Filled with the knowledge of God's will

Paul writes to the Colossians saying he prays for them to be filled with the knowledge of God's will "in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Colossians1:9). What this will of God is not defined in the words that follow, for what words follow seem to speak of the affect from being filled with the knowledge of that will of God, whatever it is. That will of God could be his revealed moral will as found in the Scriptures, but there are some parallels between what is said here in chapter one of Colossians and Ephesians chapter one that would indicate that the will of God in view is what God has determined for those who have believed.

First notice the similarities of how Paul addresses the Colossians and the Ephesians.

 Colossians 1:3-4:

We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,  since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints.

Ephesians 1:15-16:

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers

Next notice the similarities of how Paul prays for both the Colossians and Ephesians:

 Colossians 1:9:

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 

Ephesians 1:17:

 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

The two references don't read exactly the same, but they both seek by prayer that the recipients obtain an understanding that must come from Divine revelation, for the wisdom, spiritual understanding, and revelation must all come from God. In Colossians, it is for the will of God, and in Ephesians, it is the knowledge of God. One way to know God is to know his will. But what is that will that God has revealed for us to know?

I believe what Paul says in Colossians 1:10 is what the affect of being filled with that knowledge will produce, being, “that you may walk worthy of the Lord,” etc. But the explanation of that will is stated in Ephesians, and it is not God's moral will for us, but what God has determined for those who believe.

Ephesians 1:18-19 says:

the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,  and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,

The word “will” is not used there, but it speaks of God's intentions for “us who believe.” We do read of some things there that he has planned for believers, such as the “hope of his calling,” the “glory of his inheritance,” and his “power” towards believers.

Ephesians does speak of the will of God toward those who believe:

Ephesians 1:5:

having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Ephesians 1:9-12:

 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,  that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

Colossians 1:19-20:

Colossians speaks of the reconciling of all things to God in Christ: For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,  and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

We are called to live in a manner that is becoming of that will of God, being what God has determined for “us who believe.”

And so, as Paul said to the Colossians:

Colossians 1:10-12:

that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;  strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;  giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.