Paul instructed the church at Colossae but we don’t know how this church turned out. We know the churches were losing their first love. We see our responsibility as Christians, those who have received Jesus Christ.
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. 6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 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. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
All we need is Jesus Christ and the Bible. The order is set. We’re complete. How much prep do you need to be a witness? Don’t depend on yourself. We should have known long ago what it takes. Paul said as we live our Christian life every day, the best way to thank him is to receive him each day as Lord of our life. We’re called on each day to allow him to be Lord. In order to be a practical believer it takes a daily yielding of our lives. He leads. We follow. Jesus said “follow me” and that means he’s in the forefront. Jesus must be the received person of our life. We have a standing order each day, and we need Jesus each day as Lord in our heart thereby leading us to an effective walk for God.
Verse 10 says and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. The people in Paul’s day were wicked but upon hearing the gospel were saved. The same can happen today. People need the Word of God shown to them. We need to take up the responsibility of being a Christian. There aren’t different classes of Christianity. We can’t fuse religions together. We received Jesus as Savior not Mohammad or Confucius or somebody else. John said we have the pure religion and it is through Jesus Christ.
Paul wanted Felix to be saved. He reasoned with him about Christ and the judgment to come. If Felix would open his heart and mind he could have this real religion. When Paul spoke of righteousness it was through Jesus. The only way to live right is by accepting Jesus. He helps us overcome and gives us assurance in this evil world that we’re right with God. With Christ we can succeed where others fail. Paul assured Felix that he would meet Jesus one day whether he accepted him as Savior or not. He was reasoning with him about faith in Jesus. We walk and live by faith.
We should dismiss and reject anything that doesn’t stay in the straight and narrow way of Jesus Christ. We can’t water down the Bible and blend everything all together. We’re complete in Jesus. Stand by him and he’ll stand by you. I can’t be with you every day but Jesus can. The received walk is the only way. Jesus is available. We don’t have to wait like we do in the doctor’s office and he still makes house calls! It’s wonderful to have the Lord present. Walk each day with him: a received walk, a received life.
Verses 6-7 say as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. We can all live a little closer to God and remember to thank him for being with us each day. It’s an on-going experience to enjoy our salvation by receiving him into our hearts, our behavior, and our activities. He won’t lead us into temptation but will deliver us from evil. Each day we must mindfully open our life to Jesus and ask him to guide in each part of it. He’s a good shepherd. Because of that we shall not want.
Ask the Lord to teach you how to better receive Jesus each day.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 