The Lord And The Christian - [Colossians 2:8-15]

Christ’s Lordship Versus Empty Philosophy

The fourth day of the third month of the year 2018 for those of you are still computing that on March 4th 2018 a pastor in a church not too far from here asked her congregation to step out of the church.

She assembled them in front of a giant tree and she asked them this question. Do you know why many of you are sick. Do you know why many of you are depressed sad. Do you know why many of you are not fulfilled.

Because we have not appeased the wrath of this tree. Christ died for our sins but that was a long time ago. We need to grow by worshiping nature and by worshiping and taking care of things of the nature things that Christ left with us.

This pastor is clearly discombobulated confused. Many churches in the nation today and in the world like to talk about the Lord Jesus Christ but the Lord Jesus Christ and his work are nothing but an afterthought.

These churches wouldn't deny Christ's life death or resurrection but they would attack his lordship. They would attack his sufficiency particularly his relevance today. Two weeks ago we looked at verses 6 7 of Colossians chapter 2.

We saw how we have Christian as Christians have entered into the Lordship of Christ. We saw the unique sequence of words Christ Jesus the Lord used by Paul here used as a summary of the Christological high point of the New Testament given in Colossians chapter 1 verses 15 to 20.

What were they. That Jesus Christ is the head of the church the image of the invisible God the firstborn of all creation. And we saw how we are to walk in Christ that our lifestyle is supposed to be under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Paul goes on to talk about how we should walk rooted built up in him established and abounding in thanksgiving. We saw how it is Christ who does the first three. Christ does the rooting the building up and the establishing our response.

Gratitude thanksgiving overflowing gratitude. Why. To whom. To the Lord Jesus Christ. To the preeminent one who has not only saved the believer but also enables him to grow enables him to be sanctified.

Beware of Philosophy and Empty Deceit

Today we're going to look at Colossians chapter 2 verses 8 to 10. But let's read 8 to 15. First Colossians chapter 2 verse 8 to 15. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ.

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. And you have been filled in him who is the head of all rule and authority in him. Also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ having been buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God who raised him from the dead verse 13.

And you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh God made alive together with him having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.

This he set aside nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him. I have two words today about Christ's lordship. First word flea.

Second word fullness. In verse 8 he tells us this. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit. If you look at many books of the Old Testament Isaiah chapter 20 chapter 47 2nd Chronicles 28 9 Psalms 44 you get a definition of captive.

When a city was taken by assault the men were slain. The women and children were carried away as captives. They were often sold as slaves and they were often exposed to the most cruel treatment. What's interesting is the word captive here in Colossians chapter 2 8 is only used here.

In biblical Greek. It's used as one who gives up his freedom or one whose freedom is forcefully taken away. Paul is exhorting here watch out believers of class a watch out believers lest you be carried off as plunder lest you be captive or taken captive by what.

By alien or anti-christian doctrine. Alien or anti-christ doctrine. A path for us. Who is the pastor of this Colossian Church probably spoke to and probably did speak to Paul about some of the false teaching.

He probably gave them gave him specific names about who these false teachers were. Paul doesn't mention any of the false teachers by name or specific false teaching but he gives us plenty of ammunition to guard ourselves with.

Now what does Paul say about this philosophy. This is a term that philosophy was everywhere. It's a term that was used a lot in that culture. It was it was used to summarize a lot of things. Paul is not attacking every philosophy.

He's attacking that which is empty and deceitful. In a metaphorical sense he's saying that which is empty and deceitful refers to people or teachings that are devoid of intellectual material or spiritual value.

Paul goes on to stress his strong dislike his strong opposition his strong denunciation of such philosophy by using a preposition according three times in three phrases three parallel phrases. He uses the word according.

What is he trying to show us here. He really hates this false teaching. He's really opposed to it. This is what he says according these philosophies are according to human tradition according to the elemental spirits of the world.

And then a negative not according to Christ not according to Christ. When he looks at according to human tradition what is Paul talking about here. Paul is clearly pejorative in his description. He is clearly belittling the false teachers.

