The Sufficiency of the Gospel

Text Intro.

With a new year comes, perhaps, new or renewed ambition and expectation. And sometimes when we have this stirring within us, as temporary it might be, we are more open to new things, than we typically are during the rest of the year. Regardless if this describes you or not, the warning we will see in our text today is important for us to heed.

We will be in the epistle to the Colossians today, so I want to take a few moments to offer some context to this book. Paul actually never visited Colossae, but the church in this city was founded by a Colossian named Epaphras. Colossae, in its early years was a thriving city in southeastern Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). The wool industry was big there and was situated on a significant trade route between Ephesus and the Euphrates. But during the years of the Roman rule, the city declined as the cities Laodicea and Hierapolis grew. In Paul’s day, the glory days of Colossae were long gone and had become an insignificant market town.

Paul wrote this letter in part to address false teaching. Shortly after the church was founded in Colossae, a strong appetite had emerged for something more than the crucified and risen Christ. And while this was a concern, Paul does not so much critique this sinful ambition directly, he does address it by emphasizing the sufficiency of Christ and His work.

This particular issue: The feeling of discontent with Christ and His work, and pursuing satisfaction elsewhere is behind what we will see in our text today.

So as we go to our text, consider your sense of satisfaction in life, and what you pursue in order to have it.

Colossians 2:8–10 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. 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.

Introduction

With a new year often comes new aspirations. Be it health, financial, entrepreneurial, or crating more margin in life to enjoy it more, Jan 1 often marks this renewed sense of aspiration and purpose in life. And while these aspirations are not necessarily wrong, the motivations and thought processes we have as we aspire to achieve these things are crucial to guard carefully

Sometimes, we may find ourselves to be restless at this time of year. We want something different, something new, something exciting. The old isn’t working… not doing it for us, so we are much more open to what is new and different than we were last year. We want our lives to count. We want purpose and meaning, and while life is hard and trying, we still want something more.

And it is here where the church, that is, Christians need to be very careful on what we conclude will lead to our satisfaction in life. What we think will calm our restless spirit. We are not in want of suggestions for this answer. And many of the answers sound appealing and even promising, but I thought as we move forward into 2022 together, we pause and consider what we think will be satisfying and yield a content life, because...

FCF: The church may be tempted to conclude that our relationship with Christ is insufficient to produce a content life.

Main Idea:

Being satisfied that a relationship with Christ is sufficient for a content life satisfies the soul.

AQ

What is essential for us to be satisfied with the sufficiency of Christ?

We must embrace the rule of Christ (9-10)

AQ: What must we know about Christ’s rule?

play on words between v. 10 and v.9

v. 9: in Him (Christ) the whole fullness of deity dwells

v. 10: you have been filled in Him (or brought to fulness in Him)

as much as it is reality that the whole fullness of deity dwells in Christ, it is equally real that Christ’s followers are now filled with Christ. This is referring to the transformation that occurs in our salvation. And the result, here in this context is that those who are filled with Christ will have no real interest in listening to false teachers and what they are offering for spiritual fulfillment because being filled with Christ is all-satisfying.

And now, Christ is described in such a way to express why this filling is so transformative and satisfying. It centers on His rule. This is what we need to know about His rule:

His rule is absolute (10)

head

authority, but this word is robust in its implications

On the one hand the fact that Christ is sovereign and His rule is not threatened by any earthly ruler or authority.

In 1:15-20, Paul made clear that Christ is the one through whom all things in heaven and earth were created.

His rule is absolute. Eph 1:22 captures this idea well

Ephesians 1:22 (ESV)

And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church...

So, to be sure, that Jesus is in charge and sovereign over everything and everyone is crucial for us to see.

But there is another quality we must see in the fact that Jesus is head of all rule and authority:

His rule is sustaining (10)

Consider what 1:18 says and how this same term, head, is used

Colossians 1:18 ESV

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.

Christ is the head of the body. What’s the body? The church. Yes, this means that He is in charge of the church and that the church belongs to Him, but think about the nature of the relationship between the head and the body. They are not the same, but they are inseparable.

Church, we cannot be the church without our head. Christ, in other words, in essential to our existence.

If we are ever functioning apart from our head, we are like headless chickens who’s movements may appear to indicate life, but are actually senseless, lifeless and futile.

The head determines what we can and cannot do. So we are careful not to take matters into our own hands, but when it comes to that which threatens the church. False teachers or other threats, we can rest assured that we are firmly under the control of their own head, in whom the fullness of deity dwells.

Christ’s rule is absolute, sustaining and:

His rule is complete (9)

We are going to end in v. 8, but I want us to see the word for here in v. 9. As we have noted here in the past, these little words, these conjunctions help us understand the flow of what is being said.

V. 8 begins with a command, a warning to not get swept up in the false teaching of the world. Appearances can be deceiving, and what is being offered is not only hollow but is dangerous. Be satisfied in Christ. Why? V. 9 says for… Paul is now providing the reason for his warning in v. 8.

And what v. 9 essentially makes clear is that the rule of Christ is complete. It lacks nothing, and therefore all who embrace the rule of Christ lack nothing.

now, v. 9 here is connected to what Paul said in 1:19

Colossians 1:19 ESV

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

the message here is that of completeness, having everything necessary. Christ is completely God.

Something we should note here concerns the word dwells

This is most likely drawing on the imagery of God dwelling in the temple

Consider what is said in Psalm 68

Psalm 68:16 (ESV)

Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for his abode, yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?

