-  Beware of the "Stoicheia"

Paul sent this letter to the Colossian church when he heard about
their faith in Christ and the love that they had among them. And he is
encouraging them to be filled with the knowledge of God (1:9). Not
only that he i encouraging the church, but also warning them about the
deceptive teaching which Paul called "deceptive philosophy (2:8)" and
"worldly teachings (Gk. stoicheia) (2:20)". Than what was the
dangerous teaching that was rampant among the church? And how did it
affect them (2:4)?

- Dominion of Darkness and the Glory of Christ

As you can tell from what Paul said that they died to the "stoicheia"
with Christ (3:3), which means they once walked under the dominion of
darkness (1:13) with the "stoicheia" and not under the glory of Christ
with the knowledge of God (1:9-12). You can see the absolute
distinction between those two. And the walk under the dominion of
darkness is described specifically in chapter 3 with the list of acts
that belongs to the earthly fresh.

-  The Body that Belongs to the World

So one of the things that Paul is warning the church in this letter is
that we should not keep following the "stoicheia" as if we still
belong to the early flesh (2:20). Because we died with Christ to take
off our old self and was renewed to put on the new self (3:7-10). By
the redemption in Jesus Christ, we became the part of His body and not
of the world's (3:1-3).

One of the problems in the Colossian church is that there were some
people who still walk as if they were under the dominion of Darkness
(2:20). Even though their sins were forgiven by the redemption
(1:13-14, 2:11-13). So Paul is teaching them not to walk in the ways
that they used to live with the earthly flesh. And to let go the
"stoicheia" and live their lives according to the true knowledge of
God (2:6-7). So you can tell that there is a direct relation between
the knowledge and teachings and the way people walk their lives. And
this is why paul is not just warning the church about the dangerous
teaching but praying for them that they will be filled with knowledge
of God and to live a life worthy of the Lord in 1:9-12.

-  The Life Worthy of the Lord

Than how should we live our lives worthy of the Lord? As Paul wrote in
3:12-17, we have to love each other in Christ and have ourselves
filled with thanks giving to the Lord all the time. Because these are
what Jesus Christ did for the Church the body of His (2:19, 3:13). For
He is the head of his body, the church. He is the model of our lives.
It is very clear that the life that belongs to the earthly nature,
like evil desires and greed (2:5-9).

-  Love and Thanksgiving

As Paul taught the Colossian church, the churches always have to be
filled with love and thanksgiving (2:6-7, 3:12-17). So when Paul talks
about "the life worthy of God", he is not just talking about the lives
of individuals but the life as the entire church. What Paul taught the
church is to bear with each other, admonish each other, and to love
one another (3:12-14). And Paul himself became the example for them of
the love and thanksgiving, by loving them and praying for them.
Because this is what Christ did for Paul and the reason that he became
the servant for the church that proclaim Christ (2:24-29). And Christ
himself is the true knowledge and wisdom. So by understating the
wisdom of God, we will live our life worthy of God (1:10).