Welcome to relentless truth with John Warren, the podcast that extracts truth from a wide range of topics revealing who God is, who we are and how we relate to each other. Now, here's John with this week's powerful and practical insights. Welcome to relentless truth I'm John Warren, It's good to be with you again, please like share review and subscribe to relentless truth. You can find us where you get your podcast podcasts. Our website is john warren media dot com.
Please feel free to go there to learn more about our work. Including the sponsor of all this works Cf Financial. It's actually Dba for Christian Financial Solutions Llc.
Which is my company. We consult with Christian organizations and some other organizations throughout the country on matters of related to financing real estate projects, all sorts of financial consulting, board governance, strategic planning, and the like, all the things that you think that a former Bank president and Ceo would offer primarily 2 Christian ministries, we want to advance God's kingdom. We want to advance his gospel, the good news of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
So today, we are continuing. We've we've had an introductory episode already on the book of. And so we're in C 1, And the theme of this book is is completeness in Christ. Isn't that just about the most beautiful theme, dear, Christian, brothers and sisters that we could focus on completeness in Christ. As I was thinking about this episode, I was and doing some planning. I was thinking, while, if only I could grasp that concept, completeness in in Christ.
We look to so many other things for our completeness are being found in in him. He completes us perfectly. A lot of times you'll hear in the movies or or the the modern sentiment that that this this person, this human completes me. And and I... That's a lovely romantic sentiment, but no human really completes another person, the way Jesus Christ, the way our lord Jesus Christ completes us. And and so that's the theme of of this book. This book is about crystal.
It's about the study of Jesus Christ. If we If we wanna know who Jesus really is, Is a wonderful book to study. And, you know, I know we've we've been through Philippians as well. I... I've had the opportunity over the last few years. Last many years really, to a 10 or so, to teach scripture almost constantly. And in the last couple of years, I agreed to to do some more classes
at my church. And now now going forward, I'm I'm taking on an adult bible study in Orlando, on Mondays, late in the afternoon, that that'll come after teaching, for a full day, at Circle Christian School. And I'm I'm just blessed with the the opportunity to teach. This podcast now has gone on for almost 3 years were past a hundred and 50
episodes. I I forgot to do that thing that the producers and the marketing folks advised me to do when we started this podcast, I've I've really forgotten to take a a large season of time off to do do planning I've just kept kinda churning through all of these episodes week after week, not in some sort of rote way but but, hopefully in a way that bless this audience. Your your feedback is is a
a rich rich blessing. And and by the way I didn't mention it, But the website the website is john warren media dot com. I did mention that. You can... Wanna communicate with me through the contact form there, or you can send along an email directly to me at John. At john warren media dot com. It's always a blessing to hear from you. My friends down in Australia, over in Australia, over and down, in Australia, it it is a blessing to hear from you even folks in New Zealand.
What a rich blessing in in India, and many other many other countries and right here in in Florida, what a blessing it is. And and most of the other states. I enjoy data, So I I didn't start this podcast to to to put up impressive numbers, but the the data is just astounding at the number of of listeners and and it it does continue consistently to grow and I'm grateful for that.
Well, 1 of the the advantages to all of this teaching is also a disadvantage and that is I get to immerse myself in in biblical truth. And and it's... For those of you who who teach bible, scripture, pastors and and the like, you know that it is 1 of the most convict things that you'll you'll ever do. A friend of mine who was a pastor years ago, that name named Mike Francis who who whose ministry is a blessing. He's always a pastor to me. But but he had a a heart attack on a nazi an
brain injury. And and 1 of the things he he would say is that that, you know, before he preach each Sunday. Sometimes on Saturday, sometimes during preparation during the week. Well, most of the time, he he he had this completely un feeling. Well, I I have that feeling today talking about the completeness, our completeness in Christ, And today, specifically, we're gonna look at chapter 1 versus 9 through 13, and and it's... Most comment will call that the worthy walk.
