Colossians 2:8-12
8 “See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the elementary principles of the world, rather than in accordance with Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over every ruler and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”
Tradition of men: Paul did not uphold church tradition as much as modern Christians do at times. In fact, there was much confusion amongst the church fathers. Therefore, the age of a belief does not make something right. What matters is whether we can find the belief in Scripture, and whether or not it is consistent with the Gospel. Paul forbids falling at the feet of tradition. Instead, Paul wants us to fall at the feet of Jesus Christ.
Elementary principles: Christianity is not about following principles or moralistic rules. According to Paul, Christianity is about a relationship with Jesus. Paul is warning against creating principles and trusting in them for salvation or godly living. These are distractions from Jesus and are not in accordance with Him.
In Him you have been made complete: Salvation is not trying to act like Jesus. Salvation is when the historical figure of Jesus comes to live inside of you. When we decide that Jesus is alive today and that the fullness of God’s deity is found in Him, then Jesus and all of His fullness is poured into our spirit through the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 6:17). When this salvation happens, we go from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive. We become complete from this moment onward. We do not need more of God or more spiritually blessings (see Ephesians 1:3). Christ has made us complete. This is what it means to be circumcised spiritually. For thousands of years Jews used outward circumcision as a sign of righteousness. But this was merely a shadow. In the New Covenant, Jesus gives His children a spiritual circumcision and righteousness. God took out our dead hearts and gave us brand new hearts.
Raised up with Him: Believers are made new through our union with Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection. Just as Jesus died and rose again, so do believers the moment they believe. Our old selves were crucified and buried with Christ, and we were raised brand new creations through Jesus’s resurrection. This is the second half of the Gospel that Paul wants us to understand. Here Paul is not speaking about physical baptism. He is speaking of being spiritually baptized into Christ’s death and raised through His resurrection. Physical baptism is an outward symbol of our inner death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. Paul also states in Ephesians that believers have ascended with Christ and been seated with Him (Ephesians 2:6). This means that believers are as close to God as they can possibly be.
