Colossians 1 - 2

Christ in You

Paul writes to the Colossian believers commending them for their faith. This church was fundamentally sound but had the influences of legalism and mysticism.  Paul begins his letter with a powerful prayer for the church asking that they be 1) filled with His knowledge, 2) walk worthy of the Lord, 3) fruitful in their works, 4) strengthened will His power, 5) filled with patient and longsuffering, 6)thankful to the Lord, and 7) partakers of the divine inheritance. (1:9-12).  Paul then exalts the Lord Jesus Christ as the "firstborn of every creature" (15) stating that "all the fulness of God dwell in Him (19).  Christ has reconciled us to Him through the sacrifice of the cross and has revealed the mystery to the Gentiles, "Which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (1:27).

Knowing that God is incarnate in Christ and that Christ dwells in us through the Holy Spirit, the Colossians are more than able to withstand the false teaching of legalism through "enticing words" (2:4) and philosophy and deceit based in the traditions of men (2:8).  Additionally Paul warns against a pernicious mysticism that was being taught to the faithful.  False teachers were speaking of "touch not, taste not, handle not" (2:21) as some sort of spiritual attempt to mortify the body but gave no honor to Jesus.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.