Our text is primarily a warning. We can
become unfaithful and fall from favor in God’s eyes. The answer or
remedy is Christ. He’s all we need. We must be rooted and grounded in
Him; we must walk in Him. We must stay close to Him at all times and
not follow afar off as Peter did. We must remain committed to His truth
and submit to His authority. These preventive steps will keep us from
wandering away from the One in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead
dwells.
Text:
Colossians 2:4-10
Body:
I.
Never Let Anyone Deceive UsColossians 2:4-5
“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.” NKJV
Colossians 2:3
“In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
In this preceding verse, we see that in Christ are hidden all
treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Do not be deceived by false
reasoning, persuasive words, that seem plausible, but are not based on
truth. It sounds possible or even right, but isn’t! Paul uses these
words to describe those who draw erroneous conclusions from evidence.
There were those in Colosse who were saying that Christ was not
sufficient, that all treasures of wisdom and knowledge were not
in Him. Paul was warning these Christians not to fall for their
persuasive speech. (Romans
16:17-18)
“Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses,
contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those
who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly,
and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the
simple.” NKJV These types
of people are still with us and we must be aware. We must have a firm
grip on the truth! Paul rejoiced that, as a whole, they were not being
deceived and were not falling for these false teachings. There was
“good order;” they did not break rank or walk out of step. Everyone was
in his place and all were walking by the same rule. They were
“steadfast” Christians with a solid front; their faith was stable, not
wavering.
(I
Corinthians 15:58)
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in
vain in the Lord.”
NKJV
II.
Be Rooted and Grounded in Him
Colossians 2:6-7 “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.”
NKJV
To receive
Christ was to receive His words or teachings. Accept them. (John
12:48)
“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges
him – the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.”
NKJVThis led them
to be “joined” to Christ. (Galatians
3:27)
“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
NKJV“Lord” – We
must acknowledge Him as Lord. (Luke
6:46)
“But why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say?”
NKJV
Being humble, submitting to Him as Lord, and obeying was to characterize
their lives after baptism as well. “Walk” – Conduct, live. “Rooted” –
Be firmly planted, not shallow but deep, in Christ and His Word. “Built
up” – Continue to grow and mature through studying His Word and allowing
it to edify us. (Ephesians
4:15)
“but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who
is the head – Christ” – NKJV“Established”
– Our faith must continue to grow stronger and firmer through the
faith. It is a lifetime process. (I
Thessalonians 4:1)
“Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you
should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought
to walk and to please God;”
NKJV
Overflowing with thanksgiving.
III.
Remain Committed to the TruthColossians 2:8
“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.” NKJV
“Beware; here is another warning. It is a very real danger. “Cheat” –
Capture, carried away from the truth and taken into the slavery of
error. “Philosophy” – Profitless speculation They seek to find answers
to life’s most important questions apart from the Word of God. “Empty
deceit” – Worthless deceptions “Traditions of men” – Teachings of men
that contradict the teachings of God Listen to these words of Paul. (I
Corinthians 1:19-21, 26) “For it is
written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing
the understanding of the prudent.’ Where is the wise? Where is the
scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish
the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world
thorough wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness
of the message preached to save those who believe.
26
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the
flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.”
NKJVPaul informed
Timothy
“. . .that in latter times some would depart from the faith, giving heed
to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” (I
Timothy 4:1) (I
Timothy 4:3) “forbidding to
marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be
received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”
NKJV
Look at the world around us. There are multiple kinds of human
philosophies: evolution, situation ethics, oriented mysticism, New Age,
much of modern psychology, etc. All these are opposed to God and are
capturing people and making them slaves of error. The remedy is to
remain committed to the Truth. (II
Timothy 2:25-26) “in
humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will
grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they
may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been
taken captive by him to do his will.” NKJV
IV.
Submit to Christ, Who Is the Head
Colossians 2:9-10“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.” NKJV
The divine
nature, deity, dwells in Christ and resides in Him permanently. He
possesses all attributes and powers of deity. He is fully God. (John
1:14)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and
truth.”
NKJV Because He is
God, we can be assured that all our spiritual needs will be supplied in
Him.
(Ephesians 1:3)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed
us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”
NKJV Forgiveness,
salvation, hope, peace, love, joy are spiritual blessings. He is head
over all rule and authority. (Ephesians
1:20-21)
“which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated
Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality
and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only
in this age but also in that which is to come.” NKJVIf we desire
those blessings just named, we must submit to His authority. If we do
so, we can truly be “complete in Him.”
Invitation:
How can I be complete in Him? First, read
Galatians 3:26-27. “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ
Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on
Christ.” NKJVThen, continue
to honor Him as Lord by living according to His Word.
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