Dan Olinger

"If the Bible is true, then none of our fears are legitimate, none of our frustrations are permanent, and none of our opposition is significant."

Dan Olinger

 

Retired Bible Professor,

Bob Jones University

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How God Makes Well-Rounded Christians, Part 10: Closing Thoughts

September 25, 2025 by Dan Olinger Leave a Comment

Part 1: Introduction | Part 2: Obedience | Part 3: Relationship | Part 4: Fruitfulness | Part 5: Intimacy | Part 6: Muscle | Part 7: Gratitude | Part 8: Specifics 1 | Part 9: Specifics 2 

So how does God make well-rounded Christians? 

Well, like all maturation, it takes time. It involves growth in comprehension, beginning with knowledge that is supplemented by understanding that comes from the means of grace and from experience. It involves growing in one’s knowledge of God and the consequent maturation of a living, personal relationship with him. It involves experiencing hard things that develop endurance and, yet again, more understanding. It involves experiencing victories that teach methods for and confidence in future victories. 

The primary element, I would assert, is that personal relationship, that love of God, that makes our confidence in his presence and trustworthiness almost second nature to us, beyond even the ways that we trust our closest human friends. With that relational foundation we walk with him throughout the day; we expect his direction and empowerment; we trust his will, in the light and in the darkness; and we see everything as from his hand, prompted by his wise love, something for which we should be profoundly grateful. 

That’s what I want to be when I grow up. 

Who is He on yonder tree 
Dies in grief and agony? 

Who is He who from the grave 
Comes to succor, help, and save? 

Who is He who from His throne 
Rules through all the worlds alone? 

’Tis the Lord! oh wondrous story! 
’Tis the Lord! the King of glory! 
At His feet we humbly fall; 
  Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all! 

– Benjamin Russell Hanby 

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Filed Under: Bible, Theology Tagged With: Colossians, New Testament, sanctification, soteriology, systematic theology

How God Makes Well-Rounded Christians, Part 9: Specifics 2

September 22, 2025 by Dan Olinger Leave a Comment

Part 1: Introduction | Part 2: Obedience | Part 3: Relationship | Part 4: Fruitfulness | Part 5: Intimacy | Part 6: Muscle | Part 7: Gratitude | Part 8: Specifics 1 

As we noted last time, Paul ends this chapter by listing, in two parts, a number of things for which we should be thankful. The first part lists what God, in the persons of both the Father and the Son, has done in his work of saving us. The second part, which we turn to in this post, is more personal; in the chapter’s final paragraph Paul focuses on what God has done in us as well as for us; and he meditates on how that has affected his life and ministry, and by implication, how it can affect ours as well. 

Building on his summary of what God has done for us in the previous paragraph, he now begins to talk about consequences. What difference does it make in us that the Father and the Son have “qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Co 1.12)? 

  • He has reconciled us to God (Co 1.21-22); we’re not his enemies anymore. We don’t have to be afraid. 
  • How has he done that? The Son became human, corporeal, so that he could die “in the body of his flesh” (Co 1.22); and by that death he paid the price for the sins we had committed, which sins had positioned us as God’s enemies. The offended one took the offense on himself and brought reconciliation. We are forgiven. 
  • As a result we are “holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (Co 1.22). As far as he is concerned, we are in a special class, with nothing to answer for. And this is someone who knows all things perfectly. He knows. But he will never speak of our offenses again. 
  • If you stick with it (Co 1.23). Now, this calls for some explanation. Paul is not saying that we have to stop sinning in order to “stay saved”; he has already said clearly that those who have begun by faith cannot mature through works (Ga 3.3), and he will later tell a protégé that we are not justified by any works of righteousness (Ti 3.5). He is referring here to Jesus’ teaching (Jn 15.1-10) that all who are genuinely in Christ will abide in him; “continuing in the faith” (Co 1.23) is not the cause of our salvation, but evidence that it has happened. We will endure; we will succeed. 
  • Now Paul gets more personal. He begins to express his thankfulness that God has allowed him to have a part in telling the Colossians and others of these great gifts of salvation (Co 1.23-29). He vows to remain faithful to his calling, to continue to spread the word of the gospel so that more may hear. 

