Jesus is all we need!

Colossians 2:1-5

I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.

New Living Translation

One of the problems plaguing the early church was gnosticism. This belief taught in part that there was some special, secret knowledge required to be saved. This meant that only the elite, those who were "enlightened", were saved.

In this passage, Paul is clearly stating that the "mysterious plan," the secret knowledge needed to be saved is in fact Jesus Himself. If you know Him, you are saved. It is that simple. You don't have to know some secret fact or special formula. You don't have to have some strange insight. You just need to know Jesus. In Him lie all wisdom and knowledge.

Knowing Jesus is not some weird, unattainable concept. Who He is was revealed in Scripture. If when you hear about Him and what He did, you believe it and accept it, then you are saved.

Paul warned the people in his day not to be fooled by well-crafted arguments. We should heed the same warning today. Mysticism, spiritism, and all of the false religions of today won't save us. It is as simple today as it was in the days of the early church. Believe in Jesus, and follow Him. Don't look for some secret knowledge, just look for Jesus. He is all that any of us needs.