I invite you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Colossians. We're going to consider this evening from Colossians chapter 2, verses 1 through 5. If you're using the Pew Bible, that can be found on page 1169. It's been a few months, at least a few weeks since we've been in this book, But we're going to pick up where we last left off. And that is there in chapter 2, beginning at verse 1 and reading down through verse 5. Colossians 2, beginning at verse 1. For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, That their hearts may be encouraged, be knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, and whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Sinclair Ferguson begins his book, In Christ Alone, by quoting a portion, a small portion of John Calvin in the Institutes. And that portion says, When we see salvation whole, it's every single part is found in Christ. And so we must beware lest we derive the smallest drop from somewhere else. Imagine what Calvin says here comes directly from a text like the one before us this evening. Many commentators have said that what we find in these few verses here, verses 1 through 5, is the purpose of this letter. It's Paul's purpose for writing to these Christians at Colossae. we all know that when we write a letter or write an email we do so with a purpose we have something to say we want to communicate something what is it that paul wants to say to these christians here at colossi he wants to say that their faith needs to be firmly and squarely planted in christ and in christ alone and paul will do that here in this text in three ways first by speaking of the struggle that he has for this church paul's struggle second by referencing the goals that he has for this church paul's goals and third by issuing a warning to this church he warns them paul's struggle paul's goals and paul's warning those are our three points this evening and what we'll see is that each of these points direct us to faith in christ alone paul begins here by saying i want you to know how great a struggle i have for you and for those at laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face paul loves this church he loves the church at colossi he loves the church at laodicea he loves the churches in this region and he expresses that love for them by saying he struggles for them. He struggles for them. The term that Paul uses here for the word struggle can be translated as striving or contending. It's the Greek word agona, and from which we get our English word agonize. Paul agonized for these Christians. what does it mean to to agonize it means to to to wrestle right to to struggle to endure anguish even paul's already mentioned this struggle that he has for this church and one verse prior at the end of verse one the end of verse one and i'm sorry in the end of chapter one in verse 29 he says for this i toil struggling with all of christ's power paul struggles for these Christians and he wants them to know this he needs them to know this you see there were some at the church at Colossae who were trying to undermine Paul and his ministry and the message that he had preached to the churches they were attacking the message of the gospel they were they were trying to add to the message that salvation is found in Christ alone and what they were saying is in addition to Christ, Christians need wisdom and knowledge. They need philosophy. In addition to Christ, they need certain works and practices. In addition to Christ, they need asceticism. They should only eat certain foods, drink certain things. In addition to Christ, they needed certain festivals and traditions and feasts. Along with christ they needed to add mysticism and special experiences and paul will go on in this book in reference to these things that these false teachers were stirring the church up over he'll say guard against such things guard against them look down at verse 8 he says see to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit then verse 11 in christ you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands by the circumcision of Christ having been baptized. Verse 16, let no one pass judgment on you in question of food and drink or with regard to festival or new moon or Sabbaths. Verse 18, let no one disqualify you insisting on asceticism and worship of angels going on in detail about visions. To all of this, Paul tells this church, look, brothers and sisters, look at how i have struggled for you look at how how much i have agonized for you and not only for you but for your faith that your faith would remain squarely planted in christ and in him alone the false teachers they're not struggling for you the false teachers they are not agonizing for you and even at this point here is paul writing this letter well what in chains in prison and yet for paul his chains were a badge of honor his chains his struggles his his imprisonment was a display of evidence living proof of his ministry and the message that he brought to the church paul's struggle for the churches of jesus christ are undeniable right We've heard time and time again how Paul has displayed his struggle. The book of Acts records many times Paul has suffered for the sake of the churches. In 2 Corinthians 11, we have record of more difficulty, more suffering of Paul. Paul struggled for the churches. He wrestled for the churches. He agonized and fought for the churches of Christ. As one commentator says, Paul's struggle involved untiring toil and labor, an intense wrestling and struggle for the spread