A walk worthy of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that is is just so intimidating. Completeness in Christ our completeness, we can rest in him, and yet, I don't tend to rest. I tend to be fit and anxious. I tend to look to other things for completeness. And and my list of those other things, what we'll call them idol? We'll call them what they are. There they're actually not all that uni unemployed. They're they're they're actually noble sometimes. Those other things can be in routine. They can be and
even in my teaching. How much teaching am I doing? How much recognition for that teaching do I get, not in a not in AAA man's applause sort away, but but just just even behind the scenes, even just thank you for what you do or or Like, this has made such a difference in my life. I guess that is the applause of of man sometimes.
I mean, I think it's very real when when, Kathy Ce, who I loved Dearly, comes up to me and, year or so go, during a series we were doing on the attributes of god says wow, this is this is really changing the way I I read scripture. III really appreciate that feedback, but it is tempting then, to for me to, develop pride, rely on myself for some of of my completeness.
Even though I teach it, I know how empty that is, I know that Christ is our sufficiency that the attributes of God are amazing that his essence is amazing. They doesn't have separate attributes that he's 1 in substance. Even though I know all those things and that our completeness is in Christ. God inca. God in the flesh. Even though I know all those things and I read it here from Paul, even though I know Philippians, the book that we just read and I see how complimentary it is.
It's because it was written from the same same in the same time period to just a slightly different group of people. But but even even though Paul is correcting some things in the church there, providing wonderful
information for us. And I don't know it perfectly, but but I do know it well and have studied it well, Even even though all of that is true, even though I'm familiar with some of the Greek language and just how important it is, and we're gonna talk about a an important word that we talk about a lot today. I still tend to find my completeness in me. Even though I know I come up short. I wonder if you do this. You know, yeah, you know, you're ear even somewhat depressed over
your limitations. You you know your pro for sin. You know that your your... Like, the hem writer said, you're prone to wonder. Wonder that is. Even though you know all those things, why do we re... Tend to rely on ourselves instead of trusting in Jesus Christ for for our completeness. I I think a lot of it is is is knowledge, but it's also our human limitations on this earth that will be with us. And as we mature in Christ, we tend to grow in our knowledge of our own sin and our own limitations.
So let me just read this introductory section, and then we're gonna, for... If you're following along if you're able to do so, you're not driving and you're someplace safe where you have access to a Bible. We're we're in 1, and you don't need to, you know, pull over the rest stop, and and I'm gonna read the the versus, to you, and you can you can keep but doing whatever it is you're doing and you'll get these these these very
simple but profound concepts. So he starts out Paul and apostle of Christ Jesus by the Will of God and Timothy, our brother to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at. Grace to you and peace from God our father. We've talked a lot on this podcast about Paul's introductions. They're there's so much you can learn.
We can learn in in Philippians, the preview our previous study about servant leadership from from Paul. 1 of the things that we talked about that you can see here is that Paul changes his greeting for his audience. For example, he founded the church at Philip, and he doesn't need to use the word an apostle. He doesn't need to establish his apostles ship. They are near and dear to his heart. Well, all the churches are near and dear. Weren't his his greetings are all warm.
But here, for Colossal, he he he needs to establish his apostles ship. So Paul, really, if you... If you look a little closer than than maybe the obvious as you read these texts, You'll see that Paul is really doing a master on leadership among other things. And and and, yeah, there's some other themes. He's beautiful theology here. But if you just look at it, the way he leads is is is so tender. And he says to
the saints. He calls the people saints. And in Philippians, he called Timothy and himself, bond servants or slaves, Greek word Dol, that that that that that word... We translate slave. And and and so he's humble. It's humble servant leadership, but it is leadership. And he's not afraid to lead. Grace to you and peace from God our father. Most theologian believe that these greetings that Paul does when he says Grace and peace. He he doesn't just, you know, pick
those those those 2 words randomly. He... He's he's using a a Jewish piece and and gentile grace greeting, customer greetings to to greet both Jews and gentile. Hey, we we call him the the gospel, the apostle rather to the gentile. And and and so he he was... He spent a lot of his ministry con concerned about Unity in the church. We've even said during in Philip that, Philippians rather that he was concerned about the church at Philip and its unity.
