Ephesians 4:14
I Corinthians 3:11-12
Tangible Evidence of Spiritual Maturity
Colossians 2:1-7 – June 6, 2010

in Prayer (Colossians 2:1-3)
Paul prayed:
1st –To

Ephesians 5:4
Philippians 4:6
Hebrews 13:15
Colossians 4:2
I Thessalonians 5:18
their spirits.
2nd – That
unite them.
3rd – That
in Christ (Colossians 2:7b)
of salvation be realized.
II Peter 1:10
4th – For spiritual
.
My NEXT STEP for this Week:
5th – That the hidden treasures of Christ be
all who know Christ.

by
Pray for love and unity in our church.

Express thanks to your mentor in the faith.

Tell someone why you treasure Christ.

Write the names below (prayer) of those who are unemployed.
in Christ (Colossians 2:4-5)
Two primary attacks of false teachers
1st – Deny the
2nd – Deny the
of Christ.
of Christ to save.
“Delude” = literally means to

in Christ (Colossians 2:6)
“walk” refers to our


- our daily
in Christ (Colossians 2:7a)
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Tangible Evidence of Spiritual Maturity
Colossians 2:1-7 – June 6, 2010
Intro: In Colossians 1 – the Apostle Paul mentions the great blessings of salvation that the
believers in Colossae have permanently. He gives thanks to God that they have a very real faith
in Jesus Christ – a love for each other – all because of a settled hope of heaven. Then Paul
provides an incredible insight into Christ as the Creator and sustainer of the universe.
In verse 22 he returns to one of the greatest blessings to the believer …
Colossians 1:22
He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before
Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—
It is hard for me to think of three greater things … being reconciled to God through Christ so
that someday Christ can present a sinner like me to God the Father as
 Holy
 Blameless
 And beyond reproach
Wow! It just doesn’t get any better than this
In my flesh … I’d like Paul to stop at verse 22 and say – camp here! Let this dominate your
thinking and vacation on this truth. Many Christians are lazy. They want to enjoy the benefits
of salvation – the feel-good experience … without having to get to work in growing spiritually. I
think this could be what Paul had in mind … for instead of letting us stay in this wonderful truth
… Paul says something has to follow …
Colossians 1:23
if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away
from the hope of the gospel …
In chapter 2 Paul returns to an important theme – spiritual growth. There are fundamental
questions we should ask ourselves from time to time.
 First, am I born again? Am I continuing in the faith?
 Second, am I growing spiritually and finding evidence of growth?
We as a church want people to come to Christ. We want people to be born-again. But salvation
is not the only priority for the church. Spiritual growth and maturity is essential for the church.
Compare
Turtles have a strange perspective on parenting. Sea turtles come ashore – lay their eggs and
depart. They provide no protection for their offspring. Little turtles are on their own.
Some Christian parents follow a similar pattern. They want their children saved but once
saved they don’t press for spiritual growth and spiritual maturity. This is parenting at its
worse. Paul not only wants spiritual growth in believers … he labors in prayer for it.
Colossians 2:1-7
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at
Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face,
2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all
2
the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true
knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
2:4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.
2:5 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.
2:6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
2:7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith,
just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
The Apostle Paul gives us an insight into his heart … and his earnest desire that believers
mature. He reveals his part in getting Christians growing … it is prayer. But there is something
noteworthy about his prayer.
 GALLANT in Prayer (Groaning in prayer)
Colossians 2:1
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at
Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face,
It is obvious in verse 1 how serious spiritual growth is to the Apostle Paul. It is huge! Paul
literally agonized in prayer for the souls of believers. And what’s so amazing – he agonized
over believers he never met!
“… for all those who have not personally seen my face”
Paul carried a burden of responsibility for the spiritual well-being of others seen in his
intense prayer life.
He doesn’t merely pray … he agonized in prayer for believers.
He believed in the power of prayer in strengthening the spiritual life of others.
Colossians 2:2-3
that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the
wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of
God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Paul prayed:
1st –To LIFT their spirits
“that their hearts may be encouraged”
Paul doesn’t reprimand these believer … he seeks to encourage them.
(Paul prayed)
2nd – That LOVE unite them
“knit together in love” (such an important element of the church)
(Paul prayed)
3
rd
3 – That ASSURANCE of salvation be realized
“…wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding”
Watch this
You will never have a strong assurance of your salvation until you have an understanding
of God’s Word!
A neglect of God’s Word will inevitably result in weak assurance
II Peter 1:10
Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and
choosing you …
(Paul prayed)
4th – For spiritual PROSPERITY
(2:2)“attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding”
The prosperity of the soul is the best prosperity.
We have here a description of soul-prosperity (Matthew Henry)
(Paul prayed)
5th – That the hidden treasures of Christ be DISCOVERED by all who know Christ
Important phrase
(2:3) “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”
The Gnostic heresy
Wisdom and knowledge are found in having a superior knowledge and super-wisdom
True Christianity
Wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ
If all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ … how are they
unhidden?
ANSWER: By reading and studying the Word of God!
Compare
Like a miner who has hit a vein of gold … its all his … but he must labor to extract what
is already his!
Don’t miss this!
The Gnostics say this treasure of wisdom and knowledge is only for a select few
Paul is praying that every believer realize it is for every believer!
Listen carefully!
If you know Jesus Christ personally … you are rich and complete.
You need nothing more than to mine the riches in the soil of God’s Word!
Illustration
4
Our spiritual life is like a construction site. All the materials, all the tools, all the
designs are right there on the site. The project is under construction but all the necessary
building materials are right there.
We need to put ourselves under construction … knowing that the master builder is the
Spirit of God working in and through us!
I like these statements …
Jesus Christ is the exhaustless storehouse of God’s supplies for man’s soul … a vast
mine … of sympathy, grace … and only the industrious, who sink the shaft of inquiry,
of fellowship, of faith, will know what that mine contains.”
Transition: But Paul is aware of what is lurking in the background … something quite
dangerous to the spiritual development of believers. It is false teachers and false doctrine. The
solution is to be …
 GUARDED in Christ
Colossians 2:4
I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.
It is not impossible for believers to be led astray into false teaching and the cults.
Spiritual growth and progress includes being guarded against the assaults of false teachers.
The strategy of the cults …
Coin phrases that sound good …
Develop thoughts that appeal to the intellect …
Use concepts that appear close to the truth … BUT ARE NOT!
Two primary attacks of false teachers
1st – Deny the DEITY of Christ
2nd – Deny the SUFFICIENCY of Christ to save
The two most important things for Christians are:
#1 – Understand and believe in the deity of Christ
#2 – Understand the complete sufficiency of Christ to provide 100% of what is necessary
for us to be saved and sanctified
Ray Stedman
“If the target is the truth, there is something alongside it that looks very much like the
truth.”
Compare
When I was a boy I remember having a baseball glove that said on it in bold print –
GENUINE IMITATION LEATHER. What is that? Well it looked like the real thing,
felt like the real thing – it just WASN’T the real thing.
“Delude” = literally means to VICTIMIZE
False teachers use persuasive speech
They raise interesting questions … talk of things that are fascinating
5
The big question
Who is most vulnerable to false teachers?
People who are ignorant of the Word of God.
People easily deluded are those who become fascinated by rhetoric and philosophy … but
are ignorant of the Scripture.
J. Vernon McGee told the story … of a theologian who used big words and enjoyed
being be very deep in his thinking. This theologian was talking to a group of men for
about half an hour. Another man walked up to the group and asked one of the men on
the outside of the circle,
“What’s he talking about?” The fellow answered,
“He hasn’t said yet.”
That is the problem—false teachers often have much to say without providing truth.
This particular false teacher … all he did was talk with enticing words.
Colossians 2:5
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.
Characteristic of a godly pastor
Opposed to having the common perspective, OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND… godly
pastors … with their sheep … THOUGH OUT OF SIGHT NEVER OUT OF MIND.
That’s Paul’s perspective
Paul uses two military terms … in verse 5
1st - “… rejoicing to see your good discipline … of your faith”
“taxis”(taxin) = a military term for standing shoulder to shoulder with other
soldiers
2nd – “rejoicing to see … the stability of your faith”
“stereoma”- “sterewma” = refers to the solidity of a formation of soldiers.
In other words …
Individually and collectively the believers in Colossians were standing strong against
the attacks of false teachers.
Transition: Paul then brings each of us back to the point of time of our salvation … to
emphasize our need to continue in it.
 GROWING in Christ (Colossians 2:6)
Colossians 2:6
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
“Received Christ Jesus” = that which happens at a point in time.
6
I received Christ before I became a teen. I received him in the same way every believer
receives Christ … by grace alone … through faith alone … by Christ alone.
That salvation was a done-deal the moment I believed!
John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even
to those who believe in His name,
But that which happens at a point in time … has continuing results. Justification by faith
always leads to sanctification! If you say you’ve received Christ and do not walk like