and growth and strengthening of the faith as the goal of his mission. And Paul's hope here is that this struggle would be, again, living proof of the truth of the gospel that he spreads, the gospel of salvation found in Christ alone. you see contrary to what many think today paul's suffering was a badge of authenticity a badge that the gospel he preached was not one gospel among many but the gospel the one true gospel again the gospel of faith in jesus christ alone and paul as i said hopes that this would move these christians to stand firm themselves in that truth truth passed down to them truth handed down to them not not through Paul through another man Epaphras right Paul didn't didn't know these Christians he says I struggle for all those I have never seen before but nevertheless struggled for them you see common to men and women today and even in the first century is this idea that if you have the truth if you have as what Paul describes here as the treasures of wisdom and knowledge why would you have to suffer for those wouldn't that wisdom and knowledge protect you from suffering that's a real question that many people ask maybe it's a question that you've asked but you see here is paul suffering struggling agonizing and seeing that as evidence of authenticity of his ministry and this is the case not only for paul but also for epiphras paul mentions epiphras later in this book in chapter 4 verse 12 and there he describes epiphras as struggling as well struggling for this church praying for this church that they would mature and in verse 13 he says i bear witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Heropolis. See, the struggle, the agonizing, the suffering was to be living proof to these Christians of the authenticity of their ministry and their preaching and the message that they brought to these people. Although we may be familiar with the general idea that if you have the truth, you shouldn't have to suffer for it. We know as Christians that that's not true, right? As Christians, we know Christ suffered. Christ who was the way, the truth, the life. Christ struggled and agonized for the church. And as those who follow Jesus Christ, we too should be ready, like Paul, like Epaphras, to struggle, to contend for the truth that has been handed down to us. And when we do that, That struggle will also speak volumes to a watching world. It's not without reason that many have said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. That struggle is testimony. Have you ever struggled, agonized for someone? Maybe you know someone who struggled and agonized for you and your faith. Maybe a parent, a mother, a father who prayed for you, constantly maybe a friend who shared the gospel with you continually lifted you up in prayer continually encouraged you never tiring never giving up why because they loved you and they wanted your faith to be planted in christ and him alone i have friends that i've been praying for for some 25 years now. I feel, too, like I have agonized for them, prayed for them. As I was preparing for this sermon, one of my daughters walked into my room and she wanted me to play chess with her. She asked, Dad, will you play chess with me? And I told her, Babe, I'm sorry. I'm prepping to preach this week. And she looks at me and she says, Sorry, Dad, that you have to work. And I thought to myself, and I even said to her, You're right, babe, I do have to work. But my work is a joy. It's the joy of every pastor, the joy of every elder, the joy of every deacon, the joy of every person who has ever agonized for someone, has ever struggled for them, wrestled, prayed for them, sought them out. There's joy in that, isn't there? there's joy in doing that because we love those people we too like paul want to see their faith squarely planted in christ paul wrestles he struggled for these christians but not only struggled he also had goals that he struggled for that he prayed for he mentions goals here in verses two and three he says that their hearts might be encouraged being knit together in love to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ in whom is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Paul gives us four goals here. Four. First one is that of strength and encouragement. He states in the first section of verse 2 that their hearts may be encouraged. These Christians at Colossae and in the region needed strength and encouragement. They needed strength and encouragement to stand firm in Jesus Christ. These teachings and teachers, these false teachers threatened the stability of the faith of these Christians. Those false teachers led these people to doubt, to doubt whether Christ alone was sufficient for their faith. Have you ever questioned that? Have you ever asked, is Christ sufficient for my salvation is christ sufficient for the forgiveness of my sins even my sins truth is he absolutely is isn't he absolutely sufficient but the teachings that were being circulated here in colossi caused many to doubt caused them to question did they need to add something to christ did they need to add special wisdom special philosophy did they need to add aesthetic practices, traditions, and mysticism. Sure, the gospel they received was the gospel of faith in Christ alone. But they knew their hearts. They knew their sin. Did they need to add something? Was Christ sufficient for them? And we know how this works, don't we? We know how easily thoughts can lead to questions. Questions can lead to doubts. Doubts can lead to spiritual instability and insecurity