How is that something for which we can be thankful? 

Well, Paul is not unique in his divine calling. Jesus’ last words to his disciples—and by extension to us (Mt 28.19-20)—were the same call that Paul would later receive (Ac 9.15): we are to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. 

What a privilege that is! That we should be appointed representatives of the very God who created heaven and earth! That we should be ambassadors of reconciliation, of peace, of joy to those who walk in darkness! That every day we can watch for divine appointments, “chance” meetings, brief interactions that can make an eternal difference! 

How can we not thank him? 

How can we not face the real and significant challenges of each day with the joy of anticipating God’s presence and power and provision from beginning to end? 

How can we not face the darkness and chaos of our culture with the joy of knowing that God has already provided the means of reconciliation and applies it, with infinite power and certain success, to the hearts of those who believe? 

Next time: a brief closing thought. 

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Filed Under: Bible, Theology Tagged With: Colossians, New Testament, sanctification, soteriology, systematic theology

How God Makes Well-Rounded Christians, Part 8: Specifics 1

September 18, 2025 by Dan Olinger Leave a Comment

Part 1: Introduction | Part 2: Obedience | Part 3: Relationship | Part 4: Fruitfulness | Part 5: Intimacy | Part 6: Muscle | Part 7: Gratitude 

Paul has spent just under 3½ verses (Co 1.9-12a) summarizing the process by which God matures his people. That’s taken up 7 posts so far in this series. Now, jumping off from his final step of thankfulness, Paul spends almost 17 verses—almost 5 times as many—delineating specific things for which we should be thankful. 

This is no afterthought. It’s at the core of what matures us. If we want to grow up, we need to pay thoughtful attention to the list, so we can construct our thinking around it—so it can inform and underlie what we think about everything else. 

I note that Paul’s list comes in two sections. In the first (Co 1.12-23), he focuses on what God has done for us in salvation. In the second (Co 1.23-29), he meditates on the great gift God has shown him personally in allowing him to have a role in spreading the story of that salvation. 

Much could be written on these verses—and much has been. One of my commentaries has more than 50 pages of dense type exegeting just these 17-18 verses. Given the purpose of this blog, I won’t do that. :-) I’ll summarize. 

But here at the beginning I’ll say that these truths should fill our thoughts every day; they should inform our decisions; they should drive our goals. They should be how we live. 

So we turn to what God has done for us. Paul focuses first on the Father’s work, and then on that of the Son. 

What has the Father done? 

  • who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Co 1.12). We were by nature not qualified to be saints (“holy ones”) and thus to inherit their standing before God. God has made us qualified. (Paul will explain how he has done that in a bit.) 
  • He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Co 1.13). We were by nature citizens of a dark kingdom, one ruled by the evil one; and we were not inclined to emigrate. But God made us citizens of an infinitely brighter kingdom, one ruled by his Son, one greater than the Evil One. 

Now Paul expands on the person and work of the Son, who has redeemed us. 

  • in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Co 1.14). The Son has removed us from under the authority of the Evil One and has made us his own, or redeemed us. We have a new passport, one that gives us entrance to the spiritual universe over which God himself rules. And he has done all this by the simple (!) act of forgiving our sins. That’s what frees us from the Evil One; that’s what “qualifies us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Co 1.12). 
  • He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation (Co 1.15). The Son is Lord over all—even the Evil One. I’ve written much more extensively on this passage elsewhere. 
  • For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him (Co 1.16). The Son is the Creator; he is the “Elohim,” “God,” of Genesis 1. 
  • He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Co 1.17). He also maintains all that he has created; he is what we call “Providence.” 
  • He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything (Co 1.18). As the one who created us and who redeemed us from the Evil One, he is the head of the body of all believers; he directs our life here on earth, and we represent him here. Further, his resurrection from the dead guarantees our own resurrection in due time. 
  • For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him (Co 1.19). The Son is all that the Father is; God is One. 
  • 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven (Co 1.20). All of this is but a part of something far bigger than you and I. God is reconciling everything—the universe and everything that is not the universe—to himself. In his plan, all will be at peace, ruled justly and cohesively. The chaos will end. 

