06 - Knowing Jesus Better 2011

Last time we looked at Jesus as our “Great Reconciler.” This time we’re going to see Paul first encourage his readers to experience the truth as it is found in Jesus Christ; then to expose the lie of the cult threatening, not only the Colossian church, but the entire church at large. The battle lines had been drawn and Satan must be stopped here, in Colossae.

“For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh…”—2:1

We know from the Book of Revelations that the enemy’s tactic against the church in Laodicea was luxury. Satan actually had the Christians there believing that they needed nothing, not even Christ (Rev.3:14-22). But the tactic against the Colossian church was lies. Satan was seeking to destroy them with false teaching.

Paul was in “great conflict” of heart over both these churches. His prayer for them was, “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,”—vs. 2:2

Bound together by love, Paul says that a good knowledge of Christ Jesus enriches us. The word used for “riches” means “to be wealthy.” The same word is used to describe the rich man whose prosperity was so great that he contemplated building bigger barns to contain all of his goods (Luke 12:16-20).

But Paul says our riches are of a different kind. He is talking about spiritual riches. Jesus talked about the superiority of these riches over earthly wealth when he said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”—Matt.6:19-21

Keep in mind that the Gnostic cult attacking the Colossian church claimed to have a “secret.” It was their “secret knowledge” that was purported to lead one to salvation, not the blood-sacrifice of Christ Jesus.

But the real truth was that God had a secret. Paul called it “the mystery of God.” That secret was Christ, Christ incarnate, Christ in whom dwelt all of the fullness of God.

Taking another deadly swipe at the Gnostic cult, Paul scoffs at their so-called “secret knowledge” by stating: “In him (Jesus) lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”—vs.3

Knowledge! Jesus has it all! In fact, the humblest believer who knows the Lord Jesus has access to more knowledge and wisdom than any unsaved person, no matter how many degrees they hold, or how high their IQ might be.

The Psalmist wrote, “The LORD’s laws are faithful, making naive people wise.”—Ps. 19:7 Our world has plenty of knowledge. But we don’t have much wisdom. Just before Jesus went to Calvary, He said that in the last days just prior to His return, there would be “perplexity of nations” (Luke 21:25).

One commentator says this phrase can be translated “at a loss for a way,” or “no solution to their embarrassments,” or “at their wit’s end,” or “without resources.” Consider this. We have megachips the size of a fingernail able to store more than a million bits of information and capable of pouring out over one million bits of information before we can say “Hi!” We have been to the moon and can contact anyone on earth in mere seconds.

Yet as the final minutes of time sift through the prophetic hourglass and the return of Christ is at the door, man will find himself perplexed, confused, at a loss, and at his wit’s end! Plenty of knowledge but no wisdom!

Paul continues: “I’m telling you this so that no one beguiles you with enticing words, because even though I am absent physically, I’m with you in spirit. I’m happy to see the discipline and stability of your faith in Christ.”—vs. 5-6

The word “beguiles” means “to deceive by false reasoning. It occurs in the Bible only here and in James 1:22 where we are warned against deceiving ourselves.

The phrase “enticing words” means “persuasive speech and plausible arguments.” This is exactly what the Gnostic cult was doing—persuasively arguing with false reasoning to entice them into believing their claims.

All cults and false teachings do the same thing. Evolution, atheism, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Eastern religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, and so forth. These all prey upon the uninformed and young in the faith.

How many times have we seen young people go off to college, only to have their faith undermined by the smooth “enticing words” of atheistic evolutionists? This is why Paul is bringing his readers back to Christ Jesus, for all truth is centered in Him. Jesus said of Himself, “I am…the truth” (John 14:6).

It is a good thing to keep in mind that by the time Jesus appeared, all major world religions except for Islam had already been founded. Buddha and Confucius had come and gone. The great Greek thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle had held the world’s attention and retired. The world’s man-made religions and human philosophy had shown themselves to be bankrupt.

Paul presents Jesus as the One no one can be compared to, for He stands alone! “Don’t let any man beguile you with enticing words,” Paul warns. Christ Jesus totally eclipses all others. Know Jesus! is Paul’s continual call. Know Him and you will be invincible. All of this world’s clever ideas stand exposed in their moral and spiritual bankruptcy when put next to Jesus Christ!

