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 stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. As you have been taught, and as we are taught again this morning, it is expected that you keep abounding in it.”
Colossians 2:8-10 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. 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:”
Ephesians 3:16-17 KJV “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,”
Paul’s prayer is that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you would be rooted and grounded in love.
Ephesians 3:18-19 KJV “May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”
The efficacy of Colossians 2:7 is very clear. It says you are “rooted.” This describes how we are to walk in Him. This is how a believer’s life in Christ should be described. Being “rooted” means being planted. At the point of conversion and salvation, the believer is planted in Christ; they are baptized into Christ.
From the moment of salvation, the life of a believer is described by what Paul captured here: as we are rooted in Him, we are being built up. We are growing, and we are getting established in the faith as we have been taught. As we continually open our hearts to the word of God, we abound in it. We keep growing—built up gradually, continually, and consistently.
Roots determine stability. Paul deliberately used an agricultural image of a tree to illustrate this. A tree survives the storms of life because of its unseen roots. The reason a tree stands against the storms that come is its root system. Likewise, believers survive life’s challenges and storms because of their deep spiritual roots. It is vital for a believer to give themselves to the continuous learning of the Word. The key is “as you have been taught.” As you abound in that teaching, your spiritual roots get deeper by the day.
When you see Paul praying in his epistles, those prayers are an outflow of what he has already taught. Paul does not pray differently from what he teaches. His goal is to ensure that the things he has taught the believers are rooted within them. He prays so that they can be grounded in what they are learning and walk in it.
He prayed that God would grant them strength in the inner man according to the riches of His glory. His goal, both in preaching and in prayer, was that they might be rooted in Christ and brought into that experience. In Colossians, he spoke to one group, and in Ephesians to another, but the message was the same: he wanted to see believers get grounded, rooted, built up, and established in the faith.
He emphasizes being “rooted and grounded in love.” This love is not separate from Christ; it is the love of Christ. Consistency in learning is central to being rooted in this love.
Ephesians 3:15 KJV “Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,”
We are part of a big family—the family of God—scattered everywhere. Because we are one family, there should be a family teaching and a central understanding. If you are part of this family, our “diet” should be the same.
A father does not give different nutrients to his children in a way that causes some to grow and others to wither. Paul says that since it is one family, God expects each of us to have a common understanding and common ground. That ground is the love of Christ.
Any pastor or church that is not intentional about teaching the truth of the love of Christ is being reckless. If believers are not grounded in the faith, they cannot stand for themselves when the storms come. Paul paints a picture of believers who are rooted and grounded because he knows that storms are inevitable.
Jesus spoke about the house built on the sand and the house built on the rock. The storm does not give an announcement; it comes in different ways, sizes, and forms. For some, it has already come. The question is not whether the storm will come, but whether you are standing. Where are you built? What are you built upon? Are you rooted?
Ephesians 3:16-17 KJV
If Christ dwells in your heart through faith, the result is that you are built up and grounded. This is not about your location; it is about your diet. It is about what you are taking in. Do not let the traditions or principles of the world shift you from your roots. Never talk down on spiritual disciplines or your consecration. Even if you understand the dynamics of finance or life, never diminish the importance of prayer and devotion.
Sometimes, when people learn a new truth, they tend to rubbish everything else they previously knew. They might stop giving because they feel they are no longer “under the law” or under a curse. That is foolishness. The understanding of grace should not lead to a lack of devotion but should ground you deeper in the truth.
We must comprehend the depth of the love of Christ. Paul’s understanding was that God loves us unconditionally, but that understanding is not a license for recklessness.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 KJV For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
The love of Christ motivates us. We are convinced that He gave His life for us. This means we no longer live self-absorbed lives. We live for the One who died for us. Having a proper understanding of the Word means being rooted and grounded in this love so that you may be filled with the fullness of God.
Being rooted represents four key things:
Your personal relationship with Christ.
Your conviction.
You are persuaded and cannot be shifted by every wind of doctrine. You are grounded in the love of Christ.
Spiritual depth.
A robust devotion.
Your roots speak to your spiritual discipline.
Characteristics of a Rooted Believer
One major characteristic of a rooted believer is a love and reverence for God’s Word.
Psalm 1:2-3 KJV
The Word of God is what builds us and gets us rooted. We must discipline ourselves to stay focused on the Word, even when we are tired. Our life depends on it.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 KJV “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”
Notice it says “when” heat comes, not “if.” You cannot control what happens in life, but you can control how you respond. The only way to stay strong is to be constantly built up by soaking in the Word.
Another characteristic is that they remain steadfast during adversity.
James 1:2-4 KJV
Testing builds capacity. Sometimes people try to “jump class,” but life will test you at the level you are supposed to be. Patience must have its perfect work so that you are complete. A believer who is not rooted will fall like a pack of cards when challenges arise.
Matthew 13:20-21 KJV
Life, relationships, and jobs will put pressure on you. But a rooted believer stands firm even in adversity. We cannot be believers only in certain seasons; we must be believers in and out of season.
Finally, they continually draw nourishment from Christ.
John 15:4-5 KJV “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
We stay connected to the vine to keep growing.
Practical Ways to be Rooted
Consistent and Daily Bible Meditation: This must be a structured system. Do not leave it to chance or convenience. Find a time that works for your life—whether early morning or a set time during the weekend—and be disciplined.
A Consistent Prayer Life: Beyond just quick “thank you” prayers, create a structured time for deep fellowship.
Fellowship with Believers: You cannot overemphasize the need to gather. While personal study is important, we must not neglect the assembly of the saints. All of us have excuses—work, tiredness, distance—but we must treat fellowship as vital.
Accountability: Be with believers who can challenge and inspire you. Have people who know your belief system and can pray with you. Do not be a “lone wolf.” We need brothers and sisters to stand with us.
In conclusion, stay rooted. Stay grounded and Stay in the love of Christ. Deep root produce lasting fruit