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Encouragement of the Believers
There are powerful lessons from Colossians, Chapter Two. It is written by Paul for the encouragement of the believers.
Firstly, his deep desire is that the believers of Colosse be united in love to help them have the full riches of total understanding of Christ.
He realizes there are treasures in the wisdom and knowledge of Christ that are priceless and needed in the believer’s walk of faith and deeds.
Cautions
He is also cautioning them to stay with the teachings of Christ and not to be drawn into false arguments and philosophical teachings of the day. Paul realizes, as we all should, that Christ and Christ alone is the answer and the path to remain upon in all totality.
Thus, we read in verses 2-4:
2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. Colossians 2:2-4 NIV
Not to Be Deceived
Secondly, Paul deeply desires the believers at Colosse not to be deceived but to continue on in their faith, in Christ. He is showing us that to go off the path of Christ is to go in the wrong direction of the world and its false beliefs.
Notice verses 6-7:
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7 NIV
Christ Alone
Continue, Paul says, in what you have received. You have received Christ alone and are to continue to live your life in and with Christ. Like the believers in Colosse, you too should grow a faith that has deep roots in Christ. Develop a faith that remains in Him to build up in Him and to be strengthened in the values that you were taught. This should cause you to overflow with thankfulness for the joys and blessings of life in Christ both now and for eternity. It is a huge encouragement to the believers, then and now.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. Colossians 2:8 NIV
Do not be deceived, warns Paul. In verse 8, he cautions not to be taken captive through hollow words and deceptive thoughts and beliefs. Such things depend upon human tradition and things of the world rather than on Christ. Christ alone is the only true Way.
Continue on in faith in Christ and not in the things of the world.
The Fullness of the Deity
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, Colossians 2:9 NIV
It is in Jesus Christ alone that all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. He is our Savior. There is no other way to the Father. The world will tell us there are many ways and give us many platitudes but Jesus alone is the path to our Father God.
The fullness of God dwells in Christ. Christ dwells in you and in me as believers.
Can you get your mind around this thought?
No, likely, one cannot do so fully. It is an incredibly powerful, magnificently glorious truth that mortal minds might never fully grasp. God loves you and me this much!
You glory in this thought for all eternity in Heaven as well as during the time you still have here on earth before Heaven.
Buried with Him in Baptism
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:12-14 NIV
In faith, you are buried with Christ in baptism and raised with Him through the working of God.
Raised with Him Through Your Faith
God raised Christ from the dead and He is now raising you.
You were dead in your sins and iniquity, but God made you alive with Christ
. When you accept Jesus as your Savior, miracles happen.
You confess your belief in Christ Jesus, confess your sins to God and ask God for forgiveness through Christ.
God instantly forgives all of your sins!
You are free from the charge that stood against you!
You are no longer condemned!
Christ Jesus took away your condemnation!
Nailed to His Cross
Your sins and mine are nailed to His cross. God forgives us through the sacrifice of Christ for you and me.
Praise God!!
Alive in Christ
Gloriously, He brought you from the deadness of sin to being alive in Christ!!
Paul continues to warn that Christ is the only way to all that is of value.
Therefore, it all comes back to Christ.
Ceremonial righteousness was a forerunner of the culmination in Christ.
So, avoid listening to ideas that the world will throw at you, to believe this or that.
Finally, if Christ is not the center of it all, turn from all other such beliefs.
23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Colossians 2:23 NIV
Jesus Christ Alone
While some things might have an appearance of wisdom, they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Also, self-imposed worship and false humility are never going to help us. You realize that the answer is only and always Christ alone.
Obey and Follow Him
Therefore, we can sum up chapter two with the thought that it is all, only, always, and forever Christ. As a matter of fact, you obey and follow Jesus alone for joy complete.
Thank God! You have eternal joy! He sent you Jesus!
Lesson Links:
Following are the links to all four Lessons, “Chapter 1 Believers in Christ, Chapter 2 Encouragement, Chapter 3 Raised with Christ, and Chapter 4 Spiritual Prayer.”