How We Grow—A Surprising Answer from Colossians

How We Grow

• Understand how the Bible says we grow and change
• Work on the process right now!

Colossians 1:4–6

4. I heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,
   and of the love which you have towards all the saints,
         because of the hope
         laid up for you in heaven,
5.       of which you have heard before
         in the word of truth, the gospel,
6.             which has come to you,
               even as it’s in the world
               bearing fruit and growing
               even as it does among you
         since the day you heard
         and came to recognize
         the grace of God in truth.
   •   …and your love in the Spirit

Colossians 1:4–6

4. I heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,
   and of the love which you have towards all the saints,
         because of the hope
         laid up for you in heaven,
5.       of which you have heard before
         in the word of truth, the gospel,
6.             which has come to you,
               even as it’s in the world
               bearing fruit and growing
               even as it does among you
         since the day you heard
         and came to recognize
         the grace of God in truth.
   •   …and your love in the Spirit

Colossians 3:9–10

9. …you have stripped off the old man with his practices,
10. and have clothed yourself with the new man
    being renewed in knowledge
    according to the image of him who created him,

Colossians 1:9–11

9. …we also, since the day we heard,
         have not ceased praying for you and asking
   that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will
   in all spiritual wisdom and understanding
10. so as to walk worthy of the Lord,
    in all ways to please him,
    in all good work bearing fruit and increasing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹
    in all power being empowered, through his glorious strength,
    in all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father

Colossians 3:16

16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
    teaching and warning one another in all wisdom

Colossians 2:6–7

6. Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
7. rooted and built up in him and established in the faith,
   just as you were taught

Are we renewed by truth?

• Problem: What Paul seems to be saying does not match up with our experience
  • Knowing more facts does not make us grow!
• Nevertheless, this idea seems to be everywhere in the NT
• Parable of the sower “The sower sows the word.” (Mar 4:14)
• “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Mat 4:4)
• “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

What goes wrong?
2 Basic Issues

• Why are many not set free by the truth?

1. Often they focus on peripheral truths, not the main truths
   • Motivation is out of intellectual interest or pride
2. It is not just the truth that is needed but a response in faith to the truth.
   • This response is in the power of the Spirit.
   • This involves all of who we are, thoughts, emotions, deep beliefs.
   • There is often not an expectation or openness to this happening so it is blocked out.

Some Truths

• Jesus died to cleanse sin, is alive right now and his salvation is real
• Jesus loves me. Nothing can separate!
• He really is all I need
• The world around me will soon be gone
• The new creation will be so much better and I have an amazing inheritance to look forward to
• God hates all sin and will judge this world

Colossians 3:1–6

1. If, therefore, you were raised together with Christ,
   • the things above keep seeking, where Christ is,
     sitting at the right hand of God.²
   • the things above keep thinking about,
     not on things on the earth,
3. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also with him will appear in glory.
   • Therefore put to death what is in you which is of the earth:
   • sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,