Not everyone is trying to point us to Christ. There are some who are openly teaching against the Christian faith. Then there are some that are wolves in sheep clothing. They do not mean well but disguise themselves as believers to lead them astray. Finally, some individuals might mean well, but because they do not know better, teach contrary to the revealed Word of God. In this passage, Paul is informing us of an identifying characteristic of the teachings these individual’s use. The false teaching Paul’s warns Colossae about is anything that add’s to Christ’s work.
Colossians 2:6-10
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoils you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”
Two heretical teachings were present in the early church age. The first was from a group called the Judaizers. This group taught that belief in Christ was all right but that a believer still needed to be circumcised and follow the Law. The second teaching is called Gnosticism. This view held that there was special knowledge above Christ’s teaching that led people to true salvation.
Both of these teachings added onto Christ. Paul encourages the believers at Colossae to continue in the doctrine of Christ that they received. They should walk in Christ as they received Him. The deciding factor in the sufficiency of Christ is, “in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” As well as, “ye are complete in him.” What more can be added to the stature or salvation of a person who is in Christ? Nothing!
There are no works that can be done to add to our salvation. In gratitude for our salvation, we will want to serve our Lord through good works but we must understand that they do nothing to add to our salvation. To be saved, all we must do is believe in our heart that Jesus is the Son of God, that God raised Him from the dead, and confess with our mouth that He is Lord (Romans 10:9-13).
Jeremy Kamer Ministries 