Is there anything here for which we can be thankful? Because of which we can face the pressures and trials of the day? 

A day in the light of these truths is a good day indeed. 

There’s even more to come. Next time. 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Filed Under: Bible, Theology Tagged With: Colossians, New Testament, sanctification, soteriology, systematic theology

How God Makes Well-Rounded Christians, Part 7: Gratitude 

September 15, 2025 by Dan Olinger Leave a Comment

Part 1: Introduction | Part 2: Obedience | Part 3: Relationship | Part 4: Fruitfulness | Part 5: Intimacy | Part 6: Muscle 

Paul now comes to the fourth and final characteristic of one “walking worthy of the Lord” (Co 1.10): “giving thanks unto the Father” (Co 1.12). 

Gratitude. It’s a characteristic we often lack. 

I suppose there are several reasons for that—beyond the general fact of human depravity, of course. 

First, we’re selfish, self-centered. We’re focused on what we need, or what we want; if we don’t have it, we’re driven to get it. If we do have a particular thing we need, then we focus on something else that we don’t have. There’s always something, isn’t there? And the drive to get The Thing typically attracts our attention more easily than the gratitude for The Things that we do have. 

I suppose a way to mitigate this problem is to be content—that is, to recognize that you need less than you think you do. Now, I’m not talking to the single Mom of 4 kids who’s working two or three jobs—somehow—to keep all the bills paid. There are clear instances of genuine need, and feeling that lack is no failing. 

But for most of us, that scenario is not what we’re facing, even in times of economic pressure. Witness the ubiquity of businesses renting out storage lockers—there are two within a block or two of my house—as just one evidence of the fact that we have more than we need. As further evidence, take my testimony, which is typical of people my age. We’re trying desperately to get rid of a houseful of stuff so our kids don’t have to wade through it after we die. And much of that stuff we haven’t used, or perhaps even seen, in years, or even decades. These days I’m finding boxes of stuff in my attic that I had literally forgotten I had. I’m not suggesting we go all Marie Kondo on everything, but the simple fact is that most of us have much, much more than we need. 

I’m realizing that in my retirement I can live much more simply, much more cleanly, and yes, simultaneously even much more comfortably than I ever thought possible. Contentment is a liberating and pacifying thing. 

A second reason for thanklessness, I think, is a lack of attention to the source of what we have. Where did I get my ability to walk routinely without pain? To smell the honeysuckle growing in my yard? To see the gradations of brilliant color that embellish my skies every morning and evening? To hear the laughter of my grandson when I say, “Gotcha!”? My generous Father has given me all these things freely and from my earliest days on this earth. How good. How kind. How deserving of a daily word of thanks. 

My daily prayer time includes a section of thanking God for the countless things he has done for me physically, providentially, and spiritually. I have a list, and I go over it constantly. And let me say that a side effect of this practice is peace—something sadly missing in much of the current culture. 

A third reason for ingratitude, and the last one I’ll mention, is lack of attention—or rather, inordinate attention to less important things. We’re focused on What We Gotta Do Right This Minute. And there’s something to be said for responsible living, for excellence, for prioritization, for stewardship. But life is about people as well as projects and processes, and we invest wisely when we give attention to the benefits that others bring to our lives. When they smile, or say a kind word, or offer a hand, or give a gift, these are things that have measurably improved our lives and for which we should be grateful. And we should put that gratitude into words, whether prayed, spoken, or written. 

Well. This has been more of a meditation than an exegesis. There’s a place for that. 

Next time, we’ll turn to the passage, where Paul spends the rest of the chapter—17+ of its 29 verses, or more than half—specifying things for which we should be thankful. It will be fun to spend some time on that pleasantly aromatic pathway. 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Filed Under: Bible, Theology Tagged With: Colossians, New Testament, sanctification, soteriology, systematic theology

How God Makes Well-Rounded Christians, Part 6: Muscle

September 11, 2025 by Dan Olinger Leave a Comment

Part 1: Introduction | Part 2: Obedience | Part 3: Relationship | Part 4: Fruitfulness | Part 5: Intimacy 

Paul comes now to the third in his list of four characteristics of those who “walk worthy of the Lord” (Co 1.10): they are, he says,  

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness (Co 1.11). 

