Blogging Bible Study: Colossians - Warning against False Teaching: Col. 2: 6 - 23

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

 

Now, Paul gets to one of his main objectives in writing to the believers at Colosse...recognizing and rejecting false teaching.

I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. -- Col. 2::4  (from last week).

From the very beginning of the church, there were those who were going around with their own version of the gospel.  Some were genuinely mistaken (like Apollos, who was corrected by Aquilla and Priscilla -- Acts 1:24- 26); some came with a law-based gospel that required Gentile believers to observe the Jewish law; it was a pride issue with them (Gal. 6:12-13).  Some were teaching that Messiah wasn't an actual person...rebuked by John's eyewitness testimony (1 John 1:1-2) and, as Paul later discusses, some were basing their teaching on visions and special revelations they claimed to have had...but the significant thing about Paul's introductory statement is that, even then, there were 'fine-sounding arguments' against the gospel that the apostles were teaching.

Paul gives them instruction on resisting the fine-sounding arguments... step one...

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (2: 6- 7).

The first defense against false teaching is to put down roots into the truth.  This is kinda obvious, but it is so overlooked.  The best example I've heard is about folks who are trained to detect counterfeit currency.  They don't spend hours learning all the details of making fake money, or the variations it could have...no, they study actual currency so they know, down to the tiniest details, what real money looks, feels, and smells like.   Then when something bogus crosses their path, they recognize it immediately...not because it has XYZ characteristics of bad money, but just because it is noticeably NOT the same as the real thing; and it doesn't matter how much it has in common with the actual currency.  If it's bogus in any detail...it's bogus, period.  If believers drill down into the Scriptures...and not someone's idea of what the scripture says but what the Bible actually says...it will be obvious to them when they encounter someone who's half a bubble off plumb....either teaching something out of context, or adding some kind of additional requirements or doctrine to what is consistently taught throughout the Scripture.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.   (v.8)

Holey Moley, there is a lot of depth in that verse.  It covers both 'human tradition' and 'principles of this world'.  Stop and think of all the skewed theology you can remember.  I'm thinking of all the oddball stuff I've heard and it easily falls under one of those two categories..."Human Tradition"  or "Principles of the World".  It ranges from the stuff that doesn't matter much (...the Human Tradition of celebrating Jesus' birthday on Dec. 25, for instance...with three Wise Men...who came to the stable...) to "Principles of the World" that say God is ok with whatever makes you happy....which can really mess someone up.

Hollow.  Deceptive.  Captive-making. Might I even say...reasonable, alluring, popular? Principles of the world would be, well, approved-of by worldly folks.  Human traditions have years of acceptance backing them.  Paul says...it's no good.  

Wow.  I've made it through all of three out of eighteen verses.  Gonna need to step it up or this is going to be a book...

Well, anyway, Paul next addresses the more common errors of his day... the idea that Jesus wasn't really God...or, rather, the 'Messiah' wasn't actually Jesus but just a spirit that came upon him or some such thing,  the idea that the Gentiles needed to be circumcised Law-followers to be true followers of Christ; and folks who were apparently basing their teachings not on scripture but on some kind of mystical personal experience.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form (v.9).  This is the THIRD time Paul has mentioned this concept.  Just in case anyone had any questions about the actual existence  and humanity of Jesus, the Christ.

He also describes the 'circumcision' that  marks Gentile believers...

In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but  with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.  When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ.  (2:11-13a) .  Not a process done in the body by people, but an action done in the heart by God.  And that written code?  Paul says Jesus took it to the cross with him and nailed it there (vs. 14-15), so no one should judge the Gentile believers according to their observation of the written Law.

He then warns them against teachers who talk about mystical experiences that they have had, who go into great details about those things and are full of idle notions (v. 18).   This person, Paul says, has lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body grows.  I don't think this is meant to say people don't have visions or mystical experiences...Paul himself had a few.  I think he's warning them against folks who put more emphasis on their unique experience than on the Gospel.  Paul didn't make a big deal out of his experiences...in fact, folks think he may have downplayed at least one with the inference that it happened to someone he knew.  But if there's someone who's going around with a book tour and speaking engagements talking about their big incredible visitation with just a side mention of God and Jesus, then...be wary.

