Rooted and built up

Colossians 2:7

Establishing roots:

            When a seed fall into the ground there have to be favorable conditions for it to begin a root system. There must be a certain amount of moisture, good soil and sun light. There must also be needed nutrients in the ground as well for it to continue. Jesus gave the parable of the sower and seed and told us what it is that prevents people from becoming established – no interest, shallow soil and too much involvement in the world. Jeremiah and Hosea tell us that we need to break up the fallow ground and seek the Lord (Jer 4:3; Hos 10:12). Breaking up the ground allows moisture to soak down around the roots and also breaks up hindrances to good growth.

          The things that make for good roots are:

  1. Love (Eph 3:17-19). The Scripture tells us to have love for God, His word and the brethren. Jesus said that love for God is the greatest command and loving our neighbor is the second greatest command. Paul tells us that love is the greatest gift and even though we may have multiple other gifts and abilities yet if we do not have love we are as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. If we love God and His word, we will read and obey it – we will look forward to applying Scripture to our loves and search it for guidance.
  2. Faith – a root needs also to be established in the earth – firm but not too firm. In Acts 16:5 we are told that the churches were established in the faith – this faith is the truth of Christian living as determined by the Jerusalem counsel. Being established in the faith is having and keeping the revealed truth of Christianity. We also need to be established in our own personal faith in Christ as Paul indicates in Phil 2:12.
  3. Grace The writer of Hebrews speaks to be established in grace (Heb 13:9). We are warned not to be carried about by false plans of salvation and to be rooted in God’s grace thru Christ. We are saved by grace thru faith and sanctified by grace thru faith.
  4. This present truth (2 Pet 1:12). Peter gives to us a list of things that we need to add to our salvation experience and ends y tells us to be established in that truth. We have a “know-so” salvation not a hope so one. Following his advice we can grow and mature and become established.

Beware of guile: Col 2:4

     Prior to Paul’s admonition to be rooted he warns of being led away thru guile. Anyone can beguile us with words that are designed to capture our reason. The word that the Holy Spirit had Paul use in this verse means alongside of reason and is used only one other place (James 1:22). The deception Paul speaks of comes from “enticing words”. It couples the term for reason with persuasion and contains the foundation of our English word Analogy. This deception is accomplished by transferring truth unto an untruth. For example, Jesus warned His disciples that in the last days some would come saying they are Christ, thus transferring the truth of Christ’s return onto their own self – a false Christ.

The purpose of leaders given by God to the church is so that we are not tossed to and fro by the craftiness of men (Eph 4:14). The WHO and others in our country are declaring they are “Christs” (deliverers for our safety) when in actuality they are working toward our enslavement and control using enticing words of reason and persuasion.