Colossins 2:1-6 - Frank Brancato 10/23/19

It's good to see everyone tonight.

We have a wonderful crowd, a large crowd for us, on a

Wednesday evening and we're so thankful that you're here and

look forward to having a good study.

In the book of Colossians chapter 2, we're going to begin

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

reading there in verse number 1, and the questions that are

before us for consideration, if you don't have them there on the

back table, but the questions will cover verses 1 through 6.

So that's really all we're going to read for an introductory.

Text is will read Has one through six of Colossians

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 and then go into the questions.

Paul begins therefore by saying for, I want you to know what a

great conflict. I have for you and those and

laodicea. And for as many as have not seen

my face in the flesh that their hearts may be encouraged being

knit together in love and attaining to all Riches of the

full Assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery

of God, both of the father and of Christ in whom are hidden all

Treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Now, this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuade

persuasive words for for though, I am Absent in the flesh.

Yet, I am with you in spirit rejoicing to see your good order

and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ as you have,

therefore received Christ, Jesus, the Lord.

So walk in him correctly, read and barring any mistakes on my

part reads, the passages that are before us for a little while

this evening and question, number one says, what does the

word conflict mean in this verse?

And why did Paul have a great Conflict for those?

in laodicea, first of all, the word conflict is really

virtually the same word that is mentioned in the latter part of

chapter one, with the word striving it really is very

similar in definition and it refers to a person of great care

and anxiety and we're talking about the Apostle Paul, he felt

great care and he felt great anxiety for those in colossi and

also for those in laodicea In fact laodicea was the chief city

of phrygia in the province of Asia located just south of

hieropolis in the lycus river valley.

In fact, it was very close to colossi and Paul had great

concerns for both the colossian church and also for those in

laodicea it. And if you notice in in verse

number 1, He says and for as many as have not seen my face in

the flesh, Chris pointed this out.

I think last time I remember him saying something about this that

the Apostle Paul did not was not there as the founding preacher

or the founding Apostle when the church was established in

Colossus in colossi. In fact that's exactly what he's

saying. And I think really by the using

the phraseology here those that have not seen my face in the

flesh, prove that Paul All did not start the congregation in

colossi and it also proves that he did not start the

congregation. That is in laodicea.

Now, obviously, there's word got back to Paul and Paul was deeply

concerned for the church in these areas and what we're going

to find throughout the course of these six verses is we're going

to notice if there was a line that needed to be drawn between

false Doctrine, false teaching and the truth.

And this was a congregation that was doing that.

Just right. They had not drifted from the

truth but there was great opposition that had entered in

among them and they needed to be encouraged and Paul was greatly

concerned and that's why he said I have great Conflict for you

Colossians and also for those in laodicea because of what was

going on around that time. So now the main warning was this

and this is really the main object of this epistle.

It's to warn the Colossians against false teachings of

judaizers and against modern philosophy.

You know, I think about modern philosophy, I don't know

everything there is to know about modern philosophy in those

days. I know about modern philosophy

and our day and really, what people often times do is they

try to base beliefs on the philosophical reasonings of

today. And really that's why there's

people that don't recognize absolute truth.

They basically say that it is something that's for you and

something that's for me and they can be different, that's just

fine and sometimes it's based upon the model.

Philosophies of the day, the two great opposition's to the truth

in this area were those judaizers that had entered in

bringing aspects of the Old Law to bind on Gentile converts?

In fact, that's what we know about this place.

We don't know a whole lot about it, but we do know this.

They were Gentiles primarily but entering in among them were Judy

izing teachers that had brought in various aspects of the Old

Law. Now, I want to make a point

about answers for just a minute. Do you remember when we studied

Galatians and the church is a multiple congregations in

galatia, the Judy Isaac teachers that had brought in various

aspects of the Old Law like circumcision.

Wanted to bind on Gentile converts.

What God had not bound. In fact, I want to make this

point though. The Judy izing teachers were

among the Church of Christ. They were members of the church,

but what they have done is they basically said this.

