For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 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.
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
(Colossians 2:1-10 ESV)

The dividing point in the church is – and probably will always be – the specifics of our beliefs. Most of us agree the fundamentals of doctrine. Creation, the deity of Jesus, virgin birth, sinless life, death, resurrection, the second coming, salvation by grace through faith, etc… we are all on the same page. Yet, we seem to find non-issues that we can carry flags for… but I won’t go into a list of those things… because I might start planting my flag.

Yet this passage, which talks about not being taken captive by plausible arguments, uses a very interesting phrase… check this out…

… to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge… For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

The scriptures are full of great secrets for the Holy Spirit to illuminate for us… but the answer is never in getting the details right… the answer is always found in being in Christ. If you want to get where wisdom and knowledge rest, then you need to get in Christ.

We should always be drawing near to the one who saves, heals, delivers and purchases out freedom for freedom sake! In Him we find all we need.

So today we lay down our banners of calvinism, arminianism, pre/mid/post tribulation, cessationist, charismatic, republican, democrat, liturgical, evangelical, excitable… and we pick up out banner whose name is Jesus! Because in Him and Him alone is there everything we need!