Colossians 2:8-9 (NASB) See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
The glorious message of the gospel and of this passage is that God does exist. He truly exists and He has revealed Himself in Christ. Christ is the revelation of God, of truth and reality, of life itself in all its origin, purpose, meaning, and destiny.
Beware of false philosophy (v.8). Some people are in a genuine search for truth and reality. They seek to learn the truth and reality of the universe and the problems that face them, but they limit themselves to the universe. This approach has one terrible flaw that leads either to incomplete or erroneous conclusions. Worldly philosophy is philosophy that follows the very same traditions that men have followed down through the ages. Worldly philosophy is philosophy that searches for reality by using the rudiments or elementary knowledge of this world.
Worldly philosophy uses only human knowledge and worldly tradition to search for the reality and truth of the world and life. The only source worldly philosophy is the world and its elements or materials. The consequence is tragic, for everything in the world—every element of it—passes away. Therefore, if a philosophy bases itself upon the elements of the world, there is no permanent answer or solution to life.
Christ is the Source of reality and truth (v.9). Think for a moment: God created the world, therefore, the answer to life and creation (truth and reality) are bound to be wrapped up in Him, not in the world He made. He is the Source to understanding the world; the world is not the source to understanding Him. True, we can look at the world and learn some things about God, but not all that we need to know. For example, the world cannot tell us how to conquer evil and death, not perfectly. Therefore, if we seek the truth only in the world, we are left short and incomplete and unfulfilled and in error. Thus, we must seek truth and the answer to all things in the Person who made all things. He alone knows the whole story.
Christ is the Head of all principality and power; that is, no rule, authority, or power stands between God and man. Nothing, absolutely nothing, stands between God (ultimate Truth and Reality).
The explanation and fate of human beings and his world are found in Jesus Christ and in Him alone. He is the only Intermediary between God and people. We can approach God only through Christ. No one else—person or force—can present us to God and make us acceptable to God. God accepts only those persons who come to Him by Christ. Therefore, truth and reality is found in the biblical Christ because Christ is the fullness of God in bodily form (Col 2:9).