Oh yes. You have to be baptized for the

remission of sins in order to be saved, but you have to be

circumcised Gentiles if you want to remain saved and therefore,

all the opposition of Judaism teachers brought those pressures

in on Gentile converts. So, in this area though what do

we have? There is a mixture of Judaism

philosophy and idolatry and all three of these were things that

Paul had to deal with. When writing this letter and

that brings us to verse number 2 and I'll read the question after

I read the verse. So he said that their hearts may

be encouraged being knit together in love and attaining

to all Riches of the fullness of the full Assurance of

understanding to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of

the father and of Christ. The question reads, what is

meant by the phrase? To the knowledge of the mystery

of God. Well, first of all, I'm going to

answer that question. You just a second, but I want to

make a point here. Look at the connection that Paul

gives as he talks about their comfort, and he links it

together with being knit together in love.

And you know, I think that is so powerful and I think that is

something that really applies today to if congregations are

knit together in love and members of the body of Christ

are truly knit together and they have dealings with one, another

personally and socially and we have tight-knit, relationships

and congregations are knit together.

In love, don't you think that it'll help each and every one of

us through the trials of Life? Great comfort comes.

When we are able to handle the The trials of life and sometimes

that is with needing one another and helping each other through

that. And that's what Paul was talking

about. One of the aspects of bearing

one another's burdens. You know, we bear one another's

burdens in a general sense and we bear one another's.

Burdens according to Galatians 6, in a specific sense which

helps our brother Through The Temptations that would cause

them to stumble. So, being knit together in love,

he puts that together and such a state.

One scholar said is a great source of satisfaction because

if Disciples of Christ are bound together, they will be mutual

help to each other to meet the Trials of life.

I thought that was a very powerful point that Paul makes

that connection. And so, let's talk about mystery

now. The word Mystery by definition

is something that has always existed, but was not yet

revealed. Chris did an excellent job

pointing out various things, that could fall into the

category of a mystery or things that had in was in the mind of

God, but was not made evident or reveal.

And there's many things that we could plug in in a specific

sense, though, it's talking about something that deals with

the salvation of Gentiles In this passage.

And so while it could fall into many categories about the

mystery or something, that is existed in the mind of God, but

was not yet revealed. In here, it's in reference to

verses 26 and 27 of the previous chapter.

Let's read that for the mystery which has been hidden from ages

and from Generations but now has been revealed to his Saints to

them. God willed to make known what

are the riches of the glory of his.

This Minister, this mystery among the Gentiles which is

Christ in you the hope of glory. Now let's just flip back to the

book of Ephesians rather quickly and look at Chapter 3.

And we want to read verses three through six because this is the

mystery that Paul was dealing with in Colossians.

It's the same thing that's he dealt with in Ephesians.

So in Ephesians chapter 3, beginning in verse 3.

Ephesians 3 · chapter mention

Paul said there how that by Revelation he made known to me

the mystery as I wrote before in few words by which when you read

you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.

Just incidentally, before we read the next verse.

I think this is so powerful because this proves that a

person can understand the word of God.

In fact, Paul said this, it was revealed to him by the spirit in

such a way that he was able to write it in such a way that when

you those an emphasis read it, they would understand Paul's

knowledge in the mystery of Christ and then he says what it

is. Which is another Ages was not

made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed by the

spirit To His Holy Apostles and Prophets here.

It is. That the Gentiles should be

fellow Heirs of the same body and partakers of his promise in

Christ through the gospel. It had always been the case and

it always been God's plan that there would be jew and Gentile

alike in one body, the church and that mystery that Paul was

talking about was evident in the mind of God, but not yet

revealed. But is now revealed in the

church and through the church, the body of Christ.

And so, that is the mystery that has been revealed.

