Christ is copious and plentiful, He is continuously glorious. Jesus is sufficient.
The “Roman Prison Epistles”, which are comprised of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, were written while Paul was awaiting trial in Rome around A.D. 61 or so. Though Paul had never visited the Colossian church, the troubling news he received about them caused him to write and remind them of the truth about Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Paul received word of “heresy” threatening the church at Colosse. It was a mix of Christianity with “legalism”, that is, rigid rules to make people more spiritual (Colossians 2:16-17), Greek philosophy (Colossians 2:8), and mysticism (Colossians 2:18). At the core, this heresy denied that Jesus was fully God and implied He was not sufficient to meet needs.
In Colossians, Paul declares, first thing, straight away, that Christ is Lord over and Sustainer of ALL creation, and He alone deserves to be worshipped. Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”
Second, there is no reason to fear the demonic realm or become superstitious, because the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus neutralized hell’s power. Colossians 2:15 “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
Third, Jesus Christ alone is the Savior, Life, and Leader of the church, and to Him alone should the preeminence be given. Colossians 1:17-18 “And He is before all things, and in Him, all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” We love to say there is only one Name under Heaven, but if we really believed that we’d stop tagging our name on everything, and we would only celebrate one name.
And ultimately, the salvation and provision bought by Jesus Christ is absolutely sufficient and complete. Jesus alone is sufficient for our forgiveness and adoption. We don’t have to “do more” for it to be good between ourselves and God. God wasn’t kidding around when He said that His grace is sufficient for us. His provision is sufficient for us. His sovereignty is sufficient. Jesus gave Himself once for all and paid our debt, it was sufficient and there is no other work necessary for us to do so that we would be right with God. God only asks of us to believe Him and be obedient, not only do what God says but to yield and let His words change our heart. Not rules to keep but someone to be. Severe self-discipline is worthless in terms of spiritual benefit, other than submitting your body in obedience to God. All is in Him, complete transformation, complete forgiveness, complete victory and you can’t do anything to add to Christ. He is sufficient.
Jesus reigns supreme over all believers, over the church, over the world (Gr. “kosmos”), and over all creation (Gr. “ktisis”).
In a day when one religion is considered as good as another and people promise self-fulfillment and freedom without surrender to Christ, remember the truth found in Colossians, Jesus Christ is THE Way, THE Truth, THE Life, THE All-sufficient One, THE All-Powerful Lord and Savior. Christ’s Lordship is the foundation of true Christianity, and He was, is, and ever will be Lord of everything. Not “A” way, but THE way; not “A” truth, but the personification and embodiment of THE truth; not “A” life, but THE life. Philippians 2:11 “That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”