What does it mean to live a life that is holy and pleasing to God? Every Christian should be seeking to life a life that pleases God. Paul in Colossians 1:9-14 talks about living a life “fully pleasing” to God. Paul states that we should be fruit bearing Christians. The idea of “bearing fruit” is a concept that we should all understand. If we purchased a fruit tree, plant it, and take care of it we would expect to be getting fruit from that tree. If after many years the tree was not yielding fruit, we would feel that the tree was defective or really not a fruit tree at all. We might return to the Nursery where we purchased the tree and complain because the tree did not bear the fruit we expected.
Jesus says the same is true of people who profess the Christian faith. He says, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit” (Matt. 7:15-17).
How can we tell if someone is professing to be a believer, but isn’t a believer? We can tell by watching their lives. If there is not a change in their living then we can conclude there is no change in their soul. Our heart and our lives should go together.
Now it is important that we remember that fruitfulness takes time. You don’t get any good fruit the first year you plant a fruit tree. It takes time for the tree to mature. The same is true for followers of Christ. The change might not be immediately discernable. However, over time we should be seeing a difference in the way a person lives. The person who is living to please God will begin to see a change in their values and a change in their behavior. If we want to please
God, then we must bear fruit. Paul says that a life that pleases God is the one that “keeps on growing in knowledge.” This is a life long process. It is continually seeking to know God better. The prayers of the committed Christian are not totally consumed with requests. They are more concerned about a relationship with Jesus Christ. They want to read or to be taught anything that might help them know God better. They want to learn everything they can about God because of their great love for God. This should be what every Christian seeks. I have to remind myself that I should read the Bible for more than sermon preparation. I should read the Bible to know God better. If we want to please God, then we are to grow in our knowledge of Him and develop a personal relationship with Him.
I have also found that an attitude of gratitude is a good way to be pleasing to God. An attitude of gratitude grows as we learn to open our eyes to the blessings we take for granted. When was the last time you thanked God for the life given you, or the blue sky, or our beautiful earth? When did you last thank Him for the Bible, for fellow believers, for the songs that lift your soul? When did you last thank Him for a warm home and the many conveniences you enjoy? When did you last thank God for your family?
We need to be grateful for the blessings that we take for granted. We also grow in our gratefulness as we see just how much God’s loves us. As we study His word we will grow and appreciate God’s many blessings. So let us develop an attitude of gratitude that will enable us to live a life that is holy and pleasing to God.