The world today is constantly searching for knowledge, especially deeper spiritual knowledge. People want to know what is hidden, how the spiritual realm operates, and what secrets lie behind the invisible veil separating this world from the realm we cannot see, believing that such knowledge may give them greater power.
This search is found within the church as well, where believers can become attracted to teachings that promise special revelations beyond what ordinary Christians know.
A preacher reveals a hidden mystery in the word and the congregation begins to shout, “Prophesy!” or “Go deeper, Papa!” The desire to understand spiritual things is good when it leads us into a greater knowledge of Jesus. This desire only becomes dangerous when Christ is slowly pushed aside, and we instead get captivated by mysteries that Scripture has not asked us to pursue.
The church in Colosse faced a similar problem. Certain teachers claimed to possess special wisdom and deeper spiritual knowledge. They mixed Gnostic ideas with Jewish legalism and encouraged practices that were drawing believers away from their confidence in Christ.
Paul wrote to remind them that everything they were searching for was already found in Jesus. They did not need a higher spiritual experience to feel complete in Christ.
All they needed was to remain rooted in the One they had already received.
All the Treasures of Wisdom Are Found in Christ
Paul writes in Colossians chapter 2:
“That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Colossians 2:2–3
The teachers troubling the Colossian church spoke about hidden wisdom and mysteries. Their teaching suggested that ordinary faith in Jesus was only the beginning and that greater knowledge was available to a select group. Paul responded by saying that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ.
That word all settles the matter. Paul did not tell the believers that most wisdom could be found in Jesus while a few secrets had to be discovered elsewhere. The wisdom of God is centred in Christ, and everything required for salvation and godly living is found in Him.
This is an important revelation because people are still attracted to what appears secret. A teaching often sounds more spiritual when it deals with hidden dimensions, demonic hierarchies, and mysteries that cannot be clearly established from Scripture. Paul warned the Galatians about turning to “another gospel,” which was not truly another gospel at all, but a distortion of the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6–7).
The more unusual a teaching sounds, the easier it becomes for people to assume that the preacher has a deeper understanding of spiritual matters.
Some of these teachings defend their intense focus on darkness by pointing to Scripture’s warning that believers should not be ignorant of the devil’s schemes. However, this instruction does not require us to become students of Satan. When our attention becomes fixed on how the demonic world operates, we may begin to give the kingdom of darkness a place in our minds that belongs to Jesus.
The enemy is pleased when believers spend more time discussing his power than remembering his defeat.
Fear begins to grow when people continually study darkness without remaining grounded in the victory of Christ. They may know the names of supposed spiritual powers and still lack confidence in the authority of Jesus.
The Danger of Searching for Hidden Spiritual Knowledge
The word occult refers to that which is hidden or concealed. It is commonly connected with practices such as witchcraft, divination, and mystical attempts to gain secret knowledge. People are drawn to these practices because they want answers concerning their future or control over circumstances they cannot understand.
The Church in Colosse became influenced by Gnosticism. The Gnostics believed that salvation involved access to special knowledge that ordinary people did not possess. Their teaching sounded spiritual, yet it weakened the truth about who Jesus was and what He had accomplished.
Today, believers may encounter similar ideas through New Age practices and ancestral worship. Some teachings promise healing through spiritual energies, while others claim freedom only comes through understanding ancestral patterns. A believer can slowly drift away from Christ while still believing that they are pursuing spiritual enlightenment.
Paul directs us back to Jesus. Any spiritual teaching should be examined by what it says about Him, and whether it agrees with Scripture. A teaching that makes Christ appear insufficient has already moved away from the gospel.
Real spiritual growth produces a greater love for Jesus and a stronger desire to obey Him.
It leads the believer into humility because the more we know Christ, the more we recognise our dependence upon His grace. Spiritual knowledge that produces pride and fascination with secret things has missed the heart of the gospel.
The Apostle Paul received many great revelations, but his desire remained simple; he wanted to know Christ and the finished works of the Cross. The cross remained central because every other truth in the Christian life flows from what Jesus accomplished there.
Walk in Christ the Same Way You Received Him
Paul continues in Colossians chapter 2, verses 6 and 7;
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.”
We received Jesus by faith. We came to Him trusting that His grace was sufficient to forgive us and bring us into a relationship with God. We did not earn salvation through our religious discipline or through the strength of our moral conduct.
