Faithful on Fridays Blog

Picture this. You’re with a group of new believers in a totally pagan city. A letter is being read from someone you’ve never met but your heart is stirred. This guy seems to really care about my life. That’s the essence of Colossians 2.

Paul continues his letter saying once again, Christ is their vital connection to God. He encourages them to stay in unity through their love for each other. That’s something new. Loving your neighbor as yourself? Praying for your enemies? Forgiving, even when they’re wrong? New perspectives, for sure.

Wisdom is making the right decision at the right time. Don’t we all need this in our lives? Knowledge is having the right information to make that decision. Paul explains that both are found in Christ. The good news is that as a believer, you have access to both wisdom and knowledge because of your vital connection to Him. He is God and He lives in the heart of a person who trusts Him with their life. That’s a mystery but stay with me.

We are confronted with world views every day, some good, some bad. As you watch TV, whether its CNN for news, The View for entertainment, or simply read some Facebook posts the influence is unmistakable. Paul is warning us to stay on track, grow in faith, and stay connected to God. What are some of these perspectives that sound good but don’t line up with the Bible. Consider these:

“There are many roads to heaven, many ways to God.”
“Go ahead, you deserve it.”
“Everyone will be saved; God wouldn’t damn anyone to hell!”
“There is no hell, you just cease to exist.”

I could go on but I think you get the point. Paul tells us to watch out for these well-crafted arguments and these empty philosophies. Check your belief system with scripture. Are there many roads to heaven? No, Jesus said He was the only way to the Father. Sounds excusive, it is. Don’t get mad at me, I’m just telling you the truth. Should you go ahead and do whatever you want because you deserve it? The Bible tells us we deserve punishment. Without Christ that’s what we’ll get. Will everyone be saved in the end? Jesus said you must believe in your heart and your actions will show it. Not everyone will humble themselves before God.

That may all sound like bad news to you but it’s really good news. Jesus Christ left His throne in heaven to become like us so that we could become like Him. We have the opportunity to be vitally connected to God, our sinful nature cut away like a circumcision, and the same power over the devil that Jesus had. Now that’s good news!

As you read Colossians 2 this week I challenge you to think about your world views. Talk to someone you trust. If you’re a subscriber to this blog, respectfully share your thoughts and perspectives. If you haven’t yet subscribed, do it today!