In the book of Colossians, Paul warns his brethren about turning away from Christ, to embrace something else. He wrote, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7).
Paul’s exhortation to “walk in Him” is not without explanation. He clearly emphasizes that walking in Jesus is being established and abounding in the faith that they have been taught. Truly, “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
The common view that Jesus is the word (living), and the words of scripture are dead words on a page, gives some the mistaken view that following Jesus does not require following His word. Paul shows that view to be incorrect. Simply by identifying Him as Christ Jesus the Lord, he establishes Jesus to be both our Savior (Christ) and Master (Lord). We must do His bidding in all things.
This may seem evident, but Paul did not assume the Colossians knew to avoid embracing something other than the faith. In fact, he warned about three specific digressions. He mentioned the danger of placing their trust in the Old Law and Talmudic traditions, as did the Jews (cf. 2:11-23). He indicated that Jesus, in His death on the cross, had “wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (2:14).
He also warned against a return to the lifestyle they practiced before their conversion. He wrote to them to “put to death your members which are on the earth.” To “put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deed, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (cf. 3:5-10).
His first admonition in this context is interesting. Paul noted that men present their own wisdom and philosophies, independent of God’s word and will. He warned them, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (2:8).
It is presumptuous of any man to think that he knows what God wants from him, unless he gains that knowledge directly from God’s revelation to Him.
“But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:9-12).
Don’t ever presume to know that God is “alright” with your manner of life, unless you can turn to the word given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and show how it is right. And, it is as important to never put your trust in others who would elevate their views above what you can find in scripture. They are not divine, they can’t know God’s mind. Christ is and can!
“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (2:9-10).
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