So, now we come to verse 3, In verse 3, says, in whom are

hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

The question is, what is meant by the phrase, the treasures of

wisdom and knowledge? Well, obviously as this was a

continuous letter. And it wasn't broken down into

book chapter and verse When It Was Written, it was done by the

translators later on. So when we look at verse 3, we

find it to be a continuation of verse 2 and verse one ends, with

the words both of the father and of Christ.

The previous, the previous verse.

Now, Paul includes both the name father and Christ because

they're both included in the subject.

Now first of all there's there's the mystery And they in the

subject, is the mystery, the mystery existed in the mind of

God, it was fulfilled when Jesus shed his blood on the cross and

died for the sins of the world and on the day of Pentecost when

the church was established, then it was fulfilled and therefore

that Mysteries made known through the church.

So the subject in verse 3 does refer to the mystery, obviously,

but it also refers to Jesus. In fact, if you look at Verse 3,

it says in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and

knowledge. Some translations Say by whom

and obviously it's not only referring to the mystery, but

it's also referring to Jesus because all of those things of

all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Jesus are in

Christ. And he becomes that that Source.

In fact, one scholar said, Paul asserts that all Treasures

stored for safekeeping in Christ in is in Christ himself.

All right. Wisdom and knowledge are

specifically mentioned. These words our concept are

similar but they're different in fact the word knowledge

according to fair means intelligence or understanding,

wisdom is the application of that knowledge and practice and

so they are very important. Both of them are very important.

In fact, you can have all the knowledge in the world.

You can have correct inside of the word of God.

You can have all the knowledge of the world and have no wisdom

at all to apply it and it's meaningless.

So both of them run hand-in-hand and by the way, we get knowledge

when we study the word of God, And we get wisdom, when we asked

it of God and God gives it liberally.

Now there's also other ways that we can get wisdom and from a

worldly standpoint that is when we learn from the experience of

others and we learn from our own failings and shortcomings and

when we mess up and we recover and we survived the mess up, we

learn wisdom and we learn from that mistake and we move

forward. That's true.

But what we're talking about is we're talking about things that

pertain to Salvation all of that is found in Jesus Christ.

So we're talking about from a specific sense, knowledge and

wisdom. Is dealing with salvation and

all of that is in him or in whom the beginning part of the verse

that is Jesus Christ in Jesus, there's all the knowledge and

there's all the wisdom in Salvation it comes from Jesus

Christ. Okay, Verses 4 and 5.

Now this this I say lest anyone should deceive you with

persuasive words for though, I am absent in the flesh.

Yet, I am with you in spirit rejoicing to see your good order

and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

Okay, so the question says this, first of all, what was Paul's

great concern for them and I'll just answer that question first.

Obviously has great concern for them.

Is that they remain faithful. Anytime you have great

opposition from a spiritual perspective and it's pulling on

people that are trying to do that, which is right.

It obviously generates great concern that those that are

members of the body of Christ will remain faithful.

So, first and foremost, that's in the mind of Paul his concern

for them was that they remain faithful.

So he warns them against false teachers, these false teachers

used a mixture of philosophy and Judaism In such a way as to

mislead unsuspecting disciples away from the Simplicity of the

gospel of Christ. Have you ever heard somebody

say? That the gospel is so simple or

the word of God is so simple or there's something, so plane in

the word of God. And so understandable in the

word of God, it takes a preacher to mess it up and I think that's

really true in the world. The gospel is simple, it's the

simple gospel. It's easy to understand.

And if you have a good and honest heart, the seed of the

Gospel is planted in that good and honest heart and you may not

know anything else, but you know, how to be saved.

And then once you start studying the word of God, God.

It is the simple gospel, it's the truth and it's easy to

understand. But when you have people that

are I don't know of renowned or you have people that are or

great orators or maybe just people with strong

personalities, it can weigh down people that are trying to do

what's right and can distort the simple gospel.

And that's what was happening. They were doing so in such a

way, with a mixture of philosophy and Judaism to

mislead unsuspecting disciples away from the Simplicity of the

gospel of Christ. Now, I think there's something

that is very sad to me. And that is the unsuspecting

part. What about this?

