I ran across a new Bible verse this week. You know, the kind that jumps off the page as you are reading it. It always makes me smile when that happens with a verse that’s been underlined or highlighted at some point previously. By me. Because no one else writes in my Bible, LOL.
I smile because I’m delighted by the fact that God’s Word is so very active, so very alive! I know you understand because you’ve most likely experienced the same thing: you’ve read it repeatedly, but this time it takes on a stronger emphasis…this time it means more.
That’s what happened a few days ago when I read Colossians 1:5, 6: “…the gospel…which has come to you…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…” [NASB]
Honestly, if you have done much Bible-reading, you know the gospel is powerful and productive, right? Of course! The word “increasing” was the word that jumped off the page. That made me realize: the gospel of God is not just alive. IT GROWS!
I know…this is not new information, but it is profound! Not only is this old story alive, but it hasn’t reached its peak. It continues to grow and will continue to increase as long as there are people on earth. I know–you know this.
Stick with me for just a minute, and let’s funnel the big picture to where we get real personal.
Reading the surrounding verses presents 2 areas in which the gospel increases:
Collectively – in groups of people, as in the church mentioned here
Individually – in single persons as they place their faith in Christ
How do we personalize this? We can start by asking these self-evaluating questions:
Collective Increase – Have I placed myself with a group or groups of people who intentionally focus on increasing spiritual growth? [Notice Colossians 1:2-4]
Individual Increase – Being a person of faith, what steps do I take to increase my faith so that it matures and continues to grow? [Notice Colossians 1:4-5]
If you’re like me, an honest evaluation leads directly into a decision-making process. I immediately think: Is it important to me that the gospel increase? If not, then I can carry on and float through life. However, if I do desire increase, how does that happen?
With the gospel being powerful and productive on its own, we can conclude it doesn’t need any help from you and me! In fact, this writer, Paul, states it has been increasing “since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth”.
So, it’s just going to happen intrinsically, right? That would be true if there were no other factors involved. But you & I both know from experience there is a lot more that happens in life than just the gospel. There are forces regularly competing with the gospel. There are parts of life that don’t initially involve the gospel.
Before you balk at the previous paragraph, Now Hear This: the gospel of God is applicable and effectual to every part of living.
But the “increasing” runs up on competition, so its effects on us individually move into a very personal place. You and I choose its level of increase in our own lives.
Are you tracking with me, or does this concept raise the hairs on your forearms just a bit?
So you’ll know I’m not just talking out of my own head, go with me back to the text, and read ahead in verse 10. Paul repeats the word “increasing” and further explains how the increasing occurs: “…in the knowledge of God…”
Paul concludes the more one knows about God and knows God, the more powerfully the gospel increases and produces fruit in the life of that person. Again, I doubt this is news to you. But what caught my attention was, the power of the increase is exponential. It’s not only individual–it is collective at the same time!
In verses 9-12, Paul unpacks that suitcase and shows us how it looks when the gospel is increasing. If you want to go deeper, read those verses and make a list of all the effects. It’s quite comprehensive and it comes with all the feels! (Take special notice of his emphasis with the words “all” and “every”.)
So for the next couple of days, will you spend some personal time with the Lord in Colossians 1, then ask and answer those 2 self-evaluating questions above?
Then join me again in a couple of days, because I want to tell you a personal story about what happened to me and how I experienced the gospel increasing just last week. And it starts like this:
“They were talking behind my back…”