However, this book also has a warning. It does not warn us to beware of sinful things, but rather of philosophy and the rudiments of the world. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Col. 2:8). This refers to the thought, the science, and the philosophy of human culture. Philosophy may be considered as one of the best elements of human culture. Among human inventions, it is considered the best, yet we must realize that it is the most subtle instrument of the enemy to distract people from Christ. Once philosophy enters man’s mind, it is exceedingly difficult for that person to come to Christ.
Some real Christians today have been distracted from Christ by a kind of Christian philosophy. But any kind of philosophy is the subtle work of Satan. All philosophies are satanic and demonic. This is why this book tells us to beware of philosophy. Of course, the outward appearance is always attractive, but it is subtly attractive. Through philosophy, many minds have been fully saturated with demonic thoughts. This is why we must beware of it. Even theology becomes a kind of philosophy. We will take theos, but we don’t want the -ology. Beware of any kind of -ology.
For this reason we must learn to walk in Christ. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” We have received Him, so now we must walk in Him. Even in the matter of the church life, we must be careful. In the church life our fellowship is not of any kind of -ology. Our fellowship is of a living Person. It is as we walk in this Person that He becomes our portion. He is not only our Person, but also our portion. And He is God’s mystery, containing all the fullness of the Godhead. As such, He must have first place. Then He will become our life and everything.
Eventually, Colossians shows us the new man, where Christ is all in all. “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all” (Col. 3:10-11). To be in the new man means to be in the practical church life. In this life, there is nothing of the old nature, but Christ is all and in all.
So many Christians believe that this is not possible today on earth. They say that we must wait until the future; then Christ will be all and in all. We agree that Christ will be all and in all in the future, but here it does not say that Christ will be all and in all. It says that in the new man, Christ is all and in all. Right now in the church life, Christ is all and in all.
This is only possible by the indwelling of Christ. “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). This book is the consummation of the indwelling of Christ. Otherwise, how could Christ be our portion? And how could He have first place in our life? It is only by His indwelling. By His indwelling we enjoy Him as the mystery of God, the fulness of the Godhead, our life, and our portion.
Therefore, we must beware of anything that distracts us from this indwelling Christ, especially any kind of -ology. Instead, as we have received Christ, we must simply walk in Him, taking Him as our Person. Then eventually, in the church life, there will be nothing of the old nature. Christ will be all and in all through His indwelling of all the members. I do pray that all the churches, by God’s grace, will practice the indwelling of Christ.