Scripture Reading: Col. 2:8-15; 2 Cor. 3:17; 2 Tim. 4:22a; 1 Cor. 6:17; Rom. 8:4
In 2:8-15 Paul’s emphasis is that the believers are in Christ and should be according to Christ. It is a fact that we are in Christ. In verse 10 Paul says, “And you in Him are made full.” In Christ we also have been circumcised, raised up, and made alive (vv. 11-12). Paul’s writing is structured around the basic concept that everything is in Christ. If the expression “in Him” were removed from 2:8-15, the very structure of Paul’s composition would collapse.
In 2:8 Paul says, “Beware that no one carries you off as spoil through his philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.” Notice the expression “according to Christ.” Paul’s desire is that we would all live and have our being according to Christ. To be led astray from Christ is to have our being according to something other than Christ, in particular the tradition of men and the elements of the world. These two matters cover everything that is not according to Christ. Today believers and unbelievers alike live, walk, behave, and have their being either according to the tradition of men or according to the elements of the world. It is very difficult to find a person who has his being according to Christ. Nevertheless, the Christian walk should be a walk according to Christ. We praise the Lord for all the riches we have in Christ. Now we must go on to live and have our being according to Christ.
In 2:8-15 Paul lists a number of important spiritual facts. It is a fact that all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily. Christ is the Head of all rule and authority. We have been circumcised in Christ, buried in Him, raised up with Him, and made alive in Him. All these are facts. It is a fact that the ordinances in writing have been wiped out and that the powers of darkness have been stripped off. All these facts are related to the matter of what is in Christ. However, if these facts would become our experience, we must be not only in Christ, but also according to Christ. The expression “in Him” refers to the facts, whereas the expression “according to Christ” refers to experience. All those who are saved have the position of being in Christ. As saved ones, all the facts we have mentioned are ours. We have the right, the title deed, to all these facts. But whether or not our daily living is according to Christ is altogether another matter. We may have the assurance to declare that we are in Christ, but we probably do not have the boldness to say that our daily walk is according to Christ. Do you have the confidence to testify that your daily living is according to Christ? We are in Christ, but we do not have our being according to Christ. To a large degree, we live according to the tradition of men and the elements of the world. We have the facts, but we are short of experience.
In Colossians 2 Paul indicates that the Christ we have received is the mystery of God, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. Now we need to walk in Him, having been rooted in Him and being built up in Him. After giving such a word, Paul charges us to beware that no one carries us off as spoil. Having seen the wonderful fact that we have received Christ as the mystery of God and have been rooted in Him, we must now take heed lest we be carried off from such a Christ. If you cannot say that you walk according to Christ, this indicates that, in a practical way, you have been carried off from Him. You have received Christ and have been rooted in Him, but as far as your daily living is concerned, you have been carried away from Him. To fail to have our daily walk according to Christ means that we are severed from Christ. As long as we are severed from Christ, it does not matter whether we are far removed from Him or only a little bit away from Him.
For the most part, our daily walk is according to the tradition of men and the elements of the world and not according to Christ. Tradition is the main component of culture. Without tradition, culture could not exist. We inherit culture from the traditional practices of our family, society, and country. Spontaneously and unconsciously, we live according to the cultural traditions we have inherited. Furthermore, we live according to the elements of the world, that is, the elementary principles of culture. Traditions are the practices of culture, whereas the elements are the basic principles of culture. Even we who love Christ and seek after Him are still dominated by these two things. I hate any aspect of my daily living that is according to the tradition of men or the elements of the world and not according to Christ. I do not want to have my being according to Chinese tradition or according to the ethical teaching of Confucius. Many times I have prayed, “Lord, forgive me for living according to the tradition of men instead of according to Christ.” God’s desire is that we walk according to Christ. For example, a sister may be very submissive, following either the teaching of the Bible or an ethical standard that is according to her culture. Such submission, however, may not be according to Christ. God does not want any behavior that is not according to Christ.
Many saints, after they have been in the church for a period of time, begin to walk according to what may be called the local church way of life. In a sense, the church life refines our humanity. The humanity of those in the local churches is very high. However, it is possible for us to walk according to our refined humanity and not according to Christ. Instead of living Christ, we may conform to certain standards or practices. For example, a sister who has been in the church life for a while may decide to stop using makeup. But her decision may not necessarily be made according to Christ. Instead of walking according to Christ in this matter, she may simply be conforming to the local church way of life. Another example is that of a brother who chooses to have short hair instead of long hair. If this brother were not in the church life, he might prefer to have his hair long. But because he is in the church, he chooses to wear his hair short. In this matter, however, he also may be conforming to a certain way of life instead of living according to Christ. In the church life, we should not be conformists; we should live, walk, and have our being according to Christ. God’s intention is not to have a group of clean, neat, refined people. His desire is to have a group of people who have their being according to Christ. It is not sufficient just to be in Christ; we must also walk according to Christ. To be in Christ is a matter of position, but to walk according to Christ is a matter of experience. We should dress ourselves and style our hair according to Christ, not according to the tradition of men or the elements of the world.
God’s desire is that our daily walk be according to Christ. As long as we do not live according to Christ, we have been carried off from Him. Just as even a thin piece of insulation can stop the flow of electricity, so even the slightest separation from Christ can cause us to be carried away from Him. There is no need to indulge in worldly things in order to be carried off from Christ. Even if you attend the church meetings without walking according to Christ, you will be separated from Him in a practical way. In the matter of being carried off from Christ, you are no different from Christians who indulge in worldly entertainments. We have been saved, regenerated, and rooted in the all-inclusive and extensive Christ. However, it is very easy for us to be carried off from Him. Where are the Christians today who truly walk according to Christ and not according to man’s tradition? Virtually all believers have been carried away from Christ and live according to some kind of tradition. Where are those Christians who live simply, solely, and uniquely according to Christ?