So many goes on. We also 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 the love that you have for all the saints because of the hope laid up for you, in heaven. It is because of that great hope. We have to remember again, and again, who God is. It is because of him because he first loved us that we are able to have faith that we are able to love each other. The love that you have for all the
saints. So this church is is is what your church and my church should strive to be known for for being... It is known for being a loving church. And and he says of this, you have heard before in the word of 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 Ipa,
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. This is a pap. This is not a p. This is p was in the church at Philip and had gone to attend Paul's needs and became ill almost died, that... That's a different guy. This is this is a path who Paul calls our beloved servant. So if epa might have been their pastor. Well Paul goes on in versus 9 through 13, There's this this section that most comment
reference as the worthy walk. And here's what
he says. 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. That's the end of verse 12. That is all 1 sentence, believe it or not. Versus 9 through 12, And then he says in verse 13 versus 13 and 14. 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. That this is such a beautiful section. He starts with And so from the day we heard, That is heard from, the beloved servant. About the saints at.
And and so from from the day we heard about you, we've not ceased to pray for you. Now there there just aren't many of us who can say that. My my wife and I as we have matured in the faith. We spend a a couple of times per day, the beginning and end of the day, praying together. Almost every day. And we pray for many of you, many of the the same things day after day after day. So we could say in some respects that we've not ceased to pray
for certain people? But but are we perfectly faithful to pray for all of those people could we make the claim, we have not ceased to pray for you no. But look at what Paul pray for asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Well, if you've listened to this podcast, you know about this word knowledge. That is used here. The root word is no, sometimes called, you know, Gen to sort of made a little more English ish. It's no, GN0SI,
which is hard to say. So it it has been changed over the years to Gen sc. It... This word knowledge here is has the prefix epi on it, So it's epi, which is an intense form of knowing, and we've talked a lot about this. It it's a close... It's it's it's thorough knowledge but it's intimate knowledge. In fact, it's so intimate that this word is used in the sep 2 to describe intimacy between a man and a woman. So so this is this is intimate knowledge.
It's not just academic knowledge. It's not idaho just that that that... Oh, I know that flower is read, it it's it's no. And in this case, epic if for emphasis, strong, strong knowledge. Filled with the epi of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. I find myself praying when I pray to start meetings or 2 or or when I'm with other believers, I I find myself and and sometimes alone and sometimes even in the middle of the night, praying for for wisdom. And praying to know
God's will. Well, Paul talks about this very comfortably, and he says filled with the knowledge asking that you may be filled. So you talking out the church. With the knowledge, epi, intimate knowledge of Christ of his will, in all spiritual wisdom. And and understanding. So his is a reference back to to Christ in verse 7. He's a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf. His will is not referencing a path, obviously.
So, so as them verse 10, to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him. There there's there's this notion that we can... We tend to go to 1 end of the spectrum or the other. We tend to be like the pendulum that just swings violently from 1 side of the cabinet to the other, or from 1 side to the other 1 extreme to the other, and we'll we'll we'll say things like it's so difficult. It's so difficult to know how to please God.
And then, others, when the pendulum swings the other way, it'll It'll be God as my buddy, of course, he he's pleased with me. And and Paul is just spelling it out, walking in a manner worthy of the Lord. Fully pleasing to him must be possible or he wouldn't say it here. And then he and then he... There... There's a there's a pause there, and he says, breaking, bearing, sorry, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of of God. Stenosis, again, Gen, of God.
And so this this bearing fruit is related to increasing in the knowledge of God. This is not again just an academic exercises intimacy with him. That that fruit, that fruits of the spirit are talked about, a fair amount in scripture. This love, joy peace, patients, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness and and self control. The the... This... This is the the bearing fruit, bearing the fruit that comes from walking by faith in in Christ, being strengthened with all power.
