Fight Apostasy With Gratitude for Jesus’ Lordship (Colossians 2:6-7)

Tempted to Turn Away

In John Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress, Christian encounters a man from the town of Apostasy named Turn-away. The town apostasy represents those who have fallen away from the faith. Those who commit apostasy are those who once professed Jesus as Lord, but now have turned away from the faith. They carless and comfortable with sin to the point where their conscience is seared. The writer of Hebrews warns

Hebrews 6:4–6 ESV

4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

To turn away or, as the writer of Hebrews says, “fall away”’ is to persist in sin and reject the gospel. Turn-away is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Turn-away feels no guilt or remorse over sin. He looks to take advantage of Christian and Hopeful’s naiveté.

Christian was warned about apostasy at the "House of the Interpreter." There, he saw the Man in an Iron Cage, who was once a "flourishing professor" on his way to the Celestial City. Like Turnaway, the "Man in the Iron Cage" abandoned God's Word to pursue his lusts. When Christian saw this man, it made him tremble. There lies the warning. Do you tremble at the sight of turning away?

In his commentary on The Pilgrim's Progress, William Mason warns:

O beware of a light trifling spirit and a wanton behavior. It is often the forerunner of apostasy from God. It makes one tremble to hear those who profess to follow Christ in the regeneration, crying, What harm is there in this game and the other diversion? The warmth of love is gone, and they are become cold, dead, and carnal. O how many instances of these abound!

In Ken Plus’s notes and commentary on Pilgrims Progress, he warns, turning away seldom happens all at once. It is more often subtle and perilously imperceptible. It can happen in many ways:

Growing disillusioned and discouraged with the church

Being swayed by a college professor who disparages the Bible and the Christian faith

Growing complacent and apathetic in worship

Becoming forgetful and infrequent with the means of grace

Giving more and more time to worldly pursuits and entertainments

Assuming the gospel, yet never giving it serious thought or weighing its crucial value

Excusing and rationalizing sin rather than fighting it and putting it to death

Something you need to understand about yourself. John Henry Newman sums it up well when he says,

Left to itself, human nature tends to death, and utter apostasy from God, however plausible it may look externally.

John Henry Newman

What he means is, your fallen condition is prone to wander away, to fall away, or to turn away from God. Furthermore, the

Pressures in this life will tempt you to turn away from Jesus.

The desires of the flesh and the challenges of living in a world affected by the events of Genesis 3 can put a lot of pressure on your faith. It's like living at the bottom of the Mariana's Trench, which is 36,060 feet deep. The pressure at the bottom of the trench is over 1000 atmospheres, more than 1000 times the atmospheric pressure at sea level. Things tend to implode under that kind of pressure. We all remember the Titan, which imploded instantly while on a tour to see the Titanic at 12,500 feet in the Atlantic Ocean, killing all five people on board. Unfortunately, this seems to describe too many people in the church today. They don’t call it imploding. They call it deconstruction. The Bible calls it apostasy.

There is nothing new under the sun. Christians in antiquity had to deal with the same pressures as do. Paul’s letter to the Colossian church was written in part because he was afraid they were being tempted to turn away from Jesus.

Paganism & Torah

Paul did not establish the Colossian church, in fact, he had never met these believers. The church was actually founded by Epaphras. He informed Paul that the church was facing challenges from both Pagan Mysticism and Jewish Christians who were insisting on adherence to the Torah. The pagans were pressuring the church to take part in pagan worship practices. They were accepting of Jesus as a god, but they prohibited him from being acknowledged as Lord. On the other hand, the Jewish Christians were urging them to observe specific holy days, practice circumcision, and adhere to dietary laws, essentially promoting asceticism.

Because religion was closely tied to their culture, the pressure to turn away from Jesus mounted from all sides; socially, economically, politically, and in their families. The pressure to turn away amounted to belittling the power and authority of Jesus in your life. Apostasy finds its root in a heart that belittles or devalues Jesus. Paul countered apostasy with the Lordship of Jesus, emphasizing the importance of living under His Lordship. He wanted to give the Colossian church a high view of Jesus as Lord so they could fight the pressure to turn away from Jesus and live their life well under His Lordship with a heart of thankfulness, and the same truth goes for you, Christian.

