Don't Get Sucked In (Part 3)

Fire ants have virtually taken over the southern United States since they were accidentally transported here a few decades ago. They are amazingly adaptable, fiercely aggressive, and multiply seemingly overnight. Worst of all, insecticide sprays generally can’t destroy the mound’s inhabitants. Like a mighty army they have marched in, impervious to brute force.

Scientists have now found a rather crafty way to wipe out whole colonies. Pellets of the ants’ favorite food are tainted with a special tasteless, odorless poison and sprinkled around the mound. The worker ants immediately begin gathering up the tainted treasure and take it down into the heart of the colony. Then they unwittingly feed the poisoned pellets to their queen, slowly killing her! When the queen dies, no more workers are produced, and so in a couple of weeks the entire colony starves to death. How ironic! Food that looked so good caused their starvation.

That is how it is with false doctrine. Those who lack discernment import it into the heart of the church, thinking it is harmless and in fact quite good. If any wise “ant” smells the poison and protests, he is ridiculed! And in the end the next generation starves to death spiritually.

Starved To Death

Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Doctrine, False

As we continue our study through the book of Colossians…turn to … this is what we need to consider...

Call For Discernment

Colossians 2:4 NASB95

I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.

Colossians 2:8 NASB95

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

Col 2

Colossians 2:18 NASB95

Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,

Col 2:18

Colossians 2:20 NASB95

If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,

Col

four times in this chapter Paul appeals to them for a high level of discernment that is focused on the sufficiency of Christ…we can’t get lazy with our faith...

Paul’s Formula For Greater Discernment

Don’t Be Deluded By What Sounds Good! ()

Find Your Completeness In Him. ()

Find Your Completeness In Him. ( )

Don’t Be Intimidated By Man’s View of Spirituality. ()

Don’t Be Intimated By Man’s View of Spirituality. ( )

Deal with this today!

Then throughout the rest of the letter, he spends time telling them how all this plays out practically ().

So as we examine this text we will unpack the warning of Paul to the Colossian believers...

Don’t Be Intimidated By Man’s View of Spirituality

With the overabundance of technology today, believer and unbeliever alike has access to many resources and individuals with regards to matters that fill the spiritual realm...

Some of them are good and some of them are not…and unless you have trained yourself to recognize the truth, you can easily be duped into thinking what they claim is the way it is and ought to be...

The sufficiency of Christ is being attacked on every side, either with open denials, or by implicitly communicating a need for something more.

The church today has been infiltrated by a dangerous philosophy labeled psychology that is sadly viewed as a supplement to God’s Word…that somehow your problem is bigger than what God can help you handle or speaks to in His Word and that you need man’s wisdom to overcome it...

Equally dangerous is the view that the Word of God is not complete enough and we need God to give us visions, revelations or to speak to us in ways that are different than His Word…that you can’t communicate to God until you’ve had some mystical experience…that you need something more than what God has already revealed in the Bible...

On the same plane of danger is the view that the path to righteousness and holiness is paved with poverty or deprivation…that you can’t be holy while possessing modern conveniences or until you live like a hermit...

All of these and many more find their origin in MAN, not Christ…we need to grow in our ability to know the truth, to discern these false claims and reject them as such…in some way, they all claim that Jesus and His word is not enough, that you need more…instead of relying on the concrete, objective data and principles of His Word, our spiritual life exists in the ever changing, subjective realm of what makes me feel good, or puffs me up...

Notice the word “Therefore”…in light of what he had been saying with respect to persuasive speech, worldly philosophies, etc…in light of having everything you need in Christ…this then is the conclusion of the matter...

v. 16...Let no one judge you/act as judge…translates a word meaning to pass judgment…v.18…defraud/cheat/beguile/disqualify…has the idea of condemnation…to act as an umpire in a contest and rule against you…to declare you unworthy of the reward

The point Paul is going to make in this text is that anyone who tells you that you need something more than your all sufficient Savior for your salvation, as well as your sanctification, is to be rejected. Don’t let them intimidate you!

Three views to reject…

...these aren’t the only views to reject but they can serve as models for all the others as well…many, if not all, man-made religions will fall into similar definitions of what Paul lays out for us here...

