Colossians 2:6
Jesus is Lord.
So act like it.

This verse comes from the apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Colosse. This was a church not founded by Paul but by Epaphras. However Paul had a real concern for the church and wrote them this letter in order to build them up.

The verses 6 and 7 of Colossians 2 are sandwiched between two strong warnings (verses 4 and 8), that the Christians in Colosse should not let themselves be deceived. So we can safely assume that our verse today contains some insight that people might be deceived about. 

But before we explore that more, let’s first have a look at some of the Greek words, to make sure we understand what verse 6 means.

The word for received is ‘paralambano’, which comes from ‘para’ (close alongside) and ‘lambano’, which means to actively take or receive something. It is an active verb. So what is it that Colossians (and by extension, us) had received? Christ Jesus the Lord. The particle in little phrase puts emphasis on the lordship of Christ. The Greek word for Lord is ‘Kyrion’, and it means someone who exercises absolute ownership rights. So we actively received Jesus as our Lord. This goes beyond receiving Jesus as your Savior. Receiving Jesus as your Savior is simple. Just believe (accept) that He is the promised Messiah who died for your sins. Receiving Jesus as your Lord involves the decision to no longer live for yourself, but for Him. It involves daily denial of self in order to seek God’s will rather than your own.

So what should we do if we accepted Jesus as our Lord/owner? We should walk in Him, ‘peripateite en auto’. ‘Peripateite’ comes from ‘peri’ (around) and ‘pateo’, to tread. This word can be literally translated as to walk, or to walk about, but it can also be used to express the thought to regulate one’s life, to conduct oneself. ‘En auto’ means in him. So we have to regulate our life ‘in Christ’, in union with Christ. Walk where he walks, or better, walk where He wants us to walk. Do the things He commanded us to do.

So Paul is saying that if we accepted Jesus as Lord, then we should do those things that Christ wants us to do. And this is something we should not be deceived about.

Apparently there are Christians who are deceived about this, who are not doing the things God wants them to do. Why would that be the case? Probably because they believe that their conduct does not really matter. Since they are Christians, they will go to heaven. Their eternal destiny is secure. Their sins are, and will be, forgiven. Hence their conduct does not really matter.

This is indeed what Christians can be deceived about. Read what Paul has to say about this thought in his letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

God will pay us back according to our works (Matt 16:27, Rev 22:12), whether we have done good or evil. This is not about our entrance into heaven, but about our rewards and treasure in heaven. And this is indeed something that scores of Christians are deceived about.