The Sufficiency of Christ

Colossians2v8to23: THE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST

Introduction.

This is a far from easy passage to deal with. If someone like William Barclay found it difficult I am bound to struggle. The difficulty is applying Paul's condemnation of Gnosticism, with all its errors, to its modern equivalent. This requires a detailed and accurate knowledge of modern denominations with all their peccadilloes. It then involves indicating where they are going wrong and promoting the cause of Christ. Such an undertaking is really more than I can manage. Anyone who continues to read this exposition should bear my limitations in mind.

(1) Jesus is the supreme authority. See verses 8 to 10.

Paul warns the Colossians, See to it that no-one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

There was a growing number in the Colossian church who were attracted to Gnosticism. They believed that the teaching and example of Jesus needed to be supplemented by the special insight and knowledge acquired by pagan scholars and taught to their students.

There have always been professing Christians for whom a system of political belief is more important than the gospel. Paul preached Christ and him crucified - not marxism, socialism, apartheid or any other ideology.

When I was a young man Dr Donald Soper was a prominent Christian. Soper was a socialist and a pacifist. He inveighed against capitalism, warmongering, gambling and alcohol. He considered that the policies of Margaret Thatcher were inherently incompatible with Christianity. I often listened to Dr Soper on, 'Thought for Today". He was undoubtedly an excellent speaker but he did not often speak about Jesus and his redemptive work. Politics were a favourite subject - but Jesus did not come to establish a political party - he came to save his people from their sin.

Today there are politicians that are quite keen to advise the church to reflect the values of society. Some clergymen are quick to climb on the band wagon and urge the traditionalists to move with the times. So the teaching of Jesus has to be adjusted to reflect worldly values. So if our politicians promote gay marriage the view of Jesus that men and women were made by God for one another, must be abandoned.

Paul tells the Colossians, flirting as they were with Gnosticism, that in Christ all the fulness of the Deity lives in bodily form .... who is the Head over every power and authority. Jesus was not ignorant of his special status. He said on one memorable occasion: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jn14v6.

Jesus has no rival. Jesus gives us access to God. Jesus describes the conduct that pleases God. Jesus is the only way to eternal life - an enduring and blessed relationship with God. We do not require any supplements to the gospel or any distractions from it.

(2) The circumcision done by Christ. See verses 11 and 12.

Circumcision was very important to the Jews. It was a sign of God's covenant with their forebear, Abraham, to make of his descendents a great people with their own land. This being the case Gentile converts to Christianity in Colosse were urged to be circumcised.

Paul made it abundantly clear that this was not necessary. Baptism took the place of circumcision in making a Gentile believer special to God. When a person was baptised it illustrated what happened when they trusted in Jesus. The old nature was buried with Christ - just as the body was submerged in water. In Christ the baptised believer was cleansed of sin before being brought out of the water to enjoy new life in Christ.

Baptism is very important - not because it saves a man or a woman - let alone an infant. It is important as a testimony of what transpires when a person has faith in Jesus. Two things are necessary to make a person a child of God: Jesus' finished work on the cross, the circumcision done by Christ and faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. We can become children of God because the Father accepted the atoning sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross; we do become children of God through faith in the One who demonstrated his good pleasure in Christ's finished work by raising him from the dead in awesome power. We are born again through God's initiative and our response to it.

So, consequently, baptism and not circumcision signifies that believers are the chosen people of God. It is not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ.

(3) Made alive in Christ. See verses 13 to 15.

Paul describes:

(a) A hopeless condition. The Colossians were, like the rest of us, dead in sin. This is a vivid description of our spiritual condition - but what does it mean? It may help to go back to the beginning - the Garden of Eden - where Adam and Eve disobeyed God. This was the first sin. All subsequent sins are committed when we disobey God. Adam and Eve died toward God through their sin. The relationship they had with God ended. They hid from God following their sin.

Our relationship with God is ruined by sin. We are, since the fall, sinners by nature. Paul used a strange expression to describe the sinner's condition: the uncircumcision of your sinful nature. Paul possibly means by this that our sinful nature prevents us being one of God's chosen people.

