Fullness and Freedom in Christ

This is the fourth sermon in a series of messages in the New Testament book of Colossians. This sermon focuses on verses 6-23 of chapter two and discusses the fullness available to Christian believers in Christ, as well as freedom from bondage of sin and bondage to legalistic rules. A video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was delivered may be viewed by clicking here.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

This is our fourth sermon in the series we have been doing in the book of Colossians.

The first sermon focused on the Apostle’s opening remarks to his readers in which he described the nature of his prayers for the Colossian believers. His prayers included gratitude for their faith in Christ and how the gospel had reached them and changed them. He also prayed that they would grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

In our second sermon, we talked about what Paul had to say regarding Jesus. He attacks the errors that were threatening the church by explaining who Jesus really is and what He had accomplished. The key phrase in those verses was “That in all things, He might have the preeminence.” (What a great life-motto to live by!)

Last week we finished chapter one and started chapter two as we discussed Paul’s commissioning by God to preach the gospel, and his commitment to follow God’s calling and do the work he was commissioned to do in spite of all the hardship and adversity.

Today, we are going to be looking at the rest of chapter two, as we focus on the benefits and blessings we have in Christ.

I.          We have fullness in Christ. (2:6-10)

Colossians 2:10 (NKJV)  and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Colossians 2:10 (NIV2011)  and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

A. Fullness in Christ is a progressive life of faith. (vv. 6-7)

Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV) ⁶  As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷  rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

The progression of the Christian life is expressed in the words that Paul uses. Consider the development and conditions these word portray.

“received” – (Strong’s) a compound word literally meaning to “take over” or “take/receive near;” “to receive” Christian teachings…, but always with a close attachment in personal life and faith to Christ himself as their Author (cf. Gal. 1:12). – (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament)

“walk” – present indicative; i.e., continuously live what you have received.

“rooted” – (A.T. Robertson) Pres. Pass. Ptcpl.; Paul changes figure of speech from walking to a growing tree. (Thayer’s Lexicon) To cause to strike root or to strengthen with roots.

“built up” – (Knight, Beacon Bible Expositions) Metaphor changes from a walking man to a rooted tree, then to a building [in construction]. (A.T. Robertson) Pres. Pass. Ptcpl.; continually going up.

“established” – (A.T. Robertson) Pres. Pass. Ptcpl.; to make firm or stable. Note the passive voice for all three words [rooted, built up, and established] means the subject [the believer] is receiving the action. These were actions that God was doing with them and in them.

The first word, “walk” is not passive, but active. That is, we are to see to it that we keep walking in Christ, then the Holy Spirit will help us become rooted, built up and established.

“abounding” – Pres. Act. Ptcp. (Thayer) abound, to overflow, to excel.

The result of walking, being rooted, being built up and being established is they overflow and excel in the work and in the grace of God.

B. Fullness in Christ results from following the truth. (vv. 8-10)

1. Following the truth means rejecting popular ideas. (v. 8)

Colossians 2:8 (NKJV) 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.

“beware” – look, see, take heed. (Robertson) warning, look out.

“cheat” – (Robertson) to carry off as booty a captive, slave, maiden. Only here in N.T. Note the singular here. There was some one outstanding leader who was doing most of the damage in leading the people astray.

Whether we realize it or not, Satan is not deterred from his mission to destroy us even if we put our faith in Jesus. He will continue to use every tactic and scheme to get us off course and swallowing false ideas about Christ and our faith.

2. Following the truth includes right knowledge of Christ. (v.9)

Colossians 2:9 (NKJV) For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

We noted this verse briefly two weeks ago when we were in chapter one and talking about Paul’s fight against the false Gnostic ideas about Jesus. Jesus is in every way the exact representation of God in human form. Jesus is not just like the Godhead in one or two qualities, but in every way – the fullness.

3. Following the truth brings fullness in Him. (v.10)

Colossians 2:10 (NKJV) and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

“complete” – it is the same root word as the word “fullness” in verse nine. Passive voice, i.e., made or brought to fullness.

(Robertson) Christ is our fulness of which we all partake… and our goal is to be made full of God in Christ… "In Christ they find the satisfaction of every spiritual want" (Peake).

John 1:16 (NKJV) And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

II.        We have freedom in Christ. (2:11-23)

In the remainder of this chapter, Paul explains to his readers that they not only have fullness in Christ, but they also have freedom in Christ. They not only receive Christ, walk in Christ, get rooted and established in Christ and abound in Him, but they also find deliverance from two different kinds of bondage: bondage to sin and bondage to man-made rules.

A. Christ brings freedom from the power of sin. (vv. 11-13)

Colossians 2:11-13 (NKJV) ¹¹  In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ¹²  buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. ¹³  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

(Lenski) Says in his commentary, that these Colossian Judaizers (legalistic believers emphasizing OT requirements) did not demand circumcision like the Galatians, but they probably boasted about it as if it made them superior.

But Paul takes something they emphasized literally and makes it a spiritual truth, which means a “putting off of the sins of the flesh.” The result is victory over sin. We were dead in trespasses but now we are alive and forgiven! We are no longer under the bondage of sin. It is belittling of all that Christ accomplished on the cross to insist that we cannot have victory over sin.

B. Christ brings freedom from condemnation. (vv. 14-15)

Colossians 2:14-15 (NKJV) ¹⁴  having 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. ¹⁵  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

(Todd D. Still, Expositor's Bible Commentary, Revised) [What does this handwriting] and its accompanying regulations actually refer? Some believe the Mosaic law is in view …. I am inclined, however, to take the term as a more general reference to the indebtedness incurred through human sinfulness (cf. O’Brien, 125; Garland, 151). Not only have believers’ transgressions been forgiven by God through Christ; their IOUs have been paid in full. Christians are forgiven for spiritual trespasses and set free from spiritual indebtedness.

C. Christ brings freedom from the rules of men. (vv. 16-23)

Colossians 2:16-23 (NKJV) ¹⁶  So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, ¹⁷  which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. ¹⁸  Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, ¹⁹  and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. ²⁰  Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-- ²¹  "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," ²²  which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men? ²³  These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

(Knight, BBE) [Paul] has just spoken profoundly of the person and work of Christ, and suddenly with one strategic word – therefore [NKJV, “So"] – brings his readers face-to-face with a pressing issue relating to the believer’s behavior…. [He] warns the Colossians against an “enslaving ritualism” and a “false mysticism” (Eerdman).

We have been told already that Paul is dealing with two tendencies toward error in Colossae. Judaism and Gnosticism. Both of these emphases stressed external issues rather than the core spiritual issues.

Jews – A righteous, holy life means legalistic bondage to all the special festivals, days and requirements of the Law.

Gnostics – Since “all matter is evil,” the way to righteous, holy living is ascetic avoidance of all things except what is absolutely essential to life.

Focusing our attention on the external rather than internal, inevitably leads to bondage and legalism. Focusing on what Christ has done and on our relationship with Him, leads to a life that is carefully lived in obedience because we love Him.

We know from comparing letters Paul wrote to other churches that he never promotes careless, sinful indulgence. He specifically states, Gal. 5:13 ^(NKJV) For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Conclusion:

I hope our hearts have been challenged this morning to experience all the spiritual fullness in Christ that He has provided for us by His sacrifice and by His grace. I hope we will never be contented to simply coast along spiritually until we’ve lived our lives and leave this world.

I also hope that we will understand our true freedom in Christ. A freedom from the bondage of sin and fleshly passions. A freedom from legalistic rituals and expectations of mere men.

Closing song about freedom: Glorious Freedom