Colossians 2:1 - 3:6

Christ the Antidote to Error


Introduction

The Christian today is beset by many systems of thought and religious cults, each competitive to the truth as it is in Christ. The saint needs a sure ground, something to held to in the storms of error. The answer is found in a greater appreciation of and steadfastness to the Savior, Jesus Christ Himself.

In Colossians, Christ is presented in His pre-eminence. He is the fullness of God bodily, the substance of salvation, the head of the church which is His body, the Christian's true wisdom and humility and the basis of spiritual blessing. Four basic errors are confronted in this epistle and each is counteracted by calling attention to the Son of God and His perfect offices. The same errors are present now and the antidote is still the same.

Body

I. NOT PHILOSOPHY - CHRIST IS GOD'S FULLNESS (2:8-10).

   A. The Colossians faced gnosticism and other philosophical cults.

   B. Today Christians face philosophies of men (existentialism, neo-Platonism, humanism, evolution, as well as organized competitive false philosophy in Rosicrucianism, Masonry, magic and astrology, Christian Science, Mormonism, Jehovah's witness cult).

   C. The answer to all these is an appreciation of Christ as the fullness of God and, bodily, all man can know or needs to know about spiritual mysteries.

II. NOT OLD TESTAMENT - CHRIST IS ITS SUBSTANCE (2:14-17).

   A. The Colossians faced organized Jewry as well as what may have been a principally Gentile-Christian zeal for the law of Moses.

   B. Today Christians face various Sabbatarian groups, AngloIsraelism (such as presented by Herbert W. Armstrong) and other forms of this ancient error.

   C. The answer is in an appreciation of Christ as the substance Of the law, the finisher of its purpose and the fulfillment of its ordinances and promises.

III. NOT HUMAN REGULATIONS - CHRIST IS TRUE WISDOM AND HUMILITY (2:18-23).

   A. The Colossians faced Jewish asceticism (such as the Essenes and even the Pharisees), and a beginning Christian asceticism that developed fully in later years.

   B. Christians today encounter traditions and rules of Catholicism and other denominational systems, as well as lapses into "Church of Christ" traditions and rules which appear without warning from time to time.

   C. The answer is seen in Christ as God's true wisdom, and submission to Him as the only acceptable "humility."

IV. NOT WORLDLY LICENSE - CHRIST IS OUR HEAD AND LIFE (3:5, 6, context).

   A. In New Testament times some Christians taught license in the name of grace (Revelation 2:14, 20; Romans 6:1, 15; Ephesians 5:5-6). Immorality was the way of life among Gentile non-Christians.

   B. Advocates of immorality are present and apparently increasing in number.

        1. "New Morality" and "situation ethics" exponents.

        2. Drug and sex culture.

        3. Decadent and perverse society.

   C. The answer to this is not self-imposed and self-glorifying rule-keeping, but an appreciation of Christ who is our head and life. If He lives in us (1:27) we will be presented one day perfect in His sight (1:28). This is cause for setting affections on heavenly things (3:1-4) and putting to death earthly desires for sin (3:5-11).

Conclusion

Errors come and go with the years, but seem to reappear with the passing of time. Our besetting foes today were faced by the Colossians many centuries before, and will be met in any age by a greater proper appreciation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord, God's fullness, the Law's end and the only means of true wisdom and humility.

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