Tag Archives: Colossians 2:1-23

How Deep Do Your Roots Go?

A lot of things we go through in our lives, usually stems from events and things that we’ve done or been a part of in our youth. Your personality and your mindset that you had during your youth will usually show up when you get older.

Colossians 2:1-23

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?  Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

If you look at verses 12-13, “Buried with him in baptism…  being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses…” and verse 18 “let no man beguile you of your reward.” These are key phrases. Things are hidden deep inside you. If you look at the word “deep,” it means extremely deep, such as the mountain ridge, that is 7 miles deep in the Pacific ocean, that at the 1st 100 feet, things are crushed. At 1000 feet, a car would be the size of a cube. Oxygen cannot exist, and light does not travel that fall down. The title is “How Deep do your Roots Go?” If you look at the definition of the word Roots, it means source, origin or the essential core. If you look at the dandelion, cutting it off at the surface will not kill it, because its roots go 2 or more feet. It is a parasite. That is why it’s so crucial and important that a husband and wife, train up their children; teach them the right way. In essence teaching them not their own way, but teaching them from the Word of God (Proverbs 22:6). And for those who has not parents, it is a wise thing to connect yourself to a mentor who understands the teaching of God, so that he will teach you the rudiments of growing up and being a human being in this world today.

There are things in your life that you may have forgotten about, that has been buried and covered over. But the roots are still connected to your very being, your emotions, to who you are. When you look at that aspect, there are things hidden in you that you don’t even remember, as a matter of fact, you’ve forgotten about it. But when a situation comes up and the right thing is fertilized, a connection is made to that thing, that is rooted down inside you that will cause that flower to blossom. If you were angry about something, that situation will flair up. So that old wound that was inside you, you’ve forgotten about, is now getting nourishment. A root that is in your life, a root of sin in your life, has a foothold in every aspect of your life. In your sex life, mental life, and physical life. You will do everything you can to save that root from dying because the roots go deep. Sin is a parasite. Who feeds that root? Satan with situations in your daily walk. You begin to lie to justify. When you lie, it builds another hole.  You wonder why today you have problems with smoking or drinking, or with men, or with women. It is a root that must be dug out. It is hard to dig out when you refuse to believe it exists. You can try to cut off the surface, by becoming celibate if you have sexual problems, avoidance of the situation of individuals, ignoring, becoming isolated from society, etc, but it will still continue to grow. You need to dig down and deeper to get to the root. To go deep means you need to let go of yourself. Admit to yourself, that this is who you are, this is what you have become; admit to your sin.

Colossians 3:1-5

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Why did he pick the first thing in verse 5, fornication? Because it is one of the things we most struggle with. Almost everyone in this world has a sexual issue or problem. That is the biggest problem in this society. What does it mean? They’re caught in a rooted situation that they refuse to get rid of.

Romans 12:1-8

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

 

We need to come to some sort of conclusion in our lives, do we still want to suffer from what is rooted in us? Whatever is in your past, will be in your future, if you don’t cut it down, and dig the root out.