March 9

And increasing in the knowledge of God.—Colossians 1:10.

To fruitfulness in good works, as proper to those who walk worthy of God, and study to please him, increasing in the knowledge of God is added. As they are fruitful in good works as far as respects an active life, so they increase and advance in the knowledge of God as far as respects a contemplative life. The apostle alludes to that increase in our spiritual stature, concerning which he also speaks in Ephesians 4:13, where he shows that we must increase till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.—We observe,

1. Increase in knowledge is no less necessary to a Christian man, than fruitfulness in works; because we are bound to both by the divine command, and we are taught to seek both from God by apostolic example.

2. From the circumstance of the apostle joining these two, he wishes to intimate that fruitfulness in works cannot exist, without this progressive wisdom; nor progress in wisdom and the true knowledge of God, without fruitfulness.

The reason of the former is this; because wisdom so directs the operation of virtue as sight does the walking faculty. Take away sight, and no one can walk aright; take away wisdom, and he can not be fruitful as he ought. For that action is bad which is not directed by knowledge, although it belong to the class of the good. And the reason of the latter is, because the desire and the practice of holiness is, by the divine economy, a certain preparation for obtaining more abundant knowledge from God; and on the other hand, the neglect of holiness and good works, is the cause why God inflicts spiritual blindness, and gives men over to a reprobate mind. I understand more than the ancients, says the Psalmist, because I keep thy precepts. "Into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter; nor dwell in the body which is subject to sin." Wisdom i. 4. Because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, their foolish heart was darkened, and God delivered them over to a reprobate mind. Romans 1:21, 28. As therefore from true knowledge, arises the study of holiness and the practice of good works; so again from this fruitfulness knowledge itself takes a new increase: as also from ignorance arises an abandoned life; so again, from this abandoned life, ignorance and spiritual stupidity are increased.