Receiving Christ - Not What You Think
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him” (Colossians 2:6).
So how had they "received" Christ Jesus the Lord?
Here is a good illustration that came as a result of our recent rain. Someone said "we received a good rain from the Lord last week". He was correct and that is exactly how Paul is using the word "received" above. In His Grace God "gave his one and only Son" as a free gift to ALL the "world" (John 3:16).
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men...The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life (salvation) in Jesus Christ our Lord"(Titus 2:11; Romans 6:23))
And we should walk and rejoice in the free gift that mankind has "received". But instead those of us who believe the good news are condemned for believing the truth. But all the WORLD received him whether they like it or not. And they will receive him again when he returns, whether they like it or not. GOD sent him to be the "Savior of the world" and there is no organized religious institution which can stop Him.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him….The Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world…We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." (John 3:17; 4:14; John 4:42)
Mankind has received as a free gift the "Savior of the World". God determined to save mankind because God thinks it is the right thing to do. You can argue about it if you want but God will do just as he has promised.
So how had they "received" Christ Jesus the Lord?
Here is a good illustration that came as a result of our recent rain. Someone said "we received a good rain from the Lord last week". He was correct and that is exactly how Paul is using the word "received" above. In His Grace God "gave his one and only Son" as a free gift to ALL the "world" (John 3:16).
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men...The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life (salvation) in Jesus Christ our Lord"(Titus 2:11; Romans 6:23))
And we should walk and rejoice in the free gift that mankind has "received". But instead those of us who believe the good news are condemned for believing the truth. But all the WORLD received him whether they like it or not. And they will receive him again when he returns, whether they like it or not. GOD sent him to be the "Savior of the world" and there is no organized religious institution which can stop Him.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him….The Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world…We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." (John 3:17; 4:14; John 4:42)
Mankind has received as a free gift the "Savior of the World". God determined to save mankind because God thinks it is the right thing to do. You can argue about it if you want but God will do just as he has promised.
We should be rejoicing and thanking God that he did not leave the sinner's salvation up to a bunch of religious sinners who can rarely agree among themselves on what color the carpet should be. After 2000 years, religious folks are still arguing over who gets saved and what it takes.
While I am at it, one other thing. Receiving Christ Jesus has nothing to do with “ACCEPTING" an offer. God has not lowered Himself to make an OFFER of his Son to sinners to see if he will be rejected or if sinners are smart enough to “accept” him. Many who think so cannot even articulate what exactly they accepted and what that acceptance has accomplished in their lives.
The following is what I think Paul meant when he said “as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him”.
Sinners like me are saved from the fear and finality of death through the good news that Christ Jesus will return one day and resurrect them to life. It will be done purely as a result of the LOVE and GRACE of God as a “free gift" from our Lord Jesus Christ, and not according to any wise decision or other works that sinners must do. All a sinner can do to experience the JOY and PEACE that this good news brings is BELIEVE it (have FAITH it is true).
Personally, I “walk” in that knowledge every day of my life knowing that the best is yet to come…and I want my family and friends to do the same and not be "captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men".
The only sadness I have is that not many seem to know the truth, or care…but I’ll get over it, for my sadness lasts only for the night, and “joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5) when "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God" and understand what they have "received".
Paul expands upon this truth as follows…
“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION OF MEN, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and IN HIM you have been made complete…you were dead in your transgressions...He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us ALL OUR transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:6-15)
While I am at it, one other thing. Receiving Christ Jesus has nothing to do with “ACCEPTING" an offer. God has not lowered Himself to make an OFFER of his Son to sinners to see if he will be rejected or if sinners are smart enough to “accept” him. Many who think so cannot even articulate what exactly they accepted and what that acceptance has accomplished in their lives.
The following is what I think Paul meant when he said “as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him”.
Sinners like me are saved from the fear and finality of death through the good news that Christ Jesus will return one day and resurrect them to life. It will be done purely as a result of the LOVE and GRACE of God as a “free gift" from our Lord Jesus Christ, and not according to any wise decision or other works that sinners must do. All a sinner can do to experience the JOY and PEACE that this good news brings is BELIEVE it (have FAITH it is true).
Personally, I “walk” in that knowledge every day of my life knowing that the best is yet to come…and I want my family and friends to do the same and not be "captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men".
The only sadness I have is that not many seem to know the truth, or care…but I’ll get over it, for my sadness lasts only for the night, and “joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5) when "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God" and understand what they have "received".
Paul expands upon this truth as follows…
“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION OF MEN, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and IN HIM you have been made complete…you were dead in your transgressions...He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us ALL OUR transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:6-15)
God took all religions with their offers, acceptances, free will choices and other man made traditions and laws that were "against us" and "nailed" them to the cross.
And I for one rejoice that He did!
And I for one rejoice that He did!