According to his glorious might. According to the glorious might of Christ, Not your own might is what he's saying here. For all endurance and patience with joy. I hear people say, and I've said it before about myself, Well, I'm just not a patient person. Well, well, you need to be. I I struggle with endurance. I struggle III get frustrated. I get frustrated mostly with me. But I get frustrated with other people and are situations, things that are difficult. I I don't like difficult things.
I don't like tension. I don't like tension among believers. I don't think we should have as much tension as we do. I don't I don't like the way people treat each other in the church. I certainly don't wanna be any part of that. But I I struggle with with all of this. But but notice that Paul says according to his glorious might. Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious. It is resting in him. Being complete in Jesus Christ, trusting in him. It it does not mean as some
of my brethren would would would teach. That what we just throw it into autopilot and relax. That... That's not the point. It doesn't mean that we're not accountable, but it means that that we are trusting in him in his might, not in me, John and his might. Trusting in him, resting in him. You see how beautifully this fits with the sermon on the mount, be not anxious. Trust in and and he goes on, Look at the birds and the in the fields
and the and and and they they... The birds don't have store houses for storing and yet your father and heaven meets all their needs. I'm I'm I'm para, but you you know that section even compares our parenting you if you're being evil, not how to give good gift your children, How much more you father than heaven. Give good things to those who who ask him. There's there's a trusting God resting in him. It's not resting in him without human
effort. It is realizing that our power, all endurance and patience, our are the fruits of the spirit love joy peace patient's, kindness goodness. Faithfulness, gentleness and self control. All of those things come from him, but there is a a being strengthened that we go through as we walk in a manner worthy of the lord. That is as as we follow Christ. And then he says 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 sands. He has bought us by his precious blood, purchased us. That's sort that word redemption is Even the forgiveness of sins, we're gonna get to that beautiful section in a couple of weeks where he says having forgiveness us our sins and having nailed them to the cross.
What what a beautiful promise. We we don't wake up every day trusting in ourselves, do we. We trust in God. This walking in the manner, we look back, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord fully pleasing to him. Bearing fruit and every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Knowledge is essential. I used to think that I couldn't wait to graduate from high school or and then later from college so that I could stop having to learn. I had a bad view of of of learning and of life.
And I thought, you know, and I see this in some of my students sometimes. I can't wait to shut this bad boy down, throw it into neutral and just Coast. I've learned enough. I'm good. I'm proficient and in my field. And and wow did I not realize how how my field banking was going to change so much over the years. How Naive of me to think that, okay. I've arrived. I'm on autopilot now. I'm good.
I pretty much thought that. But but notice how counterintuitive this this truth is that that it is our knowledge of god knowing who he he is knowing who Jesus is. But but that that word knowledge, remember, be filled being filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Notice that. That that is that word epi, which which is is is an intimate knowledge, a a full knowledge. Of knowing in terms of intimacy with Jesus
Christ, our lord. That knowledge requires academic, not requires knowledge of the facts. There's no what you can't say, well, I just love Jesus. If you don't know him. That that we are to know him to walk with him? It is critical. And I know sometimes you think, well, I just don't know where to start. And what about all these pastors? You'd have these conflicting views and what do I what do I do with denomination? And what about all these translations of the bible? I hear all this all the time?
What about these translations? Which 1 can I trust Or well, the the original manuscript were were never recovered and and and this this this manuscript is is is is decent, but but it? I I hear it still has errors. What what am I to do? Well, There's enough accurate information in most of these translations. I'll, I'll just give you a few. English standard standard version. New King James, n iv, I don't know whether I named new American standard yet or not. But but those 3 or 4 are pretty solid.
And and you can you can... I saw somebody on social media nit picking 2 2 versus that get translated differently in the Es English standard version versus, and the N n versus the old King James version. Well you you can you can certainly do that. But if you look at the the versus in context, it they... They... They're well translated. They get the point across.
