“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 spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
(Colossians 2:6-8)
The Christian life begins, continues, and finds its eternal fulfillment in Christ. The same Christ received by faith at conversion remains the believer’s strength, wisdom, righteousness, and hope throughout the whole course of life. Paul therefore urges believers to not only begin well, but to continue walking in the same Christ whom they first embraced by faith.
And as we see further in this verse, when the believer realizes what God has freely given in His Son, thanksgiving becomes our natural response. We are grateful for both outward mercies as well as for the grace that enabled us to trust the gospel promise itself.
Fallen men do not naturally trust Christ. The Spirit must awaken, draw, persuade, and incline the heart. The believer therefore is thankful not only for salvation itself but also for the grace that caused us to first believe and receive it.
We know, as well, that our faith rests completely on the faithful word of God alone. Saving faith invests everything on Christ and His promise. Perhaps the most straightforward declaration of this truth came from Peter when he declared, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” Indeed, the believing soul finds nowhere else to rest.[1]
In addition, in this passage Paul describes true believers as rooted, built up, established, and abounding. These expressions reveal a living and growing faith that must be continually strengthened and matured through a daily dependence on God’s Word.
And yet how often do we look elsewhere for stability and security. We naturally tend to trust our own wisdom, morality, emotions, or religious traditions… even though we know that none of these can save or sustain the soul. Christ alone is sufficient for everything we need.
So let us humbly confess our continual dependence on Christ, rejoicing in His faithfulness and resting on His promises with growing confidence and ever-abounding thanksgiving.
Contemplations:
- My Dependence on Christ Alone. I see how often my heart looks for stability in circumstances, accomplishments, feelings, or earthly security instead of resting quietly on God’s faithful promises. This passage reminds me again that Christ alone is sufficient for my soul. I need continual grace to keep returning to Him with simple dependence.
- My Gratitude for Faith Itself. I can easily thank God for blessings while forgetting to thank Him for the very faith that receives those blessings. I did not trust Christ on my own; the Lord drew my heart toward the gospel. Remembering this fills me with gratitude because salvation truly rests on His mercy from beginning to end.
- My Need for Continued Growth. The language of being rooted, built up, and established reminds me that the Christian life is not static. I should not rely on past experiences while neglecting present growth in faith. I want my confidence in Christ to become steadier, fuller, and more mature through continued dependence upon His Word.
- My Danger of Spiritual Distraction. The warning against vain deceit feels very relevant. I can become distracted by worldly thinking, outward concerns, or unnecessary burdens that slowly weaken my spiritual focus. This passage calls me back again to the simplicity that is found in Christ alone.
Prayer (Thanksgiving):
Most gracious and merciful Father, thank You for providing salvation through Jesus Christ and not leaving sinners to perish in our blindness and unbelief. I thank You for the gospel promise that directs weary souls away from themselves and toward Christ alone.
Lord, thank You not only for the promise of salvation, but also for the gracious work of faith itself. Left to myself, I would never have trusted Christ. My heart was naturally wandering, proud, and resistant to Your truth. Yet by Your Spirit You caused me to see and believe the gospel message.
Father, I am grateful that the foundation of salvation does not rest on changing emotions, earthly wisdom, or human strength, but on Your faithful promise. Your Word stands firm even when my heart feels weak. Your truth remains certain when my understanding grows clouded.
Thank You for sustaining believers continually in Christ. You do not save Your people and then abandon them to themselves. You root them, establish them, and build them up through Your continual mercy. Every grace needed for perseverance is found in Christ.
Lord Jesus, thank You that You remain sufficient for every need of my soul. In You there is righteousness for guilt, peace for a troubled conscience, wisdom for confusion, strength for weakness, and hope for eternity. There is nowhere else for sinners to go but to You.
Holy Spirit, thank You for continually teaching, correcting, and strengthening believers through the truths of Scripture. Thank You for preserving Your people from the vanity of worldly wisdom and the deceitfulness of false confidence.
Father, thank You for every evidence of Your preserving grace throughout my life. Even through weakness, fears, and failures, You remained faithful. You have not withdrawn Your promise nor abandoned the work of Your hands.
Cause my heart to abound more and more in thanksgiving. Let gratitude govern my thoughts, my worship, and my daily walk. And keep me rooted firmly in Christ until faith gives way to sight and everlasting praise fills my redeemed soul forever.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Colossians 2:6-8:
1 Thess. 4:1; Phil. 1:27; 2 John 1:9; John 14:6
[1] Robert Traill, The Works of Robert Traill, vol. 3 (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1810), 122–-27.
