Avoid Spiritual Slavery in False-Teaching by Walking in Fullness with Christ
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Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Your thinking follows your identity, and your behaviour largely follows your thinking. And so you can attempt to change your thinking, all you want but if not rooted in a change in who you are ie. NBA coach - … So too start to change behaviours saying no too bad things, super serious about good - bahviour modification - but often the result is not lasting and - why human being, not human doingsor thinkings. Tehe true story behind CatchMe If You Can - con atrist - change his idenitty - start thinking like Alabama lawyer, or Delta Airlines pilot - assume that identity then his thinking and behaviour followed. Pauls concern in this letter is taht this troubled church - members live out Christaini matiryity,a dn jeporoadized by stuff like legalism, mysticism, false will-worship resulted in bad behviours, Also in thiws section see the false teaching, the bad tradition up against. But Paul says for you and me the root problem if we are not getting to Christian maturity, if pulled off course, - is our idenity.
Key Truth: When your identity is rooted in Christ, you will have fullness in Christ in thinking & behavior, and be rescued from deception!
A. Our identity is not by the tradition of Moses, nor of human philosophy or religion, but simply in receiving the Living Christ Himself.
Your identity is something recieved - handed down, no matter what you make of it - palce inhiostory, culture, family - roles you play. Even the paths of thinking, acting, associating handed down traditionss. In High School the headbangers, the jocks, the radicals, the environmentalist - way of seeinghtemselves, way of doing things. Jews looked uponthemselves as what we received from Moses, the LAw, way of life - So too human philosophies . To degree denominations like taht too. But when it comes to being a Chrstian, Paul says say seomthing radical in
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
What we were taught, what we received, not teaching about jesus Christ, theology and worldview and then code of behaviours, or a blueprint to build a kingdom and change the world. No what did you receive. Actually Who? Do you remember - the person in world history Christ - propeht, priest and king ofGod, named jesus born in his humanity yet fully God - born as ASvoir, you received Him and His work, how Jesus Christ THE LORD. Interestign in book of Actss Saviour only used 2X, but Jesusd Chrsit presented as LORD, that’s the big claim over 70x. Remember the incredible intorduction to Col, most exalted Christorolyg that Hymn - THE AGENT - first born, head, creation and church. Do you remember receiving Him? Something changed in your idienity then, and the rest of this book - what you became in Christ - in new status new ideintiy - you need to live out! The Christian life is a springing from our mystical union with Christ! Do you remember what you expeirenced when you first received Christ, united to Him?
For a lot of us that was forgiven - some of us adopted - others of truth - found in Christ as Lord - changed thinking and your behviour living - living Christ in those new realities he accomplished. Well Paul is sayingthe body of this letter, about now after you recieved him once and for all in the past now. and pay close attention to the results.
Now you are rooted in Him (that too is a perfect tense, past action with continuing conqeuqnces. Pictuer is All those realiies of Christ tapped into drawing sustaence, remember all the treausres of widom - orgnaically connected in your didnity to this Christ.
But then it says now present tense you go on BUILT UP IN HIM - picture more of a building - your living roots, a fixed foundation in the life of Christ, like my neighbours house, but then conintually built upon that is the Christian life! unity of membmers built together into palce God indwells and works in for the world, And similarly living by this faith - ESTABLISHED. Before Paul instr4ucts us how t avoid shipwreck by the deceit of false teaching and thinkging and acting - says - realize YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST. Christ is the dwelling palce, temple of God on earth now, - not temples, sacrfices, rituals. Why look anwyehere else to see and posess God than Christ. And living in him, as a consequences you can start to participate in his fulness!
And he adds those little words which are a lethal weapon against false teachinga nd false living for a Christ - abounding in thanksgiving - cheerful abiding in Christ kills wandering from his truths, really drinking deeply of Christ’s joys, living with gratitude it kills bitterness and perfeomring and pretnending, fakin it -.
and he adds those little words which are a elthal weapon aginst false teachinga nd false living for a Christ - aboudning in thakgsgiving - cheerful abidin gin Christ kills wandering from his truths, really drinking deeply of Christ’s joys, living with gratitude it kills bitterness and perfeomring and pretnending, fakin it -.