(b) How we can be made alive with Christ.

This is done first of all through the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus offered himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sin on the cross. It was a sacrifice that God willingly accepted to atone for mankind's sin.
Secondly, God cancelled the Law - with its regulations , that was against us and stood opposed to us.
We don't often think of the Law in this way. We value the Law of the land. It is there to protect us. However, much of the Jewish Law existed to highlight mankind's falleness - the laws concerning the sacrifices, ritual cleanliness, the Sabbath, diet and diseases.
God cancelled all these laws. He nailed them to the cross. They were done away with on behalf of Jesus who offered the last perfect sacrifice to deal with all our sins.

(c) How we are set free from the tyranny of powers and authorities. The Gnostics believed there were a large number of so called spiritual beings who conveyed the truth to their adherents about how to conduct themselves and please God.

Numerous people daily read their horoscope. I used the internet to read mine for today: An idea that once set your heart on fire, could suddenly seem lacklustre. While walking away from it seems painful, it's the only thing you can do right now. The disillusionment you are experiencing could turn into a full blown existential crisis. I mean, is anything worth it if we’re all going to die anyway, right? Wrong. Go find yourself, Capricorn. Do the things that help you add value to your life.

Cosmic tip: Prepare yourself to deal with a full-blown existential crisis.

Many newspapers carry this sort of information and it is taken seriously by large numbers of people. It will affect the mood they are in and the decisions they make.

Paul states this about Jesus:

