The Hinge in Colossians: Receiving Christ and Obeying Him (Colossians 2:6-7)Thursday June 4, 2026
Col 2:6-7 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 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.
The Hinge: As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so live a life in obedience to Him. [main idea]
Therefore [connector from 1:3-2:5] connects what follows to the long opening.
“These two verses sum up neatly the message of the entire letter.” N.T. Wright
The meaning of “as”.
The reference to whom you received is Christ Jesus the Lord. Lord emphasizes His authority, which you received. Just as you received Jesus Christ the Lord continue to walk or live in Him, as in obey Him (as your Savior and Lord - developed in chapter 3).
The hinge is Paul’s way of taking us from the opening - the Christ you received and all that means, to the body of the letter, live unto Him obediently because He is preeminent and all sufficient. The other uses of walk bear this out:
Col 1:9-12 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
Eph 4:1-3 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
It is the flesh that resists Him.
False teachings always diminish Christ and magnify man, appealing to man’s flesh.
Clause supporting the hinge: vs. 7.
Paul a horticultural or agricultural metaphor, a favorite of the Lord.
We have four verbs to consider: rooted, built up, established, overflowing.
Rooted:
The tree is a significant image from the garden of Eden and onward in revelation of Scripture.
Col 1:10 bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Having been rooted - there is no doubt in Paul’s mind that these believers whom he has not met are in Christ. A contributor to the power of the gospel is the firm foundation it gives to us. False teachings, human philosophies, or human schemes of ritual and denial are all shifting sand.
Psa 1:1-3 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.
Jer 17:7-8 Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord And whose trust is the Lord. 8 "For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
How does one who is walking remain firmly rooted? Roots do not prevent growth, but enables it.
Walking is linked to the OT idea of living and in particular, how one lives ethically or morally.
Think of walking, or lifestyle, as spiritual growth. How you live will directly affect it.
Being built up:
Present tense: continual process. The roots cause the growth.
The same verb is used by Paul in 1Co 3:10-14 (four times) indicating the responsibility of the teacher and the student to build.
1Co 3:10-15 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation [Paul’s stewardship], and another [another steward] is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Establishing in the faith as you have been taught:
Present again – a continuous process. The verb means to make secure. How is it different than being rooted, if it is?
Rooted (perfect) refers to you forever being secure to the root or foundation who is Christ. Established is “in the faith,” and it is by teaching.
Hidden in between these two verbs is free-will.
One has to be convinced, not forced, and that is the task of the teacher.
“The faith” would mean the Christian faith based on the Person and work of Christ, just as you have been taught.
Rooted: position. Established: continued growing awareness of position and its meaning.
Paul is challenging them and cautioning them to grow deeper in what they know (and whom they know) in order to prevent their being seduced by false teachers, “not shifted away from the hope of the gospel” (1:23).
Overflowing with thanksgiving.
The whole world has come to know the power and health of being thankful.
The first three verbs are passive while the fourth (overflowing) is active.
Rooted in Christ and still are (passive: God did it) Being built up and continuing (passive: God does it) Establish in the faith (passive: God does it)
Abounding in thanksgiving (active: you do it)
The first three participles are all in passive form and so emphasize God’s grace in the role of accomplishing our growth. The final participle is active - overflowing with gratitude, highlighting our response to God’s redemptive and renewing work on our behalf.
Thanksgiving can only come from recognition.
Conclusion:
The hinge: You received Christ Jesus the Lord, now walk in obedience to Him. Having been firmly rooted and being built up in Him and established in the faith just as you have been taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
God expects you to recognize who Christ is and what you are and have in Him.
When one is founded, built up, and established by the grace of God, that grace must humble us and produce gratitude. Those who think they have accomplished it themselves are proud and pride is a cancer to gratitude.
Thanksgiving is a constant theme throughout the letter (1:3, 12; 2:7; 3:15, 17; 4:2).
A life that is grateful is a life that is happy and fruitful. |