And this background helps us makes sense of another word here in v. 9: bodily

God has taken up residence.... where. Christ is God, and He has taken up residence, not in a building like the temple of the OT, but in a body..... His body.... the body of Christ. The church.

Christ is the focus of God’s presence now, and His presence is visible in His body today. His people. It is through His church that He is exercising His rule today, and His rule is complete.

This is what is necessary for us to be satisfied that Christ is sufficient for a content life. We must willingly, unhesitatingly, joyfully embrace the rule of Christ.

What else is essential for us to be satisfied with the sufficiency of Christ?

We must guard against assaults on the rule of Christ (8)

Note the command in v. 8: See to it that no one takes you captive… This is the only command in these verses. See to it is really saying, look out! John is issuing a warning.

no one: Paul most likely has been informed by Epaphras about the threat of false teachers, but he probably does not have any specific person in mind. He is addressing the threat here more than he is addressing those who are perpetrating the threat.

takes you captive: used only here in the NT. A warning that this false teaching can take people, and carry them off as plunder (Moo).

The we come to the word by or through. See to it that no one takes you captive by…Paul now outlines the means by which the false teachers will attempt to entice the church, in other words the means of the assault on the church.

philosophy and empty deceit: philosophy describes a belief system that is accepted as authoritative.

empty deceit: this is what makes the philosophy being pushed by the false teachers evil. It is a philosophy that marginalizes the truth and eventually extinguishes it from a place of efficacy in our lives.

What do these assaults attack?

The centrality of Christ’s word

according to human tradition

this is the source of the empty and deceitful philosophy

The Colossians have received the right tradition already

Colossians 2:6 ESV

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,

They have received Christ, and their lives are now to be ordered after Him.

Instead, the false philosophy is holding forth a way of life that is ordered after human tradition

What Paul brings to the surface here is something we all are confronted with everyday. A way of life that is centered on the Bible or another set of beliefs. In many ways, this is referencing a world view. We discussed this last summer. A world view is what we use to process the world and all that we experience. What we read, what we view on TV, what we see on the internet, conversations etc. A world view is a filter of sorts, and in light of what Paul brings up here, the filter will be either the Bible or something else.

There are assaults on the rule of Christ today, and one way in which these assaults seek to do damage is to marginalize the Word of God. We come across people who are gifted communicators. They know how to sell and connect. We must guard against efforts to marginalize God’s word.

Cable News’ message for peace in our time is never one that centers on the Bible. We should turn to the news for information not indoctrination.

There are other areas of life this shows up.... school, work, retirement.... no matter what, who and when however, the truth of God’s word must be central. Otherwise we will fail to embrace the rule of Christ and instead embrace the rule of something or someone else.

guarding against assaults on the rule of Christ. These attacks target the centrality of God’s word and

The completeness of Christ’s work

elemental spirits: basic or rudimentary principles

This is a rare word (one word in Greek), and is used by Paul here and in Galatians. We can conclude that Paul uses it in the same sense in both letters.

Some discussion on how this phrase (elemental spirits) is used. I will suggest Paul is using it to refer to the essential principles of something. If this is the case, then we need to know the essential principles of what?

The same word appears again in v. 20

Colossians 2:20 ESV

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—

So the essential principles of the world are in view here.

This phrase is also used in Heb to describe the essential principles of the word of God

Hebrews 5:12 ESV

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,

But the false philosophy that Paul warns the Colossians to look out for is one that centers on the world’s approach to God. In this particular case, a call to obey certain dietary laws, observe certain holy days etc. as a means to have fellowship with God and be right with Him was an elemental spirit approach to life.

It was much like what was going on in the Galatian church

Galatians 4:3 ESV

In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.

Galatians 4:8–9 ESV

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

Look out for teaching that seeks to put forth the idea that trusting in Christ and His redemptive work on the cross and His resurrection is not complete. There is more needed to be the spiritual beings we were meant to be, and that boils down to relying on the what the world says is essential to peace with God and not what Christ has said and done.

Today, the message of the world seems to be that in order to have peace with God is to abandon Him all together. God, the world says, is not relevant. We don’t need Him to have peace. And while the world rejects Him in the way, the world still acknowledges the need for peace, but suggests that peace can come to people without God.

Don’t turn back church. Look out! The world has a powerful and enticing message. Nothing new is needed. Jesus has paid it all, done it all, is ruling over all and is our all-in-all.

Being satisfied that a relationship with Christ is sufficient for a content life satisfies the soul. And we need to guard against assaults on the rule of Christ, and these assaults target finally,

The primacy of Christ in all things

not according to Christ

the false teachers are proclaiming a doctrine and demanding practices that do not depend on Christ.

Find identity in self not Christ

Attain peace through politics not Christ

Security in money not Christ

harmony in family and other close relationships in complete agreement and uniformity not Christ

NOT CHRIST is the message. According to self, according to human logic, according to our favorite news anchor, social media influencer, intellectual, politician and NOT according to Christ.

There is an assault on the primacy of Christ at work that we must look out for.

We almost always have a concern that Christ would be clearly at the center of our Christmas celebration. Not the lights, presents, parties, stockings or Santa. Fine.

Let’s have the same concern that Christ be at the center of what we say and do on Jan 2 and Feb 8 and March 22 and June 13 and every day in between.

Colossians 1:18 ESV

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.

We must be aware and on the look out that there is an assault on the primacy of Christ.... that He not be seen by His followers as preeminent .... that He not occupy first place.

This is what this philosophy seeks to do. Reject the primacy of Christ, and entice Christ’s followers to do the same.