Christ is All
Christ is All
"In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col 2:3). By that wisdom his church is united, perfected, and protected. This is Paul’s assertion in his letter to the Colossians.
As we think about Christ as the source of all wisdom (Col 2:3), let's go back just one verse to where Paul speaks of the church being "knit together in love" (Col 2:2). Now most people stop there, as though being "united in love" is the whole secret of unity in Christ’s church. They would quote "love is the perfect bond of unity" (Col 3:14). Certainly there won't be much unity where there isn't much love; however Paul only starts with love, and his whole statement is...
"...united in love, in a rich and full understanding, in the knowledge of God’s mystery in Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col 2:2-3). "Love is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you with all wisdom..." (Col 3:14-16).
So we see that unity is in both love and wisdom —the wisdom that comes from Christ’s true knowledge of which Paul was a steward (Col 1:25-26). And if unity rests in anything other than (or anything less than) Christ’s word of wisdom, then it is unity in error, and what's the use of that?
Paul sees the church, and each member of it, as a growing organism, becoming "perfect in Christ" (Col 1:28, 2:6-7).
Some perfect gems of his wisdom are: Be fruitful (Col 1:10), be thankful (Col 2:7), be orderly (Col 2:5), be an example (Col 3:9).
Paul says that you can be "filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to fully please him... fruitfull in every good work... strengthened with all power... attaining full steadfastness... sharing the inheritance of the saints in light" (Col 1:9-12).
Twice Paul warns against being cheated (Col 2:8,18). We began this lesson with Paul’s statement, "In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col 2:3). In the very next verse Paul explains why he says this. "I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument" (Col 2:4).
What would Paul think of Christendom today? Thousands of “persuasive arguments” competing with the wisdom of the simple gospel of Christ —even the “argument” that Paul himself was a false apostle and invented his own Christianity in opposition to Christ!
We can be protected from all error by standing on one simple principle: The gospel of Christ, delivered to us by the apostles like Paul, is "all wisdom" —and we accept nothing more and nothing less.
Series outline