He's clearly being derogatory about the false teaching and about the false teachers. They're in sharp contrast their ideas their teaching is in sharp contrast to divine truth. It's in sharp contrast to what has been taught to them by the by a papyrus by the Apostles.

He is pejorative and mocking their philosophy as being nothing more than the product of human thinking. It's a result of human thinking. And as Peter O 'Brien says these ideologies these philosophies are out of div out of touch with divine truth.

The Elemental Spirits of the World and False Worship

And the next sentence he uses is according to the elemental spirits of the world. Ladies and gentlemen I want to welcome you to what most scholars say is the most intractable intractable problem in New Testament interpretation.

But what can we understand from this text. Some interpretations look at this sentence sentence according to the elemental spirits of the world as this they say in Paul's day it covered the fundamental components of the universe which were air earth fire and water.

Others believed that it was talking about spiritual beings bad angels good angels evil spirits and and of the sort. Others also believed that elemental spirits comprised of the essential principles of an area of study.

In Hebrews chapter 5 verse 12 we see this and we will probably get to this by the year 2020. But till then I'm the definitive guide to this verse. Hebrews chapter 5 verse 12. For though by this time you ought to be teachers you need someone to teach you again here's a word the basic principles of the oracles of God.

You need milk not solid food. So the elemental spirits has the same Greek used even here in Hebrews chapter 5. But it was talking about things you need to know about an area of study. These were principle things you needed to understand about an area of study.

But the most likely interpretation looking at Colossians chapter 2 is this. What was the culture at that time. What were some of the prevailing philosophies. One things that one thing that Colossians like to do the Greek like to do was they like to divinize and spiritualize material things.

There was a strong inclination both in the Colossian Church and in the culture then to associate creation with deities and spirits and gods. Now it was not just the fundamental components like air earth water or fire.

The Sun Moon stars also had God's deities and spirits associated with them. It was a cultural norm. It was very prevalent and the Apostles including and of course Paul warned them about it. Not only did some worship these elements as God but they also worship the deities and the false gods associated with them as gods too.

Now warning against such worship is very very common both in Jewish apologetics as as well as in early in early Christian apologetics. If you look at the Old Testament in Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 19 the Lord tells the Israelites this.

And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven. And when you see the Sun and the moon and the stars all the host of heaven you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

In the next verses in Deuteronomy chapter 4 if you keep reading the Lord says this. I am the one who saved you from your enemies. I am the creator. I am the God worship me and no one else. Back in the book of Colossians the believers were dealing with a very similar issue.

They were dealing with similar philosophy. False teachers were emphasizing that spirits gods deities that were often associated with material elements around them they needed to be placated that they had wrath and their wrath needed to be placated.

Not very far from what that pastor who was a woman who was not very far from this church was telling her congregation not very far. Is it is a shocking what is shocking that these false teachers wouldn't deny who Christ is.

They wouldn't deny they kept him at the center. At least they thought they did. They wouldn't necessarily deny the Christ's work or his resurrection but what they were attacking was his sufficiency. Christ was not sufficient.

Yes God's wrath needs to be placated and the only way that is done is to the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ. But along with that these other gods associated with elements around them their wrath needs to be placated to.

They need to be appeased to. They tried to show believers at Colossae that in order to have spiritual fulfillment to have spiritual growth that these other gods needed to be appeased. Spirits cosmic powers deities all come under the attack of the Apostle Paul in this book and in this verse inspired by the Holy Spirit in verse 10 which I will get to here very shortly Paul reminds the Colossians and us that Jesus Christ is the head of all rule and authority that Christ is supreme over all things including angels including spirits including any other cosmic powers and that it is Christ who created all things Christ.

In verse 15 of chapter 2 he goes on to say. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him. How was this triumph complete. How did this happen through the cross through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But no other means Paul is attacking here any and all philosophy that is not according to Christ any anything that does not lean on Christ that does not depend on Christ is come under the attack of this book and these verses.

Colossians chapter 2 verses 8 to 10 he goes on to remind us that God is found in Christ alone. That God created the world through Christ. That God redeemed lost humanity through Christ. That God defeated all hostile powers cosmic powers bad angels to Christ alone.

