Keeping Christ at the Center: Avoiding Distractions in Your Faith Journey
In a world full of distractions and competing voices, it’s easy to lose focus on what truly matters in our faith. The apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians provides timeless wisdom about keeping Christ at the center of our lives and avoiding the allure of false teachings and mysteries that pull us away from the truth.
The Danger of Misguided Curiosity
Curiosity is one of God’s great gifts. It leads us to marvel at creation, ask important questions, and grow in our understanding of the world. However, curiosity disconnected from truth can be dangerous.
History shows us this contrast clearly. The French Revolution, which rejected Christianity and embraced reason alone, descended into chaos and the reign of terror. Meanwhile, the American Revolution, established on principles that recognized God’s created order, had vastly different results.
Our curiosity can lead us to worry unnecessarily or venture into spiritual territories God has warned us against. The phrase “curiosity killed the cat” is a reminder that that curiosity unanchored from truth can lead to drifting and eventually spiritual death.
Paul’s Concern for the Colossians
In Colossians 2:1-7, Paul expresses his deep concern for believers he’s never met:
“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Paul was worried that the Colossians were being pulled away by the promise of mysterious and secret knowledge. False teachers were saying, “Come and let us tell you something you don’t know – and you need to know to be a Christ-follower,” distracting believers from faith in Christ alone.
The Riches We Have in Christ
Paul wanted the Colossians to understand the “riches of full assurance” that come from knowing Christ. These aren’t material riches but spiritual treasures that transform how we process life:
- holy, blameless, and above reproach before God
- God’s children, sons and daughters, coheirs with Christ
- friends of God
- members of His body, the Church
- free from condemnation
- citizens of heaven
- God’s workmanship
When we truly grasp these truths (click here for even more), the reality of the riches we have in Christ changes how we interact with our spouses, approach our work, and engage our culture. Understanding who we are in Christ transforms everything.
Beware of “Special Knowledge” That Pulls You Away from Christ
Paul warns that in Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” This directly countered false teachers in Colossae who claimed to have special, mysterious knowledge that believers needed, outside of who Jesus was. Similar threats and invitations to “experience” or “learn” from those who offer special knowledge continue to abound in our world today. We see “prophets” online claiming special messages from God about when Jesus will return or hidden meanings in Scripture. Though our curiosity may lead us to consider what they have to say, they lead us away from faith in Christ to trusting in them or their ideas. That is not the way that we are called to follow Christ!
How to Identify Plausible Arguments That Lead Us Astray
Paul warns about “plausible arguments” that sound right but lead us away from Christ. Satan used this approach in Genesis 3 (“Did God really say…?”) and when tempting Jesus in Matthew 4.
Some warning signs of plausible arguments include:
- Claims to have discovered something in Scripture that no one has seen in 2,000 years of Christianity
- Promises of “you need this” that don’t lead to greater reliance on Christ
- Adding requirements to be a Christian beyond faith in Christ
- Curiosity about things God has specifically said are not for us to know (like speaking with the dead or predicting Christ’s return)
Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing
Paul’s central message is beautifully summarized in Colossians 2:6-7:
“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
In other words, “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing”.
Paul uses several powerful analogies to help us understand how to remain faithful:
- Walking in Christ – A daily pilgrimage with Christ before us, behind us, and in us
- Rooted in Christ – Permanently anchored in Him, not blown around like a tumbleweed
- Built up in Christ – Growing on the foundation of who He is
- Established in the faith – Holding fast to the gospel that saved us
Life Application
A key to staying centered on Christ is found in the final phrase of this passage: “abounding in thanksgiving.” When we stop being thankful for Christ and all He’s done, we become restless and vulnerable to distractions.
This week, consider these questions:
- What “plausible arguments” or mysteries have pulled your attention away from Christ?
- Are you abounding in thanksgiving, or has gratitude been replaced with restlessness?
- In what areas of your life do you need to return to trusting Christ alone rather than seeking additional “special knowledge”?
- How can you help others see the sufficiency of Christ this week?
Begin by spending time each day thanking God specifically for who Christ is and what He’s done in your life. As thanksgiving overflows, you’ll find it easier to walk with Him in confidence and resist the distractions that would pull you away from the main thing – Jesus Christ.
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