WORD From The Woods
Colossians 2:1-15
"For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."
In this passage, Paul charges the Colossian church to stand firm in their faith in Christ Jesus. He warns them not to be deluded by false teaching, even though it may sound plausible. This was a huge problem in Paul's day and it's still a huge problem in our day. We should examine all things very closely and test them by the word of God, so that we aren't taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to the world. As believers, we have indeed been filled in Christ, and we are called to walk according to His ways, not according to the world’s ways! We aren't just left alone to try and do our best. When we became followers of Christ, we were buried with Him in baptism, and raised with Him through faith by the power of God, who raised Christ from the dead! Now, we haven't yet been physically raised from the dead, but we have indeed been raised spiritually. We haven't been left alone, we have been indwellt and sealed by the Holy Spirit, who is our helper and our guide in this lost and dark world. As followers of Christ we are no longer bound in sin by the record of debt that once stood against us with its legal demands! That debt was nailed to the cross with Christ, and when He walked out of the grave on the third day, He left that debt to be forgotten forever for those who place their faith and trust in Him alone for salvation! Stand firm in the faith and keep your eyes fixed on our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, so that you aren't deluded or taken captive by the schemes of the enemy! As you go through this week, I pray that this passage from Paul’s letter to the Colossian church encourages and strengthens your soul.
God bless and have a great week! -Terry-
Colossians 2:1-15
"For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."
In this passage, Paul charges the Colossian church to stand firm in their faith in Christ Jesus. He warns them not to be deluded by false teaching, even though it may sound plausible. This was a huge problem in Paul's day and it's still a huge problem in our day. We should examine all things very closely and test them by the word of God, so that we aren't taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to the world. As believers, we have indeed been filled in Christ, and we are called to walk according to His ways, not according to the world’s ways! We aren't just left alone to try and do our best. When we became followers of Christ, we were buried with Him in baptism, and raised with Him through faith by the power of God, who raised Christ from the dead! Now, we haven't yet been physically raised from the dead, but we have indeed been raised spiritually. We haven't been left alone, we have been indwellt and sealed by the Holy Spirit, who is our helper and our guide in this lost and dark world. As followers of Christ we are no longer bound in sin by the record of debt that once stood against us with its legal demands! That debt was nailed to the cross with Christ, and when He walked out of the grave on the third day, He left that debt to be forgotten forever for those who place their faith and trust in Him alone for salvation! Stand firm in the faith and keep your eyes fixed on our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, so that you aren't deluded or taken captive by the schemes of the enemy! As you go through this week, I pray that this passage from Paul’s letter to the Colossian church encourages and strengthens your soul.
God bless and have a great week! -Terry-