But then Paul tackles the on the ground prolbem these Colossians facing. Whole bunch of thier friends, som eof their leaders have been lured away, by some men holding out candy! They appear to be very seriuos moral, spiritual well intentioned people, who have come up with a version of Christianity - plus. Not so much that they ought right deny Chris as essential to God’s salvation, but they added to that gnostic teaching, ascetic practices, and worship of angels or at least of paying attention to angels as intermediatries, and their spirtiutal exercises - as new more effective path to be really spiritual and really full and happy! HOw does Paul say we should think of these practices and this new thought that false teachers introduced into Christ’s church?
B. False Teaching will leave you captive & empty; Living in & with Christ, free & filled
Pay attention to the main way Paul characteristizes, heresy or false teaching. Not talking about how we view Lord’s Supper, or the placeof teh law , or how celebrate the Lord’s day. Imoprtant distinctives but heresy is more at the root of our faith. Paul’s characterization of heresy is at the end of
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
By adding their gnostic deeper spiritual truths, by adding special bodliy disciplines with rigour - Christ plus - means Christ minus and no reall Christ at all. The devil can’t destory the gospel so he lies about it not only by subtracting and subsituting, but especialoly by adding to it!
Paul paints a picture of how this false teaching worked by contrasting how the Heretics looked at the world with ohow Christians did. They tauyhgt ideass of human originoin, your onipinon mine, what works well, not of divine oringin from God’s very mouth, took that teaching andthose practices and that became their focus. Not only were there teaching and practices not acco\rding to Christ - but listen it was actually in ctonast “according tot he elemental spirits/principles of THE WORLD.” What does Pual mean here? The problem is not just on the level of secret knowledge or practices like fasting or homage to angelic beings, or … .The problem is living your life not rooted in Christ, but elementary principles of this world. And for this reason Paul calls these wellintentioned sincere false teachers - MAN-Stealers. Take your idenity out of Christ and enslave you to another master!
Those elementrary spirits or princiles were angels and intermediary between the spirit world and body world. They couldn’t conceive of God invisble and pspiritual relating to the physical world which they thought was evil and lesser, and so they said that you pay atention to our system - through intermeidary being, rules - That word elements - ancient world, in Lycus valley as teaching from Laodicia shows, involved belief air, water, earth - spiritual being behind - world reduced to thises rpcincpels. Say that’s way out there, but teachoing of Prah The Secret, Norman Vincent Peal power of positive Thinking, SYNCRETISM - taking system of thinkg of the world wihtout Christ and add that to some Christianity - that becomes how you live!
But listen to how Paul responds - what he says thte antidote is:
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
Paul says - all the fullness of God is avaialable, and visible in bodily form - in Christ. Remember those charts of Christ’s role in creation, then in teh world and teh church - images God, brings fulness of God to this world He loves and is renewing First born of dead, head of new haumity new commutniy - And Paul says, you cwant fulness not by old laws, or imgained philosphies - but according to Christ you can increasingly have His Fulness - as unioted to him, you rborther and your God - you can have his fulness in you! He came and he is the head of allthose other spirits, and all those other pricniples. There’s the decision Christ pre-eminent or magical efficacy of outward rights, manipulate elements of this world? Is you r allsufficiency in Christ, is He really the head?
He came and he is the head of allthose other spirits, and all those other pricniples.
And then Paul draws up an unusual way of thinking of our identities inside or outside of Christ. It’s really what salvation is all about it. He speaks of your identity as circumcised in Christ and baptized in Christ. What is he talking about. Not the physical 8th day circucmcision, but teh spiritual reality that has to happen in us to find real fulness and real freedom.
