We need to be settled in our faith in Christ. We need to understand that, in Christ, we have everything we need to life a life that is pleasing to God. In this passage Paul set out to reinforce that truth.

Having reinforced that truth, Paul then commands the Christian to stand confidently in his faith in Christ, and to allow that faith to changes his life so that he might abound in his faith and rejoice in it.

I. Paul’s Yearning for Growth (Vs 1-3)

  1. Paul has just expressed, at the end of the last chapter, how he was tirelessly labouring and striving to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles so that they would know that Christ had died, not just for the Jews, but for the Gentiles also.
  2. This was the struggle that Paul was faced with. Paul had a strong desire to see the Gentile converts established in their faith, but Paul hadn’t been able to see them personally, and this weighed heavily on his mind.
  3. Paul wanted to comfort them. The word “comforted” refers to a drawing near and comforting. When a child hurts himself, the parent will draw that child near to themself and comfort him. In a similar way, Paul desired to be near to the Colossians so that he might bring them comfort in trials and provide stability through the adversity they were enduring.
  4. The second thing that would comfort their hearts is the knowledge and understanding of the mystery of God.
    1. “The mystery “is Christ, as incarnating the fulness of the Godhead, and all the divine wisdom and knowledge for the redemption and reconciliation of man.””[1]
  5. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge can be comprehended only through Christ. In Christ we find all these treasures, and when we come to chapter 3, Paul tells us that our life is hid in Christ as well.
  6. Paul is essentially saying, “Go no further, seek no further, you have already found the wisdom and knowledge that you need in order to be redeemed, reconciled unto God, and be found in Christ, a new creature with new life.

II. Paul’s Concern About Deception (Vs 4-5)

  1. While the Gnostics and the Judaizers were peddling different heresies, the one thing they had in common was that they were trying to add something further to the simplicity of the Gospel of repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
  2. Paul was concerned that the Colossians Christians would be beguiled by these false teachers.
  3. Paul was concerned that they would be allured by the false teachers and that, by flattery and smooth words, the false teachers would lead them into error.
  4. Paul was able to rejoice when he knew that the believers were continuing steadfast in the faith.
  5. Paul was with them in spirit, and it was as though he was looking down on their regular gathering and was pleased by their faithfulness.

III. Paul’s Command to Abound (Vs 6-7)

  1. The idea is, you were saved by grace through faith, now walk by grace through faith.
  2. In other words, we are to be occupied with the task of treading the path that the Saviour trod. We are to be occupied with walking in the steps of the Saviour and letting him be our life.
  3. We are supposed to be down our roots into Christ. He is to be our life, our power for service is to come from him, and our stability in life will come from being grounded in Him.
    – If our faith in Christ is not well grounded and it hasn’t taken deep root in Him, then we will struggle when our faith is attacked.
  4. If you’re going to abound in your faith, then you are going to have to let it affect your life.
    – James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (KJV)
  5. Can you really say you believe something, if you’re not willing to live it out in your own life?
  6. Faith must fruit in actions
    1. I was stunned this week by the news that Charlie Kirk had been shot and killed on a university campus in Utah. Charlie Kirk was a man who vocally and very publicly stood up for what he believed. He was quite probably a born-again Christian, from what I’ve heard, and he was a conservative political and motivational speaker. Someone shot him because of his political beliefs, and he died shortly after.
    2. He was a man who stood up for the things he believed in. Down through the ages there have been many Christians who have suffered and even died because they stood up for Christ and for the Gospel’s sake.
    3. My point is, do you really believe what you say you believe? Because if you really believe it, then it will affect the way that you live and it will compel you to stand up for the things you believe.