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Plainly Speaking
with Karl J. Forehand
Moving
Forward / Avoiding Heresy
(Colossians 2:4-7)
by Karl J. Forehand
If you have ever been stuck in the mud,
you realize it is becomes apparent that you quickly begin moving after you
get “unstuck.” Otherwise, you will
very quickly begin to sink back into the same ruts that enslaved you. In Hebrews, it tells us to “press on
toward maturity.”
We certainly must do things like avoid
heresy. We must solve root problems
instead of just surface ones. We must
unshackle from sin. But, we also
can’t stay standing still too long.
In Iraq, if we would have fought every potential enemy along the path
to Baghdad, we would still be somewhere near Kuwait and the casualties would
have been much harder. The battle
plan was to quickly push forward.
The reason the Colossian church was a
target for Gnostic heresy was because they were standing still. In a small way, they had become
comfortable in their little church.
Life will always be an uphill battle that can’t be fought in a
stationary position. We have to stay
in the battle and realize that the battle is always ‘uphill.’
In this passage, Paul gives us several
word pictures to help us move forward
1. The army in
ranks (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.
(Colossians 2:5)
The good discipline that Paul speaks of
literally means “an ordered array.”
It is a military term. You may
have heard the generals, in the Iraq war, talking about the Republican guard
being “disorganized” or “out of array.”
The reporters asked, “Does that mean they are destroyed – how many
casualties – have we beaten them?”
The generals, in not so many words, relayed “they are all but beaten,
because they no longer are ordered.”
What does an ordered array look like? It is when every soldier is in their
place, doing their duty. It is when
each soldier realizes they cannot all be generals. They are collectively acting as one unit, accomplishing the
mission they were sent to do. They
ultimately defeat the enemy with their “good discipline.”
Paul also mentions the “stability of your
faith.” It is one thing to begin with
a solid front line. It is another
thing to hold that line when the bullets begin flying – that takes
faith. For the mission to succeed,
the “ordered array” has to be maintained by a stable faith.
Our battlefield is just as real. We have to stay ordered and strengthened
by our faith. The fact that we are in
the battle is an indication that our commander believes we can win. We all want to win the war against sin, to
redeem the unchurched, and see lives changed supernaturally. But, do we get discouraged when the battle
heats up? Do we stay ordered and does
our faith endure?
The Key:
You never casually fight a war.
2. The pilgrim (6)
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk in Him, (Colossians 2:6)
We would do a lot better if we realized
that this life is a journey and not a destination. Life is not something we conquer or achieve; it is something we
experience. While on the journey, we
must walk with God and with other believers.
Paul notes, “As you received Christ…” What does that mean? Well, how did you receive Christ? There is only one way – by grace through
faith. It is by God’s grace and our
faith in Him. If that is the way we
received Christ, then walking in Him will be in the same way. The journey will be lived out by God’s
grace and our faith in Him. Does the
Bible teach anything different?
How does that play out? We have to accept God’s grace when we make
mistakes. We have to keep our faith
in him and not other things. If we
accept Him by grace through faith, we can’t then invent creative new ways to
gain his approval. Pleasing Him in
our walk is the same formula that we received Him.
Notice how this verse tells us to
walk. It doesn’t say to walk before
Him, like a soldier being examined by the commander. We often feel like that, but that doesn’t
make it true. It doesn’t even say to
walk with Him, even though he is our closest friend. It says we should walk “IN” Him. We sometimes call that abiding. Jesus Christ did not come to dwell with
you so you could act like you don’t need Him.
3. The stable tree
(7a)
having been
firmly rooted… (Colossians 2:7a)
It is amazing what a tree or bush will
do that is firmly rooted. You have to
plant them in the fall to get these types of results. Before the growing season, they have to
grown down before they can grow up.
If you plant a rose bush because you are jealous of everyone else’s
rose bushes (when they are blooming), you will most likely not have a healthy
rose bush. You have to plant them in
the fall or very early spring so they can grow roots.
Many church members are like this. They jump on a bandwagon and try to
display the flowers (fruits) of ministry that they see. But, they never take time to establish a
root system. They eventually become
like tumbleweeds that dry up and blow wherever the wind takes them. I’ll let you draw your own analogies and
illustrations; but suffice to say, every plant needs to be firmly rooted.
If you read on, you discover what we must
be rooted in – in Him (Jesus Christ)!
We must take time to discover what is essential and “tap” into those
things. Many things don’t endure –
only a few things do! My professor
says, “Only two things endure – the Word of God and the souls of men.”
4. A growing
building (7b)
and now being built up in Him… (Colossians 2:7b)
The Bible describes us as living stones, being built into a
spiritual house (I Peter 2:5). Having
been firmly founded (or rooted), we must continue to grow in the grace God has
given us. In other words, we must
finish the structure that is being built.
We build on what we already have.
We also don’t stand and admire the structure too long. Look at it long enough to evaluate it’s
condition; but don’t fall in love with what God has done in the past – keep
building.
5. Continuing Education (7c)
established in
your faith, just as you were instructed
(Colossians 2:7c)
We must continue not just to produce more,
but better. Some commentators
describe this as “mortaring in the joints.”
It’s good to have more stones in the building; but we must also take
time to strengthen those stones by mortaring them in with the Word of
God. We need to have more “aha”
moments in God’s word that strengthen our faith. Education and discipleship strengthens us to the point that no
one can convince us otherwise.
The most loved statements a pastor can
hear are when they hear their “sheep” confess their faith without waver. This comes from discipleship. It comes when the stones are mortared in
with consistent study of God’s Word.
6. The overflowing
river (7d)
and overflowing with gratitude.
(Colossians 2:7d)
Too many believers are content to take
small drinks of the living water.
Because of this they seldom overflow their banks – their lives are not
gushing forth like God intended.
Jesus is described as an artesian well of living water (John
4:10-14). The Holy Spirit is
described as a river (John 7:37-39).
Even heaven is described (in the book of Ezekiel) as having a river
that flows out from the throne, getting deeper as it goes out.
Our
lives are not gushing forth with thankfulness because we are not drinking in
the water.
Are you ready to move forward?
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