Taken Captive or Truly Fulfilled?

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and basic principles of this world rather than Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ who is the head over every power and authority.” – Colossians 2:8-10

Hollow and deceptive messages are all around us. Everywhere you look there are billboards, magazines, advertisements, commercials, Internet sites, radio broadcasts, and TV shows trying to sell us the next thing we “need” to be happy. How do we get so caught up in this stuff? It’s easy really. The messages about what will fulfill us are often transmitted to our minds almost subconsciously. So Paul warns us to beware, watch out, and stay on our guard against all the messages we are being sent on a daily basis about fulfillment. There is nothing easier than to be taken captive by the world’s messages that we need nice clothes, good friends, a dating relationship, a fancy home, and an expensive car to be fulfilled and accepted. Here is the problem; no one is ever going to feel complete after obtaining all these things. For only in Christ can one find the true fulfillment that each of us desires. In Christ, we will find ALL the fulfillment we need, because the secret to living a full and meaningful life lies in him. If taken captive by the messages of the world, we will only be unhappy and discontent. But when we take hold of the truth, we will find all the fullness of life in Christ.