“It’s not enough – I want more – something new!” sounds like the motto of a committed consumer. It also describes the appetites of those who consume “new truths,” innovative philosophies, or ground-breaking perspectives on life and reality. Luke painted this picture of the Athenians saying, “They spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing” (Acts 17:21). Today, there is still no shortage of novel ideas, often marketed with a hook line to convince consumers that they can finally know the secret. That secret could be in any arena of life experience – physical, financial, emotional, material (how to get what I want), or even spiritual.
One book of the Bible is devoted to this topic. Paul writes to the Colossian believers: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit” (Col. 2:8). This letter from the apostle affirms the supremacy and preeminence of Jesus Christ – the One in Whom all the fullness of God dwells in bodily form (Col. 2:9). Once again, the apostle begins with the Creator who is sovereign over the universe and the originator of all that is true. The historic Jesus Christ was the ultimate and living revelation of God to His creation. The designer of life showed up, not only to demonstrate how life works, but to make life a very real possibility for all surrendered to and united with Him.
Paul affirms to the Colossians, “You are complete in Him” (Col. 2:10). Any “new” truth or innovative philosophy will only plunder what you have in Christ and take you captive. It will frustrate that which is found only in Christ – the freedom to live as you were designed to, “for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and of death” (Rom. 8:2).
The stealth of the Colossian heresy was that the “enlightened” teachers did not ask the believers to forsake Christ and His truth, but to integrate Christ into their new system of philosophy, thought, and life practice. Though it was not the overt claim of the “secret,” “enlightened” system, the whole tendency of the heretical system was to draw attention and trust away from Jesus Christ. It spawned a practical understanding of God’s revelation – written and living – as insufficient truth for life. Peter attests: “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). What you need is eternal in nature. What is temporal will one day be gone and forgotten; it will be devoid of any significance at all.
Understanding this truth in Christ will rescue you from a compartmentalized life in which you strive for wholeness, balance, and meaning. Instead, it will open up to you the joys of Christ-preeminent life complete with His definition – you are who God says you are, purpose – you live for His objectives and not for your self-gratification, authority – the guiding immovable foundation, and resource – the inexhaustible riches of His grace. It brings clarity to the pronouncement that “you are not your own . . . for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Only with this understanding can one say along with the apostle Paul: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).
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