If you wanna go study the Greek words, use a use it an inter linear or or or or a a great dictionary, resource online like blue letter bible dot org. They have an app as well. I have it on my phone. You can you can look up the greek words if you'd like. And I I do that from time to time. I think that's helpful. You can also find a good a good commentary series. For c, and it's it's a shame, but but, you you can't just go to 1 source for for the entire bible although there are some that try to to
be as effective as possible. There's 1 on Philippians and that I like. And it says the title is joy and completeness in Christ. By Guy named Robert Gram mack, and there there are some editors that are listed as well. Who are well known, but but Gram mack is is the writer of a good commentary. But but if you if you get yourself an English standard bible. If you say, okay. I buy end of this notion that Paul is saying that I need to be filled
with the knowledge of his will. I still don't know where to go, take to to to get solid in my knowledge. Well, III would I would just suggest this. Do this in bite sized pieces. Start with, maybe the gospel of John. If you've never really read scripture before or start with the book of Romans or start with Philippians and c. Maybe go back and listen to old relentless truth podcast episodes as we walked her in kind of a some summary format, the the book of Romans. It is it
is rep repeat with beautiful theology. I try not to use buzz words. I try to explain the concepts try to move relatively slowly through some of the real critical, know, essential, foundational truths of the of the Christian faith. But Paul is, really talking about the value of knowledge of God. And in that is included intimacy in in Christ. Because it's it's not just academic knowledge. It is it is knowledge of the facts.
And closeness in him. So if you get yourself an English standard version or New King James or even new American standard, even in Iv, you can... Or even the old King James version if you prefer the more formal language, I think it's a little harder to understand for us. But I I would commend the the the English standard version because it's easy to read relatively easy. There's still some confusing passages you're gonna have some of those. You're gonna have
hear conflicting views on things. I'm I've mentioned diluted to it earlier, the way we square off in our denomination. And you might hear oh, well, this means this, and this is the role of baptism and the means of baptism, the method of baptism. And and yet, you'll hear another group say, oh, no. No No. They have it wrong. But but I but I think if you if you look at the the essentials, the big doctrines, the essentials of the faith. You you can you can do that through
your own study of scripture. I'm glad to help. If your question is legitimate and you're not trying to trap me. Which some people do sometimes, and and you you really want an understanding of the essentials, and and you say, you know what this passage bugs me. I can't... I don't see it here, or you just wanna talk through it. I Send along an email. I'm happy to to do that. It's an honor. To do that. It's not an imposition. Sometimes people contact me and I'd say, I'm so
sorry. I know you're busy. Well, yeah, I am busy, but this is what my life is all about. I want to come alongside you and I want us to come alongside each other and be strengthened with all power as Paul says, according to his glorious might for all endurance and patience with joy. So all of those fruits that we bear, love joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. They are
developing in our lives throughout our lives. You're not gonna get to the point unlike the way Americans think, and this is not a project. You're not gonna get to point in 6 months, 12 months, 5 years, 10 years. This isn't a long term strategic plan. I mean, it kinda is, but It's not 1 where you're gonna say, okay. Well, we achieved that that objective. We we we achieved all of these strategic objectives. Now we can move on to goodness
faith on this. And no. They they will all be developing in us while we're on this earth. The other frustrating thing about this earth is It's full of sin. I would just ask you to remember this this word gentleness and self control. We we are to bear with others. We are to out undo each other in showing each other kindness. And so keep in mind that, yes, we're on AAA sinful earth. And and this is something that we're to engage in being strengthened with all
power according to his glorious might. It's about his strength. We trust in him, not in ourselves for all endurance and patience with joy. So don't say to others. I'm just not a patient person. Welcome aboard. No 1 is. No 1 is by by nature. God has developed patience in some people more so than others. He develop joy and some people more so than others. But we are commanded to do these things. So God gives us the ability to do the things he commands us to do. How how wonderful is that?
