In this message we would like to consider several of the major verses found in the four chapters of the book of Colossians.
Colossians 1:13-19 says, “Who delivered us out of the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins; who is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation, because in Him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or lordships or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and unto Him. And He is before all things, and all things cohere in Him; and He is the Head of the Body, the church; He is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that He Himself might have the first place in all things; for in Him all the fullness was pleased to dwell.”
In this series of verses there are fourteen main points. The first point is that God has transferred us out of the authority of darkness—the kingdom of Satan—into the kingdom of the Son of His love. We have not only experienced some kind of inward change, but we have been transferred from one realm into another realm, from one kingdom into another kingdom. The second point is found in the title the Son of His love. This refers to the Lord Jesus, who is the Christ. Christ is the Son of God’s love. The third point is that Christ is the image of the invisible God. The Son of God is the image of the invisible God. He gives the invisible God a visible image. The fourth point is that Christ is the Firstborn of all creation. This means that in all creation, Christ is the first man. The fifth, sixth, and seventh points go together. The fifth point is that in Christ all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth; the sixth point is that all things were created through Christ; and the seventh point is that all things were created unto, or for, Christ. All things were created in Christ, through Christ, and unto Christ. The eighth point is that Christ is before all things. This means that Christ existed before all other things came into existence. The ninth point is that all things cohere, subsist, in Christ. This means that all things fit together, are joined together, and exist in Christ. The tenth point is that Christ is the Head of the Body, which is the church. The eleventh point is that Christ is the beginning, the start; the twelfth point is that He is the Firstborn from the dead; the thirteenth point is that He has the preeminence or first place in all things; and the fourteenth point is that all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him.
If we spend some time to read Colossians 1:13-19 and to meditate over these fourteen items, we will see what a Christ we have. God’s kingdom has been committed to Him, He is the Son of God’s love, and He is the image of the invisible God. With regard to creation, He is the Firstborn of all creation and all things were created in Him, through Him, and unto Him. He is also before all things and everything that has been created subsists in Him—He is the center and sphere within which all things are joined together to exist. With regard to the new creation, He is the Head of the Body, the beginning, and the Firstborn from the dead, that is, the Firstborn of resurrection. He is also the One who has the first place in all things and the One in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells. By meditating on these fourteen items revealed in Colossians 1:13-19, we will have a deeper realization concerning who Christ is.
Colossians 2:2-3 says, “That their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love and unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the full knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.” These two verses contain three important points. The first is the mystery of God, the second is that the mystery of God is Christ, and the third is that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in the mystery of God, which is Christ. Not merely do all wisdom and knowledge dwell in Christ, but even more, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge dwell in Him.
Verses 6 through 9 continue, “As therefore you have received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, having been rooted and being built up in Him, and being established in the faith even as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Beware that no one carries you off as spoil through his philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ; for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” These verses contain six crucial phrases. The first is you have received the Christ. This is the only place in the entire Scriptures that says so directly that we have received Christ. The second expression is walk in Him. Having received the Christ, we must walk in Him. This means that our whole daily living must be in Christ. The third important phrase in these verses is having been rooted, and the fourth is being built up. Our being rooted in Christ has already been accomplished, but our being built up is presently taking place. We need to pay careful attention to these four expressions: received, walk in, having been rooted, and being built up.
The fifth expression that we should take note of is beware that no one carries you off as spoil. In the original Greek this expression—carries you off as spoil—conveys the thought of being captured away and made prey of. In this verse Paul warned the believers in Colossae that they were in danger of being captured and carried away. What did he fear they would be carried away from? He feared that they would be carried away from Christ. Thus, he charged them to beware of being carried off as spoil through philosophy and empty deceit, “according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.”
The sixth important expression in these verses is for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.This is the reason that we must take heed not to be captured away by men or anything else. There are so many things in this world that are trying their best to make us a prey and take us away from Christ. We have to beware to prevent this from happening, because all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ. We need to seek Christ and hold to Christ.
Verses 16 and 17 say, “Let no one therefore judge you in eating and in drinking or in respect of a feast or of a new moon or of the Sabbath, which are a shadow of the things to come, but the body is of Christ.” In these two verses we see that food, drink, feast days, a new moon, and the Sabbath are all shadows and figures; the reality is Christ Himself. The real food and the real drink are Christ Himself. Moreover, the real feast day, which is a time of happiness, the real new moon, which is a new beginning, and the real Sabbath, which is a day of rest, are all Christ. Christ is our time of happiness, Christ is our new beginning, and Christ is our rest. Christ is the body of all these things.
Verse 19 goes on to say, “And not holding the Head, out from whom all the Body, being richly supplied and knit together by means of the joints and sinews, grows with the growth of God.” This verse reveals that in the Body there are joints and sinews. The joints supply, and the sinews knit together. This verse also unveils that when we hold the Head, the result is the increase, growth, of God. The One whom we hold is Christ, and the One who increases is God. While we are holding fast to Christ, the joints supply, the sinews knit together, and the result is that the element and fullness of God grow and increase in us.
Colossians 3:3-4 says, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ our life is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory.” These verses are very mysterious. Verse 3 tells us that we have died, but then immediately says that we have life. On the one hand, we are dead and have been finished, but on the other hand, we still have life. The life that we now have is a new life, a life that is “hidden with Christ in God.” Moreover, this life, which is hidden with Christ in God, is Christ, and this Christ, with whom our life is hidden in God, is our life. In addition, this Christ who is our life will be manifested in glory, and when this happens, we will be manifested with Him. Who can apprehend such words? Surely they are too mysterious.
Verses 9 through 11 go on to say, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his practices and have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto full knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all and in all.” On the one hand, we have put off the old man, and on the other hand, we have put on the new man. In this new man there are no Jews, Greeks, Chinese, or Americans, but Christ is all and in all. In the new man there is nothing but Christ.
Verses 15 through 17 say, “And let the peace of Christ arbitrate in your hearts, to which also you were called in one Body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” These verses speak of two matters—the peace of Christ and the word of Christ. Our heart should be ruled by the peace of Christ, and our mouth should be filled with the word of Christ. When this is so, we will express Christ. Within, the peace of Christ will arbitrate, and without, what we express with our mouth will be the word of Christ. We need to be filled with the word of Christ to the extent that we express Christ with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Not only should we express Christ in common words and ordinary speech, but we should have psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs that are full of the expression of Christ, full of the language of Christ and the word of Christ.
After telling us to have our heart ruled by the peace of Christ and our mouth filled with the word of Christ, these verses tell us that we should do all things “in the name of the Lord Jesus.” What does it mean to do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus? This means that whatever we do, we do it as a representative of Christ. In the name of Christ means representing Christ. When I go to visit someone in the name of Mr. Jones, it means that I go as a representative of Mr. Jones. Whatever we do, we should do it as a Christ-man, a Christian, a man representing Christ.
Let us now consider one verse from chapter four. Verse 6 says, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” The word speech in this verse comes from the Greek word logos, which means “word.” Thus, we can also translate this verse as, “Let your word be always with grace, seasoned with salt.” What does the expression with grace, seasoned with salt mean? What is grace? The Scriptures reveal that grace is Christ (Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor. 15:10). And what is salt? Unlike honey or sugar, salt can be used to kill germs. The spiritual meaning of salt is the working of the cross to kill all the germs. Thus, for our word to be always with grace, seasoned with salt means that our word should always be filled with Christ and should always pass through the killing of the cross.