For Ye Are All the Children of God by Faith In Christ Jesus - Part 1002

"I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me -- and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God -- who loved me, and gave Himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God -- for if righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2:20-21)

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, spent considerable time teaching believers (in the Epistle of Paul the apostle to the Philippians) how to rejoice in our Lord always. Indeed, Paul wrote: "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you -- always in every prayer of mine -- for you all making request with joy ... for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that He which began a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:1-6)

Moreover, "even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye are all partakers of my grace -- for God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgement -- that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:7-11)

A similar message to the faithful brethren in Christ at Colosse is offered in Colossians, which states:

"Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love [which] ye [have] to all the saints, for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the Word of the truth of the gospel -- which is come unto you, as [it is] in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as [it doth] also in you, since the day ye heard [of it], and knew the grace of God in truth." (Colossians 1:1-6)

In fact, as you also learned of Epaphras -- who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit, for this cause we also, since the day we heard [it] do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding -- that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing; being fruitful in every good work -- and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Let's look at this again. Paul is praying that our love may abound yet more and more in knowledge ... and in all judgement so that we may approve things that are excellent, be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ, be filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God, all the while remaining confident that He which began a good work in us will perform until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:1-11)

In increasing more and more in knowledge, Paul instructs us to desire to be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Why? So that we might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work. Yes, but there is even one more instruction. That is -- "increasing in the knowledge of God." (Colossians 1:10)

In so doing, we will be strengthened with all might -- according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light -- who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of His dear Son -- in whom we have redemption through His blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins.

Who are we referring to here? Paul writes -- "in whom we have redemption through His blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature -- for by Him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers -- ALL THINGS WERE CREATED BY HIM AND FOR HIM, AND HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS, AND BY HIM ALL THINGS CONSIST AND HE IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. (Colossians 1:14-18)

Jesus -- "the Head of the body -- the church -- who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] He might have the preeminence. For it pleased [the Father] that in Him should all fulness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, by Himself, by Him, [I say] whether [they] be things in earth or things in heaven, and you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death -- to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight -- if you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the ope of the gospel, which ye have heard, [and] which was preached to every creature which is under heaven." (Colossians 1:11-23)

Seek Jesus more and more, increasing in knowledge, wisdom and spiritual understanding. You won't be disappointed!

"Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1) Stand in the offering plate with Jesus!