As as parents that's really how we should parent. We shouldn't just give our children commands, we should give them the tools necessary to accomplish... Oh, god does this perfectly. Giving thanks to the father who has qualified you. So develop a thankful heart. You know how many of my sins, my error, my my stuff that gets in the way of living this Christian life is solved, best by by by thankful.
Most of it. If I recognize that I didn't get this on my own merit, even the good in me came from him. Sure. I worked at it I submitted. I tried to gain knowledge. But at the end of the day, it all comes from god, the father. God the the sun and the holy spirit. He's qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has given you an eternal inheritance. It is because he has first loved us, that should overwhelm us, Paul is say.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son. There's so much we could say here. I'm try I'm gonna make this study relatively light will go into the weeds from time to time, but but isn't it beautiful to think about how we were in the domain of darkness? And he has transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son. This is god's work in you by faith. We can rest in this beautiful truth. In whom we have redemption his son.
The forgiveness of sins. There is nothing greater. There that we we we are transferred into his kingdom. The kingdom of his beloved son. In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sense. So when I'm down, and when I want to be all self reliant, when I feel defeated because of that self reliance, I should come back to this section and realize that it is my being in him. My... My this knowledge this is intimacy with Christ is what Paul is talking about.
He's transferred us from the domain of darkness. And sometimes we get depressed over that darkness. We talked about looking forward a few episodes ago. In Philippians, a number of episodes ago. We talked about looking forward rather than looking back the way Paul describes it. Well, it's it's wonderful to do that. It not not to live lives of regret is the way we put it. In in that episode, recognizing that we've been delivered from the domain of darkness. You might say oh, but you
don't know my sin. Well, you don't know mine. And and you you you might you might have a hard time listening to this podcast if you knew mine. I there's no pastor no bible teacher who stands up in front of AAA crowd on Sunday or any other time who is fault less. Who's even close to fault list. No none of us are teaching god's word because we merit this standing. In him on our own. He has delivered every single 1 of us who are delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred us.
To the kingdom of his beloved son. It is all by grace through faith. And whom we have redemption the forgiveness of sins. It's interesting. Comment sort of peel that last little clause off of this paragraph. This paragraph that only has a couple of sentences in it. And they kinda tag that onto to the next section that we'll get to next week. So God willing will talk about this this last
little little little section here. This last thought, in this paragraph and we'll take on the next section which is on the pre of of Christ. So Paul is saying, here's who you are in him. And then and then he's gonna say, and he is preeminent. You can rest in him. What a wonderful promise. Thank you for listening. I hope this is, important information. I hope this... These biblical truths are are powerful in your own life, as I said
earlier, if you struggle with this? How do How do I go about getting this knowledge that you're talking about? I'm happy to share all of the resources I know about with you that that have proven to be accurate and and and reliable. I try to stay away from some of the more absurd arguments about, more more f translations and things that are are just not helpful. But if you wanna have a serious
conversation on on this topic. Don't hesitate to reach out using the contact form on our website john warren media dot com or send along an email to john at john warren media dot com. I will bond to your email. We might be able to schedule time on the phone even if necessary, I I want to come alongside you and help you grow in God's grace as I grow in his grace. It's funny. We can break down these these fruits of the spirit love Joy peace patience
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. And I I can tell you the ones that God is working in my life. It seems as we get older, we become more gentle, What what a blessing that is young people I would encourage you not to wait to ask god to develop by his... By the power of the holy spirit through this epi of his will and all spiritual wisdom and under standing to grow in each of these attributes.
So that's our section for today. We're in the book of c If I say Philippians from time to time, please forgive me because we've just completed that study. So we're in, we just talk talked about versus 9 through 14 of chapter 1 of. We'll start there next week in our study of our completeness in Christ until next time. Thanks for listening to relentless truth with John Warren. Please consider sharing this podcast and subscribe to seen future episodes.
Connect with John regarding your comments, questions, and show ideas through john warren media dot com. Or at john Warren Media, on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. That's all for this episode. Join us next week for another edition of relentless truth with John Warren.