Be fruitful in every good work!

Yesterday we read in Genesis that God's purpose in our lives is to bear fruit. In the new creation, through Jesus Christ, the original purposes of God are restored.

This is made very clear in many places in the New Testament. In particular, there is a prayer of the apostle Paul for the Christians with whom he was dealing. This beautiful prayer is recorded in Colossians 1:9–12 and has an entirely positive emphasis. Every word in this prayer is positive; there is not one negative word in the whole of this prayer.

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in or-der that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:9–12)

Let me point out all the positive words in this passage. First, Paul speaks about the Christians at Colosse being filled with the knowledge of God’s will—not just having somewhere in them the knowledge of God’s will, but being filled with it. This comes “through all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9)—not just some, but all spiritual wisdom. Then he prays that they may live a life pleasing to the Lord in every way—not just pleasing Him in some ways, but pleasing Him in every way. He prays that they may bear fruit “in every good work” (verse 10)—that is the hundred-fold growing in the knowledge of God. Then, he prays that they may be “strengthened with all power according to his glorious might” (verse 11)—not some power, but all power—with the result that they may have “great endurance” (verse 11).

Perseverance, or endurance, was one of the key words in the parable of the sower. Here, Paul wants us to have great endurance and patience and joy. Finally, Paul uses the statement that God the Father has qualified us “to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:12). God has given us the provision that is needed to enter into our inheritance in the kingdom of light.

God’s will is settled forever in the Word of God. He wants us to be fruitful; He wants us to bear fruit, to succeed in every good work, and to please Him in every way. He has also qualified us, or equipped us, to do this.