Next, Paul places the Christian’s life under a new direction—the Lordship of Christ:

“So live in Christ Jesus the Lord in the same way as you received him.”—vs.6

The order of the name “Christ Jesus” is deliberate. When the Lord is referred to as “Jesus Christ,” the name “Jesus” is emphasized due to its coming first. The title “Christ” is descriptive of the name Jesus. In the gospels, the use of Jesus Christ reveals that He is the Lord’s anointed Christ and Israel’s Messiah.

But when the order is reversed to “Christ Jesus” as in verse 6, the title “Christ” is emphasized and the name “Jesus” is secondary and descriptive. When this order is used, the truth conveyed is that the One who is now exalted and glorified once humbled Himself as a Man.

It was God revealed in human flesh in the Person of Christ Jesus that the cultists in Colossae were so viciously attacking. They were demeaning His dual divinity and humanity. So Paul uses the phrase “Christ Jesus” to say, God’s anointed Messiah appeared as a Man.

Next, Paul goes even further and calls Him Christ Jesus the Lord. How crucial it is that we understand this! The word “Lord” comes from the Greek word “kurios,” which speaks of authority and lordship, particularly lordship connected with ownership.

The Christian life is not just a lifestyle one chooses. It is life under a new director, a new owner. It means that every step we take is directed by the Lord who has the authority by right of ownership to tell us what to do and where to go.

Going from here, Paul places the Christian’s life in a new distinction—abiding and abounding in Christ:

“Be rooted and built up in him, be established in faith, and overflow with thanksgiving just as you were taught.”—vs.7

Rooted! Built up! Established! Overflowing! Taught! Thankful! What a picture of abundant life in Christ Jesus the Lord! First, rooted. The Lord Jesus is the deep, rich soil in which we have been “rooted.” Then, built up. He is also the solid, unshakable Rock on which we are being built.

Think of yourself first as a great tree. Trees are marvels of nature. On a mountain in California just north of Death Valley grows a gnarled, weather-beaten bristlecone pine tree. It is known as Methuselah. And rightly so, for it is estimated to be 4,600 years old!

When David was writing his Psalms, Methuselah had been growing for some 1,600 years. When Abraham was born in Ur of the Chaldees, old Methuselah had been growing for hundreds of years already. In fact, if its age is accurately estimated, Methuselah has been there since the Great Flood of Noah!

How could this be? Because the life of a tree resides in the roots. A tree like Methuselah has a root system equal in proportion with the outward life visible to the naked eye. As the branches reach out higher and higher and farther and farther, so the roots go down deeper and deeper and spread out wider and wider.

Paul says we are thus, “rooted in Christ” in just the same way! This is why we constantly exhort believers to drink of the water of the Word and Spirit. Water the roots of your soul. Let your outer life grow in unison with your inner life.

Next, Paul takes a direct shot at the claim of Gnosticism to have “secret knowledge” that saves the soul:

“See to it that nobody spoils you with philosophy and vain deceit, which conform to human traditions and the way the world thinks and acts rather than Christ.”—vs.8

The word “spoil” means “goods stolen in a time of war.” Paul is saying, “Don’t allow you yourself to be taken captive and stolen away by the enemy in a time of spiritual war.” Spoil can also be a term used for kidnapping or the plundering of a house. Look out lest someone rob you! says Paul.

This is the menace of false teaching. Those who persuade people to abandon truth for error are seducers and robbers! And how were the Colossians (and all Christians) in danger of being robbed?

Through philosophy and vain deceit, or as one commentator put it, “through intellectualism and high sounding nonsense.”

God’s view of men’s philosophies is that they are vain and based in pride. They are vain because they don’t lead men to Him. They are based in pride because they do not seek to give God the glory for creation or truth.

The Bible says:

1 Cor. 1:21 “In God’s wisdom, he determined that the world wouldn’t come to know him through its wisdom. Instead, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of preaching.”

The Bible says that man is incapable of arriving at genuine divine truth on his own:

2 Cor. 4:4 “The god of this age has blinded the minds of those who don’t have faith so they couldn’t see the light of the gospel that reveals Christ’s glory.”

Human wisdom brings us into conformity to the world and its way of thinking. Godly wisdom brings us into the knowledge of God’s will:

Ro. 12:2 “Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.”

No matter how brilliant, how educated, how witty, or how talented, the natural mind of man in all his philosophizing cannot arrive at the truth:

1 Cor. 3:20 “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless.”

BOTTOM LINE: Any philosophy that is “not after Christ” is worthless.

NEXT TIME: The Meaning of Christ’s Birth

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