be saying, "Thy will be done". The first object of prayer is not so much to speak to God as to listen to him.' (Barclay p. 108)

6. Today many people ridicule Bible Study, Bible class or preaching. But such are the exact methods by which this prayer is fulfilled.

7. For this prayer to become. reality: (a) Christians do possess in the Bible "all truth". If the Bible is incomplete or corrupted, then Christians can't be "filled" with the full and complete knowledge of God's will. (b) The Bible is written on. level of which all honest men and women can equally understand. (c) The Bible teaches one body of truth.

'IN ALL SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING' -

'SPIRITUAL' -as opposed to the wisdom of this world (1 Corinthians 1:21). The type of "wisdom" that goes against the grain of "secular advice". The Sermon on the Mount is. great contrast between earthly wisdom and God's wisdom (Matthew Chapter s 5-7).

'WISDOM' -'which discriminates between the false and the true, and grasps the relations in which things stand to each other.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 499) 'discerning the relations of different truths, the logical bearing and consequences of one's principles..' (P.P. Comm. p. 5)

For the best defense against error, is the ability to discern the logical ramifications of Biblical passages. But this again demands diligent effort. The willingness to contemplate Scripture, compare passages, make intensely practical applications and the courage to follow. truth to its logical end. And most importantly, it demands. love for truth (Proverbs 23:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:10), and. proper evaluation of self and God (Proverbs 1:7)

Points to Note:

1. The Bible is much more than just. book of facts and figures. With. full knowledge of the will of God, also comes wisdom and discernment, i.e. the ability to apply it to real life (Hebrews 5:14).

2. '"Understanding" is...what the Greeks sometimes described as critical knowledge, meaning the ability to apply first principles to any given situation which may arise in life...he is praying that they may understand the great truths of Christianity and may be able to apply them to the tasks and decisions which meet them in everyday living.. man may quite easily be. master of theology and. failure in living; able to write and talk about the eternal truths and yet helpless to apply them to the things which meet him every day. The Christian must know what Christianity means, not in. vacuum but in the business of living.' (Barclay pp. 108-109)