Re:Verse passage – Colossians 2:16-23 (day six)
…going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head… Colossians 2:18b-19a
God always intended to put His revelation down on paper. Something we could hold in our hands, read with our eyes, and come back to time and time again. The written Word is a thousand times more valuable than visions. I’m certainly not saying God doesn’t use visions, at least historically. What I am saying is God knew what He was doing when He put His Word in a book.
You can’t cross reference visions. You can’t know which one is from God, and which isn’t,… unless you check it with God’s written Word. This is why Paul warns against so called visions that originate from the minds of men, and he points us to Jesus, the Head (notice the play on words, mind and Head).
Be grateful for God’s gift of revelation in His written Word. It will never mislead or misdirect, and even when we get it wrong, it will always correct us.
A good reminder of the importance of written communication. We can see the written word is a very important part of God’s plan. We are believers because of God’s written word. It is a trusted source and a legal document so no one can challenge its origin. God knew what needed to be done for building trust and for consistent teaching of his Word. Without the written word, God’s laws would not be enforced efficiently by His followers and believers and would get lost in translation.
It seems to me we have followed God’s example in communication by both oral and written communication. Oral communication needs to be supported by written communication and vice versa.
A written document is a formal and a legal source of its origin. Be aware of its significance and influence.