Discerning Truth

Colossians 2:6-19
Related Sunday School Lesson, Family Bible Series, July 24

In the year 62 AD, the Apostle Paul wrote to a group of believers whom he had never met. Paul had commissioned a man named Epaphras to plant a church in the city of Colosse in the Lycus River Valley of Asia Minor. The church had been planted and it was growing, but Paul had become aware of some threats to this fledgling church.

Much of his letter to the Colossians was written to reaffirm the person of Christ and to combat false doctrine. In chapter 2, Paul encouraged the church to be firmly grounded in the truth so that they would not fall for illegitimate teaching. This message was Paul’s “great struggle” (v.1); he was intensely concerned that they become strong in their faith by their knowledge of God’s truth.

Variety of Terms, Col. 2:6-7

Paul teaches that being saved is not the end of Christianity, it is only the beginning. Now that these believers had received Christ, they needed to grow and become strong in the faith. The Apostle used a variety of terms to make sure that everyone understood its importance.

First he used a behavioral term, “walk” (v.6). To walk means that in our daily conduct we should live what we say we believe. What we really believe we will practice; everything else is just so much religious talk. Next he used an agricultural term, “rooted” (v.7). Unless we put down deep spiritual roots in Bible study we will be like spiritual tumbleweeds, believing every new idea and following every clever teacher.

Then Paul used an architectural term, “built up” (v.7). Jesus is our foundation and we build upon Him using the blueprint of biblical truth. That is how we become “established in the faith,” confident and strong. Finally there is an educational term in v.7, “taught.” Christians need to be life-long learners, always strengthening our understanding of God’s truth.

False Doctrine, Col. 2:8

False doctrine usually does two things: It belittles the person of Christ and it exalts the religion of man. It makes Jesus less than He is, and it promotes man-made religion. Paul knew how destructive false teachers could be, and he compared them to kidnappers who would prey upon the minds of immature Christians and lead them into error. “Philosophies, empty deceit and human traditions” are false worldviews that “are not based on Christ.”

Shadow Chasers and Airheads, Col. 2:16-19

The Colossian believers were being intimidated and led astray by two kinds of false teachers: legalists and mystics. The legalists mentioned in v.16-17 were trying to impose the Jewish dietary laws and holy days on these new believers. Imagine them cornering a new believer and saying, “If you want to be a real Christian, just being saved isn’t enough; you need to observe all these rules and rituals.” Paul said, “Let no one judge you.” In other words, don’t be intimidated by legalism.

He pointed out that the Jewish laws and festivals were only shadows of Christ, who fulfilled all of those things. Christ is the substance of our faith (v.17). Christianity is not a list of rules. It is not a religion we practice, but a relationship with a Person.

The mystics mentioned in v.18-19 were false teachers who sought spiritual truth outside the Word of God. Their “false humility and worship of angels” may have sounded like this: “I’m not worthy of approaching Jesus, I’ll just worship one of His angels.” Imagine them confusing a new believer by teaching that they should not be so bold as to approach God and that they must pray through angels.

These mystics, like many modern teachers who call themselves Christians, valued their own visions and ecstatic experiences more highly than Scripture. Paul said they had become “vainly puffed up in their minds” (v.18) – spiritual airheads! In their error, they had become disconnected from Christ, who is the Head of the church. Tragically, vulnerable believers were following their lead.

Our Best Defense, Col. 2:9-15

The best way to guard against false doctrine is to understand who Jesus is. Paul reaffirms the deity of Christ (v.9): Jesus is God! Then Paul reminds us of what Jesus has done for us. First, Jesus met our greatest need, the need for spiritual life (v.13).

Without Him, people are “dead in trespasses.” Jesus forgave our sins and gave us new life. Believer’s baptism is a beautiful symbol of this new life, as it pictures Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (v.12).

Second, Jesus paid our greatest debt, the debt of sin. Paul illustrates this truth with two vivid images. The first (v.14) is a legal picture. The long list of our sins is like an indictment, and Jesus took that list of sins and nailed it to His cross. By His blood He erased it!

There is also the physical picture of circumcision (v.11). No other part of human anatomy demonstrates the depth of our sin like that part of a man that produces life. For the Jewish man, circumcision – the cutting away of part of that – was a demonstration that he was a sinful man in need of salvation through a covenant relationship with God. Our salvation is like God cutting away our sin and disposing of it.

Third, Jesus defeated our greatest enemy (v.15). Jesus has disarmed Satan and his demons, stripping them of their power to defeat us. He “made a public spectacle of them,” like a conquering general who would lead a victory parade to show off his triumph over the enemy. Because of who Jesus is and what He has done for us, we are “complete in Him” (v.10).