Finally, Paul returns to the biggest issue he was having with false teachers, Gentiles who were guilted into keeping the Jewish law....'If you have died to the world in Jesus, why submit to rule-based religion, which is what makes sense to worldly folks?' (My paraphrase of the last bit of verse 20).

Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.  (v. 23).

As if, by a sheer act of will, we could keep all those rules...especially when Jesus said that even thinking about indulging in such things was as bad for the body as actually doing them (Matt. 5:27-28).  We can't.  We can't stop ourselves and we can't atone for ourselves.  Only Jesus, through the Spirit, can give us the power to overcome whatEVER sensual indulgence might be a tripping point.

Be rooted.  Be grounded. Be strengthened in the faith...and be thankful.

 

Blogging Bible Study: Colossians - Paul's Concern for the Church (Col. 1:24 - 2:5)

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

The next bit we're going to look at is STILL Paul's 'setting up' of the real topic that he wants to discuss... and, in that set up, he discusses his labor and concern for the church...particularly those congregations that he has not himself met in person.

Verse 24 is a puzzling verse; I have puzzled over it in the past and I puzzled over it again today.  On the surface, it seems that Paul is saying there is something insufficient about the suffering of Jesus:

Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's  afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

Today, however, I had an epiphany...it wasn't that the affliction of Jesus was somehow lacking...it was that there is suffering to be done in order to get the word out about Jesus' affliction.  And that, Paul says, he is happy to do, so that the church will know the price paid for her.

I have become its servant by the commission God gave  me to present to you the word of God in its fullness.  (v.25).

And here is a favorite theme of Paul's:  that the message of Jesus is also for the GENTILES.  He refers to this as a mystery; not just here, but also in Romans 16: 25-27 and Ephesians 3:6.  Hidden until the revelation of the  Spirit proclaimed it...that the Gentiles have also the hope of Jesus. This was a radical concept in his day and it was the point of contention with the Jewish leaders that had actually resulted in Paul's imprisonment and hair-raising trip to Rome, from where he was writing this letter....that God would do anything that would include uncircumcised Gentiles. Paul had a valid claim to suffering for the sake of those Gentile believers in foreign lands.  

To [the saints - v. 26] God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (v.27) 

Paul's labor and struggle, through the power of the energy (NIV)  of Jesus working in him,  is to proclaim Jesus, admonishing and teaching everyone...so that everyone may be presented perfect in Christ.  And this struggle is not just for those churches in the cities he has traveled, but also for those folks who have not met him personally (v. 1:28 - 2:1)

His burden for these believers, whom he has never met but who have been instructed in the faith by those who are known to him, is for them to be encouraged and united and have the full riches of complete understanding...pretty comprehensive.  Because if these things are true, they will know the mystery of God, the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are hidden in Christ. 

He drops a hint of where he's going in v. 4...stating that he is telling them these things so that no one will deceive them with 'fine -sounding words'.   He doesn't give us much clue as to what he expects that deception to be, but, based on the previous statements...that he has suffered for their sake, and he wants them to be perfect in Christ, united in love, etc...I wonder if he is referring to the folks who seemed to always follow him around and do their best to discredit his teaching....not only deceiving them about Paul and his motivations, but about the message Paul carried. In effect, I am telling you that I am not doing this for personal gain or glory, but for your own benefit,  and anyone who says otherwise is deceiving you.  He will later give more information about some of the specifics of the deception that will come, but for now, he says, even though he is not physically with them, he is spiritually with them, and delights in the order they maintain and the firmness of the faith to which they hold.

I wonder, sometimes, how Paul would address us now, with so much of the situation reversed.  He was despised and judged for taking the gospel to the Gentiles; now, Christianity is largely considered to be a Gentile monopoly.  You will find folks claiming to follow Jesus (who was Jewish!) who deny the idea that God's kingdom extends to Jews.  We have tipped the scales to the other direction.  It was never meant to be Gentiles vs. Jews...either/or.  The mystery of the kingdom is...that it is both.  And Paul, who has never met any of us, nonetheless prayed for those who had never met him to be encouraged in heart, united in love, and blessed with full understanding.  