There’s a lot to talk about in this clause. I’ll note initially that most of us have trouble taking Paul seriously here. This is an astonishing promise. 

First, he says, we are “strengthened with all might.” Now, right on its face, it seems beyond belief. “All might?” Really? 

Well, that’s what it says. Of course, we need to read contextually. God is omnipotent (e.g. Ge 18.14), and he’s also holy, or unique (Is 6.3; 45.5-6), which means that we are not as powerful as he is. So in what way is the mature believer “strengthened with all might”? 

I’d suggest that God provides us with all the strength we need to do whatever he wills or calls us to do. We’re strong enough. We can get it done. 

And lest we get nervous about making extravagant claims, Paul piles on the confirmation. In just this phrase Paul uses both the verb and the noun forms of the same word: literally, we are “strengthened with all strength.” 

Now, Paul is a Jew, educated under Gamaliel the Rabban, and he knows his Hebrew language and culture. When a Hebrew speaker wanted to emphasize something, he repeated or duplicated it. In Genesis 1, for example, God says to Adam, if you eat the fruit of that tree, “dying, you shall die” (Ge 2.17). Most English translations rightly render that as “You shall surely die” or “You shall certainly die.” Scholars call that a “Hebraism.” 

So if the mature believer is “strengthened with all strength,” then he is, as my Bostonian friends would say, “wicked strong.” 

But there’s more. The next phrase gives the scope, or the measure, of that strength: “according to his glorious power.” The word “power” here is a different Greek word, one that means simply “might,” whether physical or military or political. I think the point here is not that we’re as strong as God—as we’ve already noted, that’s impossible—but rather that God’s commands for us are backed up by his omnipotence; we act not merely in our own strength, but with the impelling force of his omnipotence. We can do whatever God calls us to do. 

One more thing. Paul adds a phrase here that specifies the kinds of things he’s calling us to do. Not impressive exploits or acts of strength, but rather “all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness” (Co 1.11). Both patience and longsuffering have to do with bearing up under a heavy load, not collapsing, finishing a difficult experience. We might say “endurance.” Often in the Scripture the words are connected to suffering or persecution. 

How about that? A key evidence of spiritual maturity is that you don’t lose your cool. You don’t quit under pressure. You don’t let exhaustion, or pain, or fear move you to stop trying, to stop standing. When you’re persecuted, you take it, for as long as the persecutor can dish it out. 

You Just Do It. 

And finally, Paul says, you Just Do It with a smile on your face. “With joyfulness,” he says. 

Yikes. 

We have an example of that in the very earliest days of the church. After Peter healed a lame man in the Temple (Ac 3.1-10), he preached Christ to the gathered crowd (Ac 3.11-26). In response the Jewish leadership demanded that the apostles stop their preaching, under threat of severe punishment (Ac 4.1-22). But the church saw this opposition as the fulfillment of prophecy (Ac 4.23-31) and determined to continue preaching; and the apostles continued their healing miracles (Ac 5.12-16). 

In response the Jewish leadership came down hard and eventually determined to execute the apostles, but began with a beating (Ac 5.17-40). And how did the apostles respond? 

They departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name (Ac 5.41). 

They rejoiced that God had allowed them to suffer. 

And they kept preaching: 

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ (Ac 5.42). 

Strengthened with all might. 

It can happen. 

Next time: thankfulness. 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Filed Under: Bible, Theology Tagged With: Colossians, New Testament, sanctification, soteriology, systematic theology

How God Makes Well-Rounded Christians, Part 5:  Intimacy

September 8, 2025 by Dan Olinger Leave a Comment

Part 1: Introduction | Part 2: Obedience | Part 3: Relationship | Part 4: Fruitfulness  

As Paul continues his list of specific ways that we will “walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing,” he comes to item 2: “increasing in the knowledge of God” (Co 1.10).  

