Are You Rooted In Christ?

Discernment is the most important spiritual gift because it allows me to see clearly how to navigate my life. Being committed to growing my Faith builds this gift in me!

Ever heard the saying, “It’s all or nothing!” This perspective says you must choose to be all in or get all out!

But I wonder how far we can push this insight. I think there’s something better for those who follow Jesus Christ.

I prefer “All AND Nothing.”

You see, life is made up of choices, perspectives, and priorities.

But how do you know which needs to be everything and which needs to be nothing?

You will set priorities even if you don’t mean to. As they say, “No choice is a choice!” You will live based on foundational beliefs about what is most important to you. And your choices will reveal what is most important to you, even if you don’t mean to reveal it!

How you live reveals who you are.

So, what are the foundational principles of your life? How do you decide what’s most important? You do have foundational beliefs. All of us do, and even if we passively accept the principles of those around us, we still choose to do that. But what if I told you there was a way for your life to be rooted in Someone Eternal that puts all other choices in perspective and makes you genuinely human and mature?

Are you interested?

Look at our lesson today in Colossians 2:1-7:

Brethren, I want you to know how greatly I strive for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in love, to have all the riches of assured understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with beguiling speech. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so live in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Don’t you love the way Paul says things? I am particularly drawn to his phrase “assured understanding.” You see, these precious Christians in Colosse were too young in the faith to properly discern healthy perspectives and principles. They had believed the Good News of the Resurrected Jesus and embraced the life of a believer, but they hadn’t quite grown up enough to spot the errors in the beautiful words of those attempting to capture them in false doctrines. They needed more formation and rootedness in Christ to spot the weakness in ideas that didn’t measure up to the Fullness of the Faith.

They hadn’t developed enough to understand that they had to choose between all AND nothing constantly.

Paul tells them the key is, as always, Jesus Christ.

Getting the Person of Jesus right reveals ALL of Who He is and gives us the strength to accept NOTHING else. Even though he's never met them, Paul tells these believers that their communion with each other and him guards them all against false teachings. And the glue that holds them together, love, provides a powerful antidote to being deluded by bad theology.

When we stick together and understand the power of communion with each other and ALL the faithful who have ever lived, we are protected from falling for false doctrine. After all, Jesus destroyed mortality, so physical death cannot break the bonds that bind the Church together.

He also teaches them and us that this “assured understanding” is wholly embodied in Jesus Christ. When my life is focused on Jesus Christ as the True Icon of human beings, I am empowered to mine His treasures and learn “wisdom and knowledge.” My life, rooted in Him, takes on maturity, peace, and faithfulness undisturbed by what is happening around me!

Often, prideful humans wish to insist they are wise enough and knowledgeable enough without any visible connection to Jesus Christ. St. Paul insists this is not possible. Connection to Jesus is a prerequisite to true wisdom and knowledge.

Paul tells them that being focused on Jesus Christ leads to “good order and firmness” of faith.

Doesn’t today scream out for solid ground to build a life on? With all the so-called “freedom” of our society, confusion and even downright delusion seem the norm. Our children deserve a solid foundation to build their futures, and that can’t happen without the “assured understanding” of Jesus Christ. But they won’t have that rooted life in Christ if we don’t model it in front of them!

We are entering the Nativity Fast today until “the first star appears on Christmas Eve.” The spiritual discipline of fasting is meant to form discernment in you by exercising your maturity in telling your desires “no.” The basic principle is that either my stomach is in charge of me, or I am in charge of my stomach. My ability to discern essential life choices starts with my willingness to get my desires under control and learn to prioritize eternal wisdom over temporary indulgence. Fasting is necessary if I’m going to overcome my weakness and immediate desire for eternal insights. The Nativity Fast is another invitation from the Timeless Faith to take my relationship with Christ seriously.

Today, are you “rooted and built up” in Jesus Christ? Is your life marked with “thanksgiving” for the solid foundation that a focused life on Jesus Christ provides? Such spiritual treasures are available to you now, this very day, so that your life can embrace the all and nothing of living a Normal Orthodox life!

P.S. Here is an excellent resource for your Nativity Preparations: https://www.goarch.org/advent

Fr. Barnabas Powell is the parish priest at Sts. Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene Greek Orthodox Church in Cumming, GA. He is also the founder of Faith Encouraged Ministries and produces the Faith Encouraged Daily Devotional on Substack. Watch the Faith Encouraged YouTube Channel here - https://www.youtube.com/@FaithEncouragedTV