Colossians 1:15-23 To listen to the audio recording, CLICK HERE to listen on Spotify or use the player at the end of this post.
I don’t know if you have been noticing a pattern with Paul’s writings, but I have. Many times, the sticking point to the gospel moving forward in the New Testament era was Jews who believed gentiles needed to convert to Judaism first before becoming a Christian.
After all, Christ was a Jew, and so were his disciples and many early leaders so it makes sense.
Paul spends several sections of his letters address this issue.
- Galatians 5:3-4
- 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
- Galatians 6:12-13
- 12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.
- Philippians 3:2-3
- 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
- Colossians 3:11 – in this book as well he addresses this theme.
- 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Paul explained in more detail that it is not necessary for a Gentile to convert to Judaism. It’s not necessary, specifically for them to be circumcised. The Christian, Only Christ’ life, sacrifice, and resurrection mattered. Old Testament rituals foreshadowed what Christ would do.
The sacrificing of the rams, birds, and other clean animals…pointed to Jesus.
2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2 NIV)
Sabbath rest points to Jesus giving us rest.
Matthew 11:28 ESV
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
I bring this up because in Colossians 1:15-20, he is addressing a different problem. We aren’t dealing specifically with a group of religious Pharisees but rather a group of scholarly philosophers.
- High Importance Recap
- Remember from last week we learned about this book…from this book! This letter was the first direct correspondence from Paul to the Colossians. They had heard his teachings from others, followed Jesus and the church was formed. Paul heard of them from Epaphras. And Paul cared SO much about the Colossians, he prayed intently and purposefully for them.
- And so this letter overall, has weight to it. It’s important to the Colossians and what Paul has to say directly to them is important…because this is the first time he can address them and what’s going on there.
- He teaches them about Jesus and how Jesus loves and redeems.
- He paints a clear picture: we are called to live a life worthy of the Lord.
- According to Paul, what we do here in this earthly realm matters to God. It echoes in eternity.
Why write all these things we read in 15-23? To be honest, I was considering skipping this section to move on to chapter 2. But reading notes from William Barclay’s Bible commentary made me realize how important it is that we:
- Know what the Colossian Church was dealing with
- Know how to spot these teachings today, even by well-meaning bible teachers.
- Know how Paul addressed and refuted them, and do likewise.
So what was the Colossian church dealing with?
- Philosophy of Gnosticism
- Perhaps you’ve heard of this term before: Gnosticism. (tip, the “g” is silent.) Gnostics could be known as the “Intellectual Ones.”
- Gnosticism essentially is all about hidden or secret knowledge, which gnostics believe is their way to salvation, but they also have some core principles of their philosophy.
- Matter is evil & Spirit is good
- That’s a very basic understanding of their beliefs and all that trail from that logical conclusion.
- Matter is evil & Spirit is good
To make this more compare and contrast, I’m going to go over the notes in your bulletin.
| Gnostic Beliefs | Christian Beliefs |
| Matter is altogether EVIL and spirit is altogether Good. | In Jesus, God BECAME matter (Man). (1:15) |
| Matter is ETERNAL and out of that matter, the world was created. | God made all of creation out of NOTHING. (Ex Nihilo) (1:16) |
| Jesus was just one of many EMANATIONS from God.*** | Jesus is God SON and in him all of God’s fullness dwells. (1:19, 2:9) |
| If the Body was evil, then Jesus could not have a PHYSICAL body. | “…he has reconciled you by Christ’s PHYSICAL body…” (1:22) |
| Elaborate SECRET knowledge and passwords are the way to God. | All that’s needed is the saving truths of the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ. |
| Only CERTAIN people can have the secret knowledge and be saved. | EVERYONE can be taught and become fully mature in Christ. (1:28) |
***Explaining Emanations
- For Gnostics, For God to create the world, he couldn’t do it directly. He had to Create versions (perhaps of himself) that are further from the Real Thing. Each Emanation would then create the next one. And so on and so on until one was SO FAR away from God that he could touch matter. But that emanation was not like God, and even hostile to God. They had no relationship except “creator and created.”
- My commentary here: This is a very bleak outlook on God…and far too complicated.
Conclusion – Be Not Deceived
“I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.”
Col 2:1-5 NIV
Paul didn’t want them to be deceived by “fine-sounding arguments.”
“I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.” (Col 2:4 NIV)
Have you heard any “Fine-sounding arguments?”
They seem “reasonable” but are twisted in someway?
Know of any religions or philosophies today that may have been influenced by Gnostic beliefs or practices? Secret societies. Mystical groups. (Freemasons) Groups with all-powerful leadership that has low accountability to the people in it? (IBLP – Institute for Biblical Life Principles)
If you have any other ideas of religious organizations and clubs that fall into these gnostic-like traps, let me know about them in the comments below.
When confronted with Gnostic thought we can reply with the true knowledge that is available for all mankind.
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16-17 NIV
Viroqua Naz 