In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
How is this Christ’s circumcision , Paul describes on the Cross how JJesus put off the body of the flesh. not speaking merely of the physical body, but of that part of our human nature that is teh seat of our corruption and passions. When you trust in Christ’s work on the Cross, taht pricniple of life has been put to death by Christ, “the whole body of flesh, the carnal nature” has been put off by Christ. It has been substantitally defeated in him. Not the cutting away of a peice of flesh - show purity rite. But reality. He goes on to compare it to our baptism, the outward sign of the same type of inward change:
How is this Christ’s circumcision , Paul describes on the Cross how JJesus put off the body of the flesh. not speaking merely of the physical body, but of that part of our human nature that is teh seat of our corruption and passions. When you trust in Christ’s work on the Cross, taht pricniple of life has been put to death by Christ, “the whole body of flesh, the carnal nature” has been put off by Christ. It has been substantitally defeated in him. Not the cutting away of a peice of flesh - show purity rite. But reality. He goes on to compare it to our baptism, the outward sign of the same type of inward change:
having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
Listen carefully before you were in Christ, those elementary spirits/principles had you in bondage, and you were in bondage to the fallen angel behind them. Spiritually look at what says:
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
DEAD! , why would you start living by rules laws, pincripcles, intermeerdiary sprits that kept you dead if you have Christ. No, a person who has Christ, rooted in begins to live from that identity. Do you understand how much that would mean to these Colsossains. Flase teaching may be saying need physical circumcision, they understood like the whole ancient world, that Circumcision meant admission in the body of of favoured people, intiatiion without which no entrance. Paul is saying, all Jews and Gentile spiritually uncircumcised - faatal barrier… no claim on God’smercy, no forgiveness, no union with fellows - But Paul says physical was just a symobl passed away, the spritiual circumcsion of your heart by Christ, that’s all that counts now. Can you say it I have had my heart circumcised by Christ, cut aaway the old self, and new life new community is whatI’ve been iniated into!?
So Paul says, you don’t only need to be in Christ - united to his death and resurrection, you need to start living and dying daily with Christ!
having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
When you receive Christ, you are not only living in HIm, but also WITH HIM. Did you catch that change: BURIED WITH HIM, ALSO RAISED WITH HIM, and now here GOD made alive together with him! Christ substantially died for you, substantially defeated the body of flesh. But now you must in practice in dayd to day life, die with Him
When you receive Christ, you are not only living in HIm, but also WITH HIM. Did you catch that change: BURIED WITH HIM, ALSO RAISED WITH HIM, and now here GOD made alive together with him! Christ substantially died for you, substantially defeated the body of flesh. But now you must in practice in dayd to day life, die with Him
Paul says, I have been curcified to the world. Do you know what that means - the old principles are like Jason Argoanuts, wax in ears, lash to mast - but just outward - nothing inward about it. But now in Christ , your appetitite for sin is dealt a death blow, not gone, but not dominating, and free to live differntly . So with him you put to death sin . And more not just the negative, but you are made alive with Him, you now already rise with him, day by day and more and more that’ the with. Phillipp Brooks is rightwhen he says, not life in heaven with him, but life now with him… That’s what pauls’s describing replaced the sinf flesh with a new pricnple of life in Christ. Not taht sin and our flesh in is entire subjecgation, but now living with Christ gainig victory and living differently.
This is the path to fulness in life, to knowing God, being made like HIm, filled with yhis joy and love and peace, his neregy for righteousness. Paul breaks out with awe at how decisive the path of Christ is and how wonderful experiencing salvation really is:
by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
The idea is that the Jews signed an IOU outlining their lives would be lived to God according to his law, but all those sins and shortcomiong, stand as IOU God holds between them and Him.
And all the other rliegions and people, and each person IOU to God according to law of God in their conscience. But the Son of God - who kept that law could pay it, and he takes that slipp with all your deficits and for God he nails it to the cross and pays all the legal dmands. You know what it feels like to have those outstanding with people, what about with God. Not only cancels erases each and everyone and whole together of those chaarges, but he sets the whole things aside says, that’s not how we are going to relate to each other any more!
What else does he says:
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
In the Cross God has disarmed those elementary spirits and rulers and authorities, dismantled that way of living , in fact like Roman conqueror, he put theose spirits to open shame on the Cross, they thought had jesus - but jesus was disarm their armour - those who would accuse, Satan and his minion,s let them say - But HE CHRIST has paid for me, with preciuos blood - and now I live in triumph with him, - why go back to way of outward ritual obedience, human philosophy - I have Christ!
Nowits time to take a step back - who are you - Bart - I Can ONly Imageine - shame, failure, - measure up, perform, pretennd, - At the table this reality is core of who I am in Christ, but also participating in that truimph with Chirst, in my own life now. REmember who you are, and it will change how you thin, what pghilosphey of life opuruse - how made irght, how ...
