Sermon Tone Analysis

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.

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.

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?

Jewish apologist Aristeas defined philosophy as

‘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?

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.

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.

Paul continues further describing this captivity with three things, human tradition, elemental spirits, and Jesus.

Remember with me Paul’s history.

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.

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

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.

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