The believers in Colosse were not carried off from Christ by sinful things. They were carried away by the good traditions of culture and by the elements of the world. Many Christians are like the Colossians. Although they may live according to high standards and follow the best practices, they may not have their daily living according to Christ.
Romans 8:4 is a verse that is parallel to Colossians 2:8 in the sense that it tells us to walk according to spirit. To walk according to spirit is to walk according to Christ. If you walk daily according to spirit, you will automatically walk according to Christ. If you walk in this way, you will do certain things or refrain from doing things, not because you are conforming to the practice of the local churches, but because you are walking according to Christ.
In the New Testament there are some crucial verses concerning the Spirit. Second Corinthians 3:17 tells us that the Lord is the Spirit; 2 Timothy 4:22 indicates that the Lord is with our spirit; 1 Corinthians 6:17 says that he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit; and Romans 8:4 charges us to walk according to spirit. The Spirit mentioned in 2 Corinthians 3:17 (the Greek is better rendered “the Spirit” rather than “that Spirit”) is the very Spirit spoken of in John 7:39, the Spirit which was not yet until Jesus was glorified. After His resurrection, the Lord became the Spirit who gives life to all who believe in Him. Today the Lord is the Spirit, and we have this Spirit in our spirit. Praise the Lord that we are one spirit with Him and that we may walk according to spirit!
The commandment to walk according to spirit is all-inclusive. It includes what the Bible says about husbands loving their wives, about wives submitting to their husbands, about children honoring their parents, and about parents caring for their children. All the necessary virtues, such as humility, kindness, honesty, faithfulness, and love, are included in the walk according to the spirit. God does not want us to endeavor to be virtuous, loving or submissive. He only wants us to walk according to the spirit. Oh, it is crucial for us to see this!
The book of Colossians reveals that Christ is all-inclusive and extensive. In Him we have everything, for in Him we are made full, perfect, and complete, and we are supplied and satisfied. Now we must go on to see that, for our practical experience, this all-inclusive and extensive Christ is the Spirit. Those who do not care for the experience of Christ will deny that Christ is the Spirit. But we who care for the experience of Christ must see that the New Testament reveals clearly that the Lord is now the Spirit. As the Spirit, the Lord is in our spirit. Thus, we know what the Lord is — the Spirit — and we know where He is — in our spirit. The Lord wants us to be able to locate Him. Knowing that He is the Spirit in our spirit, it is easy for us to contact Him. Should someone ask you where is the Christ about whom you talk so much, you should answer that He dwells in your spirit.
We need to apply the matter of walking according to spirit in every aspect of our daily living. For example, the brothers who live together need to apply this to their conversation with one another. One brother may be accustomed to speaking according to his mind, whereas another brother may talk according to his emotion. Both brothers must learn to talk according to the spirit. When they rise up early in the morning, they should exercise to talk not from the mind or from the emotion, but from the spirit. The brothers should pray, “Lord, grant me the grace to speak from my spirit.” However, instead of doing this, the brothers may live according to the tradition of men and the elements of the world. Although they may not quarrel with each other, they may live according to their humanity which has been refined by the church life and not live according to Christ.
A very important area in which to walk according to our spirit is our married life. It is difficult for husbands to remain in the spirit with their wives. It is easy for them to be either in the mind, the emotion, or the will. One of the most difficult things for a brother to do is to turn to his spirit in the presence of his wife. But we brothers need to learn to walk according to spirit in relating to our wives. If a brother’s wife treats him well, he may be happy. But if she is not pleasant to him, he may be offended. Instead of turning to the spirit, he may choose to stay in his emotion. But whether our wives are kind or unkind, we need to stay in our spirit. If your wife rebukes you, stay in the spirit. If she speaks well of you, stay in the spirit. If you stay in the spirit, you will walk according to Christ in your married life.
Wives also need to learn to be in the spirit when they are with their husbands. This is even more difficult than for a husband to be in spirit with his wife. Many sisters can be in the spirit with almost anyone except their husbands. When they are with their husbands, they are usually in the emotion, not in the spirit. We need the Lord’s mercy and grace to be in the spirit with our husband or wife. We must confess that, to a large degree, our married life is not according to Christ. Let us look to the Lord that He would grant us the mercy and grace to have our married life according to the spirit. This is basic and crucial for the church life. The married life is the foundation of the family life, the family life is the basis of our daily life, and our daily life is the basis of the church life. This shows the crucial importance of our married life. If we can live according to our spirit in our married life, a great many difficulties will disappear.
It is vital that we learn to behave according to our spirit at home. A brother may be careful to be in spirit with the saints, but not with his children. Actually, we should be more exercised to be in spirit with our children than with the brothers and sisters. If in our daily life at home we are exercised to live, walk, and have our being according to the spirit, our living will be according to Christ, not according to the tradition of men or the elements of the world. If our daily walk is according to the spirit, we shall spontaneously know what to say and what to do. There will be no need for regulations or a code of behavior. The Spirit in our spirit will be our unique, living regulation. When we walk according to the divine Spirit mingled with our human spirit, we shall have our being according to Christ. Then not only shall we be in Christ, but we shall also be according to Christ. May the Lord grant us the grace to go on from simply being in Christ to living according to Christ. Praise the Lord that we are in Him. Now He is waiting for us to satisfy the desire of His heart by walking according to Him.
