Text: Colossians 2:6-23
Title: The sufficiency of Christ
Introduction
1.Paul’s purpose for writing this letter to the Colossians
Paul’s purpose for writing this letter was to refute the heretical teaching that was influencing the Colossian church.
2. Colossians 2:6-23 – Is where Paul directly attacks that heretical teaching and refutes it with the true gospel.
3. A brief overview of the heretical teaching that was infiltrating the Colossian church
A.It was heretical teaching on 2 fronts.It was both religious and also philosophical in nature.
1. The Religious element of this heretical teaching – championed by the Jews
1. The Colossian church battled against the heretical teaching that circumcision, keeping special diets and observing the Sabbath and religious festivals were necessary for salvation.
2. Then there was a philosophical element of this heretical teaching – championed by the Greeks.
A. All matter is evil – (Therefore everything you see and touch is evil)
And since our bodies are made of matter; they too are evil.
So in order to keep the body under control you must have rules about everything
B. Since all matter is evil – God could not have directly created the earth
God created angels and gave them the responsibility of creating the earth.
This led to the worship of angels as intermediaries between God and Man.
Relegated Jesus to just being another angel
C. Since all matter is evil the only thing that counts is the invisible (Everything you can’t see or touch)
This led to the belief that one could supposedly achieve perfection by progressing through a number of initiations and levels of wisdom in spiritual mysteries.
Heretical teachings infiltrating the church are not just a thing of the past.
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits.”1 Timothy 4:1
The church is fighting heretical teaching today on the same two fronts.
1.On the religious front
What about other religions? Are all religions not equal? Does every religion not lead us to God? How can we say we are right and they are wrong?
2.On the philosophical front – a different world view
The philosophical attack infiltrating the church today is almost the complete opposite to the philosophical attack that faced the church in NT times.Back then it was taught that everything you see and touch was evil. (The physical) And the only thing that really mattered was what you can’t see and touch. (The spiritual)
Today it is the complete opposite. Today it is taught that everything you can’t see and touch is evil. (The spiritual) And the only thing that really matters is what you can see and touch. (The physical)
We have a name for this – secular humanism- Where man becomes his own God.
Secular humanism controls our government. It controls our public schools and our universities. It controls our media. It even control some churches.
How do we refute false teaching
1.Read Colossians 2:6-8
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
A. Paul’s Warning (v8)
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
B. Paul’s Way of knowing (v6-7)
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
A.Paul’s way of finding out if we have been taken captive or not. (v6-7)
1.Have you received Christ as Lord?
2.Do you continue to live in Christ?
3.Are you rooted and built up in Christ?
4.Are you been strengthened in the faith?
5.Are you overflowing with thankfulness?
If I have been taken captive how do I break free?If I have not yet been taken captive how do I stay free?
C. Paul’s Worship
If Paul’s worship becomes our worship we will break free and stay free from captivity.
Paul’s worship consisted of two truths found in our text
1. We have been given fullness in Christ. (v9-10)
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
A.All the fullness of God is in Christ (v9)
1.Christ is God (John 1:1) (John 14:9)
B.Those who receive Christ as Lord and Savior have received the fullness of God (v10)
10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
“Who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”(Ephesians 1:3) (how many spiritual blessings?)
C.How much of the fullness of God does any person who has not received Christ as savior and Lord have?
But I’m an outstanding member of society! None
But I go to church?
But I do lots of good things!
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
It’s all hollow because it has none of the fullness of God in it. When you open it up it is empty of the fullness of God
1. Only those who are in Christ have the fullness of God in them.
Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:13-14
If you are in Christ you don’t need to look anywhere else for more of God!
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
The second thing Paul’s worship consisted of is this.
2. We have forgiveness and freedom over sin only in Christ
All these heretical teachings were promising forgiveness and freedom over sin.
The Jews infiltrating the church were promising forgiveness and freedom over sin only to those who were circumcised, kept special diets and attended church on the Sabbath.
The Greek philosophers infiltrating the church were promising forgiveness and freedom over sin only to those who had received their special knowledge.
Even today different religions promise forgiveness and freedom over sin.
Paul’s Answer: We have forgiveness and freedom over sin only in Christ. (v13-15)
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Summary: Only through the Cross of Christ do we have forgiveness of Sin and only through the Cross of Christ do we have freedom over sin.
1.Here is how God helped Paul to see that it is only through the cross of Christ that we have forgiveness of our sins. (v13-14)
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
Whenever the Roman’s crucified someone on a cross they would also nail above the head of the crucified man a list of the charges that were against him.
Christ’s crucifixion is different.
It was not the Romans who crucified Christ. God crucified Christ on the cross. And God nailed above Christ’s head, not the charges against Christ (there were none). Instead he nailed above the head of Christ all the charges that were against all of us.
You and I are forgiven because Christ died for our sins!
2. Here is how God helped Paul to see that it is only through the cross of Christ that we also have freedom over sin. (v15)
15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
In Biblical times whenever a king would return from conquering his enemy everyone would turn out to see the king march all the prisoners through the city and to thank him for winning them their freedom.
It was through the Cross that Christ conquered and disarmed all the powers of evil that are against us and purchased not only our forgiveness but also our freedom over sin as well.
Here is how it works.
In order to receive the forgiveness of my sins I must believe by faith that Christ died on the Cross for all my sins.
In order to receive freedom over my sins I must believe by faith that I died on the cross with Christ.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
If Christ’s death on the Cross disarmed every authority and power then my identification with Christ on the Cross also disarms every power and authority that rises up against me.
In the time of temptation I must fight back believing by faith that “I died with Christ on the cross” therefore this temptation has no power or authority over me.
Conclusion
Don’t be taken captive by heretical teaching that promises the fullness of God apart from Christ. It’s a lie from Satan.
Don’t be taken captive by heretical teaching that promises forgiveness and freedom apart from Christ. It’s also a lie from Satan.
Instead obey verse 6-7
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