The mistake believers often make is trying to continue through human effort what God began through His Spirit. After receiving salvation by grace, they begin to measure their standing with God by how well they are performing. They feel confident when doing well and remain defeated when they struggle.
Paul tells us to continue in the same way that we began. We trusted Christ when we first received Him; we must continue trusting Him as we grow.
The Christian life is sustained by dependence upon Jesus.
This does not remove the need for obedience. A person who walks with Christ will be called to pray, resist sin, and follow the instructions of Scripture. These actions grow from a heart that has already received grace and desires to respond to God.
We are not trying to persuade God to accept us, for Christ has already brought us closer to Him. Our obedience is the fruit of His work within us.
God Grows Roots Before He Produces Shoots
Paul uses the image of a plant when he tells believers to be rooted in Christ. A seed begins its growth beneath the ground, where nobody can see what is happening. Roots develop before shoots appear above the surface.
There are seasons in our walk with God when nothing seems to be growing. We pray and remain faithful, yet nothing visible changes in our circumstances. During those seasons, it is easy to conclude that God is doing nothing.
God may be growing roots in you.
The work of root formation is hidden. Nobody applauds it because there is nothing visible to admire. Yet the depth of the roots will determine whether the plant remains standing when strong winds begin to blow.
The strength of a mighty oak is connected to the depth of its roots. A tree that grows quickly without developing strong roots may look impressive for a season and still fall when pressure comes. God is interested in growth that can survive storms.
This is why He works on our character in hidden seasons. These seasons teach us to trust God when there is no public reward for our faithfulness. During such times, God also reveals the true desires of our hearts: whether we desire Him or only the things we hope He will give us.
Character gives a person longevity in ministry. Giftings can open doors and attract attention, though they cannot sustain a person whose inner man has never been developed. God may delay public promotion because He is doing private work that will protect us later.
Do not despise seasons when progress feels slow and waiting on God feels harder. What appears to be inactivity may be a period of deep spiritual formation. God sees the roots that others cannot see.
Build Your Life Around Christ
Paul also uses the picture of a building when he tells the Colossians to be built up in Christ. Jesus used similar language in Matthew 7:24 when He described the wise person who hears His words and obeys them. That person is like a builder who places the foundation of a house upon a rock.
Every life has a foundation. Some people build their foundation on worldly success because every milestone achievement gives them a sense of value. Others place their identity on relationships and the approval of people.
A storm reveals whether the foundation is strong. Failure can shake a person whose whole identity rests upon success. Rejection can make another person feel worthless when their value has always depended upon acceptance by others.
A life built upon Christ has a foundation that circumstances cannot remove. Pain may still come, and seasons of uncertainty may test our faith. Yet the foundation remains because Jesus does not change when our circumstances change.
Building upon Christ requires obedience to His words. Jesus described the wise builder as the person who heard His teaching and acted upon it. Hearing sermons without obeying the truth does not produce a strong foundation.
Every act of obedience places another part of our lives under the lordship of Jesus. Over time, our decisions and desires begin to rest upon what He has spoken. This is how a believer becomes established in the faith.
Why Thanksgiving Matters During Hidden Seasons
Paul tells believers to abound in thanksgiving while they are being rooted and built up. Thanksgiving helps the heart remain steady when growth is slow. It reminds us that the faithfulness of God is greater than the difficulty of the present season.
A thankful heart remembers what God has already done. It does not allow one unanswered prayer to erase years of mercy. Gratitude keeps us from interpreting every delay as rejection.
Thanksgiving does not require us to deny that life is painful. Scripture gives us room to grieve and bring our questions before God. Gratitude simply refuses to let pain become the only part of the story.
There are seasons when you may not understand what God is doing. During those times, remember what you already know about His character. He has been faithful before, and His nature has not changed. That is how you find hope in an empty season.
Complaining enlarges a problem till it controls the whole heart. Thanksgiving redirects our attention back to God. It gives us strength to endure while roots are forming beneath the surface.
Beware of Teaching That Moves You Away From Christ
Paul warns the Colossians in verse 8:
“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”
Colossians 2:8
Paul wrote this letter because believers were being robbed through deceptive teaching. The ideas the believers were presented with sounded wise, yet they were formed according to human tradition. They were moving people away from the truth they had received.
False doctrine is often subtle. It comes clothed in Christian language and is heavily backed by carefully curated Scripture. The danger becomes clear when we examine where such teaching eventually leads.
