Throughout the New Testament, the charge is unmistakable: we are to guard and keep what we have already received. The apostles do not urge us to seek out new revelations or spiritual upgrades. Instead, the command is to hold fast to the gospel that was delivered to us from the beginning. This is not a suggestion; it is a matter of spiritual survival.
Jesus Himself says:
“But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.” (Revelation 2:25)
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Revelation 3:11)
We are not empty-handed, waiting for something more. We have been entrusted with a treasure—the gospel of Christ. Our responsibility is to cling to it, refusing to be moved. The warning is clear: if we let go, we risk losing our crown. This is not about striving for a reward through our own effort. It is about remaining anchored in the victory Christ has already secured for us. To lose our grip is to forfeit what is already ours.
The Danger of Moving Away
Paul declares that Christ has reconciled us to God through His death, with the express purpose of presenting us holy, unblameable, and unreproveable before the Father. This is the finished work of Christ. Yet, Paul attaches a sober condition:
“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard…” (Colossians 1:21-23)
To continue in the faith, grounded and settled, is not optional. If we are moved away from the hope of the gospel—if we allow ourselves to be swayed by other messages, philosophies, or traditions—we are spoiled. We lose the sense of blessing, the assurance of reconciliation, and the enjoyment of our completeness in Christ. The enemy’s strategy is always to distract us from the core message of forgiveness and reconciliation, to erode our confidence, and to rob us of the blessing we first tasted.
The Apostolic Pattern: Guarding the Original Message
Every New Testament epistle is saturated with this dual exhortation: remember what you first heard, and do not be moved away from it. The apostles did not labor to introduce new systems or spiritual novelties. Their ministry was to:
- Call believers to remember and focus on the original message—the gospel of Christ.
- Warn against being moved away by the teachings of men, human philosophies, or religious traditions.
Paul’s words to the Colossians are a classic example:
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power…” (Colossians 2:6-10)
How did you receive Christ? By faith—by hearing the gospel and believing. That is the only way to continue. The moment you look to something else—human wisdom, tradition, or your own effort—you are being spoiled. You are being robbed of the blessing and completeness that are yours in Christ.
What Is Lost If You Accept Another Message
If you allow yourself to be moved away from the hope of the gospel, you do not merely lose a sense of peace or joy. You forfeit the very ground of your reconciliation and completeness. You are no longer walking in the reality of being presented holy and unblameable before God. Instead, you are left vulnerable to deception, spiritual loss, and a return to the bondage of self-effort and uncertainty. The gospel is not one option among many—it is the only ground on which you stand before God. To accept another message is to abandon your inheritance, your sonship, and your crown.
The Only Way Forward: Perseverance in the Gospel
The enemy’s goal is always to undermine your assurance by shifting your focus away from Christ and His finished work. But God’s way is clear: walk in Christ as you received Him—by faith, rooted and built up in Him, established in the gospel, abounding in thanksgiving. This is how you remain strong, how you enjoy the blessing of forgiveness and reconciliation, and how you are presented holy and unblameable before God.
Do not be deceived by those who offer spiritual progress through anything other than Christ. You are already complete in Him. Hold fast to what you have received. This is not a secondary matter—it is the very heart of your salvation and inheritance. Let no one take your crown.
