"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude." Colossians 2:6-7
On Tuesday we looked at the first two parts of those verses, seeing what it means to "walk in [Christ]" and be "rooted and built up in Him." Today we'll look at the second two parts, beginning with ...
"... established in the faith, just as you were taught ..."
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary states that establish means "to make firm or stable." So, in other words, we're to be firm and stable in the faith. Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 16:13, which says, "Be alert, stand firm in the faith ... be strong." Paul later echoes this in Philippians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:8, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, and 2 Timothy 2:1. Peter also encourages believers to remain firm when he says in 1 Peter 5:9, "Resist him [the devil] and be firm in the faith."
But how do we become established, rooted, strong in the faith? "Just as you were taught ..." We must be taught! Through sermons, Sunday School lessons, personal study of the Word, Bible Study, small groups, one-on-one times with a mentor. Those tiny seeds didn't become towering oaks without someone to care for and water them.
Another component is time. We won't become established in the faith in just a few months. It will take years of careful study and endurance until we truly become established in the faith.
"... overflowing with gratitude."
Just over one chapter later, in Colossians 3:16, we read, "Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God." (emphasis mine) That verse answers the first basic question that comes up from that phrase, "overflowing with gratitude." Gratitude to whom? As we just read, to God! It is God who provides us with the growth in our faith. (1 Corinthians 3:7) It is God who saved us, who redeemed us, who is sanctifying us. I think that there should be no question of us overflowing with gratitude.
I like the word choice there - overflowing. It makes me picture a glass placed on the water cooler. I press the ON button and the water starts to flow into my cup. But then I get distracted and before I know it, water is gushing over the sides and splashing everywhere. That's how we should be with gratitude to God! We should be bubbling up with it, splashing it all over the place, affecting all areas and peoples around us.
So, after all that, what does Colossians say about the Christian walk?
On Tuesday we looked at the first two parts of those verses, seeing what it means to "walk in [Christ]" and be "rooted and built up in Him." Today we'll look at the second two parts, beginning with ...
"... established in the faith, just as you were taught ..."
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary states that establish means "to make firm or stable." So, in other words, we're to be firm and stable in the faith. Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 16:13, which says, "Be alert, stand firm in the faith ... be strong." Paul later echoes this in Philippians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:8, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, and 2 Timothy 2:1. Peter also encourages believers to remain firm when he says in 1 Peter 5:9, "Resist him [the devil] and be firm in the faith."
But how do we become established, rooted, strong in the faith? "Just as you were taught ..." We must be taught! Through sermons, Sunday School lessons, personal study of the Word, Bible Study, small groups, one-on-one times with a mentor. Those tiny seeds didn't become towering oaks without someone to care for and water them.
Another component is time. We won't become established in the faith in just a few months. It will take years of careful study and endurance until we truly become established in the faith.
"... overflowing with gratitude."
Just over one chapter later, in Colossians 3:16, we read, "Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God." (emphasis mine) That verse answers the first basic question that comes up from that phrase, "overflowing with gratitude." Gratitude to whom? As we just read, to God! It is God who provides us with the growth in our faith. (1 Corinthians 3:7) It is God who saved us, who redeemed us, who is sanctifying us. I think that there should be no question of us overflowing with gratitude.
I like the word choice there - overflowing. It makes me picture a glass placed on the water cooler. I press the ON button and the water starts to flow into my cup. But then I get distracted and before I know it, water is gushing over the sides and splashing everywhere. That's how we should be with gratitude to God! We should be bubbling up with it, splashing it all over the place, affecting all areas and peoples around us.
So, after all that, what does Colossians say about the Christian walk?
- It must be walked in Christ.
- It must be rooted in Christ.
- It must be established in Christ.
- It must be walked gratefully in Christ.