Four Steps to Walk in a Manner Pleasing to God
The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church in Colossae is refreshing to both mind and soul, being not merely informative regarding the character and nature of Jesus but also a refreshing breath for those who find their peace in him. Colossians 1:9-14 is no exception. Herewithin, Paul writes to the faithful, telling them of how he prays unceasingly for them (v.9). It is, however, vital to our own Christian walks that we remember that though the letter was written to the Colossians, it is also written and preserved for us. So what does Paul say to the Colossians?
Colossians 1:9–14
[9] And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, [10] so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; [11] being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; [12] giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. [13] He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (ESV)
Paul writes that he prays ceaselessly that the saints in Colossae may grow in knowledge, spiritual wisdom, and understanding. It would be foolish to assume Paul’s desire for others’ godly growth is exclusive to this one specific church, for each of his letters is written with this aim, and each to a different church. As a part of the unified Church of Christ (the whole body of believers), we may assume that Paul wants the same for us. But what is it that Paul wants for us? It is for us to live godly lives—“to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him…” [v.10a]—it is for us to live in a manner pleasing to the Lord, a lifestyle that will result in the discovery of our own pleasure in him. The question then begs itself: How can we live in a manner pleasing to God?
In the aforementioned passage, Paul gives us a list of four steps to live a life pleasing to God. “So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…” [10] The first step is to bear fruit in every good work. To provide a comprehensive explanation of what it means to bear good fruit, I would have to write a multi-volume series of very long books. To spare you and me both that trouble, I will say it in the briefest terms: doing good for the glory of God. The first step to pleasing God is by doing his will in his name, offering him total glory for our successes; indeed, they already belong to him.
Verse 10 also gives us our second step toward pleasing God: getting to know him. “Increasing in the knowledge of God…” [v.10c] There are many ways we can increase our knowledge of God, whether through the study of scripture, prayer, sharing testimonies, or even pulling that dusty theology book off the shelf and giving it a read. God delights in our getting to know him. Though we will never be able to comprehend God in his entirety (due to the infinitude of his nature), he gives us opportunities to catch glimpses into his very heart—to know who he truly is. Why does God do this? Why does an infinite and holy God offer frail, finite minds the ability to understand parts of him at all? The short answer: he does this because he loves us, and it pleases him to do so. If I want to climb a mountain because I like the sight, sound, and feel of the crisp air flowing through the needles of swaying evergreens, I do it because it pleases me. If I curl up on the sofa, wrapped in a warm, fuzzy blanket on a chilly winter evening, it is because it pleases me. How much more is our infinite God pleased when we turn our eyes to him?
Our third step comes from verse 11. “Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy…” [v.11] God is pleased to strengthen us—he is pleased to give us all of his power according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy. When the woes of life stack up against you and leave you unable to take another step, God is there, pleased to carry you. When your burdens are too heavy, God is there, pleased to bear them. When your sins buried you in the vile mire of your guilt, staining you beyond self-redemption, God is there, pleased to take those sins upon himself and offer you that redemption you could not earn yourself. Moreover, he gives us joy to go with that power in those hard times. God delights in comforting us when we fall on him in hard times, and what is more, he enables us to delight in him when we trust in him. This is the very heart of Jesus: to bear our burdens and to give us a new, easy yoke.
The fourth step comes from Colossians 1:12. “Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” [v.12] God delights in our gratitude. Whatever we have been given, we ought to thank our God. In Jesus Christ, we have already received an inheritance of the saints of light—to dwell in the rich and loving presence of God for eternity, i.e., to be, forever, with the same God who is pleased to take our burdens and replace them with joy. This is the inheritance to which the Father has qualified us, declaring us righteous and deserving, though we are weak and sinful. By grace was it given to us, for we did not deserve it, and for such grace, we ought to be grateful.
Lastly, Colossians 1:13-14 offers the reader of Paul’s letter the answer to the question “Why?” Why are we to be grateful? Why are we to trust in his power for endurance and joy? Why should we get to know him? Why should we give him our glory? Why should we live a life pleasing to God? “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” [v.13-14] Paul points us to Jesus, the beloved Son, for our answer. Because of Christ’s work on the cross, we have not merely been saved from darkness, sin, and the just wrath of God, but we have also been brought into the light, redeemed and forgiven through Jesus’ blood on the cross. He is pleased to receive rightful glory for our good works because we could do no good without him. He is pleased by our faithful company, for he is our creator. He is pleased to deliver us from hardships because his heart is set toward us in love. And when we walk with him in gratitude, he is pleased.
- M. D. Eaton