Any other ideology any other philosophy any other kind of thinking is useless ineffective blasphemous. It's worldly. It's wrong wrong wrong. That was the first word I want to talk about about Christ's lordship flea.

The Fullness of Deity in Christ

Second word fullness fullness. Colossians chapter 2 verse 9. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily in him. Verses 9 to 15 go on to talk about what it truly means to have truth that is according to Christ.

Verse 9 tells us that the fullness of God is found in Christ alone. Verse 10 to 15 tells us that believers believers are made full in Christ alone. Verse 9 tells us the fullness of God is found in Christ.

Verse 10 to 15 that believers are made full in Christ in Christ alone. Most scholars find this verse Colossians chapter 2 verse 9 as an interpretative paraphrase of Colossians chapter 1 verse 19. By now you know it's my favorite section.

In 1 verse 19 he says this. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. In the Old Testament where did God dwell the temple. We see that in Psalm chapter 68 verse 16. And we see that in several books in the Old Testament the temple represented the dwelling place of God on earth.

In the New Testament in the New Covenant it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the dwelling place. It is it is the Lord Jesus Christ who represents the dwelling place of God. That means God has revealed himself fully fully in him and him alone not in a building not in a giant tree not in some aspect of creation but in the Lord Jesus Christ in Christ alone.

In the Old Testament the temple was the focus of God's presence. The temple was the nucleus of God's people. As Peter O 'Brien says it's the very center of God's presence. But post Christ's incarnation post the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Lord has replaced the temple.

It's replaced as both the focus of God's presence and the nucleus of God's people replaced. Now the tense of this verb that is Paul uses here in 2 9 is very similar to what Paul what the author of the book of John the Apostle John wrote in 1 John chapter 1 verse 14.

John chapter 1 verse 14. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we have seen his glory glory as of the only Son from the Father full of grace and truth. This is talking about the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

He lived a real life had a real body died a real death and had a real resurrection. And as we see in the next verses in in this chapter in Colossians chapter 2 he really really conquered sin and death.

Really it wasn't fake as some claim today. Now if you look at the verb tense here in Colossians 2 and John chapter 1 the dwelling is permanent permanent. Unlike the temple which was a temporary representation of God the Lord Jesus Christ is the permanent and complete representation of God.

You don't need another dwelling place. You don't need another representation. He's he has risen. It is Christ who is the exclusive one the only one who becomes and who is the permanent res the dwelling place of God the permanent representation of God.

The false teachers were boasting they were boastful of ascetic practices rules regulations. In fact based on what we see and based on the language Paul uses clearly the false teachers were dependent on it.

Paul was opposed to the fleshly bodily practices that the false teachers were spreading. Look at what he says in Colossians chapter 2 verses 20 to 23. He's talking about those who are exalting the works of the body those who are exalting regulations those who are exalting ascetic practices.

Essentially those who are saying and those who are believing in philosophies that are not according to Christ. Colossians chapter 2 verse 20 to 23. If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world why.

As if you were still alive in the world. Do you submit to regulations. Do not handle do not taste do not touch. Referring to things that all perish as they are used according there's a preposition again to human precepts and teachings.

These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body. But they're of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. Paul was stressing that merely subduing the body or merely subjecting it to some kind of monkish behavior wasn't going to save them.

Or neither was it near. Neither was it going to save them. Nor was it going to help them grow. Neither was it going to make them be spiritually filled. In verse 9 Paul is bringing what is he doing. He's bringing the Colossians back to the apostolic teaching.

He's bringing them back. He's rehearsing it again that God has revealed in Christ in Christ alone that Christ had a real body a real death and a real resurrection. And that by his bodily resurrection Christ has conquered sin death and all other powers.

Being Filled in Christ Alone

Paul continues in verse 10 of chapter 2. And you have been filled in him who is the head of all rule and authority. You have been filled in him. You believers Colossian believers those who read the text now and are saved by grace alone in Christ alone it's a it's a perfect tense in Greek here which means it's a past action that has present consequences.

