COLOSSIANS: OVERCOMING SYNCRETISM THRU CHRIST

Part VIII: Living In View Of Christ’s Sufficiency And Supremacy, Colossians 3:1-4:6

A. Adopting A Heavenly Orientation

(Colossians 3:1-4)

I. Introduction

A. Recent research indicates that the average American adopts beliefs and practices from approximately nine distinct worldviews, what produces a jumble of often contradictory philosophies known as syncretism.

B. The epistle to the Colossians handled a mixture of Jewish legalism, Greek philosophy and Oriental mysticism (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, p. 1690, “The Colossian Heresy”), so it applies to the syncretism that we face.

C. Colossians 3:1-4 calls believers to adopt a heavenly orientation in view of Christ’ sufficiency and supremacy:

II. Adopting A Heavenly Orientation, Colossians 3:1-4.

A. To understand why Paul gave the directive of Colossians 3:1-4, we review the previous context:

1. He had written to counter the false syncretism his readers faced at Colossae, Colossians 2:1-23.

2. This error fused “Jewish legalism, Greek philosophic speculation, and Oriental mysticism. Specifics included dietary and Sabbath observances and circumcision rites (2:11, 16), the worship of angels (2:18), and the practice of asceticism, which stemmed from the belief that the body was inherently evil (2:21-23).” (op. cit., “Introduction to the Letter of Paul to the Colossians: The Colossian Heresy,” p. 1690)

3. “In combating this heresy, Paul emphasizes the cosmic significance of Christ as Lord of creation and Head of the Church. Any teaching, practice, or intermediary that detracts from the uniqueness and centrality of Christ is against the faith.” (Ibid.)

B. Thus, in Colossians 3:1-4, Paul sought to get his readers to move beyond just defending their Christian faith against syncretism to encourage his readers adopt a heavenly orientation in living and thinking due to Christ’s sufficiency and supremacy over the whole universe (as follows):

1. Paul’s introductory statement in Colossians 3:1a of “If ye then be risen with Christ” is a first class condition clause in the Greek New Testament, the word “If” translating the Greek particle Ei in the protasis (the “if” clause) with the indicative mood in sunegerthete, “have been raised together with” (U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 699; The Analy. Grk. Lex. (Zon.), 1972, p. 389; Dana & Mantey, A Man. Gram. of the Grk. N. T., 1957, p. 289). The “if” clause then assumes the reality of the premise it states, meaning that one can actually paraphrase the clause to read, “Since you have been raised together with Christ”!

2. Believers in Christ have thus already been positionally raised together with Christ from the dead, so they are also thus positionally currently in heaven with Him. This being so, Paul added that his readers should “try to obtain, desire to possess” (zeteo, Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T., 1967, p. 339) those things which are above in heaven where Christ sits on the right hand of God, Colossians 3:1b.

3. They should therefore also “set their mind on” (phroneo, op. cit., p. 874) things that are above and not on things on the earth, Colossians 3:2. Applied to the syncretism that Paul’s readers faced, they were not to think on earthly Greek philosophies, not to dwell on legalistic rules of Judaism relative to the Mosaic Law, not to focus on mystical teachings and not to brood over ascetic rules of abstinence but to concentrate on their All-Sufficient, All-Supreme Savior Who sits enthroned in authority over the world and the universe!

4. Paul added that his readers were positionally dead in Christ to the world, and their life was hidden with Christ in God, Colossians 3:3. “‘Hidden’ implies both concealment and safety; both invisibility and security. He [the believer] is not yet glorified, but he is secure and safe in Christ.” (B. K. C., N. T., p. 680)

5. The better reading in Colossians 3:4 is “your life” instead of the KJV’s “our life,” for Paul was evidently stressing the fact that Christ was the spiritual life of his readers themselves. (Bruce M. Metzger, A Text. Com. on the Grk. N. T., 1971, p. 624) Thus, Paul added that when Christ Who was the life of his readers, as Christ is indeed the life of every believer, will appear at the rapture, then Paul’s readers (with every other believer) will also appear with Him in the glorified state. (Col. 3:4; 1 John 3:2; 1 Thess. 4:16-18)

Lesson: To live in victory over the pressure we face to yield to syncretistic errors on earth, God calls us to recall our positional death in Christ to this world and our positional resurrection with Him, along with our destiny in heaven with Christ so that we focus on and set our affection on Christ and the blessings and glory that await us.

Application: May we handle the temptation to yield to syncretism by recalling our positional death in Christ to this world and our positional resurrection with Christ Who is heaven, that we thus set our affection on things above.