C. Dying with Christ to the Elementary Spirit of the World, We are Alive in Christ not the Alive “in the World”
Not speaking of the physical world, of course live , arena God is working all this out. But the spiritual system that the world represents, prince of this air, living by his rules = make you pay, forget about God, just live for feelings, experience, law to legalism…
Paul takes on the bahviours that result from outr thingkina dn ultiately from out idieniety - \with 16-19, and 20-23 by asking simple question:
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—
The type fo if, really means, Since you have died with Christ, not under that system any more , why in the world live by their rules as if they bring fulness and life and true maturity and success and furitfulness. I know you are alive in Christ, and not alive in the sytem of the world. So live by Christ’s system and his regulations not the legalism, and escapism, false willl worship of the world!
he gives us two examples of how this pertains to worship - festiveal days - as if you partake in these holy days - something magical in the days themselves. Jewish ones, including special Sabbaaths, not speaking of weekly worship and rest before Sinaai - get that idea in conference and youth events world - but also in church today, waht paul describes happening here. Myersyious worship of angels, but as intermediaryies, and he describes not biblical teaching these w\foldks had - but experience, ecstasic visions, so proud of theis secret knwoledge - - Tak ebosucre hidden corner of God’s word and make it end all and pe able - warped person!
Perhaps more a problem among some Christians today:
In his book Keep in Step with the Spirit, J. I. Packer reminds us of the need to keep Jesus Christ central. He warns of the danger of becoming preoccupied with the Spirit rather than the Savior to whom the Spirit points. Such warning applies to anything which might distract us from Jesus Christ: Should our interest shift from knowing the Son to knowing the Spirit, two evils would at once result. On the one hand, like the Colossian angel worshippers, we should impoverish ourselves by “… not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God” (). On the other hand, we should enmesh ourselves in a world of spurious “spiritual” feelings and fancies that are not Christ related and do not correspond to anything that actually exists except Satan’s web of deceptions and his endless perversions of truth and goodness. We should not take one step down this road. Questions about the Holy Spirit that are not forms and facets of the basic question, How may I and all Christians—and indeed all the world—come to know Jesus Christ and know him better? ought not to be asked. This is a basic mental discipline that the Bible imposes on us. In golf it would be described as keeping your eye on the ball
Should our interest shift from knowing the Son to knowing the Spirit, two evils would at once result. On the one hand, like the Colossian angel worshippers, we should impoverish ourselves by “… not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God” (). On the other hand, we should enmesh ourselves in a world of spurious “spiritual” feelings and fancies that are not Christ related and do not correspond to anything that actually exists except Satan’s web of deceptions and his endless perversions of truth and goodness. We should not take one step down this road. Questions about the Holy Spirit that are not forms and facets of the basic question, How may I and all Christians—and indeed all the world—come to know Jesus Christ and know him better? ought not to be asked. This is a basic mental discipline that the Bible imposes on us. In golf it would be described as keeping your eye on the ball (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1984, 92).
Spirituality is not a matter of knowing more Bible facts or having all the doctrinal wrinkles ironed out. Spirituality is not a matter of conformity to a code of rules. Spirituality is not a matter of exciting experiences. Knowledge, rules, and experiences all foster pride. Finally, spirituality is not a matter of recipes: “Do these three things two times a day and you’ll be spiritual.” Spirituality is not mechanical. These things seem so spiritual but are nothing more than distractions.
Spirituality is not a matter of knowing more Bible facts or having all the doctrinal wrinkles ironed out. Spirituality is not a matter of conformity to a code of rules. Spirituality is not a matter of exciting experiences. Knowledge, rules, and experiences all foster pride. Finally, spirituality is not a matter of recipes: “Do these three things two times a day and you’ll be spiritual.” Spirituality is not mechanical. These things seem so spiritual but are nothing more than distractions.
Can get disqualified , and ought not let tsuch peple pass udgment as if second class Christ for just gorowing in Christ -not purusing there latest fad!
An Attitude: Trust
An attitude of trust means that I confidently rely on, put my weight on, Jesus Christ
Max Anders, Galatians-Colossians, vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 312.
Can get disqualified , and ought not let tsuch peple pass udgment as if second class Christ for just gorowing in Christ -not purusing there latest fad!
