The reason for thanking God the Father (13)

[Colossians 1:1-8]

In Colossians 1:6, the Apostle Paul, writing a letter to the faithful saints in the Colossian church, states, "this gospel has come to you, just as in all the world it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing."  Here, the phrase "bearing fruit and increasing" implies a continuous process of bearing fruit and growing, with a particular emphasis on the "fruit of the Word" (KJV Bible Commentary).  This translation reflects this by stating, "...just as in all the world it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing."  This translation emphasizes that the gospel, or the Word of God, is actively producing positive outcomes and spreading throughout the world.  The possibility of this happening is attributed to both God's grace and the responsibility of the faithful saints in the Colossian church.  While God granted them the grace to bear fruit (1 Cor. 3:7), the saints had the responsibility to receive God's Word not as human words but as the Word of God, believing in faith (1 Thess. 2:13).  This reception was crucial for the Word of God to work effectively among believers.  The comparison with the Israelites during the Exodus serves as a cautionary example.  The Israelites did not associate faith with God's words, leading to their failure to benefit from what they heard (Heb. 4:2).  In contrast, the faithful saints in the Colossian church were encouraged to be filled with the knowledge of God's will, living in a manner worthy of the Lord and bearing fruit in every good work (Col. 1:9-10).  Furthermore, Paul expressed his commitment to proclaiming the mystery of Christ, aiming to present every believer mature in Christ (Col. 1:25, 2:2, 1:28).

I would like to conclude with a reflection on the passage.  The Apostle Paul, in his prayers for the faithful saints of the Colossian church, expressed gratitude to God the Father on numerous occasions (Col. 1:4-6).  The reasons for his gratitude were multifold: (1) the Colossian believers demonstrated a strong faith in Christ (v. 4), (2) they harbored love for all the saints (v. 4), (3) they possessed a hope stored up in heaven (the hope of heaven) (v. 5), and (4) from the day they truly understood God's grace through hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ, they had been continuously bearing fruit and growing both among them and throughout the world (v. 6).  Given the preciousness of God's grace, I extend a wish that both you and I express our gratitude to God the Father each time we pray.  May this gratitude be a testament to our awareness of the abundant grace bestowed upon us, as we follow the example set by the faithful saints in the Colossian church.