It shouldn’t surprise us that he lands here at this point; while the “good works” he’s just discussed are a necessary, even crucial, evidence of our regeneration—“faith without works is dead,” Jesus’ half-brother pithily observed (Jam 2.20)—Jesus made it abundantly clear that good works are not the central definition of Christian life. Throughout his ministry he lambasted the Pharisees, who had more good works going for them than anybody else in their day—even tithing their herbs and spices (Mt 23.23)—because they ignored “justice, mercy, and faith” (Ibid.). He identified the greatest commandment as “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Mt 22.37); and in an intimate conversation with his Father, he said, “This is life eternal, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (Jn 17.3). 

So it’s clear that Christian maturity is about more than just Doing What the Boss Says. Perhaps we can even say that it’s about more than the Lordship of Christ—though it is certainly about that. Christian maturity goes beyond that to the personal, to the intimate, to having a deep and loving—may I say affectionate?—relationship with God. We sometimes speak of “asking Jesus into our heart”—there’s some controversy about that—but as we’ve noted already, God is One, and we seek that intimacy with the Father (recall John 17.3, referenced earlier) and with the Son and with the Spirit, as One. 

The word knowledge here, as in the previous verse, has a preposition prefixed to it in the Greek (epiginosko as contrasted with ginosko). Sometimes, but not always, such a preposition signifies an intensification: so here, perhaps “to know with certainty,” “to know more deeply.”  

Maybe, maybe not. Trench thinks so, as does Geisler in the Bible Knowledge Commentary. But in any case we do not doubt that Paul is holding before us the goal of knowing God as thoroughly,as profoundly, as transformatively as a human can. 

Note that Paul describes this knowledge of God as “increasing.” This is something that grows, that develops, over time. 

We know what that’s like; we experience that in all our human relationships. My wife and I have been married for more that 41 years. There was a time when I didn’t know her at all. As we became acquaintances, we needed time for our understanding of each other to develop. Along the way there were times of misunderstanding due to the relative shallowness of the relationship. But as time proceeded, as experience was added to experience, we began to understand one another, to care for one another, to love one another. Most couples say that they thought they knew each other when they got married, but they realize now that they were just beginning. 

So it is in our walk with God; we are, after all, his bride (Rev 21.9). Unlike our human relationships, this growth is not reciprocal; God knows us perfectly from the beginning. But we have a lifetime of learning to do, and mature Christians find that their understanding and trust grow with that learning. 

Skeptics sometimes accuse Christians of being naïve, overly trustful, acting in blind faith. But that is not at all what’s happening. I trust my wife when I can’t see her, because I know her and have known her for decades. The mature Christian has the same kind of relationship with God. He knows his goodness and greatness from experience, and  he trusts him as a consequence. 

Do you have trouble trusting God? That’s normal for people who aren’t well acquainted. Give it time, and pay attention; God’s greatness and goodness will become apparent, and that will mature you over time. 

Next time: slow-twitch muscle.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Filed Under: Bible, Theology Tagged With: Colossians, New Testament, sanctification, soteriology, systematic theology

How God Makes Well-Rounded Christians, Part 4: Fruitfulness 

September 4, 2025 by Dan Olinger Leave a Comment

Part 1: Introduction | Part 2: Obedience | Part 3: Relationship 

Paul now lists four specific ways that we will “walk worthy of the Lord, into all pleasing” (Co 1.10): 

  • Being fruitful in every good work, 
  • Increasing in the knowledge of God; (Co 1.10) 
  • Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; (Co 1.11) 
  • Giving thanks unto the Father (Co 1.12). 

That’s quite a list. Keep in mind that these things are what God accomplishes in us—so they are achievable. 

The first characteristic that Paul chooses to list is fruitfulness. This follows naturally from what he has just said; if you are walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, then you are bearing fruit. 

In my early days as a Christian, my instructors tended to see “fruit bearing” as soul-winning or evangelism. I don’t doubt that that’s part of it, and a significant part; evangelism—and then discipleship—is the Great Commission that the ascending Christ left with us (Mt 28.19-20). Some see in Psalm 126 a motivation to evangelism: 

5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him (Ps 126.5-6). 

While I believe the context indicates a much broader scope to this observation, it certainly would include the concept of evangelism. 