We are a long way from that ideal.

Blogging Bible Study: Colossians - The Glory of Jesus (Col. 1:13 - 23)

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

 

 

After Paul lists his prayer and hope for the folks in Colosse,  he takes a moment to reflect on what God has done for believers and on the glory of Jesus, setting up the argument that people cannot add to who God is or what he has done.

God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness.

God has brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves...ie, Jesus...in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (vs. 13 - 14)

Just in case the readers weren't aware of everything Jesus embodies, Paul spells it out...

He is:

1) The image of the invisible God (pay attention to this one; Paul repeats this concept several times)

2) The firstborn over all creation

3) The creator of all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible; all things were created by him and for him

4) Before all things

5) That which holds all things together

6) The head of the church

7) The beginning

8) The first born from the dead

9) Supreme in all things  (vs. 15 - 18)

Now, in verse 19, Paul touches on the deity of Jesus again...'For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him'...to counter the arguments of folks who were trying to teach that Jesus wasn't actually God.  And, through Jesus,  God has reconciled all things to himself, making peace through the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross (v. 20).  In these two verses, we see both the deity and the humanity of Jesus...an actual person, who actually bled.

Then, Paul turns his discussion to a more personal level, from 'all things' to the believers who are reading his letter. 'Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds..'  

Yeah, that's a touch personal.

But, he says, that's not the case anymore.

NOW...he has reconciled YOU. Not just the ambiguous 'all things'...YOU. 

By Christ's physical body, though his death, YOU have been reconciled.

And what does that mean?

Holy in his sight, without blemish, free from accusation. (V. 22)

You were an enemy, but now you are free from accusation.

Paul closes his little review of who Jesus is and what God has done by instructing them to continue in the faith, not moved from the hope in the gospel.  Be established and firm.  This, Paul says, is the gospel that you heard, that he now serves.

Look at who Jesus is...the image of the invisible God, in whom all God's fullness dwells. Look at what God did through him...reconciling us to himself through Jesus' death, as a human, on the cross.  This is the gospel.

Blogging Bible Study: Colossians -- Paul's Introduction (Col. 1: 1-12)

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

I am always struck, just for a moment, in the differences in letter writing conventions between our time and the first century.  We start out with a salutation to the recipient; they started out by telling the folks who was writing the letter.  In this case, Paul identifies himself as 'an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God' and includes 'Timothy our brother' in the opening statement, so I am guessing that Timothy was acting as scribe for Paul on this letter.

In verse two, we see the intended recipients: 'the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse'.

THEN we get the salutation:  'Grace and peace to you from God our Father.'

A bit backwards from what we are used to, but it works, eh?

Now, keep in mind that Paul has never met these folks; they may have heard of him, but he has no relationship with them, personally, as he did, say, the church in Philippi, or Ephesus, or the churches in Galatia.  So he needs to establish a connection to them before he shares anything of a teaching nature.

And how would you establish such a connection?

Well, you'd tell them how you heard of them and that you are praying for them.

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.  (Col. 1:3)

Notice that this verse implies that Paul prays for these folks on at least a somewhat regular basis.

Right away, he should have their attention, at the least....'Wait.  This guy is praying for us?'

He continues, telling them what he has heard, which compliments the folks at Colosse:

...of their faith in Christ Jesus

...of the love they have for all the saints

...that they have already heard about the word of truth, the  gospel

...that the gospel is bearing fruit and growing in them

...that they heard it, and understood God's grace

Paul knows this because Epaprhas told him (v 8), and Epaphras is the one who taught them (v. 7) and just happens to be a fellow servant of Paul's, working on his behalf in places to which Paul had not traveled (also v. 7).

