Sermon Prepared by James McCullen
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Principals of Establishing One In the Faith
Col 2:7-10

7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: KJV

7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.  8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.   9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,   10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. NIV

Introduction
A little boy regularly fell out of bed. He analylized the problem by saying I think I fall asleep too close to the edge. I think too many Christians fall asleep too close to their initial salvation experience.
 

The . . Root Principle of being Established. v 7

The . . Reasoning Principle of being Established. v 8

The . . Redeemer Principle of being Established. v 9-10
 
 

A.    Rooted In . . Grounding. v 7 a
        "having been firmly rooted. . . "

        1.    Grounded in Roots.
                "Firmly rooted"

ATR Builded up in him epoikodomoumenoi (NT:2026) en (NT:1722) autoo (NT:846). Present passive participle (rooted to stay so)

B.    Rooted In . . Growing. v 7 b
            " and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, . . ."

        1.    Grounded in Soil compaction
                   a.    "Build up in him"
                        "Established in your faith"

VIN The preposition epi (NT:1909) "upon" indicates the placing of one layer "upon" another. . . . Note also the change of tenses: "having been rooted" (perfect participle), "being" (in process of) "built up and strengthened" (present participle).

In Him en (NT:1722) autoo (NT:846). Rather than "upon" Him, . . . . Christ is represented as the sphere within which the building goes on.

Acts 20:32 "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up. . . " NASU

C.    Rooted In . . Guidance. v 7 c
                ". . . just as you were instructed, . . . "

        1.    Guided in the Faith.
        2.    Strengthened in the Faith.
 

D.    Rooted In . . Gratitude. v 7 d
        ". . . and overflowing with gratitude.

        1.    This is gratitude in abundance.

                    SONG: Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, what He's done for me
                    Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, what He's done for me
                    Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, what He's done for me
                    I never will forget what He has done for me.

Illustration
In the Life of Daniel we see his roots as a child; but we see him built up in the faith as his life goes on. The Daniel of the Lions den is the same Daniel but also a different Daniel.

Application

How about you? Having been rooted have you grown?

The . . Root Principle of being Established In the Faith.
 
 

A.    Reasoning with Christ Not . . Worldly Philosophy. v 8 a
            "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, . . rather than according to Christ. "

Philosophy Through his philosophy dia (NT:1223) tees (NT:3588) filosofias (NT:5385).
The only use of the word in the New Testament and employed by Paul because the
Gnostics were fond of it.

Acts 17:18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities," -- because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. NASU

ILLUSTRATION
Philosopher Nietzsche is responsible for the concept God Is Dead.

One Philosophy teacher wrote on the blackboard
God is Dead. Signed Nietzsche When the teacher was out of the room A student wrote Nietzsche is Dead. Signed God

Thomas JJ ALTIZER, revive this philosophy on the death of God.
I heard him speak at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville Illinois. He basically said I have looked for God in all the writings and have not found him.

These men were led astray buy philosophy and empty deceptions.
 

B. Reasoning with Christ Not . . Worldly Principals. v 8 b
        `". . . according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

        1.    Worldly Principals That are . . Traditions of Men.
        2.    Worldly Principals That are . . Elementary Concerns.
        3.    Elementary principles of thought like the ABCs

Rudiments stoicheia (NT:4747). An old word for anything in a [stoichos] (row, series) like the letters of the alphabet, the materials of the universe. . . . " the specious arguments of the Gnostic philosophers. . . "

The Gnostics were measuring Christ by their philosophy as many men are doing today.

They have it backwards. Christ is the measure for all human knowledge . . . "
 

Christ is the yardstick by which to measure philosophy and all phases of human knowledge.

Illustration
There is a school of ethics called situation Ethics. It had prominence several years ago and is alive and well today.

In a book by Fletcher he tells of a situation where an East Berlin Family tries to escape to West Berlin. All but the Mother make the escape but she is imprisoned. She discovers a rule that if a women gets pregnant she will be released from prison.

She inticed a guard and becomes pregnant. She is released and eventually joins her husband. Now who can blame her or fault her. She and her family are together and they are all happy.

Application

One thing wrong with that and this is it. It leaned on man's wisdom and man's philosophy. Listen to this verse on scripture.

Pro 3:5 - 7. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. NASU

Dan 1:8-15 8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials, 10 and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king." 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 "Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king's choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see." 14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days their appearance seemed better and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king's choice food. NASU
 

My Old Testament Professor Dr Garland said "Daniel offered an alternative but he would not have drank the Kings wine.

v 9 KJV = Godhead and this is the only time as this is the only time of this GREEK word

ATR Paul states the heart of his message about the Person of Christ. There dwells (at home) in Christ not one or more aspects of the Godhead (the very essence of God, from Theos (NT:2316), deitas ) and not to be confused with theiotees (NT:2305)

VIN The Word in the beginning was with God and was God (John 1:1). It dwelt in Him "during" His incarnation. It was the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth, and His glory which was "beheld" was the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father (John 1:14; compare 1 John 1:1-3). The fullness of the Godhead dwells "in His glorified humanity" in heaven.   2. The fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him "in a bodily way, clothed with a body." This means that it dwells in Him as one having a human body. This could not be true of His preincarnate state, when He was "in the form of God," for the human body was "taken on" by Him in the fulness of time, when "He became in the likeness of men" (Phil 2:7), when the Word "became" flesh. The fullness of the Godhead dwelt in His person from His birth to His ascension. He carried His human body with Him into heaven, and in His glorified body now and ever dwells the fullness of the Godhead. (Vincent's Word Studies N T)
 

A.    The . . Fullness Is In the Redeemer. v 9 a
        9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells . . . "

B.    The . . Form of the Redeemer. v 9 b
        ". . . dwells in bodily form,. . . "

C.    The . . Finishing of the Redeemer. v 10 a
        ". . . and in Him you have been made complete, . . . "

D.    The . . Fiat of the Redeemer. v 10 b
        ". . . and He is the head over all rule and authority; . . . "

FIAT 1. An arbitrary order or decree. 2. Authorization or sanction.
 

Conclusion

The . . Root Principle of being Established. v 7

The . . Reasoning Principle of being Established. v 8

The . . Redeemer Principle of being Established. v 9-10