Colossians 2:1-4
Paul tells the Colossians that he is working hard so that they might have “the riches of full assurance of understanding and knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ.”
To walk this backwards, the more knowledge and understanding we have contributes to our assurance. Once we reach full assurance, he calls that “riches.” He is speaking to the immense value of being fully assured. There is great value in knowing what is true and right. There is even more value in knowing that you know what is true and right. What does he say they ultimately need to understand to reach this full assurance? Christ. Their job is to understand him inside and out.
In verse 4 he says he told them this so “that no one may delude them with plausible arguments.” He doesn’t want somebody else to impose their errant beliefs or ways of thinking upon them. Paul isn’t talking about obviously wrong ideas or attitudes, but instead he says, “plausible arguments.” Meaning that it could sound good or right. He not only needs them to be able to differentiate between what is right and wrong, but between what is right and what sounds right.
The way we do this is to completely familiarize ourselves with the source of truth. He doesn’t say to study all the ways that are wrong. Instead, he says to know what is right.
Of course, you know all your colors, but let’s say you didn’t, and you are tasked with finding all the blue items in a room. Well, you wouldn’t have to know all the colors to do that job, you just need to know what blue is. Then you will easily be able to determine if the color you are looking at is blue or if it is not. This is the approach Paul suggests. Immerse yourself completely in Christ. Get to know his heart, his commands, what angers him, what makes him happy, what he desires etc.… When you do this, you will not have to worry about stumbling to false teachings because you not only know the truth, but you also know the source of Truth himself. When you see it, you will immediately spot when something doesn’t line up with Christ.
From Your Fellow Servant,
Steven McFadden
Commentaires