Here in Colossians 2 Paul begins to deliver a series of
exhortations to the Colossians. Our fathers in Colosse were being tempted to move
away from the message that their pastor Epaphras was preaching in favor of some
new teaching that was tickling their ears. Hence, Paul urges them to continue
in Christ even as they began in Him.
In other words, he warns them lest they move away from
the Gospel they originally heard: the good news that though we were dead in
transgressions and sins, estranged from God because of our rebellion, God
Himself took on human flesh and dwelt among us; He sent His only Son to rescue
us from our sin and slavery and to restore us to fellowship with Himself; Jesus
lived for us, suffered for us, died for us, was buried for us, rose again from
the dead on the third day for us, ascended into heaven for us, and has sent His
Spirit to give us faith, make us more holy, and assure us of our own
resurrection. This is the message you heard – now, Paul says, cling to it
tenaciously.
Notice that Paul calls us to be faithful to the faith as
it was handed down in the churches, to (in his words to Titus) hold firmly to
the traditions which we have been taught. Like Jude, Paul wants us to contend
earnestly for the faith which was once
for all delivered to the saints.
One of our practices as a congregation is to recite one
of the ecumenical creeds together every Lord’s Day – in a moment we will be
reciting the Nicene Creed. Why do this? So that by memorizing and corporately
confessing these confessions of Christ, we be rooted and built up in Him. Each
Lord’s Day, we grow in our knowledge of Him – where did He come from? He was
eternally begotten of the Father before all worlds. Who is He? He is God of
God, light of light, very God of very God. Is he a creature? No, for he is
begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father. What has he done?
Through Him all things were made, who for us men and our salvation came down
from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made
man; and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried,
the third day He rose again from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the
Father from whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
This, brothers and sisters, is the Christ we worship. The
very one who is worthy of all glory, laud, and honor. The very one who created
all things and to whom it is right and fitting to give praise. And it is in
this One that we are to be rooted and grounded and in whom we are to grow.
And note that Paul insists that it is not enough to
recite this faith, not enough to know who Jesus is and what he has done; he
commands us to be abounding in the faith with
thanksgiving. To abound is to
overflow, to know no limits. The words we recite or sing each Lord’s Day
should come from hearts that are in the full flood of thanksgiving – thanks for
rocks and trees and good friends and green grass and fresh honey and butter and
flashlights and honorable men and lovely women and cheese and forgiveness and
resurrection.
And so, coming into His presence, let us kneel and
confess that we have failed to appreciate fully His glory and to honor His name
by rejoicing in the faith as we have been taught.
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