Useful Bible Studies > Colossians Commentary > chapter 2

Christians depend completely upon their connection to Christ

Colossians 2:19

Paul wrote the Books of Colossians and Ephesians at the same time. For that reason, he often uses similar phrases and expressions in both books. However, we still need to study the two books separately, because often Paul is teaching different lessons by those words.

For example, Ephesians 4:16 is very similar to Colossians 2:19. However, in Ephesians, Paul’s subject is how God brings Christians into a mature relationship with him (with God). That becomes clear when we read the whole passage, Ephesians 4:11-16.

On the other hand, Paul’s purpose in Colossians 2:18-19 was to warn the Christians against certain teachers with wrong ideas. Those teachers had become so proud that they were not giving Christ his proper place as head (leader and ruler) of the church (God’s people). They taught people to give honour to angels rather than to Christ. However, the angels are only God’s special servants in heaven; and Christ is God the Son (Hebrews chapter 1; Colossians 1:15-20).

So it is very wrong to try to separate Christians from Christ. If he is like the head, then they are like the body. Our body depends completely upon our head for life, and strength, and health. So Christians depend completely upon their connection to Christ. If they had no relationship with Christ, they would not be God’s people.

We become Christians when we put our trust in Christ, because of his death for us. From then on, we must learn to trust him in every circumstance. He will give us the strength that we need to live for him (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). It is from Christ that we receive the power to develop and to become mature in our relationship with God.

Next part: Should Christians follow rules that control their behaviour? (Colossians 2:20)

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© 2019, Keith Simons.