You can fight apostasy with gratitude for Jesus's Lordship while cooperating with Him to be rooted, built up, established, and taught in the faith.

Be thankful Jesus is Lord. What does it mean for Jesus to be Lord?

Jesus is Lord

The title “Lord” was Paul’s favorite way to describe Jesus. He used it 230 times in his writings in the New Testament. The word kurios means Lord, the ruler, the one who commands. It is used to infer something that is superior compared to something that is inferior like a Master to a slave, a King to a subject, a God to a worshiper. It often refers to Jesus’ divine authority over all of heaven and earth. The entire point of the first chapter of Colossians is to point out that Jesus is the exalted Messiah, the Lord who has divine authority over heaven and earth. Paul makes this most evident in his Christo-centric hymn in Col 1:15-20.

Colossians 1:15–20 ESV

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

As Thomas Shcreiner notes, “Jesus is Lord because he is the image of God, the firstborn, the instrument of creation, and the purpose of creation. He sustains and preserves the created order and is "before all things" (Col 1:17). He not only rules over creation but also over the church.(Col 1:18). He was resurrected "in order that he should be preeminent in all things" (Col 1:18). The divine fullness is in him, and reconciliation of all things is through his cross (Col 1:19–20).” Schreiner, Thomas R. 2006. Paul, Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology. Westmont, IL: IVP Academic.

Paul emphasizes that the Colossians received Jesus as their Lord, indicating that they accepted Jesus as the ultimate authority in their lives both his teaching and his person. This means that Jesus has the right to judge every word, thought, and action. Accepting Jesus as Lord assumes that one sees Jesus as the Master and oneself as the servant, Jesus as the King and oneself as the subject, and Jesus as God and oneself as the worshiper.

I am currently witnessing friends from seminary deconstruct their faith on Facebook. I have known these people for over ten years. I see in them what I have seen in others who have walked down the road of apostasy. Somewhere in their journey, Jesus stopped being Lord of all. They didn't guard their hearts. Worldly pursuits and entertainment took on more priority than prayer and discipleship. They assumed the gospel instead of wrestling with and walking in the gospel. Sin became routine, and when it became normal, that justified it. They stopped fighting it and putting it to death.

Augustine said it well,

Jesus Christ will be Lord of all or he will not be Lord at all.

Augustine of Hippo; Stephen F. Olford

Live your life under His Lordship

What do I mean to live your life under His Lordship? First of all, it means Jesus has done the work of regeneration. When Jesus is Lord, you not only receive his teachings, but you also receive Him. The Bible describes this as being "born again." Jesus must regenerate your heart and make you alive in Himself so He can live in you. He empowers you to obey His commands and even gives you the desire to obey Him (Ezekiel 36:25-27). He gives you a new heart and provides his Spirit to live inside so you can walk in his commands. "Walking" is a metaphor for living, or in this case, living under Jesus’ Lordship.

Secondly, we must decide to “walk in Him.” “Walking” is a metaphor for living under the Lordship of Jesus with reverence. Reverence for God is demonstrated through actions and behaviors (Ecclesiastes 12:13; 2 Corinthians 7:1). Those who truly worship and serve the Lord God Almighty will dedicate their lives to Him not only with words but also by obeying His commands.

The Israelites were called to "walk in obedience," "watch how they live," and "walk faithfully" before the Lord in truth and integrity (Deuteronomy 5:33; 1 Kings 2:3–4; 2 Chronicles 7:17). Moses made the concept of walking in God's ways clear to the people in the wilderness: "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, live in a way that pleases him, love him, and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good" (Deuteronomy 10:12–13, NLT).

Walking in God's ways is not a passive act, but an active choice. Those who walk in God’s ways choose behaviors that are pleasing to Him. They “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7, ESV). They “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10, ESV). They desire to know the Lord’s heart and earnestly and continually pursue an ever-deepening relationship with God.

This is what I mean by cooperating with Jesus. He regenerates our hearts and lives inside of us. His Spirit empowers us to walk in Him. We also must decide to walk in him. Otherwise, we grieve the Holy Spirit.

