Colossians Chapter 2

Many later believers, meaning later than the time period of the book of Acts, never met the Apostle Paul. They never heard him preach and they never saw him face to face. Two examples of that would be the Colossians to whom the Colossian letter was written and the Ephesians to whom the Ephesian letter was written:

Colossians 1:4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

Ephesians 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

Yet, these people were "followers of Paul," not in his day to day activities, but in his doctrine.  Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:3 to "charge some that they teach no other doctrine." He said in 2 Timothy 2:2 that "the things that thou hast heard of me, among many witnesses, commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also."

So some faithful man, or men, had  taught the Colossians, Paul heard of it and wrote the Colossian letter to them. He mentions in Chapter One that he prays always for them since he heard of their faith in Christ Jesus for the hope that is laid up for them in heaven. He said that they had heard before  in "the word of the truth of the gospel." It is interesting to note that there was also a group of people in Ephesus that Paul did not know that he also wrote to, after learning that they had trusted in Christ after hearing the "word of truth, the gospel of your salvation."

In Collosians 1:6 he says that word, that gospel is come into all the world, and in verse 23 he says it was "preached to every creature under heaven." A good question to ask those who claim that there is only one gospel in the bible would be, "then why didn't the end come?" In Matthew 24, Jesus said that "this gospel of the KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and THEN shall the end come." Yet Paul says that his gospel, and he does call it MY gospel, and NOT the gospel of the Kingdom, WAS COME into all the world and was preached to every creature under heaven. So obviously Paul's gospel is not the same as the gospel of the Kingdom of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Now notice in Chapter two:

Colossians 2:1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

So although they had never seen Paul they knew him in the Lord and in the doctrine that was committed unto him.

Colossians 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

Colossians 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

So he has a "great conflict" for them. He prays for them. He wants their hearts to be comforted. He wants them to have the full assurance of understanding pertaining to the revelation of the mystery committed unto him. Notice his prayer in Chapter one:

Colossians 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

Back in the garden of Eden, the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility. Notice what he had written earlier to the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

When he says to "bear with him" it means not to give in to him, or to hold up against him. So just as the serpent beguiled Eve, Paul's warning here is against men, religious men, who would attempt to do the same thing:

Colossians 2:4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

Colossians 2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

How could Paul be "with them in the spirit?" It was not because Paul's spirit could leave the place where he was and just float around to some different place. What he means is his spirit is in the words of this letter. Christ spoke through Paul and Paul wrote those words down. Hence his spirit is in the words. In 1 Corinthians 2:13 Paul says that "we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." Spiritual things are words. Jesus said "the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." But the "enticing words" Paul refers to that men would use to beguile them were not life.

Those enticing words would try to turn people away from their stedfastness of faith in Christ alone for salvation. Not only that they would try to get believers to put themselves under some type of performance system. That is a favorite gimmick of religion. But notice what Paul says that they should do:

Colossians 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

You receive Christ Jesus the Lord by grace through faith. Paul says you should walk the same way...by grace through faith. Salvation is by the grace of God through the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. He went to the cross and faithful to God the Father's will, died for our sins. He did all of the work for our salvation, and as we have received him as our Lord and Saviour we should walk the same way.

Colossians 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

The word of God's grace builds you up. God's grace teaches us. Paul told the Ephesians to be "followers of God as dear children." The Father loves the children and children love their father. They were told to walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us. But here the warning continues:

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

The traditions of men are the things religion teaches and tries to get people involved in, having to do with the rudiments of the world. Those rudiments would have to do with observing rules about meat and drink and holy days and man made ordinances. Manmade religion has any number of rules about touch not, taste not, handle not, don't go here, you can't do that and on and on. Paul says that they all are to perish with the using. But those rudiments are man made religious ideas. The commandments and doctrines of men. The reason that all of those things are worthless to a believer is what he says next:

Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Colossians 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

A believer is complete in Christ the very moment he trusts Christ as his Saviour, believing the truth of the gospel. When you are complete there is nothing left that needs completing. Christ in you is the hope of glory. Paul told the Corinthians that they were washed, sanctified and justified. That's complete. What he says next is positional truth:

Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

For those who would try to insert water into the verse, making the baptism of verse 12 be water baptism, then the question would be: what then is the circumcision of the previous verse? It says it is made without hands. So if there is water in verse 12 it must be done by somebody using hands. WHO does the circumcising of verse 11, which is done WITHOUT hands?

