Being Able to Know What’s Good (Colossians 1:10)

Class Outline:

Sunday August 2, 2026

 

Intro: 

 

The gospel is bearing fruit in the Colossians and increasing. Yet still Paul is in unrelenting prayer for them. 

 

The zeal of believers seeking the Lord will be led far astray from Christ if their faith points in the wrong direction. 

 

COL 1:9-12

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father…

 

Theme:
True good works bear lasting fruit only when they flow from knowing Christ as Lord and living to please the Father.

 

Every good work bearing fruit:

 

What is good? The ancient nations surrounding Israel had a common notion of good that was tied to ethics and morality, not much different than today.

 

Revelation of salvation: the door opened to good work and knowledge of God. 

 

OT revelation of good: God alone is good and He is good to His people. 

 

Jesus agreed: MAT 19:17

 And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good

 

Christ opens the way of good to us. 

 

COL 1:6

which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth

 

HEB 9:14

 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

 

ROM 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

All of a sudden the people of the world have a door opened that leads to the greatest treasure. 

 

God alone is good and does good to His people. How did His people respond?

 

HOS 8:3

Israel has rejected the good;

The enemy will pursue him.

 

 

Centuries later the world would have to respond to God’s greatest good: Christ. 

 

Busy but without fruit: Can this be a Christian? 

 

A lord of self will disqualify a Christian from fruit.

 

1CO 9:27

I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

 

Bearing fruit: qualified -

 

ROM 7:4-5

Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.

 

JOH 15:5

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

 

What is God’s fruit? GAL 5:22-23

 

GAL 5:22-25

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

 

The problem: self as lord and not Him. 

 

LUK 8:14

 "The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

 

You will know “it” (good work) by its fruit (as opposed to “You will know them by their fruits” [MAT 7:20]). 

 

LUK 8:15

"But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

 

“Hold it fast” - acknowledge it is authority of the Lord. 

 

“With perseverance” - a manifestation of God’s strength (COL 1:11). 

 

1TH 5:15

 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

 

“For one another and for all people” - the manifestation of love (chief fruit of the Spirit). 

 

COL 3:12-14

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

 

The work of God is never just tasks. It is never without fruit. 

 

Conclusion: 

 

Good is only known by God who alone is good. 

 

God fully revealed His good through Christ and made us new so that we can see and do His good works and bear His fruit in them. 

 

Good work bearing fruit is coupled with increasing in the knowledge of God. 

 

Can you see the work you do through this lens?