Paul offers four ways to walk in Christ.

Be Rooted in Him

When I lived in Texas during the summer, I saw tumbleweeds growing in the fields. Eventually, the tumbleweeds died off and were torn from the ground by the wind. Farmers would have to gather them up and throw them in the burn pile. Tumbleweeds only have one narrow root that ties them to the ground, making them easily ripped away by the wind. In contrast, Paul says, “be rooted in Christ.”

I cannot help but think of Psalm 1:3. Be rooted

Psalm 1:3 (ESV)

3 … like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Or, I think of what Jesus says in John 15:1-4. Be rooted to the Vine

John 15:1–4 ESV

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Being rooted in Jesus means you have His life flowing through your spiritual veins that produces fruit, the kind of fruit that proves you belong to Jesus and that glorifies the Father (John 15:8). What is this fruit? In part is is the fruit of remaining in Jesus when you feel the pressure to turn away. You persevere through the pressures of temptation of apostasy allowing the Holy Spirit to produce endurance and hope. Paul says to you Christian, be rooted and hold on. Your suffering will produce good fruit.

Romans 5:3–5 (ESV)

3 …we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

God’s love pouring into your heart through the Holy Spirit is the life that cause our roots to dig deep into the soil of faith.

Build your life in Him

Paul switches metaphors. Being built up is a construction metaphor. Christ is our cornerstone. Upon Him we are stones being built into a Holy temple. Paul says to every believer,

Ephesians 2:19–21 ESV

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

Just as a stone does no good apart from the building, we must remain in the building, in Christ, resting on Christ our lives, as He is our cornerstone. We must remain attached to the temple.

Those who choose to turn away from Jesus often make the mistake of building their lives on other foundations. It's like they removed their stone from Christ and placed it on health, wealth, and prosperity. However, Jesus warns that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve both God and money. This choice will inevitably lead to loving one and hating the other.

You cannot serve Jesus on your terms, redefining who he is or his word. You cannot separate yourself from what Jesus loves, his Bride. These people who get mad at the church because the church acts foolish at times cannot give into the temptation to think they can live in Christ apart from his church. That is a lie. If you remove yourself from the church, you are on the road to apostasy. To be built up in Him is to remain in Him.

…from beginning to end, the church is built on Jesus Christ. Jesus is both the foundation cornerstone on which his church is built and the capstone up to which it grows.

David Walls; Max Anders

You are a stone cemented into the temple Jesus is building for Himself. He is the cornerstone by which you lay. He bears the weight of your faith and eternity. He sets the direction and keeps your life plumb. He gives you everything you need to build your entire life and your eternity on HIm.

Be established in Him

The result of grounding yourself in Christ and constructing your life on the basis of Christ is that you become firmly established in the faith. This statement implies continuous activity. Not only do you become established in the faith, but you also continue to grow in the faith. You mature in the faith. Every day, you are either progressing in the faith or becoming stagnant, but you never remain the same. If you are not involved in the ongoing process of becoming established in the faith, then you are at risk of falling away. Growing in the faith means humbling yourself to be discipled and instructed in the faith. Simply put, as you grow in your faith you faith should be recognized by the good works it produces.

If a man’s initial relationship to God can be established only on the basis of faith (Paul), the ultimate recognition of that relationship takes into account the works that true faith must inevitably produce (James)

Douglas J. Moo

Be taught in Him

Paul refers back to what he started with in verse 6, which is the traditions they received in Christ. Some of the false teachers influencing the Colossians were Gnostics, who claimed to have a newer or more nuanced understanding of the faith. Believers who are not firmly established in the faith and not growing in knowledge and maturity can easily be deceived by false teachings.

This is why your active involvement in the life of the church is crucial. The church is where doctrine and theology are taught to help you grow in knowledge and understanding of God and His expectations. Discipleship and ministry opportunities in the church allow you to work on your doctrine and theology so you can mature. Being firmly established in the faith and learning through discipleship is a means of grace from God to keep you from falling away. Solid bible teachers, along with deep relationships that hold you accountable, help keep you on the right path.

