“And not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the growth of God.” Colossians 2:19
There is a proper growth and an improper growth in the Christian life. The context of the above verse alludes to an improper growth. The Colossian believers were being robbed of their experience of Christ and the proper growth of God. Paul describes this by saying, “Let no man rob you of your prize” (v. 18, ASV). Do you know what your prize is? Your prize and my prize is Christ Himself. Our prize is our present possession and enjoyment of Christ. Do not let anyone rob you of this. It is not merely that Christ will be our prize in the future. Christ is our prize right now as a present possession. The normal Christian life is that Christ is all to us at every stage of our growth. Nothing should replace Christ in our experience regardless of where we are.
Paul exposes the things that were replacing Christ and robbing the Colossian believers: a false humility, worship of angels, being vainly puffed up by a fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head. When Paul says, “and not holding the Head” (KJV), he is telling us that there is a way to grow and a way not to grow. The way not to grow is to be focused on your self, having a relationship with yourself, your flesh, your own energy, the law, and man-made religion. That is the way not to grow. Growing comes from holding the Head. “Holding the Head” is in the present tense, which means that you are continuously holding Christ as your Head. Whenever you hold something, you handle it. The Colossian believers did not hold the Head. They were not handling Christ. Handle Christ before you handle anything, especially your self.