Reading Plan: We Colossians 1:9-10 - Zoom In, Zoom Out, Now What?
Devotional: 3 of 3

“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;” Colossians 1:9-10 ESV

Zoom In

In verse 10, Paul’s prayer is that the saints would be filled with God’s knowledge and wisdom so that day by day, their lives would be pleasing to God, bearing fruit for his kingdom. But, what does it mean to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord?” Before we look closer at the word “worthy” in this text, let’s zoom in on the word “walk.” Some translations of verse 10 interchange the word walk with “live.” The Greek word used here for “so as to walk” is peripatēsai. This word can also be translated as “to tread all around, i.e., Walk at large; figuratively, to live, deport oneself, follow.” So maybe the better question we should be trying to answer is “what does it mean to live a life that follows Jesus and is worthy of His calling on our lives?

Zoom Out

To answer this question, let’s zoom out from verse 10 and look closer at how the word “worthy” is used in the New Testament, looking specifically at Paul’s letters. The greek word for worthy or worthily in this instance is axiós. This word appears six times in the New Testament and five times in Paul’s letters. After reviewing the text surrounding each time Paul uses this word in his letters, there are three key themes that I believe can help us at least start to answer the question; “what does it mean to live a life that follows Jesus and is worthy of His calling on our lives?”

First, as we follow Jesus, we take on His character, reproduce His life in ours and die to ourselves a little more each day. But what does it look like to take on the character of Jesus? In Ephesians 4:1-6, Paul describes it this way: living “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” As we live out the character of Christ, we will naturally step into opportunities to care for and support the family of God, especially those charged with proclaiming the gospel (Romans 16:1-2, 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12, 3 John 1:5-8).

The second theme that bubbles up to the surface when we look closer at when Paul writes about “walking in a manner worthy of the Lord” is the idea of “oneness” and “unity.” When writing to the Ephesians, Paul reminds the reader to be eager to maintain unity, declaring that our hope is in “one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God.” This message is echoed again in Philippians 1:27-30 when Paul writes: “only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”

Finally, in addition to taking on the character of Jesus and pursuing oneness and unity: we are called to endure suffering and not be frightened in the face of opposition (Philippians 1:27-30). Hardship, suffering, and opposition are part of following Christ. 1 Peter 4:12-14 declares, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

Now What?

As followers of Jesus, we are to live in a way that puts the character of Christ on full display for the world to see. As long as it depends on us, we are to pursue oneness and unity, seeking to love others first and foremost despite our differences. Finally, we should not be surprised by suffering or opposition on account of walking in a manner worthy of Jesus. We must remind ourselves of how urgent the gospel message truly is and that this life is not our home.

About the Author

Nathan Miller

You may know me as a husband, father, son, brother, friend, mentor, ultra marathoner runner, NBA basketball enthusiast, fan of all things tech, music lover and writer. However, the life blood that flows through everything that I strive to be comes from a desire for greater intimacy with Jesus Christ. He is my Savior, my Provider, my Lord and most of all my best friend.