Colossians 2:6 tells believers that the way they began their life with Christ is the way they should continue it. Paul’s point is that faith is not a one-time event followed by self-directed living, but a relationship that shapes daily conduct. The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the church in Colossae, a city in what is now western Turkey, to Christians he had never personally visited. He wanted them to stay anchored to Jesus rather than drifting toward teachings that sounded impressive but pulled them away from him.
As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him…
Colossians 2:6 (WEB)
What Colossians 2:6 Means
The verse begins with “As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord.” The word “therefore” signals that Paul is drawing a conclusion from what he has just said about Christ holding all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Because of who Jesus is, and because the Colossians already accepted him as Lord, there is a clear direction for their lives. The word “received” points back to the moment they first trusted him and put themselves under his authority.
Then comes the instruction: “walk in him.” In Paul’s writing, “walking” is a common picture for how a person conducts their everyday life. The image is of steady, ordinary movement, step by step, in a particular direction. To walk in Christ means to make decisions, form habits, and shape relationships with him as the one who sets the pace and the path. The verse does not promise that the walk will be easy or free of struggle. It describes the kind of life that naturally follows from receiving him.
What the verse does not do is offer a formula for success or a guarantee of comfort. Paul is writing to people who were facing pressure from false teaching, and his call is to remain where they started. The promise underneath the instruction is that Christ is faithful to those who have trusted him, so returning to him in ordinary choices is always possible.
The Context of Colossians 2:6
The letter to the Colossians is traditionally attributed to Paul, and it was written while he was imprisoned, probably in the early 60s AD. The church in Colossae was likely started through the ministry of Epaphras, and Paul had not visited it in person. Some teachers in the area were promoting a mix of philosophy, ritual rules, and claims about spiritual powers that drew attention away from Christ. Paul responds by insisting that Jesus is supreme and that in him “all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily,” which is the reason no other source of wisdom or security is needed.
Read in that setting, verse 6 is a pastoral appeal. The verses just before it celebrate the Colossians’ steady faith, and the verses just after warn them to be careful not to be taken captive by empty philosophy. Verse 6 sits between encouragement and warning, reminding them that their safety lies in staying connected to the Lord who first claimed them. The instruction to walk in him is therefore a defense against deception as much as it is a call to growth.
Key Phrases in Colossians 2:6
John 15:4
Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.
(WEB)
Jesus speaks of believers remaining in him as branches remain in a vine. This connects closely with Colossians 2:6 because both passages describe a life that depends on continuing union with Christ rather than on separate strength.
Galatians 5:25
If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.
(WEB)
Paul urges believers to keep in step with the Spirit, using a related image of steady movement. Reading it alongside Colossians 2:6 shows how walking in Christ is worked out through the ongoing guidance of the Holy Spirit in everyday conduct.
A Short Prayer From Colossians 2:6
Lord Jesus, you are the one I first received when I put my trust in you, and you remain the same yesterday, today, and forever. Help me to keep walking in you in the ordinary moments of this day, in the decisions I face, the words I speak, and the worries I carry. Where I have wandered toward other voices or other sources of security, bring me back gently to your side. Let my life be rooted in your truth and shaped by your love, so that I grow in faith and stay close to you. Amen.