Instead of that knd of religious activity what ought you and I to be engaged in: What is true spirituality:
and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
That’s what we are reminding ourselves that is at the core of Chrsitain living day in day out, and hegihtened in commujuinon, by faith take to our selves Chrsit and all his benefits… An attitude of trust means that I confidently rely on, put my weight on, Jesus Christ. Hold Fast to your Head!
An attitude of trust means that I confidently rely on, put my weight on, Jesus Christ
Come to the table you are holding fast to the Head, saying my life is to grow with a growth from God, nourished and knit togehter. But what about tomrrow when siren calls of sin come, what about next week - decisiosns about purusing success of this world vs. progress in Christ’s kingdom - are you holding to him then?
Come to the table you are holding fast to the Head, saying my life is to grow with a growth from God, nourished and knit togehter. But what about tomrrow when siren calls of sin come, what about next week - decisiosns about purusing success of this world vs. progress in Christ’s kingdom - are you holding to him then?
Set all the human ideas, relkgious practices ritual, set priests, altars, asrt, drama, and inspiriing musicals … all on one side say Alxednaer mclaeren and then set Christ - founatin ! on other… Headless horseman freaky,… but worse is a headless follower of Christ mipssible…
All these practices in 20-23 with all their ex\traibliblical rules don’t handle don’t taste, touch - focus on outwrd , legalism of biblical rules but also extrabiblibalic — rput in polace teaching of God Christ, the traditions of man - not what you are live to anym ore Alive to Christ. - asceticism all taht rule keeping, can’t get to the heart - living with Christ. That and that alone CHRIST IN MY HEART can stop the idulgence of the flesh… See when your heart is transformed, that slavery to sin is deadened, Dying with Christ, means your life is separated from old sinful dsire, from within don’t desire it the same way, well yes I do. Well like wisened old man - not itching wtih youthful pride to be noticed to get praise, not lustily scouting for sensual pleasure, not given to youthful pride. Not so much becase trying hard not to fall those things. His heart is dead to those things, can’t be enslaved. So too with Christ heart is transformed have different appetite,different taste. It has happened definitevely in Christ on the Corss, that’s your standing and identity, but noww it has to be worked in in your life. Have to die with Christ day by day and rise with Him!
Tha’s what’s valuable practical - Christ not only for me, belive that, but experience Christ died for me, and rose for me, budired, defaet4ged, then also now I diee with Christ in my own life, I rise with Him, made a live - taht’s what next week Lrod lwilling see what the pattern of that life - the Christi regularted life looks like.
But for today comiong to the table … Krakov - trupet 7000 years from wall - lord’s Supper calling to you - watch out for these dangers, make sure taking Christ and all his benefits to you - he is our death to sin and sining He is our life Our life to reightoeunsess and eteranl life..
CONCLUSION:
Fullness like TIDE = Charles Cuthbert Hall, former president of Union Theological Seminary, once likened the coming of God’s fullness in a person’s life to the coming of the tide in the Bay of Fundy, up from the unfathomable deep. “You could hear it coming, with a distant sound of motion and life. You could see it coming, with a pure, white girdle of foam, that looked like sunlight in a zone of fire. You could smell it coming, with a smell of freshness, a breath of coolness, the waft of far-off scents from breeze-blown ocean leagues. You could almost call it coming, for the heart stirred at the sight of it, and the pulse quickened at the rush of it. So Christ comes into empty human lives and fills them with His fullness.”
All teh other religiouns of the world
Fullness like TIDE = Charles Cuthbert Hall, former president of Union Theological Seminary, once likened the coming of God’s fullness in a person’s life to the coming of the tide in the Bay of Fundy, up from the unfathomable deep. “You could hear it coming, with a distant sound of motion and life. You could see it coming, with a pure, white girdle of foam, that looked like sunlight in a zone of fire. You could smell it coming, with a smell of freshness, a breath of coolness, the waft of far-off scents from breeze-blown ocean leagues. You could almost call it coming, for the heart stirred at the sight of it, and the pulse quickened at the rush of it. So Christ comes into empty human lives and fills them with His fullness.”
i.e Pacific Ocean - fulness of it, can’t put it in my cup, but it can put some it’s fulness overflowing into me… fountain, elastic soul more receive more can get!
Standard, 1995), 58.