Back to Basics
Col. 2: 6 – 7
Introduction
In an effort to protect the Colossian Christians from doctrinal error and false teachers, Paul wrote this short Epistle. Warning, exposing, and knowing the error however is not enough, the Christian must move on with his life in faith. These two short verses mark the transition from doctrinal teaching to practical living. We go back to the very basic.
I. Receiving Christ (2:6)
A. What does receiving Christ mean? Receive here carries the thought of welcoming what is delivered or brought by others. It carries the idea of taking the truth passed by someone else. What is important here is we must respond by repentance, faith, obedience, and perseverance. You remember the time when we received Christ? Our heart was filled with joy, peace and love? Well we must continue to live as we have just received Christ. It is the Bible that tells us the truth about Jesus Christ. We become Christian by faith in Christ’s death for the forgiveness of our sins.
When we receive Christ, we receive Him by faith. We receive the person Himself, the prophecies concerning about Him, His life, death, burial, resurrection, His teachings, commands, and His second coming. This is what we call the doctrine of Christ. Our full reception and trust about the doctrine of Christ is enough to combat any deception of false teachers and heretics. Has there been a time in your life when you personally opened your heart to Christ and receive Him as your Saviour? Others may say “well I don’t know whether I have or not”. It’s just the as asking the question “are you married or not?” We cannot marry and not know it. We cannot receive Christ and not know it.
II. Christ Jesus our Lord (v.6)
A. When we receive Christ as Saviour, we get more than a saviour, we get a Lord also. In Greek, Lord means God, master, sir. We have a master and we are His slave or servants. This should change how we live. We are servants but not ordinary or common servants. We are the servants of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we should not be ashamed about it.
A good friend of mine, Davy Sim was hired as a manager in a prestigious Yamaha company with an excellent pay and benefits. In the midst of his successful career He was called by Christ to serve full time in the ministry. After a brief struggle, he went and served as a Pastor in SBBC. I met him last month and even after 13 years, not a hint of regret or looking back as a manager was in his heart. He was serving God and he finds joy doing it. He has also written 3 devotional books and the fourth is on its way. What a testimony of a corporate manager who became the Lord’s servant.
III. Our Christian Walk (v. 6)
A. Walk means how we live as Christians. I have gathered here seven ways in which we should walk as children of God.
1. Walk in love – Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. Let all things in our life be done out of love to God and to man.
For the love of God and for the love for the lost sinners Ptr. Marcelino Arias worked tirelessly serving the Lord. Under his ministry thousands of souls have been saved, hundreds of students who cannot afford to study in the Bible School were given free education, lots of churches have been planted and hundreds of missionaries have been sent locally and overseas. What a man he is and what a love he has for the Lord and for the poor sinners. Even now that he is seventy’s he is still busy doing the Lord’s business.
2. Walk in the truth – 3 John 1:3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
We should be truthful in all our dealings in our life. Our God is a God of truth (Deut. 32:4). We should avoid lying (Eph. 4:25) and walk before God in truth (2 kings. 20:3).
3. Walk in the Spirit – Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Live under the influences of the Holy Spirit. Obedience to the Word of God is the only way we can have victory over the flesh and its works. All believers have the Holy Spirit dwelling in him and it’s the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live a life that is approved by God.
4. Walk by faith – 2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight 🙂
To walk by faith, is to live in the confident expectation of things that are to come; in the belief of the existence of unseen realities. By believing what the Bible says and living by that belief we can show our walk by faith. I’ve never seen Jesus, heaven, angels, etc., but by faith I know they are real.
5. Walk in the newness of life – Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Newness of life here is life of righteousness that that we are born again. Sin describes our old life, now that we are dead, buried, and resurrected with Christ, we are now different.
6. Walk honestly – Romans 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Live decently, showing our outward behaviour is the same as our inner self which is the reality of a changed life. No more deception, wild parties, drunkenness, sexual orgies, fighting, etc.
7. Walk worthy of the Lord – Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
We must live in a way that is consistent with our identification with our Saviour. I would say that it embodies the first 6 we have just discussed.
IV. Established in Christ (v. 7)
A. We are established in that our faith is rooted like a tree in Christ. A stable tree is deeply rooted on the ground that it is hard if not impossible to uproot it. But unless our faith is “rooted” in the person and work of Christ, it is a false faith and it is good as nothing.
B. The use of the word “built up in Him” carries the idea of building a house on a specific place. Like a building whose foundations go deep into the ground, we too must be built up in Christ. The foundation is Christ. As we grow up in Christ God makes us more able to live the Christian life. Well-built building can withstand strong earthquake. We too will be able to withstand storms and adversity in life if we are “built upon” in Christ.
V. Be Thankful (v. 7)
A. As we grow up as Christian, we must not forget to give thanks to the Lord knowing that he is the source of all the blessings we got.
B. We are commanded to give thanks to God (Ps 50:14; Ph. 4:6)
C. It is one thing to give thanks but it is another to give thanks abundantly. Abounding means plentiful. So we must always give thanks to the Lord (Eph. 1:16; 5:20; 1Th 1:2).
D. Thanksgiving is an indication of a mature believer who acknowledges what God has done in his life.
E. By being thankful means we do not complain or become bitter to God on whatever things that happen.
VI. Conclusion:
When we receive Christ, we not only have a saviour but we also have Lord. Our walk or how we live now must show that indeed we really are the children of God. We should also be thankful for all things always to God as we grow into maturity.
Preached: 14 April 2013
