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SAFEGUARD AGAINST
A DELUDED WALK (Col 2:4-7) 07/23/17 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert A. Opening 1. In his
book, “The God Delusion [TGD]” Richard Dawkins defines delusion as 'a persistent
false belief held in the face of strong contradictory evidence, especially as
a symptom of psychiatric disorder'. The first part captures religious
faith perfectly. As to whether it is a symptom of a psychiatric disorder, I
am inclined to follow Robert M. Pirsig, author of Zen and the Art of
Motorcycle Maintenance, when he said, 'When one person suffers from a
delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it
is called Religion.' (TGD, Preface,
pg. 5) a. NAU 1Co 1:27 but God has
chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen
the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, b. NAU 1Co 3:18 Let no man
deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he
must become foolish, so that he may become wise. 2. How do
we keep from being deluded? Paul will tell us in Col and will tell us
safeguard against a deluded walk. II. THE BELIEVER IS KEPT FROM DELUSION (Col 2:4) A. Paul’s thought in vs. 4 is connected with
the preceding verses. Paul desired that the Colossians understand his
internal and external struggles on their behalf (Col 2:1). His purpose
was that they would remain encouraged and united in love (Col 2:2). In addition,
he desired that they understood the true knowledge of God’s mystery, namely
Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:2-3). B. Paul’s purpose also was to show that the
false teachers had a false gospel and a false gnosis. By having a true
knowledge of Christ’s person and work they would make certain that no one
would delude them. C. The word for “delude” is paralogizomai.
Logizomai means to exercise one’s reason. Pará means to be aside.
Someone who gives something alongside of reason, is giving false reasoning, a
falsehood, or error. That was exactly what these false teachers were doing
and apparently causing some of the Colossians to become deceived and deluded.
D. Some were being deluded by persuasive
arguments (pithanologia - from peithō - to convince or
persuade) of the false teachers.
This does not mean that they gave good arguments and persuaded their hearers
(peithō
Act 18:4; 1Co 2:4). Rather, their
bad arguments and false teaching were presented with persuasive falsehoods,
fallacies, coercion (peithō Mat 27:20). E. One commentary states that, pithanologia
was a word of the law-courts; it was the word used for the persuasive power
of a lawyer’s arguments, which could enable the criminal to escape his just
punishment. The true Church should have such a grip of the truth that it is
unmoved by seductive arguments. F. The false persuasion of false teachers
has been described by Peter: deceptively teach error (2Pe 2:1), appeal to the
flesh (2Pe 2:2,
18), exploit with false
words (2Pe 2:3),
rebel authority (2Pe 2:10),
use faulty arguments and reasoning (2Pe 2:12), and make
false promises of freedom (2Pe 2:19). G. However, if they were grounded in the true
knowledge of Christ, grounded in knowing that Christ had fully revealed God,
and that all treasures of wisdom and knowledge were hidden in Him, then they
would be kept from being deluded. III. THE BELIEVER IS KEPT STABLE IN THE FAITH (Col 2:5) A. Paul was absent
from the Colossians, but only in body. This was not a metaphysical or
mystical statement. Rather, Paul was in prison writing to the churches and he
wanted to encourage them by telling them that he was with them in spirit. B. He certainly encouraged them by letting
them know that even though they were undergoing difficulty with the false
teachers, he was rejoicing in their steadfastness. C. Paul rejoiced in two specific areas of the
Colossians. The first was that he rejoiced in their “good discipline.”
Perhaps “discipline” captures the idea. The Greek word is taxis and
comes from tassō which means
arrange or order. Hupotassō, the word for “submit” means to arrange oneself underneath an
authority. Taxiz is a military term that means to remain unbroken and
intact, or in today’s vernacular, “to hold the line.” Paul was rejoicing that
the majority of the Colossians held the line. They remained unbroken in their
stand for the truth. D. The second area Paul rejoiced in was the “stability
of [their] faith.” This word is connected with the previous one
“Stability” (stereōma - steadfastness or firmness), another military term, and means not only held
the line, but also the remain firm at the very place of attack. They did not
break from the ranks of believers and join the Gnostics. In addition, they
remined firm on the doctrine of Christ in spite of the Gnostics attack on
doctrine. E. It was Paul’s purpose to encourage these
believers through this written letter in the same way he had encouraged the
churches when he visited them (“strengthened” Act 16:5). F. If these believers were grounded in the
true knowledge of Christ, then they would remain in the ranks and be kept
stable in faith. IV. THE BELIEVER IS KEPT WALKING IN CHRIST (Col 2:6-7) A. Continuance of Being Grounded in Christ (Col 2:6). 1. It begins with the word “therefore.”
