The Believer’s Wealth in Christ – Part 1 – Colossians 2:9-12

Fourteenth lesson in a verse by verse series through Colossians. This lesson looks at the believer’s wealth he has in Christ. Sermon Outline: 1. Filled with Christ’s Fulness (Vs. 9-10) 2. Delivered from Sin’s Power (Vs. 11) 3. United in Christ’s Burial & Resurrection (Vs. 12)

1. This chapter: Paul confronts the heresy head on and dismantles it piece by piece. There is a definite tone of warning in chapter 2. Refer Vs. 4,8 & 18.
2. Key phrase: “ye are complete in him” (Vs. 6)
3. This lesson: Paul’s description of the believer’s wealth in Christ. He combats the false philosophies of the Colossian heretics by reminding the Colossian believers of the riches they have received in Christ.

Filled with Christ’s Fulness (Vs. 9-10)

1. The Self-sufficiency of Christ (Vs. 9)
   1. “His interest in His creatures arises from His sovereign good pleasure, not from any need those creatures can supply nor from any completeness they can bring to Him who is complete in Himself” A.W. Tozer p. 39 (The Knowledge of the Holy)
   2. The permanence of His Sufficiency – “dwelleth”
   3. The scope of His Sufficiency – “all”
   4. The description of His Sufficiency – “fullness”
      1. Plhvrwma – fullness
      2. To the Gnostics, this was dispersed among a series of angelic emanations but Paul denounces that idea. Christ is the possessor of all the divine attributes.
   5. The nature of His Sufficiency – “of the Godhead bodily”
      1. Christ the incarnate God.
      2. 1 Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…”
      3. Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
      4. Note: When Christ took on humanity, he did not lay aside his Deity. Likewise, when rose from the dead and ascended back to heaven, he did not lay aside his humanity. For all eternity, we will know Christ in human form.
2. The Satisfaction of the Christian (Vs. 10)
   1. John 1:16 “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”
   2. 2 Peter 1:3 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”
   3. The nature of his completeness
      1. ‘complete’ = perfect, passive, participle. Same root word as ‘fulness’ in verse 9.
      2. This completeness has been permanently accomplished on the believer’s behalf by God through salvation. It is a permanent, unchangeable reality!
   4. The position of his completeness – “in him”
   5. Illustration: A cup filled in the ocean’s fullness
   6. The description of Christ’s person
      1. Exalted descriptions of Christ’s Person, a feature of this Epistle (e.g. 1:15, 2:2-3, 2:10)
      2. Christ is further described as the head of all principality and power. As head he is above all and overall as Sovereign ruler. This speaks of His authority. As head he is the source of all life (Vs. 19).

Delivered from Sin’s Power (Vs. 11)

1. Circumcision is the prominent thought in this verse being mentioned 3 times. In the Old Testament circumcision was a sign between God and His covenant people, signifying their allegiance to him and separation from the world. Circumcision was also used in a spiritual sense in the O.T. as well. For example:
   1. Deut. 10:16 “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.”
   2. Jer. 4:4 “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart,”
2. Its Author – Christ – “in whom” & “circumcision of Christ”
3. Its Nature
   1. Spiritual – “made without hands”
   2.  Complete
4. Its End – Deliverance – “putting off the body of the sins of the flesh”
   1. “Putting off” – getting out of and away from sin like soiled garment (i.e. stripping it off). This is not something we do ourselves, it is the work of Christ on our behalf.
   2. Rom. 6:6 – Sin, as a ruling power in my life, has been rendered inoperative, in active or powerless.
   3. Rom. 6:14 – Under Grace, sin cannot have dominion over the Believer.

United in Christ’s Burial & Resurrection (Vs. 12)

1. Co-Crucifixion (Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:6)
   * Burial assumes death as a prerequisite.
2. Co-Burial
   1. Physical baptism does not produce these spiritual realities, but it does portray them most beautifully.
   2. Note: The significance these truths as seen in the rite of baptism are all but lost if the incorrect mode is used (e.g. pouring or sprinkling).
3. Co-Resurrection
   1. Faith (Rom. 10:9)
   2. Operation – working (same word as 1:29). It refers to Divine power, the power of God in operation.
4. Illustration: Watchman Nee’s testimony.
   Sin was still defeating me, and I saw that something was fundamentally wrong. So I asked God to show me what was the meaning of the expression, “I have been crucified with Christ.” It has become clear to me that when speaking of this subject God nowhere says ‘You must be’ but always ‘You have been.’…I remember one morning – how can I ever forget it! – I was sitting upstairs reading Romans and I came to the words: “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Knowing this! How could I know it? I prayed, ‘Lord, open my eyes!’ and then, in a flash, I saw. I had earlier been reading I. Corinthians 1:30: ‘Ye are in Christ Jesus.’ I turned to it and looked at it again. ‘That you are in Christ Jesus is God’s doing!’ It was amazing! Then if Christ dies, and that is certain fact, and if God put me into him, then I must have died too. All at once I saw my oneness with Christ: that I was in him, and that when he died I died. My death to sin was a matter of the past and not of the future. Against the Tide (Pg. 122-123)

Conclusion

1. Are you looking to Christ as your sufficiency for the Christian life?
2. Are you seeking victory over sin in your own power?

Sermon 14 of 28 in Colossians Series

Sermon Audio Id: 917162159202