Lesson 13: One in Spirit

Can I remind us tonight that there is always going to be someone out there that is better than you. If you think you are the toughest, you are not. Even if you were Mike Tyson at 19 years old, he could only be the toughest so long.

There is always some out there that is smarter than you. There is always someone out there that can out debate you.

Paul is dealing with a problem with the church at Colosse where they were dealing with people that seemed to have all the education, all the right statements, could make their point and argument very persuasively. Paul warns them and encourages them in this selfsame passage.

I. Beguilement & Enticement v.4

Paul gives a warning here that should not be overlooked.

We have to be aware that there are those that are out there that are seeking to beguile us and entice us.

The word “beguile” is the word “pithanologiai”, which means MISLEAD, DELUDE, DECEIVE, CHEAT, SEDUCE, LEAD ASTRAY.

Most of us are aware that there are some dangerous people in this society in which we live.

• There are people who are preying on the elderly.

• There are people who are out there preying on the youth.

You should not be surprised to find some of the most wicked people that you can imagine, in every neighborhood that you go into. They are living all around us. And they are constantly trying to discover a way to deceives us, mislead us, and seduce us. And the people they are most successful with, are those who do not recognize that such wicked people exist.

You would think that if there is any safe place for a person to be, it would around those who say they believe what this Bible teaches. But yet, you probably find more deception in churches, than anywhere on the face of the earth.

There are groups out there, deliberately or ignorantly, that are deceiving multitudes. And when the minister of the gospel tries to expose them for their false teachings, he becomes the object of attack.

But nevertheless, it is the duty of the man of God to expose them, because they are out to beguile people.

There a couple of sources of beguilement and enticment:

A. From the World

1. Enticement to sin

Proverbs 1:10 AV

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

Satan will do all he can to get us off track, he will use sin as his main thrust. He knows when we are in sin we are out of fellowship with God, we lose His empowerment to serve live and make a difference as we should. Even concerning the Lord’s supper, the Bible says sin affects us in several ways including sickness and death.

2. Enticement to diversions

2 Corinthians 2:10–11 AV

To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Maybe Satan will not get you to do outright sin, but he has has his ways to beguile you in other ways.

These verses teach us that he has many devices, and we are not be ignorant of them.

Friend, I speak this to all of us and I’m not trying to control you - I truly want to help you - I’m taking this out of context I know but it is eerie to think that the double meaning of devices.

A device in English is both plan and a literal object to make my life easier.

A device is an idea that Satan uses to control and manipulate us away from the plan of God, but is also something that is made to make our life easier.

In the simplest for a device can be wedge for lifting something, a pulley, or even the wheel or a match or lighter. A device makes our life easier and gives us more time. The more time we have the more extra time to consider other things to enjoy more of life. Now we have devices in our hands that are more advanced than anything that greatest scientist has at their disposal even into the 1990’s.

WIth our lives so easy, we’d think we have more time to serve God and draw closer to Him, but the more time we have, the more we give to be diverted even more - the devices have become our addictions.

I don’t care if you have mobile phone, a computer a television. But if you didn’t have time to get alone with God, and you did have time for the other things, Satan got the upperhand today.

By the way, one more diversion has is division and fighting, be careful of that to. Don’t let bitterness or wrath control you.

Ephesians 4:31–32 AV

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

B. From Within

I think this is what Paul is warning the Colossians concerning.

There are those that seek to lead astray God’s people from His will and service.

It happens a lot. I’ve seen it happen in my ministry and especially others ministries.

What ways are we often beguiled or enticed from within?

1. Enticed by style or personality

Colossians 2:8 AV

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

We will talk about his more in our next lesson, but we are too enticed and follow people we shouldn’t.

Let me tell you, I’ve never worn a jersey with a name on it other than my own. I don’t follow anyone that is of a questionable character or wicked influencer or that will lead me away from Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:6 AV

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

2. Beguiled by words

I don’t care how great an argument anyone has, if they are leading me to doubt God’s Word, doctrine, or faithful practice thereof, I want no part this person.

