The Walk of Faith
Colossians 2:1-10
As we continue on Sunday morning our series through the book of Colossians let me refresh our memories on where we are. This letter from the Apostle Paul to the church of Colossae was written while Paul was in prison. He had never been to the church but he led there pastor Epaphras to faith in Christ Jesus.
Paul writes in chapter1 what is to be the #1 priority in the Christian life. That Jesus has to be our #1 priority. If we are to live lives of faith then our faith in Jesus has to be first.
Now in chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 3 Paul lists the three boulders that shipwreck lives of faith: Philosophy Legalism and Carnality.
Because those three enemies of faith have caused many a Christian to abandon or question their faith in Jesus. That is why Paul preached so heavily on Jesus being first and foremost in chapter one because these enemies of the Cross make the Cross of no significance for faith in God.
Faith becomes relevant to whatever someone wants to believe it becomes Jesus might be a way but not the way.
See Paul knew that faith is instantaneous in regeneration of the believer and a process or walk with the Lord. If Jesus is our Lord then as the song says, He walks with me and He talks with me.”
This church who received this letter had to deal with what we still deal with today. Does Jesus really have to be Lord? Isn’t Jesus a way to God not the one and only?
Man searches for knowledge and philosophy as with the Greeks in that day and mankind in our day stands opposed to a Lordship of Jesus Christ. Philosophy is to faith what Kryptonite is to Superman. Philosophy says man can get to God and faith in Jesus says God came to man.
Rick Warren in his book Purpose Driven Life, writes, “Philosophy is an important subject and has its uses, but when it comes to determining the purpose of life, even the wisest philosophers are just guessing. Dr. Hugh Moorhead, a philosophy professor at Northwestern Illinios University, once wrote to 250 of the best-known philosophers, scientists, writers, and intellectuals in the world, asking them, “What is the meaning of life?” He then published their responses in a book. Some offered their best guesses, some admitted that they just made up a purpose for life, and others were honest enough to say they were clueless. In fact, a number of famous intellectuals asked Professor Moorhead to write back and tell them if he discovered the purpose of life.”
Philosophy says knowledge is the meaning of life but Faith in Christ means Jesus is what gives my life meaning. So as we look at this first stumbling block of faith in Christ let’s look closely at our walk of faith.
I. Long for Spiritual Progress (v.1-7)
We never stand still we either go forward in faith or backward. We make the decision to grow up with and go on with Jesus or to little by little backslide.
Satan is deceptive and he uses trauma, lies, half truths, and even well meaning people to cause believers to stunt the growth of believers. The believer who is not growing is an easy target for the enemy.
So there must be a hunger for spiritual progress. A longing to draw closer to Christ. We all understand hunger. When we are hungry for food like all of us will be in about 20 minutes we want to satisfy our hunger.
But are we hungry for spiritual progress? The Bible here encourages all of us to have our hearts encouraged in the love of Christ v.2 and to grow to a full assurance, and in v.6 to walk with the Lord. A progress of finishing well in our faith.
Well how do we do this? You were thinking of that question I could tell. The Bible lists two truths we must now to go on with the Lord:
A. The Tactics (v.4-5)
The enemy is deceptive. They use “persuasive words.” You know if a person has been raised Muslim there parents grandparents and so on who is to say that it is the path to heaven for Muslims?
It can’t be there fault if that’s all they have ever heard? A persuasive argument but it contradicts Jesus and the Bible. That’s why The Holy Spirit led Paul to use words like “order” and “steadfastness” in v.5.
They are military terms. They mean the believer in Jesus Christ must be in proper place in the battle lines. They must know the tactics used by the enemy and combat them in order to march forward in faith.
B. The Traveler (v.6-7)
Here the Bible says in v.6 we have decided to receive to make Christ Jesus our Lord (Master) so we must walk (make progress) in this decision.
The Bible often defines the Christian life as a pilgrim passing through. That our lives here on Earth are not the end but the beginning of our travels. So the Bible in v.7 tells us how to travel.
1. Rooted—The tense of the word means that we have been once and for all been rooted in faith. We are to live that way. Not be “tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.” (Ephesians 4:14) God doesn’t want easily uprooted and bounced around in our faith.
2. Built up—means being built. We are a work in progress. The enemy wants to stop our progress but the good news for us is we can still grow up in our faith.
**v.7** been taught—abounding in
3. The Word of God—these terms mean we have already been taught the truth of salvation. Our faith in Christ Jesus is a settled past tense fact. But it is also much more. Abounding is a word Paul really liked. It is a word picture of a river that overflows its banks and gets deeper as it travels.
Here it is get this today. Jesus wants you and I to go deeper in our faith and that we would overflow with joy that Jesus is real and relevant in our lives. That our faith in Him is why we are on this journey and He is what brings us joy on the journey.
