BEWARE AND BEHOLD!

COLOSSIANS 2:8-23

Rick Jackson

Paul's already warned us "lest any man beguile you with enticing words" [v.4] and now he continues with his spiritual inoculations with two more warnings and a "heads up" preventative dose of very strong spiritual medicine!

I. BEWARE THE WORLD [V. 8]

Someone has wisely pointed out, "This world is no friend of grace." And that is true but the flip side of the coin is that this world is an enemy of grace, God and glory!

John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

I Jn. 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

So here Paul says, "Beware lest any man spoil you..."

1. "...through philosophy and vain deceit..."

Someone has said "Philosophy is like the blind man looking for the black cat in the dark room when the cat's not even in there anyway." Anyone who thinks philosophy is the answer is only fooling themselves.

2. "...after the tradition of men..."


Mark 7:3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
Mark 7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
Mark 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
Mark 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye

3. "...after the rudiments of the world..." Making the simple things of the world what you base things on instead of Christ... the world is sinking sand, Christ is the Rock!

II. BEWARE THE RELIGIOUS [V. 16-18]

But it's not just the secularists or the worldly irreligionists Paul warns us about but it's also the religious. Wasn't it the Pharisees and Saducees who gave the Lord Jesus the most trouble in His earthly ministry? Just because someone is religious doesn't make them Biblical. Some even may invoke the name of Christ but that doesn't make them His servants.

Matthew 7:21-25 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

The religious may try to ensnare you through:

1. Ceremonial laws [v. 16-17]

2. Weird worship [v. 18a]

They thought they weren't good enough to worship God so they would worship angels. They were proud of their humility.

Rev. 19:9-10 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy

Gal. 1:6-9 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

3. Carnal thinking [v. 18b]

(like Cain- thinking they know best) Jude 10-11a But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain,

III. BEHOLD CHRIST!

It should not be thought unusual that to look to Christ is a solution to these problems. Thus has it ever been.

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

1. The fullness of the Godhead bodily [v. 9] fully God, fully man

2. The head of all principality and power [v. 10]

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

3. The Completer (not the law) [v. 9, 10, 11-13] nautical term, in Him you are ready for the journey!

Galatians 3:1-3 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

"Salvation is not the improvement of the old nature; it is the impartation of a new nature!" -JVMcG

4. Our Conquering Hero [v. 14-15]

Rom. 8:37-39 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5. Our Commander-in-chief [v. 19-23]