and that happens on our own doesn't it even apart from some new teaching coming into the church a new teaching that says yes you need more you need more sure christ has done his part but you need to do your part you have a part to play you need to follow through with that part. That's what was happening in Colossae. And the people's faith was being weakened, threatened. That's why Paul wants to encourage these Christians. See, brothers and sisters, every Christian needs strength and encouragement, don't we? Strength and encouragement is something that every Christian needs, let alone those who are threatened by false teaching. Our faith must always be squarely in Christ and Christ alone. Christ is our foundation. Christ is our anchor. Take away faith in Christ alone. And we are, as Paul says in Ephesians 4, like children tossed to and fro by every wave of doctrine. It wasn't just encouragement that these christians needed they also needed to stand in christ united paul mentions his second goal in the second part of verse two that their hearts may be encouraged being knit together in love it's a call for unity unity among the brethren there in colossi but not just a general unity a unity founded in christ and a unity expressed by love and when unity is expressed by love i would call that community these christians needed a community paul will go on to expound on this unity and community in verse 19 of this verse 19 of this chapter where he uses the analogy of the body as the church look there briefly with me at verse 19 of this chapter he says the false teachers are teaching not our teachers and teaching are not holding fast to the head not holding to christ alone from whom the whole body nourished and knit together the same word that paul uses knit together nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments grows with a growth that is from god unity is a goal and purpose of paul it's it's a goal and purpose of the church of christ it's the goal and purpose of every christian you see unity is so important for the church you probably heard it said before but faith grows in community faith grows in community many of us know this by experience don't we maybe you can recall a time when maybe that time is right now when you were part of a wonderful community of Christian faith. And in that community, you saw your faith grow like you had never experienced before. Faith grows in community. But the opposite is true as well. It's difficult for faith to grow apart from community. One may have other elements like good teaching solid doctrine good practices and yet apart from that community it's difficult for faith to grow unity community is what we have as christians but it's unity that is founded upon christ and it must be founded on christ alone because you see if we are unified in anything other than christ and that unity is really not unity and if we're unified in christ plus something else that's something else will undermine our unity in christ true unity is found in christ and in him alone and that's why it's sad when christians are divided along peripheral matters matters of preference matters of culture it's in christ alone that our unity is found and it's christ-centered unity that leads to love among god's people that's why paul says being knit together in love christian unity is expressed through love and that's why wherever we go as christians we can go on the other side of the world we can get off an airplane and if we run into a christian a fellow brother and sister in christ there's an immediate connection isn't there they're christians it's also why the bible uses familial terms to describe what we are as a people we're a family we have brothers and sisters in christ we have mothers and fathers of the faith union with christ means that we are united to him but also united to each other that unity is expressed through love the third goal that paul speaks of here is that of assurance it's not difficult to imagine or see how the false teachers in colossae were threatening the assurance of the christians there in fact those teachings were directed at undermining the assurance of these christians see whenever someone adds or is tempted to add anything to christ the natural result is a loss of assurance a loss of assurance you see where does our assurance come from does it come from us does it come from what we do does it come from the strength of our faith our assurance comes from christ what he has done for us when our faith is is squarely on christ in Christ and in Him alone, we can be assured of the salvation that we have in Christ. Knowing and trusting that our salvation is completely secure in Christ is the result of faith in Him alone. Christ is our righteousness, isn't He? Why is He our righteousness? Because of anything we've done? Absolutely not. We know we're not righteous. Christ is our propitiation. christ smoothed over the wrath of god why because we deserved it because we could take on the wrath of god ourselves absolutely not we have our faith squarely placed in christ we have assurance in him now this doesn't mean that at times we might wrestle with our assurance there are many reasons why Christians wrestle with their assurance. But one definite reason is trying to add anything to the finished work, the complete work of Christ. That's what the false teachers were doing here in the church in Colossae. To that, Paul says, look, brothers and sisters, I've struggled for you. I write this to you so that you may have assurance, the assurance that comes from faith in Christ alone. I love the way the author of Hebrews puts it in Hebrews 10, 14. he says for by a single offering he jesus has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified who's being sanctified we are who has been perfected in christ us same ones who are being sanctified beautiful verse comforting verse a verse that verse that gives us assurance we are being sanctified but in Christ we have been perfected the last goal which Paul mentions here is that of understanding he says to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery which is Christ Paul wants these Christians to come to a fuller understanding of Christ and his work the false teachers promised wisdom and knowledge via philosophy to that paul says i want you to have a fuller knowledge of the mystery of god which is found in christ and so just like the other goals this goal too is christ-centered for it's in christ in whom is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge you see when we study our bibles when we go to christian conferences when we read christian literature do we do so simply to learn some facts and data no we do to get a greater understanding of a person don't we the person and work of jesus christ what the false teachers at colossi didn't know and didn't realize and didn't understand is that there really is no knowledge beyond christ there's no knowledge outside of christ everything exists for christ and by christ we read that in chapter one right verses 15 and following the preeminence of christ everything is about him all of existence is for him and so to speak of knowledge and wisdom apart from christ is really sadly foolish it's foolishness as paul says in first corinthians where is the wise where is the scribe where is the debater of this age has not god made foolish the wisdom of the world for since in the wisdom of god the world did not know god through wisdom it pleased god through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe jews demand signs greeks seek wisdom but we preach christ crucified a stumbling block for jews and folly to gentiles this was true then and it's true today as well all the sciences all the technology which boast of knowledge and understanding all of that knowledge is mere abcs compared to the knowledge of the mystery of God in Christ and really where will that knowledge get a person when they stand before God where what will that get them when they stand before the judgment seat of God what will that knowledge get them when Elon Musk stands before God at the judgment seat what is he going to talk about the electric car is he going to talk about chips is he going to talk about the space program where will that knowledge get him nothing nowhere for the christian we have christ in whom is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and by whom we say along with paul and all christians oh the depth of the riches of wisdom and knowledge of god how unsearchable are his judgments inscrutable his ways why for from him through him and by him are all things to him be the glory forever amen these are the goals of paul they're the goals for every christian church and it's these goals for which paul struggled and wrestled and served this church and it was at the heart of these goals that is christ the ministry the message a faith in christ alone and because of these goals and paul's desire for the churches to to reach these goals he warns them he lays out a warning for them he says in verse four i say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments for though i am absent in body yet i am with you in spirit rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Faith in Christ is what was at stake at the church of Colossae. Paul's concern with the faith of these Christians. They're on the verge of moving from faith in Christ alone to faith in Christ plus something else. And as one pastor said, Christ plus anything equals nothing, while Christ plus nothing equals everything. That's essentially what's contained in the phrase, in Christ alone. To add to Christ, we lose everything that we have in Him. Cling to Christ alone, and all that we have in Him is secure. And yet, how often? How often over the history of the church have Christians been tempted to add to the work of Christ? How often have Christians been tempted to add to the message of the gospel? But you see, brothers and sisters, the good news is only good news when it's solely news about what Christ has done. Add ourselves in any way to the gospel and we ruin it. And so the warning that Paul makes here is as crucial for these Christians who hear them as it is for us here tonight. Remember the quote by John Calvin. When we see salvation whole, every single part is found in Christ. And so we must beware, Calvin warns us as well, lest we derive the smallest drop from somewhere else. Paul warns this church. He warns them not to be deluded by plausible arguments. The term that Paul uses here for deluded can also be translated deceived. It has this idea of deception. But I think Paul is not only saying here, don't be deceived. He's saying, don't let your faith be deluded by being deceived. Don't let these false teachings and false teachers delude your faith in Christ alone. That's what these teachers were trying to do. They were trying to delude the stability of the faith of these Christians. They were trying to delude the unity that these Christians had. They were trying to delude the assurance that these Christians had and their understanding of salvation by faith in Christ alone. So this was a real threat. It's a real threat. But notice why this teaching was deceptive and able to delude the faith of some. Paul calls it plausible. He speaks of plausible arguments. This is how false teaching is always presented, right? As plausible. This is how false teaching creeps into the church, packaged in a package of plausibility. See, false teaching doesn't come into the church wrapped in red flags. It doesn't come into the church with warning lights flashing before us. It's presented as amiable. Gentle, pleasant, good. Think about the history of God's people. History of God's covenant community being deceived and led astray over and over again by things that people desired to hear. Things that were pleasant to them. The Bible teaches us over and over again that there was a time and will still be a time when people surround themselves with teachers and teachings that scratch their itchy ears. It's what people want to hear. It's plausible. So then, if false teaching is deceptive because it seems so plausible, how do we guard against it? How do we discern false teaching from true teaching? I want to give you two ways tonight. Two ways. First, we do so by comparing plausible arguments and teaching to the truth. Paul will say in the next section in verse 8 of this chapter, see to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition and not according to Christ. We judge teachings, as plausible as they may be, we judge them based on the truth of Jesus Christ. If they compromise the truths of the gospel, however persuasive, however pleasant they may sound, We reject them. If those teachings compromise any aspect of the good news of salvation found in Jesus Christ alone, we deny them, we struggle against them, we fight against them. And what this means is that we need to know truth. We need to know the truth of Scripture. We need to be so familiar with the truth of the gospel and the implications of that truth so that when false teaching creeps in, we're ready. We can discern it, we can tell, we can spot it immediately. And it will be like the Bereans, Bereans in Acts 17, who compared even the teachings of Paul and Silas to that of the Word of God. That's how we first discern truth from false teaching. But secondly, we discern truth from false teaching by judging the implications of the teaching. Paul says in verse 5, For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. What are the fruit of these teachings and these teachers? Does the teaching lead to good order and firmness of faith in Christ? Consider the teachings of predestination, canons of Dort, doctrines of grace, Doctrines that highlight and emphasize the salvation of God by God's grace in Christ alone. That leads to good order. That leads to a firmness of faith in Jesus Christ. Now compare that to the Arminian perspective, which undermines salvation by grace alone in Christ alone. Highlighting and emphasizing man's role in salvation. Maybe not fully compromising the gospel, but certainly leaving open the possibility of man playing a part in their salvation. In addition, we're called to judge the fruits of the teachers of new or false teaching. Jesus says, Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You'll recognize them by what? By their fruits. Paul, speaking in 2 Timothy to Timothy, speaks of these teachers having an appearance of wisdom and promoting religion, but having no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. Now, we here tonight, within the Reformed tradition, with our Canons of Dort, our Heidelberg Catechism, our Belgic Confession, we might feel pretty secure in terms of false teaching creeping into the church. But false teaching still abounds all around us today. And do you know who are being threatened the most today? Our young people. Our young people. They're being flooded with false teaching today. This warning that Paul gives to this church is as relevant to us as it was to them. See, the truth contained in the phrase, in Christ alone, is still threatened today. Christians today, just as in the first century, are tempted to negotiate faith in Christ alone. Just as it was Paul's purpose to keep these Christians from giving up on that faith. We too are called to strive, to struggle, to contend for that faith which has been passed down to us. Because as Calvin said, if we add anything to Christ, we lose everything in Christ. May that never be, brothers and sisters. May in Christ alone continue to be the anthem and cry of our church. May in Christ alone be the anthem and cry of the faith of each of us. So much hinges upon it. We pray, we strive, we wrestle. as Paul, as Christians, contending, fighting against false teaching, false teachers, because we have such a great salvation that has been handed down to us. Amen. Let's pray. Lord, a text like this is a great reminder to us. Although we may feel secure within the walls of this church, Lord, And yet there is still so much false teaching that abounds today. Father, give us the wisdom to correctly apply a text like this. Give us the wisdom to appreciate salvation that has been given to us, the message of the gospel, Lord, that has been handed down to us as a church, as individuals. Lord, we pray for our young people. Lord, there's so much standing against them today. And it's not only them, Lord, as if we are above it. Lord, we're often tempted to question, to doubt whether Christ and His work is sufficient for us. Grant to us the assurance that we have in Christ and because of Christ. We pray this all in His name. Amen.