Do you long for Him?
II. Look Out for Spiritual Pitfalls (v.8)
Listen you have to look at v.8. You have to study this verse digest it as spiritual food into your lives because if you don’t you will be cheated through man’s wisdom.
That word cheated is another military term that means to be carried away as a captive. Its referring to philosophy and false religion.
Paul spent a great deal of time speaking against Judaism the religion of his fellow Jews and here he deals with the tradition of men and the basic principles of the world. Then Paul says at the end of v.8 anything that mankind is taken captive and deceived by any teaching that is not according to Christ.
So lets break down this verse by defining and applying it. What does the world, mankind in a general sense believe about God. World Religions or not. Let me first define Religion.
Definition of religion: “A set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.”
A. The Religion Dilemma “tradition of men” (written)
Mormonism believes if you are a good Mormon you can evolve or become like God. Jesus and Satan are brothers.
Islam believes that Jesus was a good prophet or teacher.
Jehovah’s witness Jesus was once Michael the arch-angel and only the first 144,000 of them are going to heaven.
Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, reincarnation Gradma’s a cow...I guess I shouldn’t have said it quite that way.
Judaism believes in one God Jehovah an O.T. view of God but no Messiah has come yet. Still looking.
Christianity says Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, God in the flesh and “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
By the way Judaism and Christianity are the only religions that came from God. Judaism is no longer true because Jesus the Messiah has come. But here is the religion dilemma. If any one of those religions are true than every other one is false. They all contradict one another.
B. The Real Dilemma “basic principles of the world”
This means the philosophy the debate that men have on Science, religion, does God exist, is there a heaven or hell, the spoken words and thoughts of mankind.
See some would say that any religion can take you to heaven. You can believe anything because God wants everyone in heaven. Well then why did Jesus have to die? Or here’s a question if a person can believe anything to get to heaven why can’t you believe nothing and get to heaven. Atheists and Agnostics can get there to because in the end everyone goes.
That’s why Paul wrote v.8. Anything that teaches any doctrine other than Jesus Christ is empty and deceitful and this philosophy folks has billions of people on their way to hell.
**v.9-10**
III. Live in Spiritual Power (v.9-10)
Here lies the reality of our Spiritual walk. Those of us who have trusted Jesus know that in Him dwells that word means all the Divine powers are settled in Jesus, all the fullness that means the entire body of believers are kept in Him and just in case there is any debate left Paul uses the word Godhead. Trinitarian belief in Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
V.9 denies and defies every other religion. So here it is Christian because you have your faith in Him, Jesus Christ notice you are over every other spiritual power and you are complete in Him.
Here’s what the world, flesh and the devil don’t want you to know. You can’t work harder do better or get smarter to be fulfilled in your walk with God because you are already complete in Him.
The book I’m reading now is called The 4:8 Principle and I highly recommend it. Its based on Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
I’m going to be preaching on this topic later but let me give you a nugget for now. The author Tommy Newberry writes, “With every thought that races through your mind, you are continually reinventing your future. Research indicates that the average person thinks approximately 50,000 thoughts per day. This is either good news or bad news because every thought moves you toward your God-given potential or away from it. No thoughts are neutral.”
The enemy then comes against us in our minds and says we are not complete people. We have limitations, failures, mistakes, shortcomings, past, present or future but the Bible says we have power and we are complete in Jesus.
But if we never see ourselves that way then we are open to deceit and philosophy and persuasive words that will rob us of our spiritual power.
That’s why Jesus said in John 8:32, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
Conclusion:
So there we have it. If we are to succeed in our spiritual walk of faith we must Long for Spiritual Progress, Look our for Spiritual Pitfalls and Live in Spiritual Power.
The enemy doesn’t want us to know this or do this. The world believes in a Post modernism way. Postmodernism believes there are no absolute foundations for determining absolute truths about how we should think and live wisely on earth. We can imagine pretty much anything as being true (human imagination is endless) which is how our world is (and has been for thousands of years).
This freedom to imagine anything as 'relative truth' is another significant reason why postmodernism has been universally embraced. Every culture, religion and diverse group on the planet can claim that their truths are just as valid as anyone else's This has led to the concept of 'tolerance'. That we must accept with equal validity the truths of Darwinian evolution with the truths of 'Adam and Eve' and the creation of our world in 7 days!
This is the enemy of Faith in Christ and it has shipwrecked many a believer in their journey. Folks the Cross isn’t tolerant, Jesus being the only way to God isn’t tolerant, the bible isn’t tolerant but that is the absolute truth.
May we walk in this truth on our journey of faith. May we know what we believe so we won’t cause others to stumble and when the enemy comes against may we realize we are complete in Jesus Christ.
PRAY
