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Col 1:9 Paul's prayer for Belivers


Continuing in our study of prayer as part of the PPOG for the spiritual life of the believer we are now looking at Paul and Timothy's prayer for the believer's spiritual growth in Col 1:9-12;

In verse 9 we have "Since the day we heard of you, [we] have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you ” may be filled (pleroo) with the knowledge (epignosis) of His will (thelema) and all spiritual wisdom (sophia) and understanding (sunesis).

We are presently discussing the implications of the Greek word "plerothete" which is the second peron aorist passive subjunctive of "pleroo". and is translated "may be filled".

We concluded last time with the idea that the main characteristic of the state of pleroma is occupation with TLJC.

In the viewpoint of the one that is occupied with Christ, Jesus is the not only the object of their faith, but of their concentration Phil 1:20-21; Heb 12:2-3; their expectation 1Tim 1:1; and their love Eph 6:24;

He's the Inner initiator of the believer's "hope or confident expectation of glorification" (Col 1:27; Rom 5:2b; Rom 8:29-30; Phil 3:20-21; Col3: 4; 2Thes 1:12; Heb 2:10; 1John 3:2;

" Christ Jesus our Hope" 1Tim 1:1;c

In pleroma, we love Him because we've come to know such that it entirely fills us, the love of Christ that surpasses "Gnosis."

This is the true and completely wonders filled awareness of His Person and complete assurance that nothing can separate us from His love Rom 8:35-39;

It is this awareness that keeps us in "perfect peace" Isa 26:3) even if we are to be in a state of privation or anguish, or persecution, or lack of food and clothing, or "terrorism", war, or tyranny.

Spiritual maturation requires that we be filled up with personal knowledge of the Son of God not simply academic knowledge. but knowledge which is comprehended by the work of the Spirit of Truth John 16:13-14; Eph 4:21,23; Eph 4:13 through the divinely provided Grace Apparatus for Spiritual Perception (GASP).

To know the Son is to Love him and to respond with Love and Gratitude. 1John 4:19;

With Christ as our major focus we are free to enjoy ail the blessings that accrue to us courtesy of Him.

The knowledge of Christ's love is the knowledge of Christ Jesus both as the Subject and Object of love.

That His love "surpasses knowledge" is Illustrated by Job's words after he passed through the final exam that delivered him to his own personal "pleroma." To God he worshipfully acknowledged: "I've heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You" Job 42:5; NET note 6

Job, in his "mind's eye” now comprehended God in a way that he had never before seen him "through the eyes of the heart," the perceptive abilities given to believers by God's grace. in order for them to become enlightened so that they know "what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His Inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe" Eph 1:18-19; and that, "from God the Father's glorious, unlimited resources He would give believers powerful inner strength through His Hoyt Spirit to know experientially the love of Christ that surpasses natural means for knowing, so that they be filled {pleroo) with all the fullness (pleroma that God has to give. Eph 3:16,19;

Paul and Timothy ask in prayer, for the Colossians to be filled up with this complete understanding.

Epignosis is not just knowledge it is true knowledge which one personally owns. It is not esoteric or mystical like the alleged knowledge 'Gnosis" that the Gnostics were promoting.

Epignosis can be owned by anyone who will believe that Jesus is the Christ and who continues in his Word. John 8:31-32;

Epignosis is full consciousness, it is accurate knowledge. It is awareness with which one has intimate association. It sometimes results from having a clearer and more accurate perception of reality.

Epignosis refers to a personality owned realization that comes by a spiritual illumination which is the result of a supernatural mode of perception enabled by God the Holy Spirit.... The Grace Apparatus for Spiritual Perception. The Human Spirit + God the Holy Spirit.

Epignosis is not merely academic knowledge and does not simply focus on minute details or formalism it is experiential knowledge that has been considered, believed. appreciated by its owner and which we will see is available to be deployed into wisdom.

In this case it is the complete understanding of the will or intent (thelema) of God.
The knowledge with which Paul and Timothy ask that the Colossian believers be filled is full and accurate knowledge of God's will or intent.

The Intent of God can be considered in three categories:

1. His decreed intent which He decreed from eternity past that would come to pass
in all of time or temporal history; all of His decreed intent has, is, or will definitely come to pass. taking into account, but not being determined by the free volition of angels and mankind. This decreed intent is a function of his Sovereignty. Isa 14:24; Acts 4:28;

2. His desired intent, which is often dependent upon human volition, such as that mentioned in 1 Tim 2:3-4;,

He did not decree for all mankind be saved, though in Jesus Christ and in His finished work 1John 2:1-2; He made provision for all mankind to be saved, pending only on their decision to believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God 1 John 5:1a;

3. His command intent or all that He commanded for believers in the Church Age which is for His Son is to be re-presented through them. 1 John 3:23; 1John 5:2-3; Believers must have an Intimate knowledge of God's intent if they are to completely realize what He desires for us and if they are to fully execute all that He commands.



 

 

 

© Copyright 2007, Michael Lemmon Bible Ministries. World Rights Reserved.  This document was created on  11/4/2007