“Therefore” is a Greek conjunction (oun) that introduces a logical
connection with what has preceded it in Col 2:2-5. Paul will
connect being grounded in the true knowledge of Christ with their walk in
Christ. 2. The same true knowledge of Christ that
keeps the believer from being deluded and keeps him stable in his faith, is
the same true knowledge that directs the believer’s walk in Christ. 3. In fact, gaining a true knowledge of
Christ is how every true believer comes to Christ. The sinner comes to Christ
by learning and placing his trust in who Christ is and what Christ
accomplished on the cross on their behalf. There is no other way. The
Spirit’s work of regeneration should und includes bringing the sinner to a
true knowledge of the person and work of Christ. 4. A sinner is saved when he places his
trust in the true knowledge of Christ, that is, in the true person of Christ
and the true work of Christ. This is the way true believers have received
Christ Jesus the Lord. 5. The Gospel of John was the inspired work
of the Holy Spirit. In it the Spirit revealed that a sinner must believe in
the true knowledge of Christ’s person and work for salvation (Joh 20:31). a. Joh 20:31 gives us the
requirements of faith for salvation. First, a sinner must believe that Jesus
is the “Christ.” What is meant by the Christ is that Jesus was the
long-awaited Messiah who would come and “save His people from their sins” (Mat 1:21). The Messiah
would accomplish salvation by becoming a sacrifice for sin (Isa 53:5-6). b. Secondly,
a sinner must believe that Jesus is the Son of God, i.e. deity. Only God could
accomplish salvation for man. To deny the deity of Christ is not only to deny
the Son’s rightful glory, but it is to deny Him the capability of saving
sinners (Isa 43:11;
Act 4:12; 1Ti 2:5; Php 2:6-8). c. Thirdly,
a sinner must believe. He must trust in the person and work of Christ solely
for his salvation. If he adds works to his salvation, then He negates
Christ’s finished work on the cross (Act
16:30-31; Eph 2:8-9). 6. In the
way (“as”) that believers have received Christ in the true knowledge
of Him, they are to, in the same way (“so”), walk in Christ in the
true knowledge of Him . 7. The Greek word for “walk” (peripateō) certainly means literal walking (Mk 11:27), but it also
has the metaphorical meaning of the conduct and behavior of one’s life (Rom 6:4). It is the
latter that is the meaning of Col 2:6.
The believer’s conduct and behavior is to be based on the person and work of
Christ. a. Walking
in Christ means living according to correct doctrine (Col 2:6). b. Walking
in Christ means living in a manner worthy of the Lord (Col 1:10; Eph 4:1). c. Walking
in Christ means to please God (1Th 4:1). d. Walking
in Christ means to walk by the principles of Scripture (Eph 5:15). e. Walking
in Christ means to walk in Christ’s love (Eph 5:2). f. Walking
in Christ means to walk in good works created in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:10). g. Walking
in Christ means to walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 25). h. Walking
in Christ means to walk as Christ walked (1Jo 2:6). B. Consequence of Being Grounded in Christ (Col 2:7) 1. They
were firmly planted at salvation and continued to be firmly rooted (perfect
participle of rizoō - take root, spiritual firmness and strength) as they were grounded in Christ. a.
Believers are rooted because Christ dwells in their hearts by faith (Eph 3:17). b. Believers
are rooted because their hope is in the indwelling Christ (Col 1:27-28).
