Colossians 2:1-10
“For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. ”
There are four points I want to highlight in these verses:
- Don’t be deceived by persuasive words
- Rooted and built up in Christ
- Established in our faith
- Not being swayed with “knowledge” of the world
Don’t be deceived by persuasive words
The word used here for “persuasive” means ‘to entice’ and to ‘to lead into error’ which is exactly what Satan wants to do. He wants to confuse us and have us question our faith.
Rooted and built up in Christ
We are to be moving forward in our Christian walk (that is why it is not called the “Christian Stand”) and increasing in our knowledge of Christ and the Scriptures. It is only with the true Word can we fight against heresy and false teachings.
Established in our faith
Paul uses military terms like “order” and “steadfastness” to encourage them to remain firm in their faith. There were was the constant threat of false teachings abut Christ during Paul’s day (just like today) and Paul wanted to encourage them to stand fast in the things that they had been taught which are the same things we are taught from the Bible today. The biggest threat was to remove the divinity of Jesus (just like today) .
Not being swayed with “knowledge” of the world
Today it seems people are more zealous to turn people away from God then we are to turn them to God. That means that we as Christians are failing in the Great Commission and lacking in our Biblical knowledge. Our children may grow up in church and belong to a youth group but when they get to college they are challenged with “higher learning” and philosophies that provide no use for the Bible and diminish the meaning and truths of it. Without a firm foundation of faith and how to defend it, they are helpless and will most likely fall victim of the masses and fall away from God and out of fellowship.
The interesting thing is that professors and atheists don’t attempt to prove the Bible wrong on a factual and archeological basis (because they can’t) but they ask difficult questions that if they cannot be answered must mean that the answer does not exists. The fact is that it does exist it is just not resident in the mind and heart. This is why Paul puts added emphasis on firm faith and being rooted in Christ. He concludes with telling them that in Christ dwells the fullness of the Godhead and that the fullness of Christ dwells in us. We are complete in Christ.
So how do we apply this to our life?
- In what ways are we building up our faith and knowledge of Christ?
- Are we building up our children in the faith of Christ?
- Are we teaching them how to defend there faith and to not just “take our word for it?”
Remember:
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