What about a man that decides that he's going to be a heretic?

And he may not just say, I'm going to be a heretic, but he

may come with an erroneous position and start leading other

people astray by an erroneous position in lieu of or instead

of the truth. And by the way, that is the

definition of a heretic. It's not somebody that just

misunderstood the word of God and taught it wrong by accident,

it's talking about somebody that willfully decided to choose

Choose an erroneous position teach the erroneous position and

draw a party or sect unto himself.

That is the definition of a heretic.

Excuse me. And you know what happens when

the heretic does what he does, there's always an innocent

person or innocent people. Unsuspecting people that don't

know the difference that get LED astray.

Maybe somebody could say well you know, based on the

philosophy of modern philosophy and our own modern thinking you

can make it sound. Oh and yeah.

How could that have? That's got to be okay.

I mean, look at all the good that it's doing.

I don't think God's really going to make you stick to that,

right? I mean, look at all the

wonderful people that are there that are following such a

Doctrine or such a false teaching, whatever it might be.

That's what happens when a heretic decides to bring in an

erroneous position with the purpose of distorting.

The truth and preaching the error instead of the truth

drawing a party or a sect and to himself, that's exactly what

they were doing a mixture of philosophy and a mixture of

Judaism and the unsuspecting members.

What Paul was concerned about, okay?

so in verse 5, In verse 5. Paul says for though, I am

absent in the flesh. Now obviously that meant this

Paul was in prison so Paul could not be with them presently In

the Flesh. He said yet, I am with you in

spirit and that word Spirit, simply means in mind, I'm with

you in mind and then he says rejoicing to see your good order

and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ and that comes

back to the question. What is meant by the phrase?

Rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your

faith in Christ. Well, obviously the colossian

church had not departed from the faith yet, but they were in

danger and Paul gave the warning because of that.

But for the present time, he was very pleased with their

excellent Devotion to Christ and he wishes to have them continue

in the same status. Obviously, he couldn't be with

them bodily, but he was obviously with them in spirit or

in mind. And obviously, also he had

remembered some of the things that were said about the church.

There, look at chapter 1 Colossians chapter 1, and verse

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

4. So obviously, epaphras could

have brought back some great news about what was going on

about the colossian church. Even though Paul was not there

presently because he was in prison Colossians 1 and verse 4,

since we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of

your love for all the saints. So, Paul could rejoice in those

good things because he had heard that from epaphras who brought

back word of the status of the congregation.

So the phrase rejoicing to see your good order and the

steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

Two words order and steadfastness.

In fact, in the original origins of these words, they are

military, it's a military phraseology and the word order,

by the way. The word order comes from a word

that literally means orderly condition and it doesn't mean

some set routine to be followed. It's not that he was saying that

I've heard of your mechanical progression of things and your

routine. That's not what he was saying.

It implies that the church in colossae see though had some

system in its procedure. The same thought as expressed in

1st Corinthians chapter 14 and verse 40.

Remember what Paul said there? He said let all All things be

done decently and in order. Just a little side note about

that phrase. And in order years ago, there

was some folks among our people that believed in a set order of

worship. In fact, where we came from over

in minors Oaks there were folks that believed in a set order of

worship. And what they had done is, they

had taken this passage, which says in First Corinthians 14 and

40, let all things be done decently and in order, meaning

and order an agenda, an order of worship.

But that's not what this word means.

Went back is the same word in our passage as found in 1st

Corinthians, 14 and 40 and it means it's a military term and

it means an orderly array or fashion.

So when we come together and worship, for example, there's no

chaos we worship together in an orderly fashion.

Paul was saying, one of the great things that he had heard

about them, was their order and their steadfast.

So the orderly array of or fashion that they were doing

something. Okay, but then the word

steadfast also a military term and it means to make firm or

firmness, according to Thayer, steadfast in a military sense.

It means to present a solid front to the enemy.

Now, obviously, the enemy is the devil.

