Colossians 2:1-10
1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
We understand God’s word and will through the eyes of faith fueled by His Spirit living in us who interprets what we read and hear, and not through the philosophy of man but by Christ alone. Paul cared for the disciples he had brought to Christ through the preaching of the gospel and reasoning (Acts 17:17, 18:4, 24:25) from God’s perspective as led and enabled by the Holy Spirit and not his own learning or reasoning. He implored the Colossians and nearby Laodiceans to be encouraged by the truth and knit together in Christ and His love in and through them as they understood the (Colossians 1:27) mystery of Christ come to live in them as their Helper (John 14:15-16, 1 John 2:1) and they in union with Him. This full understanding is the true treasure we all yearn for to know God and His Christ who hold all wisdom and knowledge for us to seek out in His word by the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:10, 16) in us who is the Spirit who helps us grasp this eternal mystery (Ephesians 3:3-4, 5-6) revealed to we who have been transformed at last! We are bombarded by the world around us to look elsewhere for answers as the adversity continues to cast doubt on God’s word (Genesis 3:1) in the philosophies and wisdom of mere men who keep trying to deceive us with very persuasive arguments, but we have been told of this and our awareness keeps us focused on the truth as the apostle urged the hearers then and readers now. We are to remain steadfast and immovable (1 Corinthians 15:58) by the same faith which saved us. We live in this truth by faith that is rooted in our very souls and fills our minds as we have been taught (Matthew 28:20) as disciples of Christ Jesus and which truth is affirmed by His Spirit in us. Therefore, we also overflow in faith and confidence in Him and His work according to the Bible given us as His conversation and guidance to live by. This is why we are to not allow any false teachings or philosophical traditions of faulty reasoning to draw us into the fallen worldview of corruption by sin which doubts God’s word and then changes it to suit what we desire instead of God’s desire for our good and His glory. In Christ lives the fullness of God Himself who became a man like us (John 1:1, 14), and to follow Him is to follow God who makes us complete in Himself and not in our own man as the world would have us do and pursue. He is the sovereign ruler (1 Timothy 6:14-15, Revelation 17:14, 19:16) of us all and alone to be worshipped. The only way to know Him more is through His word and Spirit, not the reasoning of men or women who cannot grasp the truth apart from Him and whose ruler is intent on keeping us from knowing and spreading the gospel truth. We love not by philosophy, but by Christ.
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