Walking in Christ: Colossians 2 (3)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 81.1-3, 8
Sing aloud to God our strength;
Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob.
Raise a song and strike the timbrel,
The pleasant harp with the lute.
Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon,
At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.

“Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you!
O Israel, if you will listen to Me!”

Sing Psalm 81.1-3, 8
(St. Petersburg: With Grateful Heart My Thanks I Bring)
O sing for joy to Jesus our strength; to Jacob’s great God shout joyfully at length!
And strike the drum, and offer a song; all instruments, your glad music prolong.
“O Israel, hear, admonished now be; My people, repent, return to Me!”

Read Colossians 2.8-10

Preparation
1. What does Paul warn us against here?

2. Why must we be en garde against this?

Meditation
According to Paul, Jesus has broken our captivity to the world, the flesh, and the devil, and He has taken us captive unto Himself in the Presence of God (Eph. 4.8-10).

That being so, we need to be careful that we don’t become captive again to powers contrary to the Kingdom of God.

Whatever distracts us from Christ, whatever separates us from Him, engages our attention or devotion more than Christ, whatever occupies our minds, enthralls our hearts, or guides our consciences more than Jesus – whatever this may be, it takes us captive, as surely as Israel was captive in Babylon. Especially, it appears, we are vulnerable to human and worldly ways of thinking and being – philosophies, deceptions, traditions, spiritual curiosities, and the like (v. 8). 

We must be continually on guard against such things, and the way to do this is to be always focused on and close to Jesus. He is all the fullness we could ever desire, and we are complete in Him (vv. 9, 10). Stay close to Christ, and by His invincible power He will keep you from becoming captive to the world.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
We have a choice to make:
Do we want to serve the King?
Or the court jester?

Here it is spelled out for us, plain as day:  We can be complete in Christ, in Whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; or we can be incomplete and indwelt by vain philosophy, empty deceit, traditions of men, and the basic principles of the world.

Hmmm.

Joshua put this same choice to the people of Israel: “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served…or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Josh. 24.15)

Paul wrote to Titus: “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating o another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared” …it was a game-changer (Titus 3.3, 4).

When we know that we have decided to leave the court jester behind and follow the King, we are given some suggestions as to how to accomplish this goal.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5.15, 16).

And to Timothy: “…you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3.15-17).

Let’s choose to serve and be captive to the King; and to beware of anything that might keep us from that goal; and to immerse ourselves in the King’s Word to guide us in this endeavor.

Reflection
1. How can you tell if you’re beginning to be captive to anything other than Jesus?

2. Why are we “vulnerable to human and worldly ways of thinking and being?”

3. How does being immersed in the Scriptures help to keep us en garde against deceiving philosophies?

Would you then be reckoned as belonging to Christ's flock? Would you remain in his folds? Do not deviate a nail's breadth from purity of doctrine. For unquestionably Christ will act the part of the good Shepherd by protecting us if we but hear his voice, and reject those of strangers. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Colossians 2.8

Keep me in Your righteous path today, O Lord. Let no subtle wind of false teaching cause me to…

Closing Prayer: Psalm 81.8-16
Pray that God will keep you focused on Him and walking in His truth throughout this day.

Sing Psalm 81.9-16, 8
(St. Petersburg: With Grateful Heart My Thanks I Bring)
“Let no false gods among you be found; but scatter their altars over the ground.
Pursue not wealth, nor leisure nor fame, but worship the Savior’s glorious Name:
O Israel, hear, admonished now be; My people, repent, return to Me!”

For You are God, Your Name is the Lord, Who faithfully keeps His covenant  Word,
Who rescued us from bondage and pride; our mouths He would fill, we open them wide.
“O Israel, hear, admonished now be; My people, repent, return to Me!”

“My people would not listen to Me, but hardened their hearts most hideously;
I cursed them for their hard-hearted ways to wander in darkness all of their days:
O Israel, hear, admonished now be; My people, repent, return to Me!”

Now let us all abandon our ways and listen to God, and offer Him praise!
Our foes He will so quickly subdue, extending His hand to save and renew.
“O Israel, hear, admonished now be; My people, repent, return to Me!”

Then even those despising the Lord would falsely obey and follow His Word.
In vain they seem to follow His way, yet judgment awaits on God’s chosen day.
“O Israel, hear, admonished now be; My people, repent, return to Me!’

The finest foods for us He will buy, and furnish us an abundant supply;
How sweet our lives can be in the Lord, when only we heed His glorious Word.
“O Israel, hear, admonished now be; My people, repent, return to Me!”

T. M. and Susie Moore

You can listen to last week’s summary of our study in Colossians by clicking here.

The Church Captive
Throughout the centuries, Christianity has fallen captive to various false teachings. Is this the case again in our day? Our book, The Church Captive, explores this question. Order your free copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, all Scripture are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.