Colossians 2:8-10

Col 2:

Colossians 2:6–7 ESV

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Where Cory Left off but essential to the rest of this paragraph

Paul is expounding on how we have received Christ Jesus the one with: the fullness of God, the head of the church, the first born of the dead, the life force by which all things hold together.

He does not only mention the receiving of Christ as that alone would fall short of what it means to be Christian. After receiving Christ we are to walk in him and grow into him.

As we grow into him, Paul has recognized that this church has encountered some teaching that they are not sure what to make of.

Our people today can fall under the same scenario. We can call on the name of Jesus but then when we stop there (short of mature in Christ from ch 1: 28), we can be swayed or loose track of what it means to walk in Christ

Colossians 2:8 ESV

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Colossians 2:8-

Our people today can fall under the same scenario. We can call on the name of Jesus but then when we stop there (short of mature in Christ from vs 28), we can be swayed or loose track of what it means to walk in Christ

There are a lot of philosophy out there with empty promises. Some from simply human traditions that have been passed on so long that everyone assumes they are fact, some come from spirits of this world seeking to lead us astray and deter us from obedience to Christ.

Recently in the launch of the college group our beginning series was founded in vs 7. We wanted to get to the root/ foundations of our faith to establish what makes us a ministry. This will eventually lead into the fruit of that root and walking in Christ.

We started our studies of Christ by simply walking through this same paragraph vs by vs.

on vs 8 we discussed five different answers to the question of Jesus “who do you say that I am”

Myth

Fail Prophet

Moral Philosopher

The figure of Faith but not history

or God

While there are others, in this class I am not going to go though each of this but just simply say that the first four primarily fall under tradition or philosophy made up from human pondering with no real factual backing. They are like fake news that is shared by someone on facebook when people don’t want to spend time fact checking. Something we are all too familiar.

So beginning this next portion Paul wants to clarify the true news from Christ and apply the ideas he introduced in ch 1

V

Colossians 2:

Colossians 2:9–10 ESV

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

This verse begins the unpacking of Paul’s Christology! But this is not without purpose.

For: Can also be translated Because/That

begins a prepositional phrase that cannot stand alone but only makes sense when connected with the previous thought.

If vs 8 covers the negative of what is not according to Christ. Vs 9 begins the flip positive side.

We see two aspects in vs 9. Where can we find the true nature of God and how can we become a part of that

Fullness and Filling

In the human Christ and Christ alone is the fullness of God’s nature.

From the fullness of God we are also told that it dwells bodily

The choice of the word dwells here likely references the dwelling of God in the temple, a concept found in the old testament.

But we are not left with the Old Testament Temple but Paul offers a classifier found in the adverb “bodily”

God has not taken residence in a building nor is he absent from this world but he is in a human body and present in this life.

That nature is then only transferred to us by then being filled by Christ.

and: continues explaining why a philosophy that is not according to Christ is problematic

The Colossian church will have no interest in listening to the false teachers once they realize that they are already filled and therefore we should reach the same conclusion.

The choice of the word dwells here likely references the dwelling of God in the temple, a concept found in the old testament.

But we are not left with the Old Testament Temple but Paul offers a classifier found in the adverb “bodily”

We have no need to pursue any other treasure, life, wisdom, or any thing outside of Christ for we have the all of them in Christ who fills us himself with the nature of God

fullness of deity-resides in Christ; believers in Christ- are filled

God has not taken residence in a building nor is he absent from this world but he is in a human body and present in this life.

It is perhaps possible that the false teachers were promising a spiritual fullness beyond the experience with Christ

10b who is the head of all rule and authority

Not only is the fullness of Christ the fullness of God. It is also the fullness of the one who is the head of all rule and authority

The application part of Christ through whom all things were created

Christ is the head of the body, he ultimately determines what spiritual and physical powers can actually do and how far they can go

Therefore Christians need not fear powers or authorities of any kind

Colossians 2:11–13 ESV

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

In Him

kai-kai connects vs from vs 10b in Him

Being in Christ means we experience things with Christ

Being in Him means we are:

circumcised with him (dying with Christ)

by putting off the body of the flesh (cutting away of our sinful nature)

against false teaching to subdue the flesh Christians with Christ need no other rule or practice is needed outside of the union with Christ

Christs removes the power of the flesh over us through death to remove the flesh

buried in baptism

raised with him

made alive with Him

English Standard Version Chapter 2

by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

How he accomplished this filling in us

He connected us with God by removing our debts, he also paved the way for our Christian baptism on the cross, the same life that we have set committed to follow.

Therefore by removing the fear of death, the power of the self and flesh have been removed and all rulers and authorities have no power of Christ and therefore no power over us.

As Christians because of Christ we are:

To fear Him who judges our eternity and not tomorrow. Fear Him who can kill our spirit and not Him who can kill our flesh.

We obey God and not Man because God is the ultimate authority.