Our Spiritual Preparation in Christ

Welcome

Good morning!

We have been working our way through the book of Colossians and we will continue in chapter 2 this morning.

We looked last week at the maturity of the Christian and how Christ is in us and we are united with him and with God, the Father. We’ll continue this morning in chapter 2 as we begin to look our text today. Paul turns his focus to warning the Colossian church about the threat and then reminding them of the ways that Christ has saved them and prepared them to stand against infiltrators in the church.

Colossians 2:8–15 CSB

8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ. 9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, 10 and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 12 when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.

[pray]

I. Warning! Spiritual Pitfalls Ahead!

In the early church there were many threats to the church and to the purity of the gospel. We have been talking about the gnostics, because they were present in the Colossian church.

The gnostics were introducing new ideas into the teachings of the church. They were mixing secret knowledge and human traditions with the gospel to make it into something the gospel was never intended to be: that is, something held and guarded by a few, so that they could control it.

Paul gave a warning to the Colossian church and reminded them to return to the pure gospel that they were given by Epaphras...

Colossians 2:8–10 CSB

8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ. 9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, 10 and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Paul gives a series of instructions along with his warning. He tells them that they are at risk of being kidnapped...

1. συλαγωγέω (sulagōgeō) - taking captives

This idea of “taking captives” in th Greek is συλαγωγέω (sulagōgeō) is language that literally speaks to pirates or bandits carrying off the spoils and plunder. the word speaks about the ability of false teachers to manipulate a person or a group of people. In this case it speaks to false teachers that come to plunder the treasures of the church, in order to draw people away from the purity of the gospel message.

Warren Weirsbe said...

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Six: Saints Alive—And Alert (Colossians 2:4–15)

How is it possible for false teachers to capture people? The answer is simple: These “captives” are ignorant of the truths of the Word of God. They become fascinated by the philosophy and empty delusion of the false teachers.

Principle: Stay alert and wise by examining and questioning new ideas and weigh them against the word of God.

2. φιλοσοφία (philosophia) - the love or pursuit of wisdom

Paul says that philosophy can be manipulated by empty deceit or human tradition. There is nothing wrong with philosophy in and of itself. The Greek word φιλοσοφία (philosophia) means “the love or pursuit of wisdom.” However, philosophy that is based in deceit or human tradition can be misleading. These false teachers use half truths and human tradition and the faulty application of wisdom to lure believers away from the truth.

One thing that we must remember is to evaluate and understand our traditions and preferences. We can always ask ourselves...

Key Question: Where did the tradition come from? God or Man?

What traditions do we hold important that are not supported by scripture, but only by our tradition?

Some of the biggest church fights ever seen were fought over inconsequential tradition. Preferences, such as choice of musical style or interior design considerations have caused more church splits in the last 125 years than matters of doctrine or divine consequence. However, there have been more than a few battles fought over things like corruption in the church, mistreatment of people, abuse and morality issues.

Paul is talking about a more insidious deception here that is designed to draw people away from the gospel.

We sometimes see threats like this in the church today. It is ultimately the pastor’s job, and the elders or deacons, to protect the church from these infiltrators.

I can recall one church where a man showed up with a friend at our Wednesday night meal. I had no more met the man when he was telling me that he was an ordained pastor. He pulled out this official looking card from his wallet that proclaimed him as an ordained minister, authorized by some organization that I had never heard of.

I looked at the card and thought to myself, “This looks so official. But I don’t have a card in my wallet.”

I watched this man over the course of months as he desired to join our church and teach Sunday School. He also indicated that he preached as well.

I told him, “This church already has a pastor.”

In the end, it was clear to me that this man simply wanted a platform. His theology did not align with ours and would have caused some disruption and drama in the church.

I finally told him that he could join our church, but I would not allow him to teach or preach, because his theology was out of alignment.

It did not take him long to move on to some other place.

As the pastor of FBC Pharr, there are a few ways that I protect this church from a similar kind of infiltration:

1. I teach you the truth, every Sunday and Wednesday. You are going to hear a message that exposes you to scripture and to truth, as given to us in the Bible.

2. I assess those who come into this church to teach, so that I can ensure that their teaching aligns with our doctrine.

3. I assess our teaching material to ensure that it does not introduce any error in the dissemination of biblical wisdom.

I don’t do that alone. We have people in our church that understand this and help me to keep our quality of Christian education high and accountable. I depend on Pastor Joe, Brother Gerald, and others to help me. But it is ultimately my job as the undershepherd and pastor of this church to protect you all and make sure that you hear the truth of the Word of God and that you are protected from attempts to spiritually kidnap your minds through false wisdom and deceptive practices.

This is the same job that Paul was performing in his letter to the Colossian church.

II. You Have Been Spiritually Prepared

Part of this job, I have told you, is teaching you the truth. Anytime I have the opportunity teach you, I am going to focus on scripture and teach you exactly what it means and, hopefully, tell you how it applies to your life in the everyday world.

Paul told the Colossians several ways that they had been “spiritually prepared” by Christ.

Prepared for what? Ultimately he is saying that the Colossian believers were prepared by Christ for salvation.

A. You have been spiritually circumcised

We get into this idea of ‘circumcision’ which is not a foreign concept to most of us, even if it is a little bit uncomfortable for us to talk about at the dinner table, or on a Sunday morning, as it were.

Colossians 2:11 CSB

11 You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,

This uncomfortable feeling that we get is not something that Paul or the Jews felt when the conversation came up.

Circumcision was a ritual that God established with Abraham in Genesis 17. The physical act of removing the foreskin of the males was something required by the covenant that God established with Abraham. The covenant required this of every newborn male on the eighth day after their birth.

