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The Just Shall Live by Faith
Colossians 2:6–8 (ESV)
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
8 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.
Because of the full work of Christ, we are completely free of death, debt, and fear.
Colossians 2:6–8 (ESV)
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
> Paul elaborates on the walk
7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
> Paul warns the church of false teachings that take us away from grace and away from Christ.
8 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.
> Paul explains the truths that would defeat the heresy threatening the Colossians. The exact identity of the false teachers is not recorded, but the words of Paul give us many clues.
Colossians 2:13 (ESV)
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,
Because of the full work of Christ, we are fully alive and forgiven.
Colossians 2:14 (ESV)
14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.
This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Because of the full work of Christ, there is no sin debt we must pay.
> But of course, it’s not a single piece of paper. It would be like stacks and stacks of books with the debts we owe.
> Of course, there are some who are overachievers. Dan Harlan…
There’s even a staff to keep track of it all.
Colossians 2:15 (ESV)
15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
> Christ disrobed and humiliated the realm of sin and Satan. They are a defeated foe. Christ is King of all.
Because of the full work of Christ, we need not fear man or spirits.
Because of the full work of Christ, we are completely free of death, debt, and fear.
My sin—O the bliss of this glorious thought—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,
“Even so”—it is well with my soul.
> Let’s turn now in the text to see some practical ways this false teaching can reveal itself.
Colossians 2:16–17 (ESV)
16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.
17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
> Here is the hint of a Jewish flavor to the false teaching.
> Have you ever lived under the burden of a judgmental eye?
> It kills the spirit, the zeal, the love, the thrill. It’s death to a church.
Colossians 2:18–19 (ESV)
18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
> Now we have the hint of an Essene and a Gnostic form of false teaching. There’s a mysticism to it.
> Have you ever thought there might be something more? Something your missing?
> Have you ever thought maybe some kind of experience of revelation might give you a more victorious Christian life?
> Take heart. There’s no secrets you can’t find for yourself in scripture.
> You don’t need a vision. You don’t need a prophecy or a word from the Lord. You don’t need an elite teacher. You just need to get in the Word.
Let’s conclude by putting more application in the form of questions.
- Does an ordered life of rules and regulations grant you answered prayers from God?
- Do you need to repay God with obedience, even in a small way, for the gift of salvation he has given you?
- Will rule keeping make you more holy?
- Is there secret knowledge to learn in a vision or from an elite teacher?
Community Group Questions for Discussion
Prayer
Q&A
Final song