The enemy is the devil and all of its evil influences.

And so somebody that is steadfast is somebody that is

remaining steadfast remaining faithful and they are presenting

a solid front to the enemy which is the devil and all the evil

influences that he brings. So the colossian church is,

Faith had remained firm in Christ, but false teachers had

attacked, the very Foundation of their faith and because of the

unrelenting Persistence of these Paul wants to reinforce the

solid. Line between sound Doctrine and

false Doctrine. And we have to do that too.

We have to draw the line and make bold the line between sound

Doctrine and false Doctrine. And that's what Paul's great

concern was and then it comes to verse 6, which covers question

number 5, He said and you have therefore received Christ,

Jesus, the Lord, so walk in him. The question is, how does one

walk in Christ Jesus the Lord? Well first of all, the idea and

the phrase to walk means this It means the same type of

phraseology that Jesus said, when Jesus said ask, and you

shall receive seek and you shall find knock and it shall be

opened unto you. Now, what Jesus meant back then

when he preached that sermon was keep on seeking, keep on asking,

and so forth. Keep on longing, for keep on

looking. It's a habitual thing.

Continuation in your life continue to do that.

That's the same phraseology here walking in Christ.

The lord means Keep On Walking. I think sometimes people the

people of God need encouragement, They know what's

right? They know what the truth is, the

colossian Brethren knew what the truth was, those in laodicea

knew what the truth was. But in the midst of all of the

false teachers coming in and pulling them aside, they had to

do what they had to be steadfast and put up the front against the

enemy. The formidable foe of the devil,

they had to do that and they had to keep on walking.

I think sometimes we need to just encourage each other to

keep on walking. Keep On Walking.

Keep on remaining steadfast and encourage one another to do

that. That's exactly what he's saying.

Here, the idea means continue to keep on walking, it means to

continue to conduct one's daily life in a manner that is fitting

for a Christian. So, So to walk in Christ, is to

live a life that is patterned after him.

That's what it means to walk in Christ and that is only by doing

God's will. Jesus said, if you love me, keep

my Commandments. He also said if you love me,

keep my words and if you keep my Commandments if you keep my

words you shall abide in my love as I kept the father's

Commandments and abide in his love.

So what is he telling these Brethren?

I know that you've got all this opposition.

I know you got all this stuff going on but I've heard about

your good order and I've heard About your steadfastness and I'm

encouraging you to keep on walking and keep on keeping the

faith. To receive Jesus Christ, the

lord means to obey the gospel. And what he's saying is, since

you are a Christian and you have obeyed the gospel.

In other words, you didn't just receive Jesus in the blessings

of Jesus. And there's nothing more for you

to do. What he was saying is in that

passage as you therefore, have received Christ the Lord, in

other words, you've obeyed the gospel.

And he is your Lord and Savior, by the way.

Sure, but you do that by obedience to the gospel you've

been baptized for the remission of sins and Works.

He could have been saying this to.

He could have just said this phraseology, since you became a

Christian and you're a child of God and even washed in the blood

of Jesus. Then walk as you walk in him or

a life that is conducive to that relationship since a person

obeys the gospel and has their sins washed away.

They also have the spiritual blessings in Christ.

So also, in addition to that connected to this, if you

receive the spiritual blessings in Christ, walk as he walked in

other words, spiritual blessings come from obedience, it's all

connected. So, once you obey the gospel,

you have the spiritual blessings in Christ.

Walk as he walked walk, as he walked, and it's all connected.

I want to disclose one verse. If you look back at chapter 1,

And verse 10. That you may have a walk worthy

of the Lord. Fully pleasing him being

fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of

God. That is a perfect pattern for

the walk that we have. And by the way, there's nothing

that we could do to be worthy of Jesus, but we can be worthy

living a life that is worthy or conducive of being a servant and

that's what we are. As a Christian, we are a

servant. So our walk is that, which is

worthy of a serpent servant of Jesus Christ, growing in the

knowledge of God. We thank you for listening to

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