When Satan cannot weaken the church through open persecution, he often works through deception. A believer who would refuse obvious sin may still accept false teaching when it is presented by a persuasive preacher. This is why spiritual discernment is necessary.
The Gnostics spoke about Jesus, yet their teaching distorted His identity. They believed that God was a perfect spirit who could not come into contact with the material world. From their point of view, God could not take on a physical human body.
Paul answered this by declaring that Jesus came in the flesh. God the Son entered the physical world and lived among us. His body was real, and His death on the cross was also real.
The Gnostics also believed that the material world was created through lesser spiritual beings. Paul had already addressed this in Colossians 1 by teaching that all things were created through Christ. Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of everything that exists.
This shows us that a person can use the name of Jesus and still teach a counterfeit Jesus. The presence of biblical words does not automatically make a message biblical.
We must test every teaching against the full witness of Scripture.
Ask whether the message honours the person of Christ. Consider whether it strengthens confidence in the gospel. A teaching that creates dependence upon a preacher or secret revelation deserves careful examination.
In Jesus Dwells the Fullness of God
Paul writes in verse 9:
“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”
Colossians 2:9
During the earthly ministry of Jesus, many people questioned His identity. Some knew Him as the carpenter’s son. Others recognised Him as a prophet because of the authority of His words.
His miracles forced people to consider a deeper question. The wind and sea obeyed Him. Sickness left at His command, and the dead returned to life when He called them.
Paul answers the question of Christ’s identity directly. The fullness of God dwells in Him bodily. Jesus is God the Son who came to us in human flesh.
He was more than a godly teacher. He was more than a prophet sent with a message. God had come to dwell among His people.
This truth is essential because salvation depends upon who Jesus is. A human teacher cannot carry the sins of the world. A created being cannot reconcile humanity to God.
Our confidence rests in the fact that the One who died for us is the Son of God. His sacrifice carries eternal value because of His identity. The cross is sufficient because Jesus is sufficient.
What Does It Mean to Be Complete in Christ?
Paul continues:
“And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
Colossians 2:10
Human beings have always tried to find wholeness apart from God. Some search for it in wealth and believe that financial security will finally give them peace. Others hope that success will settle the question of their value.
Relationships can also become a place where people search for completeness. A person may expect a husband, wife or friend to heal an emptiness that only God can reach. Human love is a gift, though it cannot replace fellowship with the Creator.
To be complete in Christ means that everything required for our acceptance before God has been provided through Jesus. His righteousness is given to us, and His death pays the debt of our sins. We do not need another mediator to gain access to God.
The believer does not require a secret revelation to improve the gospel. No religious ceremony can strengthen the finished work of the cross. Christ has done what was necessary to reconcile us to God.
Completeness in Christ does not mean that believers have reached perfection in their daily lives. We still grow, and the Holy Spirit continues to confront areas that must be surrendered. Our growth takes place within a salvation that Jesus has already secured.
We obey from a place of acceptance. We are no longer trying to earn a place in God’s family. Christ has already brought us into that family.
Why the Soul Remains Restless Without Christ
The world offers many ways of dealing with the emptiness of the human heart. People are encouraged to achieve more and collect more experiences. When these things fail to bring lasting peace, they begin searching for the next answer.
You can achieve a goal you pursued for years and still feel empty afterwards. The achievement was real, and the joy felt genuine. But it could not answer the deeper need of the soul.
We were created for God. Separation from Him leaves a wound that success cannot heal. This is why a person can have much and still feel that something is missing.
For the person who does not yet believe, this may explain the restlessness you have carried. You may have tried to improve your life and found that the deeper ache remains. That ache may be pointing you towards reconciliation with God.
Jesus offers more than advice on how to live better. He gives new life and brings us back into fellowship with the Father. The soul finds rest when it returns to the One who created it.
Religious Rules Cannot Improve the Work of Jesus
Some Jewish teachers were telling the Colossians that faith in Christ was insufficient. They wanted the believers to submit to circumcision and observe religious regulations. Their teaching added human requirements to the gospel.
Many of the Colossians were Greeks who had never been physically circumcised. Paul explained that the circumcision they needed was the work of Christ within the heart. The sinful nature had to be put off through union with Jesus.
Legalism still works in the same way. It introduces a rule and makes that rule a measure of spiritual acceptance. People are then divided according to whether they meet the external standard.