2. They
were being built up (present tense of epoikodomeō - build
upon, build further) in Him,
becoming like Christ as they grew in Christ. a. Believers
are built up in the faith and its truths (Jud 20). b. Believers
are built on the teaching of the apostles and prophets (Eph 2:20). 3. Such root
and building results in being established in their faith. a. God
does the establishing (2Co 1:21). b. God
establishes by His grace (Heb 13:9). c. God
establishes the believer unto the end (1Co 1:8). d. God
establishes the believer through the Word (Col 2:7). e. An
established faith results in overflowing gratitude (Col 2:7). V. OBSERVATIONS AND
APPLICATIONS A. Delusional Believers or
Delusional Unbelievers 1. Richard
Dawkins - This from the man who wrote in his book The Blind Watchmaker: Biology
is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been
designed for a purpose, Then he precedes to attempt to give an
intelligent argument why they are not designed for a purpose. 2. William Lane Craig - Richard Dawkins has
emerged as the enfant terrible of the movement known as the New Atheism. His
best-selling book The God Delusion has become the literary centerpiece of
that movement. ... On pages 157-8 of his book, Dawkins summarizes what he
calls "the central argument of my book." Note it well. If this
argument fails, then Dawkins' book is hollow at its core. And, in fact, the
argument is embarrassingly weak. 3. Several years ago my atheist colleague
Quentin Smith unceremoniously crowned Stephen Hawking's argument against God in
A Brief History of Time as "the worst atheistic argument in the history
of Western thought."5 With the advent of The God Delusion the time has
come, I think, to relieve Hawking of this weighty crown and to recognize
Richard Dawkins' accession to the throne. B. Persuasive False Teachers 1. JW’s a. His perfect human life with all its rights and
prospects, was laid down in death, but not for sin and in punishment (Let God Be True, pg. 116). b. By willingly laying down his human life he [Christ] could use its
right to buy back the worthy ones of Adam's children. (Paradise Lost, p. 143) c. The value of the perfect human life was now available for use on
behalf of faithful men needing to be ransomed thereby (Let God Be True, pg. 116). 2. Word of
Faith a. E.W. Kenyon-THE PHYSICAL DEATH OF JESUS DID NOT
TOUCH THE SIN ISSUE AT ALL. OTHERWISE CHRISTIANS WOULDNT HAVE TO DIE. b. COPELAND, "Jesus went into hell to free mankind from the penalty
of Adam's high treason...When HIS BLOOD POURED OUT IT DID NOT ATONE. Jesus
spent three horrible days and nights in the bowels of this earth getting back
for you and me our rights with God." (Ken Copeland, Personal letter from
Ken Copeland, Ft. Worth Texas, March 12, 1979. c. "Do you think that the punishment for our sin was to die on a
cross? If that were the case, the two thieves could have paid our price. No,
the punishment was to go into hell itself and to serve time in hell separated
from God" (Frederick K.C. Price, Ever Increasing Faith Messenger, June
1990, p. 7). d. "Ladies and gentlemen, the serpent is a symbol of Satan. Jesus
Christ knew the only way he would stop Satan was by becoming one in nature
with him. You say, What did you say? What blasphemy is this? No, you hear
this! He did not take my sin; He became my sin" (Benny Hinn, Benny Hinn
broadcast on TBN, December 15, 1990). e. After Jesus was made sin, He had to be born again. . . . Once again,
He was the righteousness of God, and once again, eternal life was His
nature.[ G. Copeland, p. 5.] f. "When Jesus cried "It is finished!" He was not
speaking of the plan of redemption. There were still three days and nights to
go through before He went to the throne. He was referring to the Abrahamic
Covenant Jesus' death on the cross was only the beginning of the complete work
of redemption" (Kenneth Copeland, "Jesus - Our Lord of Glory",
Believer's Voice of Victory, April, 1982, p. 3). g. (audio clip) Joyce Meyer, The Devil thought he had it, the devil
thought he had won. Oh they were having the biggest party that has ever been
had. They had my Jesus on the floor and they were standing on his back
jumping up and down laughing and he had become sin. Dont you think that God
was pacing wanting to put a stop to what was going on. All the hosts of hell
were up on him, up on him, up on him. The angels are in agony, all the
creation is groaning. All the hosts of hell was up on him, up on him, they
got on him. They got him down in the floor and got on him and they were
laughing and mocking, haha you trusted God and look where you ended up. You
thought he would save you and get you off that cross he didnt haha. h. There is no hope of anyone going to heaven unless they believe this
truth I am presenting. You cannot go to heaven unless you believe with all
your heart that Jesus took your place in hell. (The Most Important Decision you Will Ever Make
Joyce Meyer) i. Joyce Meyer audio clip: He could have helped himself up until the
point where he said I commend my spirit into your hands, at that point he
couldnt do nothing for himself anymore. He had become sin, he was no longer
the Son of God. He was sin. C. Grounded Believers 1. God does the establishing (2Co 1:21). 2. God establishes by His grace (Heb 13:9). 3. God establishes the believer unto the end
(1Co 1:8). 4. God establishes the believer through the
Word ("instructed") (Col 2:7). 5. An established faith results in
overflowing gratitude (Col 2:7).
" a. "You will know the truth and the truth will set
you free" D. Closing 1. How
important is the instruction of Scripture? 2. How important is it to have the true
knowledge of Christ? 3. How important is it to be grounded in the
person and work of Christ? 4. Extremely important, because when you
are: a. You will be kept from being deluded by persuasive
arguments. b. You
will not only hold the line, but be able to defend the line wherever it is
attacked. c. It will be a safeguard against a deluded walk… You
will be able to walk in Christ by walking as Christ walked. |
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Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516 |
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