Colossians 2:6-8

Colossians 2:6-8

Our problem is not that we do not believe. Many ‘Christians’ actually believe. The problem is often these believers do not know what to believe; we don’t believe the truth. Human beings are profoundly spiritual beings; we are drawn to faith like a moth to a light. From Stone Age animists to atheistic scientists, all humans look for explanations, wonder, and the object of faith that gives the reason for existence. To ‘believe’ is no big accomplishment. Many people who self-identify as Christians say they believe, but their beliefs are sloppy, shallow, misguided, and self-serving. In a word, they are wrong. Why is this? It is generally a combination of the church's sloppy, shallow, misguided, and selfish teaching and the individual’s satisfaction with a sloppy faith and an unawareness of anything more. We have focused on the benefits of faith, or, perhaps we should say, the supposed benefits of faith, but have not focused on the faith itself. 

For Paul, faith begins with the lordship of Christ. The false teachers of Colossae would undermine the person and the work of Christ and thereby compromise His authority or lordship. In contrast, Paul says the way you received Christ as Lord, or master, or absolute and final authority is the way that you need to live daily. The day-by-day, hour-by-hour, moment-by-moment living with Jesus Christ as our Master is the goal. Our goal is not to sign up with some kind of cosmic welfare office or have a divine sugar daddy.

How do we do this walk of daily living under the Lordship of Jesus? Paul explains in Colossians 2:7. This verse is a delight of Greek grammar, but time does not permit a full explanation here. Paul makes five quick points with five key words. 

1. Rooted: beginning with a solid foundation 

2. Built up: roughly to grow in wisdom. 

3. Established: to make stronger. 

4. Taught or instructed: This is how it happens; without good instruction, we will never grow. 

5. Thankfulness: an appreciation of what Christ has done through faith with and in us.

This is too rarely presented in many churches. We have presented Jesus as a good, friendly guy that can grant our wishes and make life what we want it to be. We are content to live or to be left in the shallow misunderstanding and results of a faith that is discontented and ungrateful but ever demanding more for ourselves. The only solution is to return to an understanding of the lordship of Christ, and that is found only in Scripture.

“Jesus You are my Lord and my God. AMEN”