The church in Colosse was predominately Gentile and had grown up in a pagan world. However, there were those Judaizing teachers who had come among them and sought to force Gentile Christians to become circumcised and keep many rituals of the Judaism. They had left pagan worship with all the rituals of idolatry and now faced a new challenge of those who wanted to bind the rituals of Judaism on them. Paul’s words in Colossians chapter two deals with both paganism and Jewish ritualism.
Paul reminded them of what had happened in their conversion to Christ. They had embraced Jesus as their Messiah and Lord. Paganism had elements of the gods coming and were gods living among men, but Christianity involved the reality that God became a mortal and lived on this earth. He was Immanuel, but He also was Lord and they had committed themselves to His authority (v. 6).
He uses three descriptive phrases to encourage them to remain faithful. He first uses a military term, “walk in Him” (v. 6). He was their commander in chief. There was no other commander, either in paganism or Judaism. Then he said they were “rooted…in Him” (v. 7). Like the roots of a large tree extended into the depths of the earth, so their faith had been deeply implanted in the Christ (v. 7). Jesus is Himself described as the Root of Jesse. “There shall be a root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope” (Rom. 15:12). The Colossians had been rooted in the One who is truly the Root.
The third term used by Paul is that they were “built up in Him and established in the faith” (v. 7). They had learned the truth and the truth had set them free from paganism and Judaism. When one fully appreciates this, Satan has no power to draw him away from the Lord.
Paul then warns them to beware of the danger of being deceived and carried way through philosophy and empty deceit (v. 8). Secular wisdom has its place, but it can never replace the wisdom from above. Far too many Christians have decided they know more about life and God than their Creator. The definition of philosophy is the love of wisdom, but we must never forget the true wisdom from the One who is wise!
He then mentions the danger of living by the traditions of men (v. 8). Again, let us be reminded that there are Divine traditions (2 Thess. 2:15; 3:6), and there are the religious traditions which come from the hearts of mortals. So, as you live your lives, develop your concepts of morality and marriage, and right and wrong, stay rooted and grounded in Him.