Continue to Live in Christ

Colossians 2:6-23
Key Verse: 2:6, 7

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live
your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith
as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
- Paul emphasizes the importance of Christ and core value of Jesus
Christ in relation to traditional laws.
- We are to keep our faith in Jesus Christ rather than human laws.

* FULL LIFE IN CHRIST (6-15)

1. Read verses 6,7. To what does the phrase “So, then” refer? How had the
Colossians responded to the message about Jesus? (6a) What does it mean to
receive Jesus as Lord? Why is this important?
- Col 2:6-7
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7
rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and
overflowing with thankfulness. NIV
- They embraced the gospel by faith and whole heartedly without mixing it with
traditions and teachings of the law.
- It is a redemption of our soul and saves us from the corrupt world. This is purely
through Jesus Christ.
- How is Jesus Christ your Lord, daily life. Ministry (Feeding God’s sheep)

2. What should they do now? (6b) What does it mean to “continue to live in him”?
(Jn 8:31, 32; 15:4) In verse 7, what are the three ways they can do this? Think
about the meaning of “rooted in him.” (Ps1:2,3; Jn15:7) “Built up in him.”
(Mt7:24,25) How can we be “strengthened in the faith”? (7c)
- Col 2:6-7
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7
rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and
overflowing with thankfulness. NIV
- We are to continue in the Lord and be rooted in Him, Consistency, we are not to be
one and off, fellowship and continual bible studies.
- As leaders we too must be fully rooted in the Lord and God’s ministry.
 Continue to Live in Christ

3. What warning does Paul give them, and why? (8) In verses 9-12, how many
times is the phrase “in Christ” or its equivalent repeated? What have we been given
in him, and how? What is the circumcision done by Christ? (12)

- Col 2:8-12
- 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,
which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather
than on Christ.
- 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have
been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11
In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with
a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by
Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through
your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. NIV

4. What was our former condition? (13a; Eph 2:1-3) What has God done for us
through Jesus' cross? (13b) Think about the triumph of the cross; what was
canceled; what was disarmed? (14,15) [Here, “powers and authorities” means the
power of Satan, and “public spectacle” means a victory over the enemy.]
Col 2:13-15
- 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful
nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having
canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood
opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the
powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them
by the cross. NIV
- Spiritual death doomed to destruction, made alive by grace in Christ Jesus,
Salvation through the cross of Jesus Christ.
- We couldn’t save ourselves, only God saved us through Christ Jesus.

* EMPTY HERESIES (16-23)

5. In light of verses 13-15, what does “Therefore” mean? (16a) [Verses 16,17 refer
to Jewish legalism, verses 18,19, to angel worship, and verses 20-23, to
asceticism.] How should we respond to the judgment of false teachers? (16a) What
are some contemporary forms of legalism?
- Col 2:13-15
- 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful
nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having
canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood
 Continue to Live in Christ

opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the
powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them
by the cross. NIV
- 16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard
to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. NIV
- We should emphasize Christ.

6. What was the dangerous influence of those who worshiped angels? (18) Why
did people become like this? (19) What are some contemporary forms of false
spirituality?
- Col 2:18-19
- 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels
disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he
has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. 19 He has lost
connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held
together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. NIV
-
7. What did ascetics teach and why? (21,23) Why are we free from this? (20a)
What must we do to continue to live in Christ?
- Col 2:20-23
- 20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though
you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 "Do not handle! Do not
taste! Do not touch!"? 22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they
are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have
an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility
and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining
sensual indulgence. NIV
- We need to be transformed in our lives.