Useful Bible Studies > Colossians Commentary > chapter 2

Christians must grow and develop their trust in Christ

Colossians 2:7

Paul has two word-pictures to show how Christians should live. Both word-pictures emphasise that Christians must depend completely upon Christ in their daily lives:-

(1) The first word-picture is of a plant. For that plant to grow well and to produce a good harvest, its roots must grow deep into good soil (Mark 4:1-20). A plant with weak roots may seem impressive but it is still a poor plant. In the end, that weakness will ruin that plant. In the same way, a Christian without a strong relationship with Christ will achieve little for God in his life.

(2) A building needs a strong and firm base in the ground (Matthew 7:24-27). Again, without that base, a builder may make an impressive building; but in the end it will fall. In the same way, Christians must learn to depend on Christ for the strength to live as Christians (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Like a living plant, or like the construction of a building, Christians need to grow and develop in faith (that is, in their trust in Christ). They learn the most important lessons about how to do that at the start of their Christian lives. For example, they learn to turn from sin (evil deeds). They learn to trust Christ, and to depend on his death, which alone gives them a right relationship with God. They learn the importance of the Bible and prayer; they learn to pray and study both alone and with other Christians at church. They learn to obey God and to allow him to direct their lives. By these means, their relationship with Christ grows and develops.

However, they must be careful about their attitudes. It is possible to do these things unwillingly, with an ungrateful heart (attitude). So Christians should be careful always to give thanks joyfully to God (Psalm 100:2).

Next part: Our trust in Christ must be strong, to defend us from wrong ideas (Colossians 2:8)

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© 2019, Keith Simons.