Christ or seek to behave like Christ – you haven’t truly received Him.
“walk” refers to our LIFESTYLE - our daily CONDUCT
Paul is saying …
When you call yourself a Christian … be sure you live like a Christian – like Christ!
The Gnostics
Always emphasized new truths … pursuit of mysteries reserved for just a few. This, to
Gnostics, was the key to Christian maturity. But Paul rejects this! Paul makes it clear
YOU STARTED WITH CHRIST … AND YOU MUST CONTINUE WITH CHRIST”
YOU STARTED WITH FAITH AND YOU MUST CONTINUE WITH FAITH!
Transition: Having said that … Paul tells us what happened when we received Him in verse 7.
For when we received Him we were …
 GROUNDED in Christ (Colossians 2:7a)
Colossians 2:7
having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just
as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
In the previous verse … Paul uses the analogy of soldiers. In verse 7 he uses an agricultural
term.
1st analogy - “Firmly rooted”- the tense of the Greek word means - “ONCE AND FOR ALL
HAVING BEEN ROOTED”
Story
Pastor Mike and Danielle used to live in the Mojave Desert in the little town of
Rosamond, California. If you stood at their front door you would look down a street.
They didn’t have a home directly across from them. But this created a problem from
time to time … for Rosamond is known for its almost constant winds … and
tumbleweeds. The thing about tumbleweeds is … they have no roots! Add the wind and
tumbleweeds go wherever the wind goes. On more than one occasion Pastor Mike
opened the front door to find the entire porch blocked by myriads of tumbleweeds. They
just will not stay put!
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Many Christians are like tumbleweeds. They are easily moved by the winds of
philosophy … the eloquent sermons of false teachers. But Paul warns against this in
Ephesians 4 …
Ephesians 4:14
“… we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about
by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
I like what Warren Wiersbe said …
“Once we are rooted by faith in Christ, there is no need to change the soil!”
Paul shifts the analogy in the next phrase to that of a building.
2nd analogy – A building
“now being built up in Him”
The point
We are under construction. At the moment of our salvation we were put on the
foundation of Jesus Christ.
I Corinthians 3:11-12
For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus
Christ.
3:12 Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones,
wood, hay, straw,
In I Corinthians 3 … Paul is emphasizing our HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY …
In Colossians 2 … Paul is emphasizing our POSITION IN CHRIST – THAT WHICH
HAPPENED THE MOMENT WE WERE SAVED!
But implied in Colossians 2 is … let your roots go deep in Christ … and be built up in
Him!
3RD Analogy - Paul shifts a third time to the analogy of SCHOOL
“JUST AS YOU WERE INSTRUCTED”
My friends, the Word of God is our school – which the Holy Spirit as our teacher
instructs us.
The point
Believers who study the Word of God put down deeper roots … build a stronger building
… and are well taught.
Transition: We now come to theme of this section – the key point. The most tangible evidence
of spiritual maturity is found in verse 7.
 GRATEFUL in Christ (Colossians 2:7b)
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Colossians 2:7b
“… overflowing with gratitude.
I love this!
Thankfulness completes the progression of maturity.
Gratitude is the most tangible expression of spiritual growth and spiritual health!
My friends!
When your inner person is filled with gratitude to Christ for all that He is and all He has done
in your life … you are giving the greatest evidence of spiritual maturity.
You are making real progress in maturity when you abound in thanksgiving!
When you overflow with gratitude … in the midst of difficult times … you show that your
roots are deep in Christ and your building is strong!
If you are a complainer …a whiner … a grumbler … you show your spiritual immaturity.
You cannot be grateful and a complainer at the same time. Choose how you’ll be!
Ephesians 5:4
and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but
rather giving of thanks.
Clarification
Overflowing with gratitude does not mean overflowing with happiness because things are
going good!
Overflowing with gratitude comes from someone who has full assurance that God is at work
in every circumstance of their life … even in crisis!
Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known to God.
Hebrews 13:15
Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit
of lips that give thanks to His name.
Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
I Thessalonians 5:18
in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Long for … desire to be … work at … pray to be … one who overflows with gratitude!
I like how one of my favorite Bible teachers summarized verses 1-7 …
 By taking in the truth of the Word, believers get a strong mind.
 By living out those truths, they receive full assurance that Christ is who He claimed to be.
 Assured of that, they can appropriate the riches that are His legacy to believers, and
walk in Him.
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 As they walk in Him, they will grow in Him and become established in their faith.
 As a result, they will give praise to God.
(John MacArthur)
Want to have greater assurance of salvation? Be constant in giving thanks for it!
The believer who is grounded, growing and grateful will not abandon devotion to Christ!
These kinds of believers will never be drawn into false teaching