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Friday Night Apologetics - 3/16/2007

Colossians Series Part 5 - 2:9-15

Welcome to another FNA live discussion study going through the book of Colossians. We had another great chat room with lots of interaction from people on the microphones and in text chat.

     This week's discussion was in Colossians 2:10-11, we made it through 2 verses this time, wow!  In our last discussion we were in Colossians 2:9 and that study went for just over 2 hours, man that discussion was great, and this one was right up there with it. 

     We discussed what it means to be "complete in Him" from verse 10 and what it means to becoming complete through our Christian walk from Colossians 1:28-29.  Many people today do not realize who they are in Christ, and many have been deceived by false doctrines and traditions of men on what it means to be saved.  The purpose of or at least one of the main reasons of why Paul wrote what he did is to counter the errors of deception with the truth in Christ.   In the same verse we also discussed the Deity of Jesus Christ with Him being "head" over all.  This was definitely a very important part of the discussion understanding the errors of false teachers during the early church and how that has continued on to this day through other religious groups.  Finally we also made it to verse 11 which addresses the concept of spiritually alive in Christ, the circumcision of the heart, and how that relates to many Scriptures in the Bible. 

     This was a great study discussion.  Please share your thoughts on it.  If you have not listened to it yet, you better get to it!  God bless and may you grow in the true faith.

Check out our blog where you can share comments, questions, thoughts freely at www.afcministry.blogspot.com

Notes from study discussion for those interested

Remember where we have been, what we have discussed.

2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face,   2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself,   3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.   4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.   5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.   6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,   7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.   8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.   (Colossians, NASB)

Paul’s defense of things against Christ was the very nature of who Christ is, which we have discussed briefly already. (smile) As to Colossians 2:9 part 2 I believe we need to move on in the study and another time we can address this some more.

• 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,  

Another area that Paul addresses just after verses 1-8 is the issue of what Christ accomplished through the cross and what that means for believers.

10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;   11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;   12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.   13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,   14 having cancelled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.   15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.  

In each of these verses there is some doctrinal nuggets that I wish to address for our discussion here.  There is much more that could be said, which may come from some of you in the room this evening.

Verse 10

• In Him In Him – Christianity is not about going to church, reading the Bible, tithing, doing good deeds, etc, but about relationship with God. 

You will notice “In Him” through Paul’s writings, very important.

Do any of you believe this is important?  Why? 

• You have been made complete (compare 1:28-29 on complete/ perfect/ mature)

Notice two words on “complete”

Strong's Number:   5046 Browse Lexicon 

 Definition

1. brought to its end, finished
2. wanting nothing necessary to completeness
3. perfect
4. that which is perfect
   1. consummate human integrity and virtue
   2. of men
      1. full grown, adult, of full age, mature

 Strong's Number:   4137 Browse Lexicon  http://www.biblestudytools.net/Lexicons/Greek/grk.cgi?number=4137&version=nas

 Definition

1. to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full
   1. to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally
      1. I abound, I am liberally supplied
2. to render full, i.e. to complete
   1. to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim
   2. to consummate: a number
      1. to make complete in every particular, to render perfect
      2. to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out, (some undertaking)
   3. to carry into effect, bring to realisation, realise
      1. of matters of duty: to perform, execute
      2. of sayings, promises, prophecies, to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish
      3. to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment

Do you see the importance of being complete in Christ and the importance of growing in our faith to maturity?  What are your thoughts on this.

• He is head over all (Colossians 1:16-17)

Jesus is head, chief, supreme.  Check out Col. 1:16-17

Paul wanted to make it clear that Jesus is not just a man, not just a somebody, you know what I mean.  Paul wanted the Colossians to know Jesus is Lord of all.  Again this is in essence a doctrinal thrust against the Ebionites, Gnostics, Judaizers, Philosophers, etc of that time.

How about today, what do you think, how does this apply to us today?

Strong's Number:   2776 Browse Lexicon  http://www.biblestudytools.net/Lexicons/Greek/grk.cgi?number=2776&version=nas

 Definition

1. the head, both of men and often of animals. Since the loss of the head destroys life, this word is used in the phrases relating to capital and extreme punishment.
2. metaph. anything supreme, chief, prominent
   1. of persons, master lord: of a husband in relation to his wife
   2. of Christ: the Lord of the husband and of the Church
   3. of things: the corner stone

Verse 11

• In Him – notice In Him

You were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands

(Romans 2:17-29…28-29) (Phil 3:3; Deut. 30:6) (John 14:16-17 & 1 Cor. 12:13 &     Eph. 1:13-14)

God wants our hearts not our physical efforts, though we are to do good works.  But our heart is what God wants.  Check out the following verses.

Notice that these all truly have to do with the heart. 

Do you see the connection of these verses on being spiritually made alive, born again, new creation.  Any thoughts?

Our next Bible study discussions will continue on with Colossians 2:12-15, hopefully!