But overall, when the New Testament speaks of “fruit” in the Christian life, it’s speaking about good works as evidence of faith (e.g. “the fruit of righteousness,” He 12.11; Jam 3.18) or character development, most famously in the “fruit of the Spirit” (Ga 5.22-23). I think it’s reasonable in this context (“fruitful in every good work”) to read this characteristic as demonstrating consistent success in our spiritual efforts to walk in a way that’s pleasing to God. We will fail on occasion, of course; the “old man,” as Paul describes our sinful nature, remains with us (Ro 7.24), and we stumble along the way, perhaps every day. (Or is it just me?) 

But in the main, there is growth and development of character; we can see progress from the way we used to be to the way we are now. I’ve been encouraged by the fact that as I grow older, and I have a longer timeline to recall and evaluate, the progress is easier to see. The sin nature is still there, and it may not be easy to see improvement from last week, or even last month, but oh, are things different from 50 years ago! Here is clear evidence of God’s working in my life, his ready grace and empowerment over time. 

Because he is omnipotent, God is never in a hurry; he is never under the pressure of time. He has done his work in me, and in you, as he has pleased, and he will continue faithfully until our last breath—and then he will sanctify us perfectly. There is great peace in that. 

And there is great peace in meditating on the specific “fruit of the Spirit” that he is developing in our character: 

  • Love, or others-centeredness. Thinking about, and living for, others instead of your own priorities or even needs. 
  • Joy, or persistent optimism about God’s control of present and future. Looking for what he’s doing rather than complaining or fearing about trials. 
  • Peace, or confident resting in the goodness of God’s plan. Freedom from fear, the predominant characteristic of present society. 
  • Endurance, or the ability to bear up under challenging loads for as long as necessary. This is a natural consequence of peace. 
  • Kindness, or care in treating others as you would be treated. This is a natural consequence of love. 
  • Goodness, or “interest in the welfare of others” (BDAG). This, too, springs from love. 
  • Faithfulness, or reliability, persistent adherence to the truth. I would suggest that this is another consequence of peace. 
  • Gentleness, or “the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance” (BDAG). Another consequence of love. 
  • Self-control, or strength over your natural instincts. This too springs from love, a devaluing of your own interests in favor of those of others. 

God is doing this in you, over time, in his time. Enjoy watching this happen, and take heart from the experience. 

Next time: increasing in the knowledge of God. 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Filed Under: Bible, Theology Tagged With: Colossians, New Testament, sanctification, soteriology, systematic theology

How God Makes Well-Rounded Christians, Part 3: Relationship

September 1, 2025 by Dan Olinger 1 Comment

Part 1: Introduction | Part 2: Obedience 

Paul has begun his prayer for the Colossian Christians with his primary request: that they would be dedicated to knowing—and following—God’s will for them. The foundation of a well-rounded Christian life is being God-focused and God-centered. 

Now, if you’re starting down this path and have reoriented your priorities in that way, something is necessarily going to follow. Paul says that you will “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing” (Co 1.10a). That may surprise you. Can we really “walk worthy of the Lord”—even from the beginning? 

Paul does speak matter-of-factly about walking worthy of God, as though this is something achievable, even routinely, by his followers: 

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ep 4.1-3). 

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel (Php 1.27). 

As Paul teaches elsewhere, this is not something we just buckle down and do. He tells another church, “It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Php 2.13). We seek his will as revealed in his Word, and his Spirit illuminates our minds as we read (1Co 2.12-16). With that understanding, we know what to do. And then he motivates and empowers us to do it. As we do, we will walk “worthy” of the Lord and please him well. 

This isn’t really something we can do by our own willpower, is it? It’s not about gritting your teeth, scrunching your eyebrows together, and trying your very very best. It’s about reading, studying, and meditating on his Word, communicating continuously with him, and walking consciously in the light of his presence. You know what? That’s something you can do with an attitude of peace, not frantic (and often frustrated) effort. 

Christians often say that Christianity isn’t a religion, but a relationship. That’s not just verbal jiu-jitsu; it’s at the definitional core. We can’t thrive spiritually without walking moment by moment with God. 

