Scriptures have a lot of neat stories. This daily devotional looks at how the gospel is more than just a story — it is to change our lives.
Nuggets
Paul gave the Colossians a foundation on which to grow to withstand the false teachers.
The foundation Paul gave them was for them to be rooted and grounded in faith of a Christ.
Devotions in the Joy in the Gospel series
Paul told the Colossians that the wisdom and knowledge is hidden to others — but not them. That is more than just a story they are to enjoy reading. It is to change their lives as they daily walk in Christ.
Because they are rooted and grounded in Christ, the Colossians could withstand the false teachers. Let’s take a look.
Let's Put It into Context #1
Here is a running list of what we’ve discussed previously.
Let's Put It into Context #2
“In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2: 3 CSB)
Wisdom can only been found in Christ.
- Wisdomis an enlightened acceptance of God’s principles, gained through knowledge, discernment, and good sense, that is put into practice through salvation, increasing our goodness and virtue.
- Discernment means we can evaluate the situation and recognize right from wrong.
- Salvation is the gift of life through the deliverance from condemnation and sin to acceptance and holiness and changes us from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive.
- Sins are actions by humans that disobey God and break one of His reasonable, holy, and righteous laws and commandments, goes against a purpose He has for us, or follows Satan’s promptings.
- Holiness is the transcendent excellence of His nature that includes elements of purity, dedication, and commitment that lead to being set apart. Purity means possessing God’s moral character, having eliminated the stain of sin.
- Holy means to be set apart, perfect, and morally pure while possessing all virtues.
- Pure means not being sinful or having the stain of sin.
- Righteous means we are free from sin because we are following God’s moral laws.
- Virtues are standards of moral excellence.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
When comparing wisdom to knowledge, in our terminology, we would say that knowledge equates to head knowledge. Wisdom equates to heart knowledge.
Colossians 2: 3 says wisdom is only found in Jesus. That was in direct opposition of what the false teachers were saying in Paul’s day.
The treasure found through Jesus is eternal life. We find it only through Jesus.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
If Christ’s wisdom is so wonderful, why is it concealed? “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Cor. 2: 8 ESV).
Strength in Paul’s Absence
“I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable. For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ” (Col. 2: 4-5 CSB)
Paul gave the Colossians a foundation on which to grow to withstand the false teachers.
Paul was a great motivator. He began his letters — in most cases — commending the church for what she was doing right.
Then Paul got to the real purpose of the letter. He talked about what the church was doing wrong or where she needed to stand firm in the face of opposition.
Paul was warning the Colossians about false teachers.
What Paul was telling them in Verse 5 was they were not alone. Okay, he wasn’t there physically, but he was there spiritually.
The church is expected to band together. God created us to be a community, not lone rangers.
My church is an autonomous entity. It is part of an association, which is part of the state association. The state association is part of the national convention. Our church is part of the global Church that recognizes Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
We can’t be everywhere at once — but we can pray for them. We can support them.
Birch reminded us the importance of understanding this concept. He wrote, “God would teach us by this law —(1) The temporary nature of existing relations in the flesh, so that we are warned not to regard such as our highest ties.”
Resource
Our relationships on this earth are temporary, but our relationship with fellow believers will be expanded when we reach God’s eternal worship service.
Birch contended that should grow our kindness and patience for our fellow disciples. If we look at this life as preparation for the next, we see the need to solidify relationships here.
What did Paul mean when he told the Colossians that they were well ordered?
Barlow said that we’ll ordered is mentioned first because “… it first meets the eye, though all external discipline must spring from faith.” Alexander thought Paul used the example of the Praetorian guard to show the many parts which, when working together, created stability.
Resources
For most of the year in our Redo for Godliness, we have been saying that we have to be instead of do.
Maclaren gave us some insight on why that is so important. He wrote, “Perfection of discipline is not enough. That may stiffen into routine if there be not something deeper. We want life even more than order.”
Resource
When we think of discipline, a lot of times we think of doing over being. That isn’t what God wants. We can’t earn salvation.
We can grow our faith and change ourselves to imitate God. Maclaren noted that the concept of faith gives the impression of a rock solid faith. Anything less, we could see as fake faith.
Maclaren cautioned us there. He said a shaky faith could still be real. We just need to grow it from there until it is rock solid.
Strength in Jesus’ Presence
“So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, 7 being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude” (Col. 2: 6-7 CSB)
The foundation Paul gave them was for them to be rooted and grounded in faith of a Christ.
Magee pointed out the seemingly polar opposite feelings Paul had when penning this letter. He wrote, “This letter was written under opposite feelings — feelings that never seem absent from the apostle — the most intense faith in the gospel and the most intense fear for it. No shadow of doubt crossed his mind that it was God’s gospel, and that the whole power of God went with it; and yet he was filled with fear for it and its success in the world.”
Resource
We may think that, because God is divine and He has already won the war, we don’t have to fear for the gospel. That isn’t true.
Think of it this way. How is the gospel under attack these days? What Satan himself isn’t instigating, mankind is. If they can’t get us to eliminate the laws and commandments all together, they want us to rewrite them for their benefit.
That isn’t going to happen, but it does cause us anxiety when we are mixed up in the battle.
Paul said that we are to continue to walk with Jesus. Walking is the term used to describe how we live our lives.
We can walk on treadmills — and not get anywhere. Oh, we get our exercise in, but we are at the same part as when we started.
Paul was talking about a progression. It is a process taking us from Point A (regeneration) to Point B (perfection).
Gill gave us a great list of pointers.
- We have to pass go.
- We can’t lallygag around
- We can’t spin in circles.
- We can’t just keep to the familiar— we have to broaden our horizons.
Resource
It is all about being in Him. It means being totally dependent on our Lord and Savior.
- In Christ means those who have admitted our sins, believed in Jesus as our Savior and Redeemer, and confessed God as Sovereign God.
- Rooted and grounded means our faith has a foundation built on the gospel of Christ.
What it doesn’t mean in just a nice, snuggly knowledge of Jesus. It means having faith in Him. Faith is a gift from God that enhances the conviction that the doctrines revealed in God’s Word are true, even if we do not understand all aspects of them, a belief which impacts our lives and distinguishes us from others.
Glossary
When we read these two verses, we get the strength of Paul’s conviction. You have made a profession of faith. Then live like it.
Making the Connections
When Paul was talking about an ordered church, he was talking about a unified church. This goes back to his example of the many parts of a body making up the human.
Church need many members to do their assigned tasks to complete the mission of the church. No one person can do it alone.
However, Maclaren noted that isn’t always the case in churches. He wrote, “The proportion of idlers in all Churches is a scandal and a weakness. However officered a Church may be, no joy would fill an apostle’s heart in beholding it, if the mass of its members had no share in its activities. Every society of professed Christians should be like a man-of-war’s crew, each of whom knows the exact inch where he has to stand when the whistle sounds, and the precise thing he has to do in gun drill.”
Resource
Ooo, baby. Do we know people who are Sunday morning only believers? They may have their times of devotion during the week, but we don’t see them on the property any other time.
They have no share in their church’s activities. Oh, they could have a variety of reasons. But most of them are excuses.
We have to get out of the excuse me mindset into the use me mindset and do the work God has for us to do.
How Do We Apply This?
- Possess both discipline and wholehearted enthusiasm.
- Use it so that we don’t lose it.
- Live out our profession of faith.
Resources
Knowing the gospel — knowing Jesus — is supposed to change our lives. It will, as we become rooted and grounded in Him.
Father God. The gospel doesn’t just tell us a story. It changes us for the better. We are better because it changes us to be like You. Amen.
What do you think?
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