Paul has now established a connection...they gospel they believe, and the common acquaintance they share.  Now...he shares with them what he has been praying for them since he first heard about them:  

...asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.   (v. 9)

It's  a pretty short and simple request, but look at what Paul expects that  little prayer to do, enabling the Colossian believers to

1) Live a life worthy of the Lord

2) Please him in every way

3) Bear fruit in every good work

4) Grow in the knowledge of God

5) Be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might

With the result that

1) They will have great endurance and patience

2) They will joyfully give thanks to the Father, who has qualified them to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

That's a lot from a one-sentence prayer.  Kinda makes me wonder if we realize the potency of a small prayer, earnestly prayed.  Or...look at the request itself.  He didn't ask God to draw them close to him, protect them, set a hedge around them,  give them prosperity and health,  break off any any strongholds of the enemy, thwart the enemy's designs and attacks, etc. etc. ...he just prayed that they would be filled with the knowledge of God's will through spiritual wisdom and understanding.  Like, if they had that then the rest would follow.  It was a targeted, strategic prayer.  And it was, I think I can add, a faith-filled prayer.  Paul prayed his short little prayer, and then expected God to do it and start a chain of events that would lead to a strong, patient, joyful and victorious church in Colosse.

Makes me wonder...how can I be more strategic in my prayers?

I finished the course....

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

I started this a month after the Desert Digging study.  I didn't know when I jumped into the desert that I'd join the first class and be doing some real coursework, with homework and everything, just about the whole time I was working on that study but I'm really glad that I did it.

So there were a bunch of folks around the photo booth yesterday and I didn't feel like jumping into the fray...but the banner was still up when I got to work at church this morning, so I took a lame selfie.

To, you know, commemorate the moment.

It was a struggle; not because the work was difficult.  It was a personal struggle.

And late last night I pulled out my journal and did a little listening and writing, to see if I could find out what had made it feel so...struggle-ish.

Now, there are two levels to the coursework...the 'educate' level is just for folks who want to increase their knowledge...to study for their own benefit.  the 'equip' level is for folks who want to actually go into ministry at some level, and includes extra course work and working with pastors in a sort of internship.   There were two tracks...Biblical Studies and Worship.

Since I did the online Master's degree a few years ago, I opted for the Educate level...and I did the Worship track.  Because, songwriting...

We started off with a bang; literally, there was a huge thunderstorm the night of our first meeting in Sept 2019.  But we met for an hour and a halfish general class (they called them 'core classes') and then split for an hour and a halfish of a class aimed at the track.  Two classes at a time, and the classes lasted 6 weeks.

It was awesome, y'all.  We had SUCH an amazing time in our worship classes.  Wednesday night became my favorite night of the week.

Then covid hit and everything went online.  The coursework was good...but the classroom dynamic was gone.  I really, really missed the interaction. The music theory classes were aimed at guitar/ piano players.  As a clarinet player, I got some of it, but the practical stuff of practicing chord progressions was out of my depth. But...songwriting...I need some theory.  Due to the stresses of covid resulting in folks dropping out, the small group of us that met by zoom weekly kinda fell apart...leaving me and one other educate worship student, who was juggling more on his plate than I could imagine.  I enjoyed our chats, but, again, the group dynamic was missing. 

I did the work...but kinda felt like I was off on my own.  And, to be absolutely transparent, it was lonely out there.

Now, in all honesty, this is not anyone's fault.  The plans were shifting constantly to try and keep up with the new normal of online, social distancing, etc.  The video and tech crews did AMAZING getting everything put together and available.

So...what was my struggle?

In the journaling...I realized that I was still doing it for recognition.  To impress someone.  And I felt the Father's rebuke...the only one I needed to do the work for was him.   It was supposed to be about our relationship.  And I had made it about achieving something and getting recognized for it.

Pretty shallow.

He reminded me again...all I need is to curl up on his lap and show him what I've done.  And he, being the loving Father, will tell me I've done well.  Because... he put me there; he had something to teach me, and anything I learn will please him.

It's hard, y'all, to give up getting approval from people.  But I think it's the secret to doing the real stuff.  Maybe someday I will Get It.