Reject the Legalist’s View (16-17)

Legalism Defined — Outward Conformity To Man-Made Rules

Legalism is a religion that centers on human works instead of Christ…the thrust of the legalistic message is a conformity to man-made rules instead of Christ.

perhaps it is observing a particular holy day or eating or not eating a certain thing, having a certain length of hair, wearing a certain thing

some of the false teachers had adopted all sorts of legalistic rules about what Christians were supposed to eat, and drink,and what they were supposed to do on certain days

some of the false teachers had adopted all sorts of legalistic rules about what Christians were supposed to eat, and drink,and what they were supposed to do on certain days...

they have no biblical justification for what they are saying at all--yet they are legalistically seeking to impose that standard on you as a test of your spirituality, or perhaps your salvation...

some of the false teachers had adopted all sorts of legalistic rules about what Christians were supposed to eat, and drink,and what they were supposed to do on certain days

rules about what Christians were supposed to eat, and drink,

and what they were supposed to do on certain days

Just so we are clear, every individual has a right to decide what he or she is going to eat, drink, wear, do on certain days, etc.

eat, drink, wear, do on certain days, etc.

but it becomes wrong when that person tries to impose that on others as a test of salvation or spirituality.

that

on others as a test of salvation or spirituality.

that’s legalism--and Paul was constantly fighting those who wanted to add rules and laws to go along with faith in Christ.

wanted to add rules and laws to go along with faith in

We see this today as someone coming to you and telling you that you're not really spiritual (or perhaps you're not even saved) if you don't keep one of their man-made standards...

Christ.

perhaps it is observing a particular holy day or eating or not eating a certain thing, having a certain length of hair, dressing a certain way...

they have no biblical justification for what they are saying at all--yet they are legalistically seeking to impose that standard on you as a test of your spirituality, or perhaps your salvation...

now we need to be quick to say that an equally dangerous heresy is antinomianism (no law)...where there is no place for obedience to the Scriptures, or adherence to biblical standards.

heresy is antinomianism (no law)

where there is to place for obedience to the Scriptures, biblical standards.

biblical standards.

Let’s be clear here as well...there is nothing wrong with a family or a church -- having some “rules of the house”...where we would say that we've decided it's best for us to live in this particular way as long as we're part of this family, or of this church…without “rules of the house” there would turmoil and chaos…it's important, though, that we make a clear distinction between "rules of the house" and clear objective biblical standards.

or a church -- having some rules of the house

- where we would say that we've decided it's best for us to

live in this particular way as long as we're part of this

family, or of this church.

it's important, though, that we make a clear distinction between "rules of the house" and clear objective biblical standards.

between "rules of the house" and clear objective biblical

standards.

the overall point is--that the false teachers had set up a system of rules and in so doing, they had undermined the pre-eminence of Christ.

rules and in so doing, they had undermined the pre-eminence of Christ.

salvation comes through trusting Him, not through adhering to man

Legalism Debunked — Inward Conformity To Christ Alone

a vision, or you've found access to knowledge apart from the Bible

Legalism Debunked

you ought not to drive a car, you ought not to have a washing machine,you ought not use modern conveniences, that if you were really spiritual, you'd live, dress, and act like some sort of a hermit.

Legalism Debunked

The law was a mere shadow of the reality in Christ.

v. 17 — a mere shadow…a shadow has no reality…it is created by light hitting something that is real…trying to hold on to a shadow is like trying to grab air in your hand...

everything about the law was fulfilled in Christ…everything about the law pointed to Christ…the law was the shadow, Jesus is the reality....

For example...

mana…bread from heaven…Jesus is the bread from heaven

John 6:41 NASB95

Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.”

we don’t celebrate the Passover because Jesus is the Passover...

1 Corinthians 5:7 NASB95

Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.

Why would Gentiles need to observe the Jewish Sabbath, when we can rest in Him? …the Sabbath was a day of rest and the Pharisees placed very strict regulations on what could or could not be done on the Sabbath...

Matthew 11:28 NASB95

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Hebrews 4:14 NASB95

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Hebrews 4:8 NASB95

For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.

He 4

The Old Testament regulations served a purpose…to point to Christ…now that Christ is here there is no need for a strict observance of them…to place a value on them that God did not intend and to impose that value on others is wrong and dangerous

True spirituality does not consist of merely external displays of following rules and regulations, rather it is found in an internal relationship with Christ.

Pride is the source for legalism

Their source is man’s pride.

