Human Philosophy
Colossians 2:8 ESV
“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.”
We, as followers of Christ, are to see to it that we are not
victimized (that we do not become a casualty), like the prey of a predator, by
a love of secular wisdom, raising up human wisdom over the wisdom of God. This
can also include preferring one’s own thoughts to the wisdom of God, too.
I see so many “Bible studies” in churches that are not Bible
studies at all but are studies of books written by mere mortals, not divinely
breathed. They may refer to the Scriptures, and they may give the appearance of
teaching the Scriptures, but many of these are based largely in human
psychology.
Many of them are teaching a false gospel of salvation, too,
which appeals to human flesh, and which comes from human wisdom, and not from
the wisdom of God. Some of these books also include worldliness, denial of the
Lordship of Christ, and encouragements to continue living in sin.
As well, some of them also incorporate teachings from other
religions and new age philosophy, and so they push the agenda of the coming one
world religion where all religions join together in harmony and agree together
not to try to convince others of their beliefs.
But this human wisdom also comes from Bible colleges and
seminaries and secular schools of higher learning, too, many of which are
teaching what is contrary to some of the teachings of Scripture, and some of
which are teaching pastors how to market their churches (businesses) to the
world.
Human wisdom has overtaken the church in these last days
with the turning of the house of the Lord into a marketplace and thus patterning
the church gatherings after the world and its way of doing things in order to
attract the world to those worldly gatherings.
So, the gatherings of the church have largely become
Christianized versions of what the world is offering in the way of
entertainment, socialization, community involvement, recreation, fun, and
inspirational talks and motivational speaking.
In fact, the church has become so much like the world, it is
barely distinguishable between the church and the world anymore. They blend in
together, and their followers are those who are also becoming one with the world
and are raising human wisdom above the wisdom of God.
Circumcision of the Heart
Colossians 2:9-12 ESV
“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. 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, 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.”
Under the Old Covenant Relationship God had with his people,
he required them to circumcise their males at 8 days old.
But this is not the circumcision required of us under the
New Covenant. For ours is not physical but spiritual. Ours is not done with
human hands but by the Holy Spirit. Theirs was the cutting away of physical
flesh. Ours is the cutting away of self and of sin, for ours involves death to
sin.
For, when we believe in Jesus with God-given faith, we are
crucified with Christ in death to sin, we are reborn of the Spirit of God to
new lives in Christ Jesus, and now empowered of the Spirit of God we are
walking in obedience to our Lord in surrender to his will for our lives (Rom
8:1-17).
Our physical baptism with water, especially by immersion,
symbolizes what took place spiritually in our hearts when we were baptized with
the Holy Spirit in dying with Christ to sin and in being resurrected with Christ
to newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and
holiness (Rom 6:1-23; Eph 4:17-24).
For Jesus died on that cross to put sin to death in our
lives. He died to free us from our slavery to sin so that we now, empowered of
God’s Spirit, are able to live as slaves of God and of his righteousness and no
longer as slaves of sin under the control of Satan. Amen! Glory to God!
You WERE dead, Now Alive
Colossians 2:13-15 ESV
“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, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”
So, before we believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior
of our lives, we are dead in our trespasses (sins) and the uncircumcision of
our flesh. We are still in slavery to sin, under the control of the flesh and
Satan, without God, without hope, and headed to hell.
But, praise be to God, because of what Jesus did for us on
that cross, we can be delivered from our slavery to sin and we can now walk in
purity of devotion to our Lord in obedience to his commands, according to the
Holy Spirit and no longer according to our sinful flesh.
But by faith in Jesus Christ we must be circumcised of the
heart and of our sinful flesh in death to sin so that we can be reborn of the
Spirit of God in newness of life in Christ and now live no longer for ourselves
but for him who gave his life up for us. For this is what the gospel is all
about.
And we do receive forgiveness of sins, but this forgiveness
is not free license to continue living in sin. For, if we walk according to the
flesh in the darkness and sinful practices, we will not inherit eternal life
with God and we will not be saved from our sins (Gal 5:16-21; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn
1:5-9).
For, again, the whole purpose of why Jesus died on that
cross was that we might die with Christ to sin and live to God and to his
righteousness. It was that we might now be free from our slavery to sin and we
might now be slaves of Christ’s righteousness.
For, the grace of God, which brings salvation, instructs,
and trains us to say “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts and to live
self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return.
For God’s forgiveness of our sins is conditional on us no
longer living in sin but now walking in his righteousness.
[Lu 9:23-26; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Jn
1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; 1 Co 6:9-10; Rom 2:6-8; Gal 6:7-8]
So, don’t take God’s grace for granted. Don’t take his
forgiveness of sins lightly. If we live in sin we will die in our sins, not
have eternal life with God, no matter what we profess with our mouths or say we
believe in our hearts.
An
Original Work / September 26, 2011
When
in the stillness of this moment,
Speak
to me, Lord, I humbly pray.
Be
my desire, set me on fire,
Teach
me to love always.
Help
me to walk in fellowship with You,
Listening
to You; sit at Your feet.
Whisper
Your words to me,
Oh,
how gently, guiding me in Your truth.
While
we are waiting for Your blessing,
Lord,
in our hearts be King today.
Help
us to live for you ev’ry moment,
List’ning
to what You say.
May
we not stray from your word within us,
Help
us obey You, Lord, in all things,
Walking
each moment, Lord, in Your presence,
Our
offerings to You bring.
Help
us to love You, Lord, our master;
Be
an example of Your love,
Helping
the hurting, lift up the fallen,
Showing
them Your great love.
Teach
them to love You, follow You always,
Bearing
their cross and turning from sin;
Walking
in daily fellowship with You,
Making
You Lord and King.
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