A little trinitarian observation is appropriate here. We often focus on the fact that God exists in three persons, to the extent, I fear, that we think of three Gods. That is gravely wrong. God is One, and the persons do not operate independently, even though they do fill distinct roles. If we follow Jesus’ pattern for our prayer (Mt 6.9-13), we pray to the Father, a fact that implies that he is close enough to hear us. (I know that God’s ability to hear is not a function of distance, but work with me here.) Jesus, the Son, said that he would be “with” his disciples, to the end of the age (Mt 28.20). And finally, the Spirit indwells us forever (Jn 14.16; Ro 8.9). Now, God is omnipresent (Ps 139.7-10), so in a sense he is “with” everyone, even unbelievers, and he is in places where there are no people whatsoever. But these passages indicate that the Triune God is united in being “with” believers in a special way, instructing , leading, strengthening, abiding. 

I dwell in the high and holy place, With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones (Is 57.15). 

If you’re just stumbling along trying to do better, then, you’re missing the whole point. Walk with him, and you will find yourself walking “in all pleasing.” One commentator writes, 

“[This is] an expression that describes not a frightened attitude in the presence of a superior, but behaviour that honours the Lord because it arises out of glad obedience to him” (Peter T. O’Brien in The New Bible Commentary, p. 1265). 

Paul will turn next to specific ways that our walk will be worthy of the Lord. We’ll begin looking into that next time. 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Filed Under: Bible, Theology Tagged With: Colossians, New Testament, sanctification, soteriology, systematic theology, Trinity

How God Makes Well-Rounded Christians, Part 2: Obedience

August 28, 2025 by Dan Olinger Leave a Comment

Part 1: Introduction

So what does Paul pray for the members of the church at Colossae? He begins this prayer (Co 1.9-23) with a basic request (Co 1.9) followed by its typical result (Co 1.10a) and then amplifies that result with four descriptors (Co 1.10-12). As I noted in the previous post, the final descriptor (thankfulness) opens the door to a long list of specific things for which believers should be thankful (Co 1.13-23).

That’s a lot to digest. Let’s start at the beginning, chewing slowly and thoughtfully.

[ Sidebar: I’ve noticed in recent years, particularly among what we used to call “the young, restless, and reformed,” that many preachers like to use the metaphor of unpacking a box when they exegete a passage; they’ll say, “Let’s unpack this passage.” I rather suspect that they have a favorite preacher who uses the expression, and they’re imitating him (Piper? Mohler? Macarthur?). I have to admit that since I’m a hopelessly out-of-touch old coot, I don’t know who the exemplar preacher—the Yoda, if you will—is. But in any case, I’ve always used a different metaphor, that of chewing and digesting. I do have considerable experience at chewing, and I find great pleasure in it. And there’s always Jeremiah 15.16 to consider:

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.

So there’s that.

End sidebar. ]

Paul’s primary prayer is straightforward:

We … 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 (Co 1.9).

The second infinitive, “to desire,” is, I think, simply a restatement of the first, “to pray.” (In Greek, the word “and” can often be translated “even,” as introducing an appositive, a restatement.) And what is that prayer, that desire? That they would know God’s will, or, more expansively, “be filled with the knowledge of his will.”

For the believer on the way to spiritual maturity, the essential thing is to be determined to live according to the will of God. That means, of course, not just knowing what God wants, but being oriented toward it (being “filled with it”) and then doing it. Paul is praying that they would obey God. That’s where it all starts.

And that’s why he immediately says, “in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” These words have to do with more than just knowing. We must not picture the hypercranialized space aliens who just know all kinds of stuff and always win at “Jeopardy!” Wisdom and understanding have to do not so much with intellect, but with application: knowing how to use what you know to do practical things. I once read somewhere that knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable; but wisdom is knowing that you don’t put ketchup on ice cream.

It’s more extensive than that, of course; wisdom and understanding include creative thinking, problem-solving, and what Bloom called synthesis. It’s the opposite of the ivory tower. It’s the ability to get stuff done.

So if Paul is attaching the concept of wisdom to the knowledge of God’s will, he is praying for us to do what we know, to live out who God has designed us to be.

Well then. We begin here.

But how? How are we to know the will of God?