The rule may concern clothing, food, or religious ceremonies. In time, people begin to believe that obeying the rule makes them more acceptable to God. Those who fail to follow it are treated as less spiritual.
Holiness matters in the Christian life. The Holy Spirit will change the way we live and confront conduct that dishonours God. This transformation begins in the heart and then becomes visible in our actions.
External rules cannot produce a new heart. A person can follow every visible standard and still be controlled by pride or unforgiveness. God desires obedience that grows out of love for Him.
We do not pursue holiness to purchase salvation. We pursue it because Christ has saved us and given us a new nature. Grace teaches us to live in a way that honours the One who called us.
We Were Dead in Our Trespasses
Paul writes in verse 13:
“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”
Colossians 2:13
This verse shows us our condition before Christ. Paul says that we were dead in our trespasses. Spiritual death is more serious than weakness or a lack of religious knowledge.
A dead person cannot restore life to himself. Moral effort may improve a person’s outward behaviour, though it cannot remove the guilt of sin. Education may shape the mind, yet it cannot reconcile the heart to God.
We need a Saviour because spiritual life must come from outside us. God makes us alive together with Christ. Salvation is an act of divine mercy.
Jesus does more than help people become better versions of themselves. He gives life to those who were spiritually dead. This is why no one can boast about saving themselves.
We did not climb our way up to God. He came down to us in the person of Jesus. He found us in our sin and gave us life.
Can God Forgive All My Sins?
Paul says that God has forgiven us all our trespasses. The word all should bring hope to one who believes that they have gone too far. The sacrifice of Jesus is sufficient for every sin brought to Him in repentance and faith.
Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Every one of us has broken God’s moral law. Our sins may differ in their outward form, though our need for mercy is the same.
Imagine standing in a court of law with a charge sheet containing every sin you have committed. The evidence is clear, and the commandments of God testify against you. The verdict is guilty.
Paul says that God took the handwriting of requirements that stood against us and nailed it to the cross. Jesus accepted the charge and carried the sentence. The debt was fully paid through His death.
God did not ignore our sin. He dealt with it at the cross. The punishment fell upon Christ, who willingly stood in our place.
This is why Romans 8:1 says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The believer’s freedom from condemnation rests upon what Jesus has done. The debt no longer remains outstanding.
Some people continue punishing themselves for sins God has already forgiven. They confessed their sin and still believe that peace would make them careless. They carry guilt as though their suffering can add something to the sacrifice of Christ.
Look again at the cross. Jesus paid the debt in full. Receive the forgiveness He has provided and begin walking in the freedom of a cleansed conscience.
Jesus Disarmed Principalities and Powers
Jesus Disarmed Principalities and Powers
Paul continues in Colossians 2:14–15:
“Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
The cross looked like a moment of defeat. Jesus had been rejected and beaten, and His enemies watched Him die. They believed that they had finally silenced Him.
A greater victory was taking place. The written charge against us was being removed. The accusations of the enemy were losing the legal ground from which they condemned us.
Sin gave the accuser a case against humanity. God’s law revealed that we were guilty. At the cross, Jesus paid the penalty connected to that guilt.
What charge can condemn a person whose debt has been paid? Satan may accuse believers and remind them of their past. His accusations cannot overturn the verdict that God has spoken over those who are in Christ.
Revelation 12:11 says that believers overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb. Our confidence rests upon the sacrifice of Jesus. We stand in what His blood has accomplished.
Paul also reminds us that Jesus is the head of every principality and power. No spiritual force stands above Him. Every angelic being and every demonic power remains under His authority.
A Christian does not need to live in constant fear of curses and spiritual hierarchies. Such fear gives the enemy greater attention than Scripture gives him. Christ has already triumphed.
Some believers speak so often about Satan that he begins to appear greater in their minds than Jesus. Paul directs our attention back to the authority of Christ. We should know the enemy is real while remaining settled in the truth that Jesus has defeated him.
Do Not Let Anyone Judge Your Salvation by Religious Regulations
Paul writes in Colossians 2:16–17:
“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”
The religious practices Paul mentions were shadows pointing towards Christ. A shadow appears before the person casting it comes fully into view. Once the person arrives, the shadow should no longer receive the attention that belongs to the person.
Christ is the reality to which those shadows pointed. The ceremonies and special days anticipated His coming and His work of redemption. Therefore, the Colossian believers were not to let anyone judge their standing with God according to whether they observed those practices.
