These small group studies of Colossians contain outlines, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, and applications.  Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.

Colossians 2:6-12 Inductive Bible Study

Summary– We became Christians through Christ, and should walk according to His example. Our walk is not to be shallow, but built deeply on Him, and up through Him, full of faith and gratitude. Don’t be deceived by false teachers or cultural issues, cling to Christ. He is fully God and fully man, and we’re complete in Him and ruled by him. His Holy Spirit has circumcised our hearts. We’ve been buried with Him symbolically through baptism, but raised through faith in God.

Central Teaching– According to the centrality of Christ in our lives- receive, walk in and cling to Him to succeed in the Christian life.

Key Words– Christ, received, walk, rooted, built up, established, faith, gratitude, empty, world, fullness, complete, circumcised, buried, raise, faith

Key Verse– 2:6

Ten Things this Passage Says-

1. This passage is written to Christians.

2. We are supposed to walk in Christ as we received Him.

3. We should be firmly rooted and built up in Him.

4. We are instructed to be established in our faith and overflowing with gratitude.

5. We are not to be taken captive by empty deception, tradition of man, or elementary principles of the world.

6. We should be captivated by Christ.

7. All the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form in Christ.

8. I am made complete in Him.

9 He is the head over al rule and authority.

10. He has removed the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.

11. I was buried with Him in baptism.

12. I was raised up with Him through faith in the working of God.

13. God raised Christ from the dead.

Ten Things this Passage does NOT Say-

1. We can receive Christ on His terms, and then live the Christian life on our own.

2. We can live the Christian life rooted in something else (money, position, a person, etc.).

3. We can build up our Christian life by our own efforts.

4. We don’t have much to be grateful for.

5. We’re smart enough on our own to see through any deceptive false teachers.

6. Culture trumps Christianity.

7. Christ is lacking some aspects of Deity.

8. We can be made complete through earthly methods.

9. We can’t be complete in Him.

10. We do not experience any part of Christ’s burial and resurrection.

What does this passage teach me about God?

He is our perfect example.

He roots us and builds us up.

He establishes our faith, and instructs us.

He gives us an abundance of things to be thankful for.

He is truth.

He pays no heed to the traditions of men.

In Him, all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.

He makes me complete.

He is the head over all rule and authority.

He removes the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.

He buries us with Him in baptism and raises us up with Him through faith in the working of God.

He raised Christ from the dead.

Discussion Questions-

How did you receive Christ? (V6)

How should we be walking? (V6)

What does it mean “walk in Him”? (V6) This denotes our daily conduct. To walk in Christ is to live a life patterned after His.

How can we be firmly rooted? (V7)

In Whom should we be firmly rooted? (V7)

How can we be built up in Him? (V7)

How can we be established in our faith? (V7) This refers to the truth of Christian doctrine. Spiritual maturity develops upward from the foundation of biblical truth as taught and recorded by the apostles. This rooting, building, and establishing is in sound doctrine.

How were we instructed? (V7)

What should be our attitude in all of this? (V7)

Why should we be overflowing with gratitude? (V7)

What are methods people might use to take us captive? (V8)

What is meant by “take you captive”? (V8) Here is the term for robbery. False teachers who are successful in getting people to believe lies, rob them of truth, salvation, and blessings.

What are some of the philosophies or empty deceptions spoken of here? (V8) Philosophy (love of wisdom) appears only here in the NT. The word referred to more than merely the academic discipline, but described any theory about God, the world, or the meaning of life. Those embracing the Colossian heresy used it to describe the supposed high knowledge they claimed to have attained. Paul, however, equates the false teachers’ philosophy with empty or worthless deception.

What are the traditions of man? (V8)

What are the elementary principles of the world? (V8) Far from being advanced, profound knowledge, the false teachers’ beliefs were simplistic and immature like all the rest of the speculations, ideologies, philosophies, and psychologies the fallen satanic and human system invents.

Who is the “Him” spoken of here? (V9)

What does it mean that all the fullness of Deity dwells in Him in bodily form? (V9) Christ possesses the fullness of the divine nature and attributes. In Greek philosophical thought, matter was evil; spirit was good. Thus it was unthinkable that God would ever take on a human body. Paul refutes that false teaching by stressing the reality of Christ’s incarnation. Jesus was not only fully God, but fully human as well.

How are we made complete? (V10) Believers are complete in Christ, both positionally by the imputed perfect righteousness of Christ, and the complete sufficiency of all heavenly resources for spiritual maturity.

According to the grammar of this verse, when have we/will we be made complete? (V10)

Who is the head over all rule and authority? What does that mean? (V10) Jesus Christ is the creator and ruler of the universe and all its spiritual beginnings, not a lesser being emanating from God as the Colossian errorists maintain.

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