1 Corinthians 4:19 (AV)

But I will come to you shortly…and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

3. Through pride or flattery

Luke 6:26 AV

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Sometimes people just want you to like them and follow them so they will appeal to your pride or with flattery, saying how great you are. Now praise is appropriate, but not to lying. Not puffing up.

Paul warns against that too:

Colossians 2:18 AV

Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

II. With You In Spirit

This is an interesting point. It is one that I have struggled with through the years. Not that Paul said, or that I don’t believe it, but how flippantly we use it today. People have often said to me through the years, that “I’ll be in there spirit” concerning church other matters. They are of course quoting Paul.

But let’s take a couple of things into account concerning Paul.

He was in prison in Rome, or at the very least chained to a soldier. He was under constant survelliance. There was not way he could come to Colosse.

When Paul was stating that he was “With them in Spirit” a couple of things:

A. He was praying diligently for them

2 Thessalonians 1:11 AV

Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

James 5:16 AV

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

B. He was doing in Rome what they were doing in Colosse

Enduring, suffering, battling, standing, witnessing, praying, preaching, teaching, caring, and on and on.

C. While they were in Christ in Colosse - Paul would be in Christ in Rome

All of them encouraged in the fact that they are being faithful while apart. They were both were enduring, stedfast, unmovable for the faith, though apart.

Therefore he could be with them in spirit and really live the next few phrases:

III. Joying & Beholding

Another interesting statement here again, that Paul was joying and beholding. A few statements about it:

A. The godly manner we should look at others

Philippians 2:3 AV

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

B. That attitude of any leader, parent or teacher toward the growth of those they instruct

We ought be enjoying them becoming more and more like the Lord. It should excite us, bring us joy and something we love to behold.

C. The positive response of the instructed is the key to joying and beholding

It is difficult to enjoy someone in the the lord with a negative response. If they are rebelling against God’s plan; disobeying His Word - if they are bucking at the preaching and teaching of the Word, it is difficult to enjoy that.

IV. Another Prescription for Growth

The Bible is full of different insights for growth, even in the book of Colossians, we have already seen a couple in these 12 lessons, but here is one more:

A. Discipline

Paul was joying and beholding their order.

In our generation of cancel culture, moral decay, and problems riches - we are missing the mark in this area of discipline.

The Colossians were a church of order and discipline.

There are several:

1. Types of discipline

a. Social discipline

Meeting expectations and responding to social pressures. These things mold us more than that we realize and have a part in our disciplining.

We are careful about things because of societal reactions if we don’t, so we change our behavior. We don’t have to, we a free-will, a volition - but we all respond to social discipline.

Just of late, we have all been wearing face masks because of societal discipline. Some because of health concerns, but mostly because that was what society wanted from us.

b. Imposed discipline

That which a parent might give. It is forced, the decision to do or not do something is made for us.

A Drill instructor relationship with a recruit. A guard and a prisoner; a teacher and a student, a coach and athlete, even a pastor and church member or a leader and a follower. All of these are forms of imposed discipline.

c. Self-discipline

“The ability to do things that are difficult or unpleasant without anyone pushing you or offering incentives.”

Now that are lots of aspects to self-discipline including:

Self-control

Introspection

Self-direction

working on focus and endurance

as well as developing habits and routines.

The most important things though involving all of these things concerning our Christian growth is:

A daily walk with God

Daily Going with the Gospel

Controlling how we respond

Making decisions ahead of time

2. The Colossians were a combination of all of these

They were able to respond appropriately to each of them to their benefit.

They were socially disciplined by their fellowship with other Believers and dealing with a lost society.

They were certainly under some degree of imposed discipline, most notably there citizenship in Asia minor as well as their submission to the leadership of their pastor.

Finally and most importantly they were self-disciplined so that they could perform and fulfill their calling in Jesus Christ.

B. Unwavering Faith

What we need tonight is a stedfast faith. One that is unmovable, stedfast, eyes on the prize serving God.

1 Corinthians 15:58 AV

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Lesson 13: One in Spirit

Colossians 2:4-5

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