The Bible is full of warnings against all kinds of deception—things that, if we give in to them, will ultimately rob us of our faith. That is a message no Christian wants to hear: the possibility of losing one’s faith. I have sometimes called it the Bible’s greatest secret.
All these deceptions prey on something you, as a believer, apparently lack. They lead you to believe that you have a problem in your relationship with God—that you’re a bad Christian and need to try harder and do better. Perhaps at some point you even begin to doubt whether the Lord still loves you. Whatever it may be, this problem can be ‘solved’ because the deceiver then offers his own ‘solution,’ which misleads you and actually drives you even further away from God.
We find these same principles in the Letter to the Colossians as well, and we’ll try to bring them out a little.
Preliminary advice:
Pick up your Bible and read the passage in the Letter to the Colossians
and ‘examine whether these things are so’ (Acts 17:11).
Believing and Bearing Fruit
It begins with the observation in chapter 1 that they have heard and believed the gospel (1:3-5). The gospel has borne fruit from the very beginning (1:6), yet Paul prays for them that they may be filled with the knowledge of His will (1:9), so that their lives may be more in harmony with the Lord, they may bear even more fruit, and they may grow in the knowledge of God.
- It is striking that this begins right away with bearing fruit and the idea that it is normal for us to grow in faith and thus bear more fruit.
- But the devil is always trying to make us believe that we lack fruit. We always fall short, and so the call is: there’s more!
Joy and Gratitude
Next, there is joy (1:11) and thanksgiving to the Father (1:12). That should—and must—be the first thing a believer experiences after accepting Christ. Just read the following verses (1:12–14).
“We give thanks to the Father, who has made us fit to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love. In Him we have redemption through His blood, namely, the forgiveness of sins.”
- Just think about why we should thank God the Father! He has already prepared us and done everything for us so that we may one day receive an inheritance with Christ. So this is about life after this life—about eternity! That is why we have turned to God and accepted the Lord Jesus as our Savior—so that we won’t end up in hell, but will be with the Lord Jesus for eternity. Saved forever!
- To that end, He has drawn us out of darkness and has already placed us in ‘the kingdom of the Son of His love.’ He was able to do this because our salvation—the forgiveness of our sins—has been granted to us through the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross, the Son of God’s love. He gave His life for me and shed His blood.
- What God has done for us and in us through Christ must be—and remain—the foundation of our lives. The only way to keep that alive is to thank the Father and the Lord Jesus for it every day. ‘Daily offerings of praise and thanksgiving’ are the fuel for our life of faith. It is the priestly service that our God expects from each of His children. When you notice that your gratitude and praise are waning—or perhaps have even disappeared at some point—you must take that to the Lord and start over.
- So I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the letter preceding the Epistle to the Colossians is the Epistle to the Philippians. That entire letter is about: “Rejoice in the Lord!”
The Glory of Christ
In verses 15 through 22, we find statements about the Lord Jesus Christ. Great and wonderful things are said about Him. I am not going to list them all here or comment on them. But read the verses and marvel at who Christ is: the One in whom we can see the invisible God. He is the Firstborn of all creation, both visible and invisible. He created everything and sustains it all, holding it together.
Furthermore, verses 19–22 once again—though in slightly different words—emphasize that the Father sent His Son. He shed His blood on the cross and gave His life, on the basis of which God was able to reconcile all things to Himself—both those on earth and those in heaven. In the same way, we who were once enemies have been reconciled. That reconciliation has now become our share as well, and that is why God sees us as ‘holy, blameless, and beyond reproach’ (1:22).
These are things we must reflect on again and again, so that we may be awed by the glory and greatness of the Lord Jesus and continue to praise and thank Him.
That is, if you remain faithful …
This beautiful passage suddenly ends in verse 23 with a rather sobering statement. God the Father has reconciled us to Himself through Him—through the blood of His cross (1:19–22). But is Paul now suddenly saying that there is a possibility we might not remain in the faith? Yes, that is indeed what he says, and what’s more, he knew that he himself had to do the same: remain in the faith. At the end of his life, he writes to Timothy: ‘I have kept the faith’ (2 Timothy 4:7).
Apparently, believers run the risk of losing their faith and being ‘led astray from the hope of the Gospel’ (1:23). But then we must ask ourselves: How is it possible that people who have accepted the Gospel are still in danger of losing everything?
In fact, if you consider how Paul portrays the Lord Jesus in this passage, it raises yet another question. How is it possible that Paul writes to them that they are reconciled to God, and yet they would still lose their faith?
What could that ‘mystery’ possibly be?
In the section that follows, Paul refers to a ‘mystery’ three times, in verses 1:26, 1:27, and 2:2.