Everything in the passage is spiritual. To be complete in Christ is spiritual. The body of Christ is spiritual. The circumcision made without hands is spiritual and the baptism is spiritual. It all has to do with IDENTIFICATION. Baptism never means "water." It is an IDENTITY. Notice:

Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

When Christ died there was no water. He didn't die in water. But a believer is baptized INTO Jesus Christ. That is, identified with him in his death on the cross. God does that. The Holy Spirit does that. By one Spirit are we all BAPTIZED into one body. Water baptism cannot do that. Only the Holy Spirit can. There is a difference between being "baptized in the name of Jesus Christ" in water, as was the case in Acts chapter two, and being baptized BY the Spirit into the body of Christ. Men baptize people with water. John the Baptist baptized with water, and there was water baptism on the Day of Pentecost. But only the Holy Spirit can baptize a person INTO Christ. No water is involved. Notice back in Galatians:

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

When they were baptized INTO Christ they put on Christ and there was an identity change. It is a spiritual baptism:

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

That's why Paul says what he does in 2 Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

So the baptism is an identification. Believers are identified IN CHRIST, which is a spiritual realm. That happens the moment you trust Christ as your Saviour, believing the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. This is a "positional" truth and is true of every believer. The practical application is to "work out your own salvation," as in Phillipians 2:12, where Paul adds, "for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." It doesn't say "work for" your salvation as some would claim, because you already OWN the salvation. It is a reference to the practical outworking of the truth of the position that every believer has in Christ.

When Christ died he was "cut off." That is the operation made without hands and it was for the cutting off of the body of the sins of the flesh. Not the sins of Christ, he was sinless. It was YOUR body of sins that was cut off. Hence he says:

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

All trespasses means all. The entire body of sins you will ever commit in this life. They have all been forgiven. God made him, Jesus Christ, to be sin for us. That is, in our behalf, instead of us. In exchange God gives us the righteousness of God IN CHRIST. This is the position of each and every believer who has trusted Christ alone for salvation.

Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Some think that this is merely a reference to the law of Moses being blotted out. However, there were handwritten ordinances which came about as a result of the Acts chapter fifteen meeting between Paul and the 12 Apostles to Israel. The effect of those ordinances put a difference between "alien" Gentiles such as the Colossians and the Ephesians, and the earlier Gentile believers Paul found in the synagogues. Keeping those ordinances is something Paul praised the Corinthians for doing in 1 Corinthians 11:2. But now, becaause of further revelation (the mystery Paul talks about in Ephesians three) that handwriting is blotted out and the unsearchable riches of Christ made known in the dispensation of the grace of God. Paul refers to this as the "mystery OF the gospel" in Ephesians 6:19.

Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Christ was victorious, he triumphed over principalities and powers in IT, that is in his death. Death could not hold him, and three days and three nights later he rose from the dead, raised for our justification. As a result, we are complete in him. Nothing lacking.

Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Those things were a shadow when Paul wrote the words and they are a shadow today. Those things to come is a reference to the 1000 year reign of Christ upon the throne of David, over Israel and the nations of the earth. But the church the body of Christ has a heavenly, not an earthly inheritance. That's why Paul says to set your affection on things above and not on things in the earth.

Colossians 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

People who claim that they have seen angels evidently haven't read the verse. It says they are intruding into things which they have not seen, and that is to be vainly puffed up by a fleshly mind. Notice also the reward. Every believer is complete in Christ but every one should "so run that ye may obtain." In other words, at the judgment seat of Christ the work of every believer will be tried "of what sort it is." If it turns out to be good, as in gold, silver and precious stones rather than would, hay and stubble (1 Corinthians 3:10-15) then there is a prize, there is a reward. To get tangled up in the things of religion could result in a loss when a believers work is tried. We should have no desire to hold on to the things of religion.

Colossians 2:19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Christ is the head of the church, which is his body. And every member of his body is complete in him. Instead of all those other things Paul mentions, the members of the body of Christ should be concerned with the work of the ministry, the edifying of the body of Christ. The aim is that we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man. A perfect man is mature, full gown and complete in Christ.

Colossians 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

A believer is crucified with Christ and dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world. Religion has ordinances of religion and when you join religion you have to go by their rules. There are no ordinances for the church, the body of Christ. They were all blotted out back in verse 14. But religion says different:

Colossians 2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

Colossians 2:22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Colossians 2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Religious ordinances can be a harsh thing. They put up a front with their will worship, Paul says, and humility and neglecting of the body. But there is no honour in it. It is simply satisfying of the flesh.

In Christ you are a new creature. Old things, like religious things, are passed away and all things are become new. We are told to walk in that newness of life as the new man in Christ, reckoning ourselves like God reckons us: dead unto unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.