The second-century church leader Irenaeus famously said, “Life in man is the glory of God; the life of man is the vision of God.” In Colossians 2, Paul is also talking about life and our vision of God. Christian living, he points out, is the life of Christ at work in us.

Our knowledge of God comes through Christ (v. 3). When we accept Him as Lord, we are empowered to live under His rule (v. 6). Instead of being taken in by fine-sounding arguments, “human tradition,” or speculating about “elemental spiritual forces” (v. 8), we look to Christ to understand what God is like (v. 9).

The themes Paul emphasizes in verses 9–12 counter some of the false teachings that the Colossians faced at the time. It appears that false teachers in Colosse were denying that Christ was truly human. They speculated about a vast hierarchy of spiritual powers and authorities and taught that circumcision was necessary for salvation.

In contrast, the gospel teaches that Jesus is enough. We are complete in Him (v. 10). More than this, we are united with Christ in such a way that His death becomes ours. This union with Christ in His death is the spiritual reality that Old Testament circumcision symbolized (v. 11).

Believers, who are united with Christ in His resurrection and by it, have been made “alive with Christ” (vv. 13–14). By dying on our behalf, Jesus paid the debt. By rising from the dead, Jesus triumphed over evil (v. 15). This is just the basic gospel. Yet it is a message of immense spiritual power. Those who know Christ are alive in Christ. The glory of God is the believer truly alive in Christ.

>> Can you say that you are alive in Christ? The key is to come to Him in faith. Recognize that He died and rose for you. Trust in Him today, and His victory will be yours. For more information on what it means to be a Christian, go to moodybible.org/ knowing-christ.

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