Reject the Mystic’s View (18-19)

Mysticism Defined — Experience Over Truth

Mysticism is the belief that spiritual reality is perceived apart from the human intellect and natural senses…it is the pursuit for truth internally, giving higher credence to subjective feelings and inner promptings instead of the objective, observable, external data…if the experience doesn’t match the Bible, then the Bible is made to fit the experience or is rejected altogether as “not for today” or “not applicable in my situation”, etc.

v.18…defraud…these people had made themselves “spiritual referees” and considered anyone who did not abide by their rules as unspiritual and even unsaved...

these false teachers promoted angel worship, and other forms of mystical experiences...their view was, "you haven't had anything yet" until you've had some spooky, emotionally driven experience.

forms of mystical experiences

their view was, "you haven't had anything yet" until you've had some spooky experience.

some spooky experience.

of course, that too, is the order of the day.

Knowing God through the Scripture is passe'

learning how to live for God and solve the problems of life through the Scripture is not enough...

through the Scripture is passe'.

people today want to tell you about their experience...they want to tell you what God told them directly (even though usually what God supposedly told them contradicts his Word)

- they want to tell you what God told them directly (even

though usually what God supposed told them contradicts his

Word)

or they want to talk about the special access they have to knowledge outside of the Scripture.

knowledge outside of the Scripture.

it's very important to note that people who talk mystically may sound super-spiritual--or super pious, but actually that kind of business is the exact opposite

sound super-spiritual--or super pious

- but actually that kind of business is the exact opposite

Mysticism Debunked — Truth Over Experience

His Word

- and any attempt to add to that is undermining the

sufficiency of Christ.

Don’t allow anyone to convince you that that even though you're saved, you have not really experienced true spirituality unless you've have some para-normal experience…that some vision, or that their experience is greater than the Bible, that somehow they’ve achieved this ability to know God and speak to and hear from God in ways that are apart from the Bible.

a vision, or you've found access to knowledge apart from the Bible

If they are looking for something more than the Bible tells us or more than the Bible allows for us, it is a form of mysticism and ought to be rejected...

Mysticism Debunked

Self-abasement…false humility…and they were delighting in it…it is nothing more than ugly pride…they elevate their experience as something that caused them to look inwardly and conclude they were “so unworthy”…and then to make it worse, they make others think and feel the same way that unless that happens in your life, you won’t know God the way I know God...

Because Jesus is the sustainer of life to the church.

Worship of angels…they used the angels to get to God, and even worshipped them…worship directed at anyone or anything other than God is a violation of the first commandment...

Taking his stand…they claim their views are valid because they received a vision or heard a voice from God… I want to be very clear here, so please listen…if you hear nothing else today, please here this...

Hebrews 1:1–2 NASB95

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

Because God causes the growth of life in the church.

2 Peter 1:3 NASB95

seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

1 Peter 1:3 NASB95

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

“God has said all He's going to say to us in His Son and His Word, and by searching for more somewhere else we diminish the sufficiency of Christ.”

1 pet 1:3

“God has said all He's going to say to us in His Son and His Word and by searching for more somewhere else, we diminish the sufficiency of Christ.”

If they are looking for something more than the Bible tells us, or more than the Bible allows for us, it is a form of mysticism and ought to be rejected...

He goes on to say they are inflated without cause…the pursuit of something more apart from Christ and what he reveals in His word comes from a heart of pride…it is not about bringing glory to Christ, it is about bringing glory to self, they go beyond the teaching of Christ...

2 John 9 NASB95

Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.

Not holding fast…people who search for more fail to grasp the completeness we have in Christ...

It is Jesus who gives life to the church...

It is Jesus who sustains the life of the church...

It is God who causes growth of life in the church...

Spiritual growth only happens when we are connected to Christ as our Head and it is God who causes that growth to happen...

John 15:5 NASB95

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

We cannot let anyone who says that spiritual growth happens by any means other than an increasing knowledge of Him through His Word to gain a foothold into our lives…God says that our sanctification is accomplished by the truth, and His Word is truth…

John 12:7 NASB95

Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.

John 17:17 NASB95

“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

John 17:5 NASB95

“Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

John 17:5 NASB95

“Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

John 13:7 NASB95

Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.”

Be careful of those who want to make their “spiritual experiences” more important, more valuable than the Word of God…Again, God will not say anything more through those experiences than what He has already communicated in His Word and through His Son!

Reject the Ascetic’s View (20-23)

Asceticism Defined — Self-denial Brings Righteousness

Asceticism is simply the attempt to gain righteousness through self-denial...

For centuries the church has been intimidated by those who want to believe their spirituality (or in many cases their salvation) is achieved by advocating poverty and self-deprivation.

many cases earn their salvation) by self-deprivation.

there are examples of this all through history.

Anthony, the founder of monasticism, is said to have never changed his vest or washed his feet...supposedly, that was spiritual...

never changed his vest or washed his feet.

- supposedly, that was spiritual

Simeon Stylites spent the last 36 years of his life perched on a 50 foot pillar...supposedly, by avoiding the pleasures and influences of the world, he would be more spiritual.

perched on a 50 foot pillar.

supposedly, by avoiding the pleasures and influences of the world, he would be more spiritual.

influences of the world, he would be more

This would be someone telling you that you ought not to live so comfortably, you ought not to drive a car, you ought not to have a washing machine, you ought not use modern conveniences, that if you were really spiritual, you'd live, dress, and act like some sort of a hermit.

spiritual.

you ought not to drive a car, you ought not to have a washing machine,you ought not use modern conveniences, that if you were really spiritual, you'd live, dress, and act like some sort of a hermit.

Paul's point all through this chapter is -- Don't be intimidated by that.

here in our community who might try to impose that on you or me

as test of spirituality or even salvation.

- Paul's point all through this chapter is -- Don't be intimidated by

that.

not just, don't do that to someone else...but, don't allow someone else to do that to you.

- but, don't allow someone else to do that to you.

Asceticism Debunked —Union with Christ Brings Righteousness.

you away from your simple devotion to Christ ()

- thats why you and must be convinced about this matter of the preeminence of our Saviour

preeminence of our Saviour

you ought not to drive a car, you ought not to have a washing machine,you ought not use modern conveniences, that if you were really spiritual, you'd live, dress, and act like some sort of a hermit.

Asceticism Debunked

You died with Christ to their requirements.

You died with Christ to their requirements

v. 20,21…Paul asks why, when you have died with Christ would you want to return to the elementary principles of worldliness like do not handle, do not taste, do not touch.

Through our union with Christ, we have died to man-made rules and regulations designed to measure and promote spirituality…to do so is to adopt a religion based on elementary principles...

See what they were doing was denying the body everything it desired and needed in an attempt to free their spirit from imprisonment in the body…their focus was on things of no spiritual value...

v.22 — destined to perish…all the things the ascetic denied for themselves was meant to be consumed anyway…there is no spiritual value in keeping the commandments of men…in fact there is greater harm in doing so for it makes one believe they are okay with God when they are not...

v.23 — in fact, this might appear to make one spiritual, but the reality is it has the opposite effect…instead of helping you fight the flesh, it only serves to gratify the flesh

It is nothing less than a vain attempt to make people think you are holy, when you are not!

Spiritual maturity will only happen in us when the Holy Spirit takes up residence and begins working on us from the inside out conforming us to the image of Christ as we walk in obedience to Christ.

Everything else is like trying to get water from broken cisterns.

Jeremiah 2:13–14 NASB95

“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water. “Is Israel a slave? Or is he a homeborn servant? Why has he become a prey?

Jeremiah 2:13 NASB95

“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.

Jer

Don’t Get Sucked In (Conclusion)

None of them will help you battle sin

Don’t be fooled by the pride of others, or even your own pride into thinking that your spiritual maturity can be achieved by any means other than through your relationship with Christ and His Word.

Our all sufficient Savior provided everything we need for life and godliness; and through nailing our debt to the cross, he provided complete forgiveness and a completely new identity in Him.

Be discerning…just because it might “feel good” or “sound good” doesn’t make it truth to follow…just because an individual teacher or preacher has “celebrity status” that doesn’t mean you should accept everything they say as truth…you MUST know the truth so you can better discern the falsehoods they promote!

What are you doing to ensure your knowledge of the truth is increasing?

2 Corinthians 11:3 NASB95

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

...not so you can be filled with pride because you know more, but because you desire to find all you need in Christ.

There are always going to be those who want to draw you away from your simple devotion to Christ, which is why we all need to be convinced that Jesus alone deserves first place in everything.

Where are you looking to find your completeness? …look to Christ...

There are always going to be those who are going to want to draw you away from your simple devotion to Christ

What more are you wanting?…find it in Christ...

Who are you listening to?…listen to Christ...

Where are you searching for your spiritual maturity?…go to Christ through His Word.

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