Introduction

Friends, family, fellow believers, gather round. We are here, not by accident, but by divine appointment. Each one of us, in this very moment, has been called to listen, learn, and lean into the living Word of God. We are here to unearth the treasures of truth tucked away in the sacred Scripture. We are here to grow in our understanding, deepen our faith, and strengthen our resolve to live in accordance with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The great Charles Spurgeon once said, "A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't." How true that is! As we open the pages of our Bibles, we are not merely reading words on a page, we are engaging with the living, breathing Word of God. We are standing on holy ground, stepping into a sacred conversation that has the power to transform our lives from the inside out.

Today, we turn our hearts and minds to the book of Colossians. In the first chapter, verses 1 through 14, the Apostle Paul writes: "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 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, 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; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 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."

Belief as the Bedrock of Behavior

Belief isn't just about acknowledging God's existence or accepting the fact of Jesus' death and resurrection. It's about knowing God's will, understanding His ways, and aligning our lives with His purposes. It's about internalizing the truths of the Gospel so deeply that they shape our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. This is the bedrock upon which our behavior is built.

When we look at the Colossians, we see a group of believers who are living out their faith in tangible ways. They are loving one another, bearing fruit, and growing in their knowledge of God. Their behavior is a reflection of their belief. They have heard the Gospel, understood the grace of God, and it is bearing fruit in their lives.

But belief isn't a static thing. It's not a box we check off when we decide to follow Jesus. It's a dynamic, growing, deepening relationship with the living God. It's a continual process of learning and growing, of being filled with the knowledge of God's will and gaining spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Paul prays for the Colossians to be strengthened with all power, according to God's glorious might. This kind of strength comes from a deep, unshakeable belief in the goodness and faithfulness of God.

Belief also shapes our behavior in the way we respond to God's grace. Paul talks about giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. When we truly believe in the magnitude of God's grace, in the incredible gift of redemption and forgiveness we have in Christ, it should lead us to a life of gratitude. Our behavior, our words, our attitudes, should be marked by thankfulness.

Finally, belief shapes our behavior in the way we live in this world. We have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of God's beloved Son. When we believe in Christ, we are no longer citizens of this world. We belong to a different kingdom, a kingdom of light. This should affect the way we live, the choices we make, the values we hold. Our behavior should reflect our new citizenship.

Basis of Faith in Christ and His Word

In the passage we just read, Paul is writing to the Colossians, a group of believers who have shown their faith in Christ and their love for fellow believers ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO