A bible study on Colossians 2:6-15

Listening to: Andrew Bird: Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs

Feedback welcome.

2My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your sinful nature was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

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 cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken 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. (TNIV)

• What was the Colossians' problem before they were Christians (vv. 13-14)? [Dead/indebted/condemned/power and authorities against them]

• What did God in Christ do in the past to solve this problem (vv. 13-15)? [God forgave us having: (i) nailed legal indebtedness to the cross; and (ii) disarmed the powers and authorities]

• What did the Colossians 'do' in their past so that Christ’s work was effective for them? [v.6: "received Christ"; v.12: "baptism…through your faith"; Why did I put 'do' in scare-quotes?]

• What two paths could the Colossians take from where they are (vv. 6-8)? [live in Christ or be taken captive by human philosophy]

• In what way is one path hollow and the other full?

• Why do hollow ideas deceive us and capture us?

• Remembering the passage 2 weeks ago as well as this week's, how has Paul helped the Colossians live in Christ rather than be deceived? [(i) he prayed that they may know Christ and understand the riches we have in him; (ii) he has reminded them of the worth of Christ and what he has done for them]

• How can we help each other?