We will be considering the theme for our series this month, which we have titled: Rooted and Built Up.
That statement is taken from the book of Colossians 2:6-7 KJV “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Receiving Christ and Continuing in Him.”
The emphasis in verse six is on the word received. Verse seven describes how those of us who have received Christ ought to walk in Him: “Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith.”
Note that it says, “the faith,” not just “faith.” “The faith” refers to a body of knowledge—the apostolic foundation that our faith is built upon. One way to know that a person is walking in Christ is that they are rooted, built up, and consequently established in the faith. This faith is something that is taught. No one can be established in the faith if they are not being taught. If that faith is taught correctly, the effect is that such person will be rooted and built up.
When this is done accurately, the result is that the person will be “abounding therein.” This means they will be growing and increasing in that knowledge, overflowing with thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:8 KJV “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.”
You must pay attention to this: being built up, taught, established, and rooted must be “according to Christ.” If anyone allows themselves to be cheated or “spoiled”—as the King James Version puts it—through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men and the basic principles of this world, they are not walking according to Christ.
Colossians 2:9-10 KJV “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”
In Him is the sure place to be. We have received Christ, and in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in Him! This is our foundational truth. Our goal this month is to get grounded, to be continually built up, and to be established in the faith so that no one can deceive you through the philosophy of men.
If you have not received Christ as your Lord and Savior, this is the place to start. The focus of this conversation is not how to receive, but what to do once you have received. To receive Christ means to release your faith in accepting what the Father has done through His Son, Jesus. It is believing that everything the Father accomplished in Jesus was for you. If you were the only person in the world, the Father would still have sent His Son for you. You are a worthy person; the father considers you very important. He offered His Son as a ransom, a sacrificial lamb, for us. To receive Christ is to accept by faith that His death was your death, His burial was your burial, His resurrection was your resurrection, and His ascension was your ascension.
The moment you put your faith in what the Father has done, that sacrifice becomes your portion. God is a just God and a loving Father. He did not spare sin; He punished sin in Christ so that He would not have to punish you. Anyone who ends up being punished for sin does so because they did not put their faith in the sacrifice of the Son.
What the Father did through His Son was a perfect work—the finished work of Christ. On the cross, Jesus cried, “It is finished.” The penalty of sin was paid. Because of this, we have received redemption and the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:14 KJV (In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins)
Salvation is the beginning of our journey, not the end. As we have received, so we must walk. This walk involves being “rooted” and “built up.”
The word rooted is an agricultural term. The Greek word is rhizoō (ῥιζόω). It means to become firmly planted, to be deeply established, and to draw continual nourishment from a source.
Grammatically, “rooted” is a past participle. This describes a completed action with a continuing result. You are not “about to be” rooted; you are rooted. At conversion, you were planted in the soil of Christ.
The spiritual meaning of roots is that they are hidden. While people look for fruit, God first develops roots. Roots represent intimacy with Christ, spiritual depth, conviction, and hidden devotion. Without deep roots, the storms of life will uproot a believer.
On the other hand, being built up is an architectural term. It refers to structure, formation, and visible maturity. Roots are your foundation; the building is your formation. No one can see your foundation physically, but they see your formation—your growth, your maturity, and your fruit.
Christian maturity never stops. No believer ever graduates from spiritual growth. We are “work in progress” under construction. God intentionally shapes us through His Word, prayer, trials, fellowship, and the Holy Ghost.
Galatians 4:19 KJV “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,”
The relationship is simple: roots first, then the building. A building without a foundation will collapse, and a tree without roots will fall. Paul combines these images because a believer requires both internal depth (the root) and visible maturity (the building). Rooting speaks of our relationship with Christ; building speaks of our transformation into Christlikeness.
When you are rooted, you cannot be “tossed to and fro.” You will not be a victim of false prophets or empty philosophies. I am not a pastor who is afraid for my members to attend other conferences. If you are rooted, you can hear a teaching and identify it as pollution yourself. You shouldn’t be a “baby” who depends on a prophet to coordinate your life or tell you when to travel. We must also stand in the liberty of Christ regarding our practical lives. In the New Testament, giving is not about compulsion or fear.
2 Corinthians 9:7 KJV “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
In conclusion, As you have received Christ, continue in Him. Be established in the truth. Know Him for yourself. You do not need a middleman; He is your Father, and you can come to Him at will. Lift your voice to Him this morning and express yourself based on what you have heard. You are rooted in Him, and you are being built up daily.