Fullness in Christ
Colossians 2:8-10
The Apostle Paul has been giving his heart to the Colossian believers, struggling in prayer for them and encouraging them to walk in the Lord Jesus Christ just as they had received Him. Paul is concerned that the false teachers that had begun to trouble the church would turn them away from their faith in the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. In our passage today (Colossians 2:8-10) Paul warns the believers about the false ideas that had invaded the church and combats these false teachings with the truth of Jesus Christ.
The danger to the Colossian believers was very real. They were in danger of turning away from the divine revelation in Christ to deceptive human speculation. Paul doesn’t specifically define the heresy that threatened the church. But we can make an educated guess based on this letter’s content and the city’s culture. Colossae was a melting pot of Greek, Jewish, and pagan ideas. So, the “Colossian Heresy” was probably a combination of Jewish legalism, Stoic asceticism, pagan mysticism, philosophic Docetism, and early Gnosticism. But like false teachings today, false teachers of these “isms” did not propose to replace Christ, but to add to Christ, as if Jesus Christ was not enough.
There so called “Christian” teachers today that suggest that Jesus is not enough. Word of Faith teachers preach a “Prosperity Gospel” that demands positive confession, financial tithing, and material seed-faith offerings to unlock the blessings of God. There are legalists who insist that faith in Christ is insufficient without keeping specific dietary laws, Sabbath days, special clothing, or sacramental rites. There are cults that add to or change the scriptures. And they specifically target Christians to draw them away.
Like Paul, my heart is stirred this morning because of the widespread deception being pushed on believers. There are people who are deceived and deceiving others. They would want to cheat you, spoil you, and capture you to turn you away from following Christ. And we must be rooted, grounded, growing, and overflowing with gratitude toward Christ to avoid spiritual trickery.
In Colossians 2:8-10, Paul states the truth that every Christian needs to hear: Jesus Christ is all you need. First, Paul issues a warning not to be taken captive in Colossians 2:8, and then he gives reason why Christ is enough.
1. The Warning: Do not be turned from Christ (Col. 2:8)
Paul’s warning is serious: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8). “Beware” is a present, active imperative meaning “Look out!” “See to it!” “Watch out!” It’s a command, not an option. Believers must continually, ongoingly, habitually be vigilant and on the lookout. There’s no letting down of your guard. We need to be careful that we don’t develop a critical, judgmental attitude toward others, but we should always be discerning as to what is true and what is false.
What do we need to beware of? What’s the danger? Paul says, “lest anyone cheat you.” The old King James says, “lest any man spoil you.” The idea of spoil there is not that of decay or rottenness. It is spoil in the sense of plunder. You’ve probably heard the proverb, “To the victor go the spoils.” In other words, the one who wins the battle gets to plunder carry away the spoils of war. This happened many times in the battles of the Old Testament, when the conquerors carried away the captives and all their possessions. So other Bible versions translate it “See to it that no one takes you captive” (NASB), or “Don’t let anyone capture you” (NLT). The image is of carrying someone away from the truth into the bondage of error, which is the opposite of what Jesus stated truth would accomplish. He said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (Jn 8:32).
So Paul is saying to beware that you are not taken captive by false teaching. Don’t be carried away or kidnapped from your confidence in Christ. What does this false teaching consist of?
A. The Substance of false teaching
Colossians 2:8 says, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit.” Philosophy is literally a love of wisdom. In the ancient world, it described the pursuit of God, truth, or virtue. In this sense, philosophy is not a bad thing. In our study of Proverbs, we have seen that we ought to pursue wisdom and knowledge. But the sort of “wisdom” that Paul warns against is dangerous because it concerns a so-called “wisdom” that’s not from God. Philosophy here is human understanding or wisdom in contrast to divinely revealed wisdom.
Paul writes about the folly of human wisdom in 1 Corinthians,
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. … 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1Co 1:19-21, 25).
Philosophy as Paul uses it here in Colossians 2:8 is human wisdom without God. It referred to the quasi-religious doctrines and speculations of heathen philosophers. The nature of this philosophy is “empty deceit.” It is fruitless, useless, and fallacious error that seduces and misleads. It’s not so different from the philosophers of our day because human wisdom apart from God is folly. Someone said, “Philosophers are people who talk about something they don’t understand and make you think it’s your fault!”[1] Another person quipped that a philosopher was like “A blind man in a dark room looking for a black hat which is not there.”[2] Someone else said that “Philosophy is saying what everybody knows in language that no one can understand.”[3] A more dignified definition of philosophy is man’s attempt to befuddle himself scientifically![4]
Philosophy may sound good, wise, and deep. But it has no real meaning or value. It is dangerous because may take you captive. Paul writes in Ephesians 5:6, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”
The substance of false teaching is philosophy and empty deceit. Then Paul describes …
B. The Source of false teaching
Paul describes it three ways. First, it is “according to the tradition of men.” “Tradition” is that which is handed down. In this sense, the gospel is tradition. Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” (2 Th. 2:15). Do not let go of biblical traditions.
