Captive according to Christ
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Intro
Intro
Last week we saw Paul beginning his section urging the Colossians with a positive encouragement.
He told his readers to hold on to the authentic teaching about Jesus and His lordship that they already received.
He implored them to continue to walk in the Lord and only talk about Him.
In our passage today we will see Paul now moving to develop an argument against false teaching.
Paul instructs his readers to beware of reasoning that will pull their lives away from Christ.
Read Col. 2:8-
Be proactive.
Be proactive.
Paul commands his readers with an imperative see to it.
Paul is using the word that means to see. In this specific context he is warning us to see something specifically.
Used with the negative particle no the word points us to the meaning -
be ready to learn about someth. that is needed or is hazardous, watch, look to, beware of
In this case he is saying, be on your guard against something that is hazardous to you.
Look carefully, watch out for.
See to it that no one takes you captive.
This is a very stark warning from Paul.
The word captive carries the meaning -
συλαγωγέω to gain control of by carrying off as booty, make captive of, rob
in imagery of carrying someone away fr. the truth into the slavery of error
Paul is using this word to create a picture in our minds.
It is as if he is calling out to us “Don’t be carried off as plunder!”
Paul is instructing the Colossians and the rest of his readers to watch out so that no one takes you captive.
Don’t be carried away from truth into slavery!
Be taken captive is in the future tense.
Paul is not warning the people because they are already captive, but that if it is not happening already, it will.
Remember with me to the praise that Paul had already given for this specific group of believers.
They were on the right track, they were doing the right things.
They were living their lives for Christ!
Paul is still issuing them this warning though.
What about us?
We need this warning and this command as much today as the original readers of this letter.
There are so many things that are all trying to get and hold our attention.
Paul’s command is to be proactive.
We saw in verses 6-7 the call to walk in Christ. This is a continuation of that call.
Being rooted and built up in Him, established in faith, and abounding in thanksgiving.
Take these things that you are learning and that God is doing in your life and keep them at the front.
Now take those things and
Use these things, use the truth of Jesus to see to it that no one takes you captive.
Paul gives us a few things specifically that he is warning against.
Paul is instructing us, his readers to beware of the things that pull our lives away from Christ.
Captive by philosophy.
Captive by philosophy.
Paul gives us his readers a few things that we are to keep watch for, the first being philosophy.
This philosophy that Paul speaks of is erroneous teaching.
In general Greek literature, the word refers to a love of knowledge or wisdom and the pursuit there of.
Wait a moment though, didn’t Paul pray for the Colossians to be filled with the Colossians to be filled with wisdom and understanding?
9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Jewish apologist Aristeas defined philosophy as
Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament The Letter of Aristeas
‘To deliberate well in reference to any question that emerges and never to be carried away by impulses, but to ponder over the injuries that result from the passions, and to act rightly as the circumstances demand, practising moderation. But we must pray to God to instil into our mind a regard for these things.’
This does not sound bad or wrong, so what is it that Paul and Timothy are writing to warn against here?
Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament The Letter of Aristeas
To deliberate well in reference to any question that emerges and never to be carried away by impulses, but to ponder over the injuries that result from the passions, and to act rightly as the circumstances demand, practising moderation.
For one the love of knowledge alone will lead us astray.
They prayed specifically for the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
It seems today, somebody and written a book, recorded a lecture, made a documentary for whatever it is that ails us.
Self help books abound in our culture. Be the bigger, better, badder you or just how to get along in life.
Not that these are all bad but as Paul says, don’t be taken captive by them!
Beware of reasoning that pulls you away from Christ.
Captive by empty deceit.
Captive by empty deceit.
The word Paul uses warns us about things without content, without basis, without truth, and without power.
Where the error of knowledge comes in is
This further description is of things that are without intellectual, spiritual, or moral value.
What things in life can you think of that may fall into this category?
I know for me personally, I enjoy watching a TV show or a movie, how many of them though would fall into this category.
I’m not saying don’t watch TV or Movies but maybe think about how much you watch.
What is the content?
Could that time be better spent?
Don’t be taken captive by things that pull you away from Christ.
Captive according to human tradition.
Captive according to human tradition.
Paul continues further describing this captivity with three things, human tradition, elemental spirits, and Jesus.
Remember with me Paul’s history.
