Colossians 2:8-14 (Part One)
“8 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. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 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, 12 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. 13 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, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
2:8
We must guard our minds and hearts with the Gospel of Jesus Christ
As Paul writes to the Colossian church he is dealing with heresy. Heresy is false teaching. There were some who were teaching that faith in Christ was not sufficient for salvation. The heresy Paul is writing against involves two main components; false Greek philosophy, and Judaistic legalism and ceremonialism. The Greeks denied the sufficiency of Christ through teaching that Christ alone was not adequate. They taught that salvation involved both Christ plus knowledge. This knowledge came through visions in which they were given deeper insights into the divine mysteries. The Jews denied the sufficiency of Christ by teaching all or some of these beliefs: that circumcision was necessary for salvation, asceticism (rigid self denial or harsh treatment of the body), and an emphasis on keeping the Jewish dietary laws and observing holy days.
Though these teachings might seem to have some physical or seemingly spiritual value, they are in addition to Christ. Therefore they are not of Christ. Anything that takes away or adds to the person and work of Christ is considered to be non-Christian. Therefore Paul writes to instruct and encourage them to focus their hearts and minds on the person and work of Jesus Christ.
We in today’s church are not exempt from the attacks of the evil one. We too must guard against anything that does not found itself on and proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ. We must guard ourselves both in the world and in the church. We too are susceptible to the ploys and the strategies of the enemy that slowly and deliberately carry us away from the truth of Christ.
2:9-10
The sufficiency of the person and work of Jesus Christ
The sufficiency of Christ is established in the person of Jesus Christ and the work of Jesus Christ.
The person of Jesus Christ
John 1:1-2 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” The sufficiency of the person of Jesus Christ is found in the fullness of God in flesh. Jesus Christ is fully God and has always been and always will be fully God. Jesus Christ is not a lesser God or an ascended man as the Colossian heretics claim.
Paul establishes the deity of Christ in Colosians 1:15-19,” He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him”
- As a member of the godhead Christ is head of all rule and authority.” Scripture consistently teaches of the fullness of Christ’s deity, in 1 Peter 3:22 it speaks of Christ saying, “who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.” Philippians 2:9-11, says “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” And Ephesians 1:20-23 says “which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
- Jesus Christ is Lord and ruler of all, the promised Son of God. The sufficiency of His work on the cross for salvation is the result of who he is.
The work of Jesus Christ
Because of who Christ is, we as His people are made complete in Him. As we read in Ephesians 1:23, the church is Christ body, and his fullness fills the church. His fullness is imparted to us by faith through grace. We who have been separate from God are now one with God. Those who have been incomplete as a result of sin are now complete through the work of the Savior. This is only possible because of who Christ is. The redemptive work of Christ has brought about complete salvation and the complete forgiveness of sins. There is no need for anyone or anything else for the salvation of men.
