Colossians 2:1-10
Colossians 2:1-10
New King James Version (NKJV)
Not Philosophy but Christ
1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 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, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 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.
6 As you therefore have 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.
8 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. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
My Thoughts:
- So let’s start with (v. 1) we read “For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,”
- “Laodicea” Some believe Ephesians to be the letter to Laodicea since the words “in Ephesus” is left out of some early manuscripts and one early Christian calls Ephesians the epistle to the Laodiceans.
- It does not appear that this was one of Paul’s church plants and it seems that he has never met them, this church was founded by Epaphras, a man that Paul a great respect for (Phil. 2;25-30; 4:18 Philem 23; Acts 19:1-41).
- In (vv. 4-5) we read “Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 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.”
- We see Paul turning to the practical application of his message. There are those that will seek to lure the people away from the straight line of truth.
- Epaphras had done a good work. The Colossian church was a compact spiritual community; Paul is hinting that the church stays steadfast on this path and continues in this happy and blessed state.
- Let’s finish with (v.9) “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;”
- Within Christ dwells the sum total of the mature and attributes of God. All the fullness of God is revealed in Christ.
Thought of the Day
“Christ’s birth brought the infinite God within reach of finite man.”
In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.–Colossians 2:9
A little girl once said to her mother,
“Mama, I like you better than God.”
“Oh, you must not say that!” replied the mother.
“Yes, but really, Mama, I do like you better than God.”
Shocked, her mother inquired,
“Dear, what makes you say that?”
The child answered simply,
“Because I can hug you!”
That little girl expressed the universal desire of man to have contact with God in a personal, tangible way. A spirit without a body is difficult for us to conceive, but a real “flesh and bones” man is a concrete reality we can understand. In the incarnation, therefore, Jesus brought God within embracing distance.
Someone has said, “The kindest thing God ever did was to become a Man!” It is indeed a thrilling truth. Because of the incarnation, we can now have a much clearer understanding of God, and we can experience a warm, personal contact with Him through the person of His Son. No wonder the apostle John declared, “We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Have you embraced Christ as your Savior?
Personal Reflection and Discussion
- What do think Paul meant in (v. 9)?
- How do you embrace Christ?
- What other things do you see in the text?
Prayer Activities
- Call your Partner and discuss this devotional.
- Continue to have a prayer list and continue to praying for them.
- Pray with them and ask for the following;
- For God to embrace you and everyone around you.
- For God to strengthen our faith.
- For the individuals on your pray list.
- Let’s use (1 Samuel 17:47) for today’s prayer verse.
About bobh6
40 Days of study 
I love Sabbaths for so many reasons. One wonderful reason is the many many hugs you receive on Sabbath. We as human beings need so much skin contact to stay healthy in spirit and in body. It is hard to “embrace someone you cannot begin to fathom on how they appear. I sometimes think of seeing God as I pray. I picture myself sitting at His feet, resting my head on His knee, and He is resting His hand on my head. God gave this picture in my heart before I was diagnosed with the cancer. I have held on to this picture through so many trials and so many triumphs. This is one of the wys I embrace my Lord, and I thank God for this “picture”. I am not worthy of His love, but there is no doubt that He loves us all anyway. As to verse 9, Paul is proclaiming the incarnation, the fact thaat God became man in body. Paul is saying that the fullness of God exists in Jesus.
that you for sharing that Rosi,
We look and almost need something to take the place of God where we don’t see or feel
Him. Philosophy is intellectual and aims to answer all our blanks and questions where chrisitianilty calls for faith in the areas we can’t understand or see. Drugs, alcohol, sex riches, parties, and whatever man could think to try and fill their God void with never will do justic to what God could do, and does do for us even now; and promises to personally fullfill and complete in us in the new earth and new body. Yearning for God’s touch in our lives physically or figurtively, is natural and actually expected. Like that Psalms “we’re like deers panting for the waters… so my soul yearns after thee”. God knows we are visual and physically dependent people, so I believe He has given us each other, as well as our pets, to reveal and help cuddle and comfort us till then.