Thoughts from book of Colossians

[Brother Paul]

And then there is vs 8 of ch 2 "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ."

comments? :smile:

Hi again my sister...thanks for this thread....

When we read the various translations of this verse we see the words "take you captive" or "spoil you" where this version has "cheat". In my experience I see this as warning us that if we are not on guard, and well grounded in the word, these principles and philosophies can lead us or persuade us against Christ. The gift and enlightenment the Lord has given me was a toolbox of light geared to prepare me to encounter people and systems that have this effect and sometimes intent. I dwell in a city surrounded by secular intellectuals trained and taught a materialist/atheist perspective of life and the universe. I see so many children of Christian families go by the way side it is saddening to my heart. I have been so blessed that God has allowed me and used me to be a conduit giving them reasons to question those positions and providing reasons to believe.

So thank you for bringing this up because a lot of people (even some of our brothers and sisters) are unaware of how subtle these mind infections are. Remember the Serpent uses an alleged line of reasoning to get Eve (and then Adam)...in the end the one that got them is that they would be like gods. The worldly people almost always are as a lord unto themselves (deciding good and evil as they see as right in their own eyes). May God have mercy on us all and may WE all take being His body seriously (some are His eyes, some His mouth, some His hands, and some His feet, etc.) and seek to do those good works which God has foreordained that we should do (be it prayer, giving, preaching, teaching, missions, food kitchens, donations, loving the otherwise unloved, speaking blessings not curses, and so on). God has a role for each of us and for each He has prepared in the way (through teaching and circumstance) He has in mind for making us useful to Him (maybe only to give a word of encouragement to a battered child or drink to a thirsty traveler in the name of Christ).

May the grace and peace of God be upon us all.....

Love Paul

 

[Brother-Paul]

There's an old saying.. it says "You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time".
In reality... we can't fool God any of the time.

There are "good", "moral" non-Christians. Mormons are known for being pretty moral people (although, the ones I have known are no more moral than Christians
once you really get to know them).
There are moral Hindu, Muslims, and even Atheists. Being moral alone doesn't save anyone. But this proves @Brother-Paul and @Brother Paul comments above.
We can be moral by sheer will power up to a point. But none of can be 100% moral, 100% of the time without God's help. (Some say it isn't even possible then).
... the flip side of this is... we can also do immortal, sinful things by power of sheer will also. The difference is... we are going against God's will when we sin.
But we do it anyway. Not because God made us sin (He never does that), but because we "want" to. We "choose" to. We "decide" to.
When we sin.. it's because we wanted to.

Amen brother

Which always brings me back to Jesus' words in John 3:3, 5 & 7

Every one has the same choice in this life, for that I always suggest it is so important read John 3:1-21 these verses are constantly being broken up, John 3:16 as we all know. But it is all important, it all carries the same message, each part as important as the next and the previous, especially I think the last few verses.

Bless you.

 

[Brother Paul]

Amen brother

Which always brings me back to Jesus' words in John 3:3, 5 & 7

Every one has the same choice in this life, for that I always suggest it is so important read John 3:1-21 these verses are constantly being broken up, John 3:16 as we all know. But it is all important, it all carries the same message, each part as important as the next and the previous, especially I think the last few verses.

Bless you.

So very true....

 

[Brother Paul]

Col. 1 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Thoughts all?

 

[Dave M]

"The Fruit does not come from trying to be good, it is the natural outcome of the spirit dwelling in you. It is his love his joy his peace....expressing itself through your life. He brings willing obedience, he creates hunger and thirst after righteousness. He inspires a love to God and man. The outward actions expressing the inward compulsion the "visible fruits" or outward witness of Gods spirit. The outer and inward witness of Gods spirit should always go hand and hand; if you have one with out the other something is wrong. "

"The outer witness without the inner witness is often due to religion being the following of standards, the observance of rules, a dependence on works, instead of a life of faith and fellowship"

Eric Liddell

The disciplines of the Christian Life
page 114

 

[Brother Paul]

"The Fruit does not come from trying to be good, it is the natural outcome of the spirit dwelling in you. It is his love his joy his peace....expressing itself through your life. He brings willing obedience, he creates hunger and thirst after righteousness. He inspires a love to God and man. The outward actions expressing the inward compulsion the "visible fruits" or outward witness of Gods spirit. The outer and inward witness of Gods spirit should always go hand and hand; if you have one with out the other something is wrong. "

"The outer witness without the inner witness is often due to religion being the following of standards, the observance of rules, a dependence on works, instead of a life of faith and fellowship"

Eric Liddell

The disciplines of the Christian Life
page 114

Thanks Dave....nice addition to the conversation. Be blessed

 

[daltonL]

All one has to do is read Colossians Chapter one and it FULLY AND COMPLETELY INFORMS ONE OF WHO JESUS CHRIST! Circumcision was a Jewish thing, however, it was given to Abram as he was known before God changed it to Abraham

he was found faithful and a friend of God's, so this took place years before Circumcision was given as part of the jewish upbringing!

 

[B-A-C]

Col 1:27; to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

A church I attended when I was a teenager in San Diego had this verse printed over the baptistry. But this is a great verse to me.
Several points.
First - God willed.... God wanted to make this mystery known to the Gentiles.
Second - what is this mystery? Jesus! Specifically Christ in you!
Third - Two other verses say God wishes that none should perish, and God wishes that ALL men would be saved. This verse is similar in that ... Christ in you... is "the hope of Glory".
Almost as if everyone in heaven is "hoping" that Christ will be in you.

 

[Brother Paul]

Col 1:27; to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

A church I attended when I was a teenager in San Diego had this verse printed over the baptistry. But this is a great verse to me.
Several points.
First - God willed.... God wanted to make this mystery known to the Gentiles.
Second - what is this mystery? Jesus! Specifically Christ in you!
Third - Two other verses say God wishes that none should perish, and God wishes that ALL men would be saved. This verse is similar in that ... Christ in you... is "the hope of Glory".
Almost as if everyone in heaven is "hoping" that Christ will be in you.

Good post....I see the last part as

a) biblical hope which is a patient assurance of that which we KNOW will come to pass, and
b) that we will be glorified just as Christ was glorified (a transformation at the parousia) and receive our resurrection bodies

Amen