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Phil 3:4
As a pharisee, Paul knew the importance of tradition. They had taken those traditions and passed them
If we focus on philosophy alone we focus wrongly.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon 1. Spiritual Fullness in Christ (2:8–15)
philosophy” is the product of mere human speculation and does not put its adherents in touch with divine truth.
Tradition is important to us. Issue comes thought when tradition begins to take the place of Christ in our lives.
What traditions do we have in our families, in our church?
Why do we do them?
The church as a whole has the tradition of meeting weekly, normally on Sunday mornings for worship.
Do we meet out of tradition or as Hebrews says
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
The philosophy that pulls away depends solely on human tradition, tradition that has no reference to Christ.
Beware of reasoning that pulls you away from Christ.
Captive according to elemental spirits.
Captive according to elemental spirits.
The next thing Paul states is being captive according to elemental spirits.
The philosophy that pulls believers away from Christ, carrying them away from truth and into slavery also depends on elemental spirits.
This word here is referring fundamental components or to powers that have control over events.
We can gain a some understanding to what this phrase means by looking to how it is used elsewhere.
Many people during that time fire or wind or swift air, or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water, or the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world.
Think of the altar to the unknown god that Paul used to share the gospel.
I think this is still true for some today.
People believe there is a higher power, but don’t associate that belief with the almighty living God.
We can gain some more understanding from how Paul uses the phrase elsewhere in scripture.
Paul uses the same phase a couple of times in .
In verse 3 and verse 9, the phrase is linked to the Jewish law, which is described as a kind of power set in charge over Israel like a guardian.
We also take notice from the definition of the word.
Satan described as
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
Through each of these thoughts Paul is saying beware of reasoning that pulls you away from Christ
Captive according to Christ.
Captive according to Christ.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon 1. Spiritual Fullness in Christ (2:8–15)
Whatever precise sense we end up giving to “the elements of the world,” it is at any rate clear that the real sting in Paul’s characterization of the false teachers comes in the third, negative description: it is not “according to Christ.”
Whatever the case, be it human tradition, worldly elements, the Jewish law, or Satan and his demons, whichever of these that may be drawing someone into captivity, the real sting of Paul’s command comes with his third statement.
and not according to Christ.
False beliefs and the teachers that spread them are declaring doctrines and demanding practices that do not depend on Christ.
Jesus is the one in whom God is to be found.
Not philosophy, not tradition, not elemental spirits. Only in Christ.
He is the one who through the world was created and is redeemed. He is the one who has defeated all hostile powers.
The teachers that were emphasizing this philosophy or love of knowledge that Paul was warning against may not have been denying that Christ was important and central to God’s saving power.
Rather they may have been adding to what is required.
They may have been saying you need to do more to achieve spiritual fulfillment in Christ.
The emptiness and deceitfulness of these arguments drew people away from Jesus. Carried them off as treasure, making them slaves to falsehood.
There are often so many things people try to add to their faith.
Even faith itself is exploited, if you only have enough faith.
The only way to avoid this falseness, this empty deceit, is to be taken captive by Christ.
Allow Him to be Savior and Lord of your life.
In our men’s study this week we looked at -6
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
Jam 1:
Wisdom is not evil. We should seek it and ask for it in faith without doubting.
Seeking this wisdom and becoming captive to Christ allows us to beware of the reasoning that pulls us away from Him.
Communion
Communion
As we move in to our time of celebrating the Lord’s Supper I would like each of us to ask ourselves, is there something in our lives that is attempting to take us captive? Is there something luring us away from Christ?
If there is something, take some time now and repent of that.
23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
I would like to begin this time looking at a passage in Isaiah. Listen carefully and follow along if you would like.
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Is.
In light of this passage I would like us to ask ourselves a question.
What does communion mean to me?
1 Cor. 11:27-
For one, celebrating the Lord’s supper is something that we are commanded to do in scripture.
More than a command in scripture though, it is to be a celebration of God’s gift.
The Lord’s supper reminds us that we should be thankful for the free gift of God. Eternal life.
The Lord’s supper is a time to remember Jesus life. We make a mistake if we only remember his death.
We remember the cross but we also remember a life dedicated to other people.
That is why it is a celebration.
It is also a time for us to refocus our lives to God.
If there are things we need to repent of, now is a good time.
27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
1 Cor.
27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
1 Cor. 11:23
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.