Col 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
Paul has spoken previously about the treasures that are hid in Christ and the stedfastness of our faith in Him. We have received Christ Jesus the Lord because the Holy Spirit has revealed to us the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are hidden in Christ. It is in the understanding of Him through the gospel that we have received Him, and not in any sense of having the ability to accept or reject the work He did between Him and the Father.
Strong’s defines the word rendered “received” to mean “to receive near, that is, associate with oneself (in any familiar or intimate act or relation); by analogy to assume an office; figuratively to learn: – receive, take (unto, with).” We have learned Christ through the witness of the Spirit in the preaching of His gospel. By His grace, we have become intimately familiar with Him. This in no way impacts what He has done, but it greatly impacts how we live.
As we have been brought into an intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior, we are to live our lives (walk) in Him. We are rooted in Him, which means (according to Strong’s) that we have become stable in Him. The fact that we become stable in Him tells me that we are not established outside of Him. As a result of being rooted in Him, we can build upon Him.
When our lives are built upon the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, His work for us, and our work in Him, we gain an unwavering faith. As we live, move, and have our being in Him, we learn that every facet of our lives can be trusted to Him. If things are hard, we trust His will. If things are good, we trust His will. We come to know in every circumstance that we can have faith in Him; that we can rely on Him for salvation, both eternally and in our everyday need for deliverance.
To be rooted and built up in Christ assures us of living an abundant life. Jesus Himself declared that this was His purpose in coming to the sheep of His fold (Joh 10:7-10). Until our faith is firmly established in Him and Him alone, we cannot live a life of abundance. This is not talking about having a life filled with this world’s goods but rather a life filled to overflowing with His presence.
We all appreciate having a comfortable home, decent clothes, a dependable means of transportation, and some of life’s conveniences. However, once we have experienced the peace of His presence, all these other things lose their value. I have never had any earthly possession that compared to the utter joy of finding myself in the presence of my King; my Redeemer; the Lover of my soul! It is impossible to be in His presence and not have a heart filled to overflowing with thanksgiving.
May God grant that our roots be deep, that our fruit grow up unto Him and our hearts be filled with thanks that He is intimately near unto us!
