COL. i. 10. “Fruitful in every good work.”
GOD has given to human nature the capacity to work—a
power which becomes a blessing or a curse according to
the heart of the man who wields it. The apostle here
tells those Christians at Colosse that his great desire for
them was that they might be doing right, and that they
might be doing well.
I. Christian works are the produce of Christian principles.
They are in a certain sense spontaneous, and they are pro-
duced to a certain extent by influences outside the heart,
and they may be checked by evil influences, but our state-
ment abides.
II. Every good work requires every good principle. A
man with very prominent and striking characteristics will
always be an imperfect man. A perfect man has such
harmonies that he scarcely has a characteristic. To be
fruitful in every good work, you must have in your heart
the germs and seeds, the springs and sources of all Chris-
tian virtues.
III. Fruitfulness and good works require strength and
good principles. Thoughts of good must be felt, and the
good motives must be strong. This strength in the good
motive is needed, because there are other principles of an
evil kind pressing into collision with these good principles.
IV. Every good principle is the gift of a good God; it
is light of God’s light and life of God’s life. Pray for each
other that all may be faithful in every good work. Do not
criticise: pray. And still imitating Paul, strive to do the
good works.
Samuel Martin