He disarmed the powers and authorities. The people who write horoscopes exploit our fears - our fear of the future, our fear of cosmic forces over which we have no control, our fear of failure, our fear of death, our fear of God's judgment. But there is no need to fear. Jesus should disarm all our fears. He told his followers: "Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom." Lk12v32.
He made public spectacle of the powers and authorities. The pundits, commentators, experts and forecasters do not paint a very rosy picture of the future. But Jesus does. He is himself good news for men and women. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus still makes a public spectacle of the harbingers of gloom.
He triumphed over all his opponents and detractors by the cross. The Gnostics maintained a foothold in the Colossian church by exploiting men and women's weaknesses - particularly debilitating anxiety over their relationship with God. However the message of the cross is that the great work of redemption has been done. Christ's sacrifice was acceptable to God and nothing further is needed.
The church is no place for gloomy, pessimistic folk with long faces and no hope. Rather it is the home of those who sing:
(4) Practices to be avoided.
(a) Rules about what can be eaten. See verses 16 and 21.
It seems that some of the Gentile converts adopted the dietary restrictions of the Jews. Some foods were deemed unclean and taboo. Christians who paid no heed to the restrictions were adjudged to be inferior.
Jesus made it very clear what his view was. He said: "Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean', but what comes out of his mouth, that makes him 'unclean.'" This ruling distressed the Pharisees and upset his disciples. Jesus responded in very blunt - almost crude - language. See Mt15v1to20.
In Britain today there is a growing obsession over what you should and should not eat. Vegans are opposed to eating animal products. This is part of the animal rights movement which does not favour mankind above other species of animal. However, this is a simplistic approach as the expansion of farm land to grow crops like soya, eaten by vegans, impacts on the survival of wild animals through the loss of habitat.
(b) Observation of days. See verse 16.
It seems that the Gnostic element in the Colossian church put great store on observing yearly feasts, monthly new moons and weekly Sabbaths. Once again the Gnostic Christians were keen to adopt the practices of Judaism.
Paul indicated that these were a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however is found in Christ.
The Passover for example foreshadowed the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to save us from sin. He was our Passover Lamb slain for us. We no longer celebrate the Passover but rather meet together on Good Friday and Easter Sunday to rejoice in all Jesus has done for us.
Strict Sabbatarians ignore the teaching of Paul. Those who continue to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest have all sorts of regulations on what can be done and what cannot. I was bought up in this tradition. It was permissible to play Scrabble in the home but not cricket on the village green.
The Jewish Sabbath was a shadow of things to come. Christians no longer observe the Sabbath. Sunday is their special day - a day to celebrate Christ's resurrection from the dead; a day for rejoicing in all Jesus has done for us; a day of fellowship with him and all those who love him. There should be nothing legalistic about it.
(c) Special visions. See verses 18 and 19.
The Christians who sympathised with Gnosticism claimed to have visions of angels who gave them messages to pass on to the church. Christians of this ilk actually thought they were showing humility by taking guidance from angels rather than claiming they were in direct communication with God himself. Paul wrote: Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize.
This element in the church at Colosse was far from humble. They took a pride in being spoken too by angels. The Gnostic sympathisers spoke at inordinate length of what angels were supposed to have told them. They made much of what were idle tales - messages of their own devising.
Paul says that people like this have lost connection with the Head. Jesus is the head of the body - his church. The body develops in so far as the Jesus, the head, is connected to it by ligaments and sinews. The whole of the body takes instructions from Jesus its head. He is the one we should turn to for instruction. We have his word and every encouragement to pray.
Today the Pentecostal Churches believe that the Holy Spirit gives some Christians the word of wisdom and other Christians the word of knowledge. I quote from Wikipedia:
Pentecostals understand the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge to be supernatural revelations of wisdom and knowledge by the Holy Spirit. The word of wisdom is defined as a revelation of the Holy Spirit that applies scriptural wisdom to a specific situation that a Christian community faces. The word of knowledge is often defined as the ability of one person to know what God is currently doing or intends to do in the life of another person.
I think this teaching, in the words of Paul, has lost connection with the Head. Only Jesus knows what God is currently doing or intends to do in the life of another person. People who claim such knowledge for themselves cannot be reasoned with. Their knowledge comes from the Holy Spirit! But of course it very rarely does so and the false knowledge, the indisputable false knowledge, can result in much mischief.
(d) The evils of legalism. See verses 20 to 25.
Paul asks the Colossians why, having died with Christ and been set free from the Jewish Law, they should adopt the rules of conduct characteristic of the Gnostics: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"
Paul stated that the rules and regulations of the Gnostics would soon be dispensed with as the arbitrary opinions of merely human teachers. The legalism of the Gnostics was characterised by a disciplined approach to worship, an openess to messages from the beyond and harsh dietary restrictions. Paul, however, concluded that legalism was of no assistance in overcoming sensual self-indulgence.
Today legalism involves abiding by man-made rules for which there is little or no Scriptural support. Below are a few examples of legalism that I have encountered:
- The replacement of communion wine by grape juice in spite of the example of Jesus.
- One Sunday I was conducting a service in a free church in Dovercourt when I said that there were worse sins than smoking the occasional cigar. The church secretary, frothing at the mouth, accosted me at the end of the service with the words, "We're very hot against smoking here." I was not invited to preach at that church again.
- Our church secretary, Edward, under some pressure from a fellow member, invited a lady to conduct our morning service. Several of our congregation made it perfectly clear that if this happened again they would leave. They thought Paul prohibited women preaching - they should keep silent in the church! It is not as straightforward as this! See latter part of exposition on 1Cor14v26to40.
- One year while I was working at Pioneer Camp - a Christian camp for young people - a girl was converted. She wanted to be baptised at camp. So we built a baptismal pool out of straw bales and black polythene and baptised her. This lovely ceremony was greeted with fury by some Grace Baptist Churches who seemed to think that only the "local church" should conduct baptisms. This was legalism pure and simple. There is nothing in the New Testament to support the view that baptism can only take place on the say so of the local church.
- In Angllcan and Roman Catholic churches only the "priest" can officiate at the communion service - in spite of the fact that Jesus, who instigated it, was a lay man!
It is highly doubtful whether legalistic Christians are less self-indulgent than those rejoicing in their freedom in Christ Jesus from rules and regulations.
Jesus said, "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." Jn14v21. If the love of Christ does not constrain us nothing will. We need to take the words of Paul to heart: And he (Jesus) died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2Cor5v15.

ANY COMMENTS FOR JOHN REED: E-mail jfmreed@talktalk.net

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