- “the ministry in the service of God that has been entrusted to me for your sake, so that I may fulfill the Word of God, namely the mystery, ”which had been hidden for ages and generations, but has now been revealed to His saints.” (1:25–26)
- “God has chosen to reveal to them the riches of the glory of this mystery ”among the Gentiles: Christ among you, the hope of glory." (1:27)
- “that we may come to the full richness of the certainty of understanding, so that the mystery ”to know God, the Father, and Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (2:2-3)
This idea of ‘the mystery’ seems to come out of nowhere, but I still think there’s a connection to reconciliation. There are two reasons for this:
- The previous section deals with reconciliation (in 1:19–22).
- The first time the word ‘mystery’ is used (1:26), Paul says that it was a mystery because for centuries it had been ‘’has been hidden, but has now been revealed to the saints (the believers)”.
When we ask ourselves what the mystery is that was once hidden but has now, after Christ’s work on the cross, been revealed, it can be nothing other than reconciliation—the reconciliation brought about by the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.
But there is also another side to this mystery, for it is not a matter of our being able to explain what the ‘reconciliation’ is that Christ brought about through His death. It is also—and above all—about this work of atonement being lived out in practice by us, believers. That we may freely draw near to God our Father and have fellowship with Him.
Reconciled to God: Free Access to the Father
We won't go into detail about reconciliation here (for more on that, see here). But in a nutshell, the most important points are summarized below.
Atonement is at the heart of the Christian faith. Atonement means that the gulf between the holy God and sinful humanity is bridged. This does not happen because God ignores sin, but because He justly judges it through the sacrifice of Christ. On the cross, God’s justice and love meet: sin is judged, while the sinner receives grace. The Old Testament sacrifices, especially the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16, were merely a foreshadowing of this reality. In Christ, the definitive atonement has been accomplished: through His own blood, He has secured eternal redemption and now reigns as High Priest in heaven.
The two goats of the Day of Atonement illustrate two aspects of atonement: on the one hand, the work that satisfies God (focused on God); on the other hand, the substitutionary atonement through which the believer’s sins are taken away (focused on humanity). For the believer, this means a cleansed conscience, peace with God, and rest in the finished work of Christ. At the same time, the spiritual life is not without growth and correction: God nurtures His children, Christ intercedes for them in heaven, and the Word of God cleanses and sanctifies them.
The conclusion is that atonement places the believer in a new position: he has the confidence to live “behind the veil”—or in ‘the Holy Place’—in fellowship with God and to worship Him. The certainty that God has fully accepted the sacrifice of His Son brings peace, boldness, and a life focused on worshiping and following Christ.
Let that sink in for a moment
Read the Bible passages about reconciliation again for yourself1, and let these things sink into your heart. That for everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, the way is open to God the Father. This is very personal: you can draw near to God with offerings of praise and thanksgiving; worship the Father ‘in spirit and in truth.’ You then find yourself in spirit in a place that Scripture calls ‘the sanctuary,’ where you can enjoy a completely personal and intimate fellowship with the Father and with the Son. It is the place where we can open our hearts to God and where He opens His heart to us through His Word.
J.G. Bellet (1795–1864) writes the following on this subject.
“The path to divine intimacy is the believer’s highest calling. God the Father does not want us merely as servants who carry out orders, but as sons who know His heart; the Lord Jesus does not call us slaves, but friends to whom He reveals everything.
Our journey begins with accepting the grace that lifts us out of our misery, but God invites us to walk further, beyond our own interests, into the depths of His wisdom. It is the believer’s unimaginable privilege to ultimately receive that “white stone,” inscribed with a new name known only to the giver and the recipient—the eternal seal of a completely unique and personal relationship with God.”
So what exactly is the problem?
When the Lord God brings all who believe in the Lord Jesus into a perfect2 If God places them in a relationship with Himself and wants them to know this position and also enjoy it in practical ways, what exactly is the problem? How difficult, then, is it for a believer to continue on this path, to hold fast to the faith, and to grow in the knowledge of God and of Christ Jesus?
The problem lies in the fact that believers experience things in life that test their trust in God. These can be all kinds of circumstances—such as sin, illness, work, marriage, and so on—that put their faith to the test. These are things that may or may not be your ‘own fault.’ You no longer feel that the Lord is aware of them, or that He is in control, and you actually feel abandoned by God. It’s as if He no longer cares for you and no longer loves you.
Then you start to long to sense or hear something from God so that you know He is still there, that He cares about you and looks after you. So that you know everything will be all right.
Let me add that in these cases, it’s not about a sudden thought or something that just crosses your mind. It’s much more about a kind of deep, existential fear that the relationship between you and the Lord is no longer right. A fearful suspicion that usually goes unspoken, but that has a hold on you and can lead to a search for a ‘solution’ and a longing for ‘more.’.
