Colossians 1:9-14, Part 1

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 order 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. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Christianity changes people. A convert to this faith is "born again" and becomes different than before. Scripture stresses the necessity of this change, and explains it to its converts. Paul's letters provide good examples of this emphasis, telling his readers about this difference, how to think about this new life, and how to live it. Besides the fact that truth possesses intrinsic value and therefore ought to be known, it is necessary to understand a person's condition before and after his conversion – and thus the nature of this change – for several reasons.

It is necessary for ministry to non-Christians – in preaching the gospel to them, or evangelism. Without an understanding of the non-Christian's condition, he cannot be informed, let alone persuaded, as to why he needs salvation in the first place. What are the spiritual and intellectual differences between the Christian and the non-Christian? If the Christian does not know the answer, then why and how does he commend the faith to the non-Christian?

It is necessary for ministry to Christians – in deciding our agenda and emphasis in preaching, in theological education, in formulating church policies, in parenting, and so on. One of the decisive factors in considering these aspects of ministry to believers is our view of the sinner's condition and the non-Christian world and culture. If the intellectual and ethical differences are small, then the biblical command to put off the old man and put on the new man would be unnecessary, and in fact, almost meaningless.

Whether we consider non-Christian culture as consistent with the Christian worldview also makes a difference. Is non-Christian thinking false, deceptive, irrational, satanic, or does it contribute to our knowledge of truth? For example, if non-Christian thinking is utterly corrupt and incompetent, then there should be no attempt to harmonize Scripture with non-Christian science and philosophy. Instead, we will realize that we already have the truth in Scripture and refute the opponent.

It is necessary for ministry to God – in prayer, worship, and thanksgiving. "Ministry" here, of course, means service, and although God does not need our service, he requires it (Acts 17:25). When Paul writes that we are to be "giving thanks to the Father" (v. 12), he also describes what the Father has done for us. To give thanks without knowing what one is giving thanks for, or to give thanks for nothing, would render the thanksgiving a meaningless gesture. But Scripture says that God has done something for us, an act whose magnitude is such that it deserves our everlasting gratitude.