Colossians 2 - Where There Are No Root, There is No Fruit!

Colossians 2 - NIV

Enduring Word Commentary

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

"Colossians 2 is a pivotal chapter in the New Testament written by the Apostle Paul, focusing on the sufficiency and supremacy of Jesus Christ over human philosophies, legalism, and false teachings." Bible Gateway

Paul is teaching about what happens AFTER you receive Jesus as Your Lord and Savior. Accepting Christ is only the beginning of your faith journey. The rest of our lives, we will be struggling to grow more to be like him. In these two verses Paul highlights the key aspects of how knowing and abiding in Christ is all we really need. He uses two important metaphors to highlight our relationship with Christ. 

1. Continue you to live your lives "rooted in Him". The roots are what draw nutrients from the ground and delivers them to the tree, so it can bear maximum fruit. When there is no root, there is no fruit. But in the context of the Christian life, Paul uses this metaphor to show our growth as a in believer comes from living our lives in Christ. 

As Jesus says in the John 15, "I am the Vine and you are the branches. If you remain in me you will bear fruit, fruit that lasts. Apart from me you can do nothing."

The Colossians were being taught by deceptive teachers that they had to do all sorts of others things to be experience the fullness of Jesus. I.e. They had to take extreme measures to beat their flesh into submission, and observe certain festivals and Sabbath days. 

Paul reminds them all you need to live the Christian life is Christ. Christ has everything you need, but you need to stay connected and rooted to Him. 

2. Continue to live "built up in him". In a similar way, when we come to accept Jesus as our new foundation, it will always be firm and also hold us up. He is the "cornerstone" that holds the whole building together. But key to any foundation is the cornerstone The cornerstone of our buildiing is Jesus Christ. 

You could say, "As we are being built up in him, we are growing stronger and taller each day!" Paul also uses this metaphor when he is talking about the church. The church is God's house which is being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets but continuing to be built up over time by the church as it build on no other foundation but Jesus. 

A question might be, "What are you building?" You might be building a bigger home, or a bigger 401k, which isn't necessary bad, but how are you helping build the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. The bible stays everything that is not built in Christ is like "wood, hay, and stubble". When Jesus returns and the fire of judgment comes, the things built upon wood, hay, and stubble will go up in smoke. They have no lasting value in the life to come.

But when we built upon the foundation of Christ with silver, gold, and precious stones it will survive the day of jodgment when the Lord returns and last for eternity.

3. Strengthened in faith as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness. By faith Paul means their faith in Jesus and the knowledge that comes with it. They needed to guard their faith, especially the fact that they were saved by grace through faith based on God's promises. They needed to be "strengthened", which is also translated as "established" or "made firm". The false teachers were trying to dilute the gospel and the faith that comes with it by advocating works and the pursuit of special knowledge, as if Jesus wasn't enough. 

This is why we need to know our doctrine. The word "doctine" means "right belief". This where the church is so needed. It's teachers, pastors, leaders and theologians need to guard the church from doctrinal erros.  We can't be swayed by emotions and slick appeals disguised as Christian teaching. This is why you are reading God's Word, where I am trying to reinforce every day what we believe about Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit. Importantly what we believe about salvation and our santification until the day Jesus returns. It means everything!  

Friends, you have everything you need IN CHRIST! But just because we have accepted Jesus as as our Lord and Savior, doesn't mean we are done with what God wants to do in and throught us. Salvation is just the beginning of God's calling in our lives. Like any muscle if it doesn't get exercised it gets flabby. Without being too glib, I see a lot of "flabby Christians" in the church today. They may go to church on Sundays, or even volunteer on an occasional basis, but they are not rooted and built up in Christ. They are not bearing much fruit and not continuing to build on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. 

Are you rooted in Christ? Are you being built up in Him? Are you established in your faith so nothing can turn you away? 

4. Finally, Paul tells us to be overflowing with thankulness.

When we see God working in our lives, His continual faithfulness to us, and the joy of being in Christ, our hearts are filled with thanksgiving. No one has to tell us to be thankful. Thankfulness will overflow becasue we will realize that Jesus has given us the best life possible on this earth, and the best yet to come. You cannot put a price on that. 

Jesus, thank you that you are our sure foundation. As the winds blow and the rain comes down, we know our house is built on the rock and it will not be shaken. Amen 



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