Being Strengthened in the Faith
Colossians 2:6-10 (NIV) 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.
Paul wrote to the church at Colossae after hearing that they were struggling under false teaching that Christ was not divine. Such teaching began shortly after the crucifixion, and new churches were especially vulnerable to these ideas. So, Paul wrote from prison to encourage the Colossians to live out their faith.
It is still important both to our growth as disciples and our witness to others that we purpose to live according to the precepts of our faith. The false teaching we are hearing is not about whether Jesus was truly God. Instead, we are given a watered-down version of the gospel where Jesus’ love accepts sin, and we will “find ourselves on the wrong side of history” if we do not do the same.
Brothers and Sisters, there is no question that Jesus’ love is boundless, but the holiness of God precludes Him from accepting our sin. And as disciples it is our responsibility to live out the faith in our daily lives. If we have problems with honesty, pride, anger or greed, then our witness for Jesus is greatly diminished. In other words, all sin separates us from God and impacts our declaration that Jesus is our Lord.
Does God require perfection? No, not perfection, but submission and obedience. When we live out our lives as intentional disciples, delving into the Word, praying, spending time with other Christ followers, following solid preaching from those called to exegete the Word and refusing to equivocate, then we are living out our faith. And that is what God requires, and what we should each desire.
May we focus our attention on living not as slaves to the culture or to our emotions, but as people devoted to the one Who loves us so much that He gave His life for us.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Seeking Holiness 