This was also a problem for Israel, and the first time we read about it is in Exodus 17. The people are traveling through the desert, and at one point they run out of water. They become discontented and put the Lord to the test by saying: “IS THE LORD AMONG US OR NOT?” It is noteworthy, by the way, that Exodus 17 also mentions two provisions from God. First, the water that flowed from the rock—refreshment through Christ from the Word (1 Corinthians 10:4)—and Moses praying—a picture of Christ’s intercession in heaven (Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1).
The next time the people of Israel felt that the Lord had abandoned them was when Moses was on the mountain and they thought he was taking too long (Exodus 32). They had forgotten the Lord and asked for ‘gods to go before us.’ We know the story of the idolatry that took place then3.
All these kinds of circumstances are precisely the situations in which Satan specializes in giving believers deceptive experiences. After all, the situation practically cries out for the Lord to reveal more of Himself. Surely there must be more to life than this? Surely life with Him is more than what I’m experiencing right now?
Beautiful arguments and empty temptations
Satan uses people to try to solve our ‘problem.’ It’s mentioned four times in chapter 2:
- ‘so that no one ’decieves you” (2:4). That is the first step: arguments that sound sound and reliable.
- ‘Be careful that no one ’carries you off as plunder‘ (2:8). If you listen to the arguments and go along with them, you’ll be trapped: ’carried off as plunder.”.
- ‘Let no one ’condemn you …‘ (2:16). However, if you believe that this is not the correct interpretation or that the methods are unbiblical, you’ll be labeled as ’wrong.".
- ‘Let no one ’deny you the prize‘ (2:18). If you continue to reject the ’solution," you will, as it were, be disqualified and will no longer be part of the team competing for the grand prize.
They’re always people who seem trustworthy, whom we hold in high regard—sometimes even family or friends. Christians who, for example, point out to you that you do believe after all and that ‘Christ is in you.’ Paul says so himself, doesn’t he? So you should be able to sense that, and if you don’t (yet), then we know something that can help you with that. Whatever that ‘something’ is, it could be anything. Here in the letter to the Colossians, for example, there’s a reference to certain customs on specific days (2:16). Things you have to do, rituals you have to perform or attend.
That’s always a hallmark of idolatry: you have to do something for it, and you have to practice it. Whereas with God—and here in this letter as well—the point is that He has done everything in Christ! The believer may (and must!) rest in that, so that you may always come to God in confidence. Speak what is in your heart and hear from Him what He says through His Word.
The Mystery as a Way of Life
When we look at the letter to the Colossians, we see a theme that runs from beginning to end. Paul begins by noting that the gospel has borne fruit among them, and he prays that they may continue to grow in it. That growth is inseparable from joy and gratitude: because the Father has drawn us out of the power of darkness and given us a place in the light, we may thank Him for that, day after day. That gratitude only grows when we reflect on who Christ is—the Firstborn of all creation, through whom all things are reconciled, both things on earth and things in heaven.
It is precisely there, in that reconciliation, that the ‘mystery’ about which Paul writes three times is found. Not a complicated doctrine reserved only for the initiated, but the simple and profound reality that Christ dwells in the believer and that the way to the Father is wide open to everyone who believes. No rituals, no special days, no ‘extras’ that are supposed to make your faith complete—that is precisely the lie with which Satan constantly tries to lure believers away from this peace. He preys on our sense of inadequacy, even though God has already accomplished everything in Christ.
Paul’s response to all those misleading ‘solutions’ is therefore not a new rule or a new effort, but a direction: “Seek the things that are above, where Christ is.”
“If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1–4).
Not because we still have to earn or achieve anything through it, but because, living out of reconciliation, we may let our hearts and minds be where our Lord is. Our life is hidden with Christ in God—that is already a settled fact—and one day it will become visible when He appears in glory. Until then, the call to us is not to seek ‘more’ in all kinds of teachings and experiences, but to live out of what is already there: reconciled to God, secure in Christ, and with our hearts fixed on Him, until we see Him as He is.
Related articles
The Blessing of Reconciliation – https://goddienen.nu/de-zegen-van-verzoening/
The Quest for Lasting Peace – https://goddienen.nu/de-zoektocht-naar-blijvende-vrede/
Footnotes
- The model of atonement: Leviticus 16:17; The doctrine of atonement: Romans 3:21–26; 5:8–11; The fulfillment of atonement: Hebrews 7–10. ︎
- The word ‘perfect’ in Colossians (1:28; 2:10) should be understood to mean ‘complete, mature,’ not “perfect.”. ︎
- See also here: https://goddienen.nu/dit-is-uw-god-israel/ ︎
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