Paul's question if believers are already full why would they look to be filled. Why would you turn to something else if as a slave of Christ. If as a believer of Christ you are already filled in him. In John chapter 15 verses 3 to 5 the Lord Jesus Christ says this already.

You are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the wine. Neither can you unless you abide in me I am the wine.

You are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him he is that bears much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. You can do nothing. What does it mean to be filled filled with what. In John chapter 1 verse 16 we see this.

For from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. In Ephesians chapter 3 verse 19 Paul prays. And this is the man in which he prays that you know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

But in the context here of here here in Colossians Paul still has the false teachers in his mind who are leading people astray by saying by promising that you can have deep spiritual experiences only if you look away from Christ.

And we love that term today. Don't we in the year 2018 spiritual experience we love that word. We see that being used in churches and pulpits all the time as a means to go out and worship a tree as that as that is a better experience than submitting to the Word of God then looking to the Savior then resting in him.

Paul has the false teachers in his mind who are leading people astray. Paul is asserting the exclusivity and supremacy of the king of King Jesus. It is in Christ alone that God has revealed himself. Therefore Christian anything we can know or experience of God is found in our relationship with him.

He is our Lord and we have entered into his lordship. Why would we look elsewhere if we are already filled if we are full in him. Why would we ever look if we understand that anything else is dangerous blasphemous and sinful.

As he ends the verse. Colossians chapter 2 verse 10 Paul has two things in his mind false teachers and then the Christological him. He's going back to it again. He keeps going back to 115 to 20 throughout this book.

And you have been filled in him. Colossians 2 10 who is the head of all rule and all authority. He's rehearsing the things that he's already said in his mind. And he's rehearsing it to the Colossians because we need the reminder to all things were created through him things in heaven and on earth whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities.

Jesus Christ is sovereign supreme head above all of those things. Today in the African continent and many parts of India even though in those countries there is the propagation of the gospel. And even though in those countries and in that continent Africa the church is growing by the grace of God by the spread of the gospel many people in those parts are always fearful of evil spirits and bad angels always.

Paul is very clear here. He's unambiguous here that the Supreme One the Supreme One that he's spoken about all of Colossians chapter 1 and now he goes on to talk about the lordship of the Supreme One that this sovereign one this preeminent one is greater than all spiritual beings all evil angels all entities.

But he doesn't just say that. He goes on to say he's the head of all rule and authority. Oftentimes the word head means authority over here. It also means he's the source of existence. He's the very source of these spiritual beings existence to the Colossians to us here in America to those in India to those in Africa and to all the ends of the earth.

The Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit has one thing to say that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who ultimately determines what spiritual beings can and cannot do. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who determines what these spiritual beings can and cannot do as both Peter O 'Brien and Kistamaka state.

Therefore Christians need not fear these powers because they are under the control of their own head the one in whom all the fullness of deity has come to reside. Those are two important words about Christ's lordship from Colossians chapter 2 verses 8 to 10 flee and fullness.

Christ Alone, Not Works or Rituals

The pastor and her church the one that I mentioned in my introduction need a Savior. They need the gospel of Jesus Christ and the truth that Paul will tell us in both earlier verses in Colossians and in the whole of the New Testament and the Old Testament is this that God in his amazing grace and mercy can forgive the sins of that woman and her church and her congregation that God can forgive even the blasphemy that was that is happening there.

Her works our works cannot add to the Lord's work. Salvation comes through Christ and Christ alone. For many people perhaps even us we have understand this. We have understand it. Christ appeases to us maybe half of the wrath of God.

Not all for salvation and growth. Yes I understand that Christ is sufficient. Yes I understand that he's good. But don't we need rituals practices a belief system. Don't we need goat yoga which is very very prevalent right now in churches in Western Massachusetts.

Goat yoga. All of this is nothing but erroneous and blasphemous. It is against scripture and as Paul is clearly stating here from from verse 6 7 8 9 and 10 it is against scripture. And it is against the apostolic tradition both of which are inspired by the Holy Spirit who is God.