This circumcision became a distinguishing feature between the Jews and the Gentiles (non-Jews), especially so in the early church, where Jews and Gentiles interacted on a regular basis.

It was for this reason that the Judaizers began to take hold in the early church. In almost every church that Paul served, he had to battle this idea that the Judaizers proposed. It said that Christians had to be circumcised and follow the Mosaic Law in order to be saved. Paul and the other apostles taught that this was false, though the teaching prevailed in many churches att the time.

Paul is teaching here that there is a spiritual circumcision in Christ, while the Abrahamic covenant and the Mosaic covenant required a physical circumcision.

We can easily see how the Judaizers were being legalistic by holding to a tradition that defined Judaism.

Additionally the gnostics were being legalistic as well. You might recall that gnosticism taught that the flesh was evil and the only the spirit was good.

Weirsbe explained it this way...

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Six: Saints Alive—And Alert (Colossians 2:4–15)

Gnostic legalism said that the Jewish Law would help the believers become more spiritual. If they were circumcised, and if they watched their diets and observed the holy days, then they would become part of the “spiritual elite” in the church.

Legalism always tries to add something to the gospel message. Legalism says that salvation through Christ and forgiveness of your sins is not enough. It ways that one must follow certain rules or do certain things in order to be saved, when in fact salvation has already been won and accomplished.

The gnostics said that one must have secret knowledge in order to experience fullness in Christ.

The Judaizers said that one much follow the Mosaic Law.

Legalists in our churches say that one must not commit certain sins, or one must uphold a high status in the community, or one must not bring shame on others.

There are many forms of legalism, but all depend upon us doing something in addition to accepting Christ for our salvation.

Paul’s point here was that Christ alone is sufficient for our salvation. He and God are one and we are joined with Christ, who joins us with God, the Father.

B. You are alive in Christ

Colossians 2:12–13 CSB

12 when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses.

Baptism is a symbolic act that paints an image of death and new life. Paul is reminding us here that we are alive in Christ.

This symbolic act is intended to remind us that whatever happened to Christ also happened to us.

While Christ died physically, we died spiritually in our sinful flesh.

While Christ was buried physically, we go into the water to symbolically put our old selves behind us. We die to self.

While Christ was physically resurrected, we come up out of the waters to represent spiritual renewal, with the old self left behind as we walk in newness of life.

We should completely identify with Christ, who is the fullest and best representation of God.

We don’t really need anything added to the pure gospel that we already have.

We don’t need the Mosaic Law. We don’t need oriental mysticism or secret knowledge to experience the fullness of Christ.

We have God’s forgiveness and we have a perfect standing before God, who is the judge of all.

While Paul considered the Jews “baptized unto Moses” (1 Cor 10:1-2), which considers their passage across the Red Sea and into the Mosaic Law.

We, non-Jews, are baptised through Christ. We pass through the baptismal waters as we declare to the world that we are his, saved by grace and united together with Christ.

C. Your debt has been paid - Nailed to the cross!

Colossians 2:14 CSB

14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.

This certificate of debt is χειρόγραφον (cheirographon) in the Greek. The word refers to a legal note of a bond that must be paid.

Jesus bought our freedom through his death on the cross...

1 Peter 2:24 CSB

24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Additionally, through this act, he bought our freedom: 1) freedom from the burden of sin, 2) freedom from the burden of the law, 3) access to the throne of grace in heaven.

Paul wrote to the Romans saying the God’s standards were ‘written on their hearts.’

Romans 2:12–16 CSB

12 For all who sin without the law will also perish without the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified. 14 So, when Gentiles, who do not by nature have the law, do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them 16 on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.

Jesus death on the cross canceled our debt. This was a debt that we incurred at birth, by virtue of being human, but also through our sinful ways and our disobedience to God.

Jesus did more than just cancel our debt, he took the law and superceded it, thereby freeing us from the burden of the law.

Romans 7:6 CSB

6 But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the old letter of the law.

I grew up the same way that many of you grew up, with a burden of legalism held over my head.

There was a list of things that I had to do or not do as though my faith and my salvation depended on a point system. If I did my daily devotion and prayed and read my Bible, I would gain points. However, if I cursed or smoked, I would lose points because those were sinful.

We had a saying passed down from our parents, “Don’t drink. Don’t smoke. Don’t chew. Don’t go with girls who do.”

While this is certainly good advice for life. It is also a form of legalism.

We want our children to learn these things, but let’s not tie these ideas to our state before God.

We, as Christians, walk in the power of the Spirit...

Romans 8:4 CSB

4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Rules of legalism are rules of the flesh. We must not think that we have to somehow find the strength within ourselves to avoid sin.

The opposite of legalism is grace...

Romans 6:14 CSB

14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.

And really the only answer to sin is forgiveness, which we find in Christ.

D. We have victory over the law in Christ

Jesus gave us a way to overcome sin and overcome the law. Paul said...

Colossians 2:15 CSB

15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.

Jesus made the claim...

John 12:31 CSB

31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

While Satan thought he had overcome Jesus, in fact he was defeated through Jesus death on the cross.

Paul told the Colossians that Jesus “triumphed over” these rulers and authorities. He stripped Satan and the powers of this earth of all their authority and all their weapons.

In fact Jesus’ triumph made a public spectacle of the enemy. He exposed Satan for the liar that he is. In Christ’s death, God vindicated him and overcame the enemy.

Conclusion

The good news is that, for those of us who have chosen Christ, we share in that triumph. We don’t need to worry about the powers of the enemy. All the powers and the principalities of the spiritual domain will bow to Christ. They are defeated and disgraced. We are fully victorious in Christ.