Being discipled is not just about being established and taught in the faith. It's about the transformative journey of shaping your life into the image of Christ, a journey that inspires and motivates you to become a better version of yourself.

Discipleship is more than getting to know what the teacher knows. It is getting to be what he is.

Juan Carlos Ortiz

Being rooted in Christ, built up in Christ, established in Christ, and taught in Christ keeps us away from the road of apostasy because all four of these intentional acts commit us to become what Christ is, a beloved Son or daughter or God.

How will Jesus hold you fast?

When I read of people deconstructing their faith, so many of them appeared to be devout believers. There is one guy who posted a video announcing he was leaving the faith with tears of joy. What struck me about him was he was an Old Testament Scholar who was reformed in his theology. He rolled in the same circles I rolled. It got me thinking and even worrying to some degree. What if I do all these things? Will I still walk away? Will I be able to make it until the end?

Of course, there is a warning in this text. If you do not root yourself, build up your faith, establish your faith, and remain in the teaching of scripture, you will fall away. On the other hand, Jesus has a kind word for my soul, and your soul of this describes you.

When you examine the word's root and built up in the Greek, there is something called a divine passive. What that means is God is the one doing whatever the is the action of the verb. When Paul says to be rooted, he is also conveying to you that God is the one rooting you deep in the ground. God is the one building your foundation. And when God roots you in the ground like a tree planted by streams of water You are not being uprooted. When God lays your foundation and builds you up into his temple, no one can destroy your house. You are established in the faith, and you uphold the teachings of Christ because Christ rose from the dead and keeps you for all eternity. Hear the promises of Christ and the power of his resurrection to hold you fast!

Paul says in Colossians 1:13-14

Colossians 1:13–14 ESV

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Furthermore, Paul goes on remind you Christian

Colossians 2:9–15 CSB

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.

When Jesus rose from the grave, he conquered sin and death. He offers eternal life to all who call upon his name for salvation. When you call upon his name, he not only saves you, but he transfers you out of the kingdom of darkness, granting you redemption and the forgiveness of sins. He grants you citizenship in his kingdom and seals you with his Spirit. He promises that nothing can take you out of his hand. Everyone the Father gives to the Son will be raised with Him to glory. What overwhelms my heart the most is knowing that God the Father lavished his love on me by making me alive with His Son simply because he wanted to. I could do nothing to earn it, and I could do nothing to deserve it. He chose to set his love on those whom he calls.

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

I cannot boast, but I can be grateful. That is how Paul wants us to respond to God’s grace of rooting you, building you, establishing you, and teaching you in Christ. Abound in gratitude.

Abound in Gratitude

This is an imperative. It it is something you must do. Sometimes it is easy. Often times it is a choice. To abound with gratitude is to have a heart that overflows with thankfulness the way a cup overflows with water. As God pours his love into us, it should overflow our hearts ith thankfulness. A heart that abounds with gratitude for God rooting you and building you up in Christ looks a lot like Col 3:12-17

Colossians 3:12–17 ESV

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

John Piper says,

“Gratitude is the joy that arises in response to God’s good will toward us in all his gifts.”

John Piper

It was the Father’s will to crush the Son on our behalf. Jesus is God’s prize gift. Jesus’ Lordship is a gift. Living under His Lordship is a gift because Jesus is the Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Wonderful Counselor, Alpha and Omega, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. A grateful heart that recognizes Jesus is Lord and that His Lordship is a gift, is never in jeopardy of apostasy.

Faithfully Kept to Stay Until the End

My favorite part of Pilgrims Progress is when Christian arrives at the Celestial City. Jesus brings him to the baks of the Jordan River. Draws him into the River. Sustains him through the river. And receives him out of the river and into the Kingdom. Why?

When tempted by pressures to turn away from Jesus, I remind myself that He is Lord. I can live under His Lordship because He empowers me to root myself, build my life up, establish my faith, and teach me His commands. He rooted me, laid my foundation, established me in the faith, and discipled me through His church. It is a beautiful partnership of my new redeemed self, cooperating with His Spirit until He brings me home to the Celestial City. I am so grateful for Jesus’ Lordship. Amen.