But human tradition is the currency of false teachers. Jesus warned His disciples about the traditions of men He challenged the Pharisees, saying “you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mark 7:9). Jesus confronted them asking, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” (Matt. 15:3). Beware of tradition that contradicts the clear word of God.
Second, this philosophy is “according to the basic principles of the world” (Col. 2:8). The key term means “things in a row.” It referred to the alphabet or elementary rudiments. The false teachers were claiming to teach something profound but they were barely proposing the ABCs of truth. Paul indicates the kind of basic, legalistic principles he means when he uses the same term later in Colossians 2, writing,
20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations– 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using–according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. (Col. 2:20-23).
The bottom line is that it is “of the world.” Do not be kidnapped by worldly teachings that do come from God.
C. The Shortfall of false teaching
Thirdly, Paul says they are “not according to Christ” (Col. 2:8). This is the most shortfall of human philosophy for, as we have seen in Colossians 2:3, in Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” There is ultimately no knowledge or wisdom without Christ. Christ is the source of all true wisdom, the subject of wisdom, and the substance of wisdom.
Paul says watch out that no one takes you captive through false teaching. Next, Paul explains the truth of Christ.
2. The Reasons: Fullness in Christ (Col. 2:9-10)
The reason why we must not be taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit is because there is fullness in Christ. Paul says, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Col. 2:9-10).
Here we see that…
A. Jesus is the fullness of God
What a remarkable statement! ““For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col 2:9). Virtually every word in this verse is chock full of rich Christological truth. “For” introduces an explanation of the warning in Colossians 2:8. “In him” means “in him alone.” Jesus is one of a kind, not one of many. “All the fullness”– not just God’s attributes but His very essence; not just part but all – all that marks God as God dwells in Christ. It is not enough to say Jesus is like God. Jesus is God. And the fullness of God dwells in Christ “bodily.” The Son of God had always been God. But through the incarnation, He became man. He took on flesh. He dwelt among us. And He remains fully God and fully man forever. All God’s fullness dwells within Christ even now. The incarnation was not a temporary thing for Christ but permanent. All the fullness of God lives in Christ.
Paul not only shows us Christ’s relationship to God, but next he shows Christ’s relationship to believers.
B. Believers are full in Christ
Colossians 2:10 says, “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” The word “complete” in this verse is the verbal form of the word “fullness” in Colossians 2:9. The ESV reads, “you have been filled in Him.” The idea here is that in Christ, you have been filled up. In fact, you have been filled up so high that you can’t be filled up any higher. In this way, “you are complete in Him.” This is why you should not be taken captive by human philosophy. Because in Jesus, you have everything that you need. You don’t need anything more.
You have been filled in Christ. You are filled in Christ. You will be forever filled in Christ. You don’t need some charismatic religious experience to make you a “full Christian.” You don’t need to read someone’s book or watch someone’s video to unlock the spiritual life. What you need is not some new experience or extra knowledge or special technique. What you need is a fresh reminder that you are entirely sufficient in Christ. Nothing is lacking from our salvation in Christ. Your cup is full to overflowing. Jesus is enough. Believe it and live!
Finally, don’t be taken captive because …
C. Jesus has full authority
Look at Colossians 2:10 again, “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Head implies source and authority. The emphasis is on authority. “Principality and power” probably refer to spiritual powers in the unseen realm. In Colossians 2:18 we see that the false teachers were promoting the worship of angels. But we already saw in Colossians 1:16 that Christ is the creator of all things “that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.” All these powers and authorities were created by Christ, and all these powers and authorities are subject to Christ.
This means that holy angels cannot help you without the authority of Christ. It also means that fallen angels cannot harm you because of the authority of Christ. Later in Colossians 2:15 Paul writes about Christ, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in [the cross].”
When you live in Christ, you do not need to fear anything because all the fullness of God lives in Christ, and you are full in Christ, and Christ is the head over every power and authority.
Does your life feel hollow, empty, unfulfilled? If so, it’s because you are being deceived by an empty philosophy that depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world. You are living your life according to something other than Christ.
The Christian life is marked by faith in Christ, freedom in Christ and fullness in Christ. Anything less is not authentic Christianity. What’s the secret to living the Christian life? It’s simple. The secret to living the Christian life is living in Christ.
And so, I ask you, will anything dethrone the all-sufficient centrality of Jesus Christ in your life? He has all Deity. He has all Sufficiency. He has all Authority. Don’t Be Taken Captive!
[1] Charles Swindoll, Improving Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living, 1981.
[2] The quote is attributed to the English judge Lord Bowen (Charles Bowen, Baron Bowen).
[3] This popular critique of philosophy is often attributed to the English philosopher C. D. Broad in his 1923 book Scientific Thought. He famously used the phrase to describe how some classical philosophical lectures were characterized.
[4] American theologian and philosopher Warren C. Young used this witty, cynical description of philosophy in his book A Philosophy of Old Testament History (or as a popular summarizing lecture in his philosophy courses) to characterize complex, speculative human thought that strays from foundational truths.