The same warning applies whenever people introduce additional requirements for salvation. A believer’s assurance must rest in Christ. Human rules cannot become the basis upon which we decide who has truly been accepted by God.
Freedom from legalism does not permit us to live carelessly. We have been set free from the bondage of sin and called to live as servants of righteousness. Grace changes our relationship with sin.
We no longer obey to earn salvation. We obey because we belong to Jesus. The Spirit gives us strength to live in a way that reflects the new life we have received.
Signs You May Be Moving Away From the Sufficiency of Christ
1) You Are More Interested in Hidden Knowledge Than in Jesus
Your attention may be turning away from Christ when you spend more time pursuing spiritual mysteries than reading His Word. You may know many theories about demons while remaining uncertain about what Jesus has taught. Spiritual knowledge has become unhealthy when it no longer produces love for Christ and obedience to Scripture.
2) You Believe Something Must Be Added to Your Salvation
You may have accepted the idea that faith in Christ is insufficient unless you follow an additional religious rule. Your assurance then begins to depend upon your performance. Paul’s message is that believers are complete in Christ.
3) You Live Under Continual Spiritual Fear
A believer may become consumed with curses and demonic activity. Fear grows because the mind is constantly focused on what the enemy may be doing. Colossians 2 calls us to remember that Jesus is the head over every principality and power.
4) You Measure God’s Acceptance by Your Recent Performance
When your spiritual disciplines are strong, you feel close to God. When you fail, you assume that He has rejected you. This produces exhaustion because you are trying to earn daily what Christ has already secured.
The grace of God does not excuse sin. It gives us a secure place from which repentance and growth can take place. We return to God because Christ has opened the way.
How to Remain Rooted in Christ
Remain in the words of Jesus. Read Scripture with a desire to know Him and allow His truth to correct your thinking. The Word shapes a rooted believer over time.
Test every spiritual teaching. Consider what it says about Christ and whether it agrees with Scripture. Be careful with teachings that create fear or dependence upon the personality delivering the message.
Continue in thanksgiving. There will be seasons when you cannot see what God is doing. Gratitude will help you remain steady while the deeper work continues.
Rest in the finished work of the cross. When guilt returns, remember where the debt was paid. When spiritual fear rises, remember who has already triumphed.
Jesus Is Enough
The message of Colossians 2 brings us back to the centre of the Christian faith. All the treasures of wisdom are found in Christ. The fullness of God dwells in Him, and those who belong to Him are complete in Him.
Our sins have been forgiven through His sacrifice. The written charge that stood against us was nailed to the cross. Jesus has also triumphed over every principality and power.
The greatest danger facing the church is not always a direct rejection of Jesus. A teaching can continue using His name while quietly moving Him away from the centre. Paul calls us to guard the truth that Christ is sufficient.
No hidden wisdom can surpass the wisdom found in Christ.. No religious work can improve what He completed. Let your salvation rest entirely upon Jesus Christ.
Continue walking in Him. Allow your roots to grow deep during the silent seasons. Build your life upon His words and remain thankful while He works within you.
You are complete in Christ.
Be blessed.
All Images Courtesy of Gospel Images
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to be complete in Christ?
To be complete in Christ means that Jesus has provided everything required for our salvation and acceptance before God. His righteousness is credited to us, and His death pays the penalty for our sins. No religious ceremony or secret spiritual knowledge can improve His finished work.
Does Colossians 2 teach that all philosophy is wrong?
Paul warns against philosophy that is based on human tradition and leads people away from Christ. He was addressing ideas that contradicted the truth of the gospel. Every philosophy should be tested according to Scripture and what it teaches about Jesus.
What are principalities and powers in Colossians 2?
Principalities and powers refer to spiritual rulers and authorities. Paul teaches that Jesus is above every spiritual power. Through the cross, He disarmed the powers of darkness and removed the accusation that stood against believers.
Why does Paul discuss food, festivals and Sabbaths?
False teachers were judging believers according to religious regulations. Paul explained that these practices were shadows pointing towards Christ. The believer’s acceptance before God rests in Jesus rather than the observance of those regulations.
How can a believer remain rooted in Christ?
A believer remains rooted by continuing in faith and allowing Scripture to shape daily life. Obedience strengthens the foundation of the Christian life. Thanksgiving also helps the heart remain steady during seasons when spiritual growth is not immediately visible.
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