Seven “With Him’s”

Colossians 2:12,13,20. 3:1,3,4.

Introduction:

Colossians 2:6 – As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: This verse explains that we must live for Christ after we are saved in exactly the same way we came to Christ for salvation when we were lost. We are totally, completely out of strength, and cannot do anything for God while we are in these fleshly bodies. The only way we can serve God is through his power. We will never serve God as long as we depend and trust in our thinking, planning, scheming or conniving. We always tell lost people to come to Christ, confess their utter helplessness and trust Christ, casting all their care upon him. We that are saved must exactly the same thing. We will never be a “successful” servant until we that are save realize our utter helplessness to be a faithful servant and cast all our care upon him, trusting him to make us the kind of person we should be.

Verse 7 states, Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. If we do not have the “root” within us, we will not stand true to God. The root is also described in Matthew 13:21 in the parable of the sower. The person who does not have the root within them will surely fail when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word of God.

Verse 10, And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power, reveals that we are only complete in Christ Jesus. We need nothing else, not even our good works, thoughts or deeds to be complete. May God help us all to realize that this precious verse really means.

  1. Salvation.

    1. Saved “with him”. We were dead in our sins. Ephesians 2:1-3. We had no life, we were uncircumcised in our flesh.

    2. The physical circumcision does no good if there is no change in the heart. He forgave us of all our sins.

  1. Baptism.

    1. Colossians 2:12 – buried with him in baptism. This shows our deadness to this world. As we bury somebody that had died, so in baptism we are showing our death to this world. See Romans 6:3.

    2. Colossians 2:12 – Raised with him.

      1. In baptism there is a physical lowering into the water and a raising.

      2. While the lowering shows a death to this world, the raising shows the resurrection to the things of God, and how the person needs to live for God.

      3. Actually declaring to the world that they intend to live for God and not for the world. We intend to change our way of living.

  1. Colossians 2:20 – Our actual service is by living (Progressive sanctification).

    1. Read verses 14-19 which show that we are not following the system the world lives by.

      1. “Rudiments” means principles.

      2. Actually, our world is a different world from the world of sinners.

      3. While we live in the world, we are not to be partakers of the world system.

      4. This part tells us a negative aspect of living, the things we are not supposed to do.

    2. Colossians 3:1 – This shows a positive approach to Christian living.

      1. This removes the “vacuum” from our lives.

      2. If we only stop living world, there is nothing to put in its place, so God instructs us to begin living for him.

      3. Set our affections on things above.

      4. See Matthew 6:19-21 – Lay up treasures in heaven, not upon the earth which shall burn up.

      5. II Peter 3:10,11 and Hebrews 12:1-4 – Keep our eyes on Christ, that our attitude and living would be correct.

    3. Romans 12:1,2 – See why the “therefore” is there. Romans 11:33-36 states, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

  1. Colossians 3:3 – The reason for our service. We are dead to sins, and our life is hid with God in Christ. This is why we live for Christ.

  1. Colossians 3:4 – We will be with Christ in eternity. We are joint-heirs with Christ. Romans 8:17 states, And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.