Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20070610.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Colossians: Maturing Over False Beliefs By Christ's Supreme All-Sufficiency
Part VII: Valuing Paul's Directive To US On Christ's Supreme All-Sufficiency For US TODAY
(Colossians 2:1-7)
  1. Introduction
    1. When we read a directive of the Apostle Paul to a group of believers whom he had evangelized and knew in person, we might conclude such a directive stands to be modified in applying it in our lives; after all, we may believe we are somewhat different in spiritual tenor and walk than the folk to whom Paul wrote.
    2. However, Colossians 2:1-7 was uniquely written to believers Paul had never met, cf. Colossians 2:1b. Thus, his desire for all believers he did not personally know to appreciate Christ's supremacy and all-sufficiency in their lives as given in Colossians 2:1-7 is of special import for us whom Paul never met:
  2. Valuing Paul's Directive To US On Christ's Supreme All-Sufficiency For US TODAY, Col. 2:1-7.
    1. Paul wrote that he had a great inner concern over which he contested in prayer and ministry efforts for all the believers who had been evangelized but never seen his face, Colossians 2:1:
      1. The word rendered "conflict" (KJV) ["struggling" NIV; "struggle" ESV] in Colossians 2:1 is the noun, agona that reflects its verbal form, agonidzomenos in Colossians 1:29 that means the contending an athlete performed in an arena in that era, J. B. Lightfoot, Colossians and Philemon, 1974, p. 171-172.
      2. As such, Paul had prayerful concern and did his best in Christ's empowering to share the information he had even with believers he had never met regarding the subject in the context, Col. 2:1b; 1:29!
    2. Thus, were he to have known of us believers today, Paul would have addressed these same sterling truths in Colossians 2:1-7 to us for our edification as well!
    3. Thus, Paul declared his goal for all Christians he had never even seen, that they might attain the sure conviction that Christ Himself embodies all they need for their spiritual welfare versus the added requirements leveled at them by errant cults and legalists (as follows), Colossians 2:2-7:
      1. Paul contended that we might be "encouraged, confirmed" [not "comforted" KJV], Ibid., p. 172; 2:2a.
      2. Paul earnestly contended in prayer and work that we might be united in love unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding of Christ's supremacy and all-sufficiency for us, Col. 2:2b,c implied.
      3. Indeed, Paul claimed that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, that is, of detecting truths (knowledge, gnoseos) and "reasoning about them and tracing their relations" (wisdom, sophias) are hid in the Person of Christ, Colossians 2:3 KJV.
      4. What makes Colossians 2:3 particularly stirring in this Colossians epistle is the fact that "hid" (KJV; "hidden" NIV, ESV) is from the Greek adjective, apokruphoi, a favorite term of the Gnostic heretics who by it referred to "their esoteric [allegedly understood only by a few] doctrine and their secret books," Ibid., p. 174. Paul then used this term to reveal that all the invaluable insights of the spiritual realm for the believer are revealed NOT JUST TO A SELECT FEW AS IN GNOSTICISM, BUT TO ALL US BELIEVERS BY WAY OF CHRIST!
      5. Thus, Paul wrote that he used this Gnostic terminology in so directly countering Gnosticism to keep his readers from being swayed by Gnostic false teachers and their "plausible" (ESV) or "fine-sounding" (NIV) arguments, Colossians 2:4. Just as we believers who have never met Paul had received Christ Jesus the Lord by faith at salvation, Paul wanted us to know we have no need for additional, mystical insights for spiritual blessing suggested by some religious party; rather, we are to walk in Him rooted and built up and established in the faith, abounding therein with thanksgiving, Colossians 2:5, 6-7!
Lesson: The Apostle Paul was committed to praying and working in God's power for the goal that all believers, even those he did not personally know, might not to succumb to the ideas of any party that would detract them from the supremacy and all-sufficiency of Christ! Indeed, Paul wanted us to know that EVERY believer postionally has at salvation ALL he needs in Christ, and that all the knowledge of the spiritual facts and their applications to full spiritual blessing in this life are revealed in Him!

Application: May WE Christians TODAY realize that ALL we POSITIONALLY need in the SPIRIT realm was POSITIONALLY given us the INSTANT we trusted in Christ so that KEEPING our FOCUS on HIM will lead to ALL the KNOWLEDGE we NEED in BELIEF and WALK!