Colossians chapter 2

“Continue in Him”

Review . . .

Paul writing from a Roman prison to the church in Colossae in response to false teaching.

He is encouraging the believers to continue in placing their faith in Christ alone

The false teaching was emphasizing the need to add to the accomplished work of Christ on the cross.

When we have “Jesus and” we step into deception and false teaching.

Today, we continue our study in Colossians chapter 2. I would like to take the time to read the chapter in its entirety.

Please take your Bibles and join me.

Colossians 2:1–23 (LEB)

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on behalf of you, and those in Laodicea, and all those who have not seen my face in person, so that their hearts may be encouraged, united in love and into all the wealth of the full assurance of insight into the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. I say this in order that no one will deceive you with persuasive speech, for even if I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, live in him, firmly rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding with thankfulness. Beware lest anyone take you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ, because in him all the fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you are filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority, in whom also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made by hands, by the removal of the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which also you were raised together with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And although you were dead in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, having destroyed the certificate of indebtedness in ordinances against us, which was hostile to us, and removed it out of the way by nailing it to the cross. When he had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he made a display of them in public, triumphing over them by it.

Therefore do not let anyone judge you with reference to eating or drinking or participation in a feast or a new moon or a Sabbath, which are a shadow of what is to come, but the reality is Christ. Let no one condemn you, taking pleasure in humility and the worship of angels, going into detail about the things which he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by the ligaments and sinews, grows with the growth of God.

If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as if living in the world? “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch,” which things are all meant for destruction by consuming according to human commandments and teachings, which things although they have, to be sure, an appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and humility and unsparing treatment of the body, do not have any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Prayer . . .

Introduction:

One of the most common prayer requests I have heard throughout my years of pastoral ministry is for the salvation of children not currently serving Christ.

The beliefs of children raised in church have been set aside for a new pursuit in life.

This pursuit becomes based on a personal interpretation of truth and its application to the individual’s lifestyle.

Much like the false teaching Paul addressed in the church of Colossae, this deception has found an embrace.

It is supported through encouragement for individuals to seek “what works for them.”

As a result, faith is dismissed as an antiquated belief system, or passively endured with occasional church attendance to satisfy the wishes of a parent’s faith.

I believe it is safe to say that the hearts and minds of these individuals have been “taken captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy.”

At the beginning of the year, I made a statement that I believe the Holy Spirit put in my heart; “this is the year of breakthrough.”

Breakthrough is when we touch the throne of God and experience the reality of our prayers coming into fulfillment.

It is reflected in Paul’s statement that he is “struggling” for the believers.

This is the ministry of intercession on the behalf of others.

The ministry of intercession focuses directly into the heart of God “that none should perish.”

Paul’s intercession of struggling was for the sake of the believers being equipped to rightly discern truth from error in the teaching that was attempting to gain access to their hearts and minds.

Breakthrough is received as we persevere in faith, trust, and obedience to the promises of God.

The need for perseverance is captured in Paul’s instruction to “live in Christ, firmly rooted and built up in Him.”

The way we persevere is through becoming “established in our faith” and to engage a lifestyle of “abounding with thankfulness.”

Breakthrough is accomplished as we appropriate the victory of Christ on the cross to our situations.

The thought of appropriating Christ’s victory is founded upon the understanding that Jesus “disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a display of them in public, triumphing over them.”

We can gain breakthrough because Jesus has fully “disarmed the rulers and authorities,” but we must learn to apply Christ’s victory to our situations.

Breakthrough must be realized at the individual level.

Although we cannot accomplish breakthrough for someone else, we can and must approach the throne of heaven on their behalf so that they have the freedom of will to choose for themselves.

Paul warns the believers to “beware lest anyone take you captive through philosophy and empty deceit,.

The thought of being taken captive would indicate that those who would choose to believe the false teaching would become captive in their minds to a belief system other than the Truth of Christ.

This philosophy was threatening the very ability of the believers to “continue in Christ.”

A modern day philosophy that has captivated hearts and minds:

An introduction to deconstruction:

Deconstruction is a philosophical approach that emerged in the mid-20th century.

Deconstruction challenges the idea of fixed, absolute truths, including those found within religious doctrines and dogmas.

Deconstruction calls into question traditional sources of religious authority, such as sacred texts, religious leaders, and institutional structures.

Leads to relativism, where all religious beliefs are seen as equally valid or invalid.

Argues that language is inherently unstable and ambiguous, and meanings are always deferred and context-dependent. Words and concepts do not have fixed, universal definitions but are constantly in flux, shaped by the context in which they are used.

A central tenet of deconstruction is the critique of binary oppositions, such as good/evil, male/female, presence/absence, and so on. Deconstruction argues that these oppositions are not absolute or stable but are constructed.

Deconstruction emphasizes the importance of context in interpreting texts and meaning. There is no single, fixed meaning inherent in a text but rather a plurality of meanings.

What are the consequences?

1. **Uncertainty and Anxiety**: Deconstruction challenges the stability and certainty of knowledge, truth, and identity. This can lead to feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and existential angst as individuals grapple with the realization that the meanings and beliefs they once held may be contingent and subject to change. The absence of fixed reference points can create a sense of disorientation and existential discomfort.

2. **Identity Crisis**: Deconstruction can destabilize traditional categories of identity, including those based on gender, race, nationality, and religion. This can lead to an identity crisis as individuals question the social constructs and power dynamics that shape their sense of self. The deconstruction of fixed identity categories may create space for personal growth and self-discovery but can also generate feelings of confusion, alienation, and identity fragmentation.

3. **Reevaluation of Values and Beliefs**: Deconstruction invites individuals to critically examine their values, beliefs, and assumptions about reality. This process of reevaluation can be transformative but may also be emotionally challenging as individuals confront inconsistencies and contradictions within their belief systems. The reassessment of deeply held beliefs may lead to feelings of cognitive dissonance, ambivalence, and moral uncertainty.

What’s the answer?

(vs. 17 NIV) “Reality is found in Christ.”

The answer for those caught in the deception of false teaching is to come back to the “reality” only found in Christ.

We must persevere in our “struggle” for them.

We must