To the college students I’ve taught for many years, the will of God has to do with three w’s: what (is my career going to be), where (am I going to live), and who (am I going to marry). Those are important questions, of course, but the teaching on the will of God in the Bible doesn’t focus on that. It focuses instead on the kind of person you’re going to be. For example, Paul writes elsewhere,

This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication (1Th 4.3).

And there’s more; grab your search software (or, if you’re over 75, your concordance—and a good magnifying glass) and have a field day.

God’s well-rounded people start every day, and the rest of their lives, with the question, “Based on what I know of the Bible, what does God want me to do?”

That’s a start.

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Filed Under: Bible, Theology Tagged With: Colossians, New Testament, sanctification, soteriology, systematic theology

How God Makes Well-Rounded Christians, Part 1: Introduction

August 21, 2025 by Dan Olinger Leave a Comment

Decades ago one of my professors (the late Charles W. Smith, for those who may remember him) suggested that a good way to study prayer was to focus on Paul’s prayers at the openings of his epistles. I took note of that and started noticing the kinds of things Paul prayed for his churches. I found then, and I still find, that my prayers, particularly the requests, could use a significant upgrade. 

Why the need? In my case, it was because I was focused on the wrong stuff—or at least, my focus was too narrow: help this sick person feel better, provide more money for this person or that ministry, that sort of thing. 

Paul, on the other hand, is focused like a laser beam on the Big Idea: the spiritual growth and well-being of those to whom he ministers. Along the way, he’s not just asking God for things; he’s instructing his readers (including us) as to what kinds of “things” we should be giving our attention to. 

I’d like to pursue this idea here by spending a few posts working through Paul’s prayer in the opening to Colossians. This follows naturally on my recent meditations on the supremacy of Christ as the firstborn, which Paul lays out in one portion of this prayer (Co 1.15). 

The prayer itself is in Colossians 1.9-12, but at the end of it he moves quickly past a comma to offer an extended reflection on the works of God in our salvation, for which we should be thankful—a reflection that runs through the end of the chapter. 

When taken as a whole, then, Paul’s prayer lays out the works of God in our salvation, works that cover every facet of our “inner man”—what we often call the heart, the mind, the psyche, the emotions, the wishes, the dreams. God does a complete renovation of the house that we call our selves (2Co 5.1). There is nothing in us that his work doesn’t touch. Hence the title of this series: “How God Makes Well-Rounded Christians.” 

Note the subject and verb. I don’t intend this series to be a list of more stuff ya gotta do, or a list of virtues for you to work on, a la Benjamin Franklin. This is work that God does in you; you can’t do it without him. 

But the Bible does indicate that although justification is monergistic (God does it without our help), sanctification, or growth in Christ-likeness, is synergistic: we play a role in making it happen, by God’s grace. (Even Calvinists teach that. Yes, they do.) For example, Peter speaks of “making effort” toward spiritual growth (2P 1.5). Paul speaks of “presenting our bodies” (Ro 12.1), of “bringing holiness to completion” (2Co 7.1), and of “working out our own salvation” (Php 2.12); the author of Hebrews speaks of “striving for … holiness” (He 12.14). 

So it’s wise stewardship to know the goals that God is working toward in us, and to be purposeful is seeking opportunities to work with him in developing the characteristics that will get us there. 

That’s one purpose of this series. There is a second. 

If any of us finds that these characteristics are missing—not just imperfect, but missing, strange, out of the ordinary—then it’s time to go back to the beginning and ask the big question. Has God begun a work in us by justifying us? We know that he has if we have repented and believed (Mk 1.15; Ac 3.19; Ro 5.1). But in Western “Christian” culture it’s easy, particularly for those raised in Christian homes, to just go along, be agreeable, give the right answer to the questions in Sunday school—but never genuinely repent. 

This series is chance for all of us to inspect our inner selves and ask, is God in fact sanctifying me? Am I making progress in Christ-likeness? 

If the answer is “No,” there’s a free and simple solution. 

Next time, we’ll begin looking at Paul’s prayer for his Colossian readers, and for us. 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Filed Under: Bible, Theology Tagged With: Colossians, New Testament, sanctification, soteriology

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