Why. It is very easy for us to see the danger of what other churches are doing or even what this pastor and her congregation are doing. It's easy to see their weaknesses their sins. Question here is have you identified anything in your life where you are depending on yourself rather than the work of Christ.

Are you listening to false teaching. Are you depending on anything that is not according to Christ. Leaning on depending on focused on. Are you easily swayed by high-sounding philosophy and which is clearly not according to Christ.

Today the most one of the most popular YouTube channels is one by an ex-professor from Harvard University. He runs a philosophy channel on YouTube each day. Each day he gets more than 7 million viewers.

7 million viewers. Philosophy is a hot topic. It is much loved it is much worshiped. But anything that is not founded on Christ. Even if this man has 7 million followers a day is attacked by Colossians and the Apostle Paul.

It is Christ alone who is the Son of God. He's the one who supreme over all things preeminent and the only one who has the right to be in the place of honor which is the right hand of God the Father. If we depend on our works or we look to add regulations and rules which are common in our day as much as it was back in the day of the Colossians we are belittling the work of Christ.

We are essentially saying even though we're unwilling to admit it a Christ's work is not sufficient that Christ's work will not do. Even in discussing about Christianity and sovereignty of God and free will with the college and career group last week many struggled with understanding where the line was between the sovereignty of God and salvation and the whole idea of free will which is a horrible misnomer.

We need to think about this deeply because everybody in the culture is coming now. They're asking questions and they want to know. Am I a robot. How do we share the gospel with them. Are we going to our church attendance.

Are we going to our giving. Are we going to our ministry as proof as evidence as what we depend on for our salvation. Then we're pointing them back to works not to Christ not to Christ. God can help the pastor in our congregation grow.

They can. She needs a Savior. She needs the gospel. The same gospel that saved a wretch like me. The same gospel that saved you. But we need to be clear. We need to stand firm and we need to preach it.

This morning we sang this song. Second paragraph of the song in the church today in Christ alone who took on flesh fullness of God and helpless babe this gift of love and righteousness scorned by the ones he came to save till on that cross as Jesus died the wrath of God was satisfied for every sin on him was laid here in the death of Christ.

I live the church of Jesus Christ. Our church and those around us need the gospel of Jesus Christ. They need to know that Christ alone can save them. They need to know that anything else is blasphemous.

They need to know even Christians family friends need to know that we can grow through the Word of God alone. But as we saw last week that we are rooted in him built up in him established in him. That we need to be overflowing with thanksgiving to him for what he has done.

And the only way we can grow is by his grace through the word. And not by any means that we invent or any means that we discover no matter how good they may appear no matter how many TED talks people may give about how to grow spiritually.

And if you look at the TED talks which started as a technology conference now it's all about how you can be spiritually fulfilled. Spiritual fulfillment is a hot topic just as philosophy this as philosophy is.

And what we need to warn those people about each other lovingly. Is it anything that is not according to Christ according to human tradition according to the elemental spirits of the world need to be denied.

They need to be corrected. They need to be set straight. So as we said as we go to meet family this coming week as family comes to us stand firm to defend the faith to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ to praise him because of who he is and what he has done.

There is no other hope for men not even worshiping a tree no matter how beautiful that tree may be. Let's pray Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for the Holy Spirit who enables us to understand your word.

We thank you for the finished work of Christ and his imputed righteousness. We thank you for your amazing grace. Indeed you are the one alone who appeased the wrath of God. And you alone are the permanent complete representation of God.

Help us to grow in that knowledge. Help us to grow in the fullness of the knowledge of Christ. Help us O Lord to not be swayed by all the noise that we hear in the culture and even in our own hearts. But help us to fully lean on Christ and on the doctrine of Christ.

And when we preach the gospel when we share the good news may it all be about the truth of God's holiness and sin. And how Jesus Christ alone takes away the consequences of that sin and appeases the wrath of God.

May it not be about our works. May it not be O Lord about our thoughts and our expressions but maybe about you and what you have done. Blesses. As we go away from here may our hearts be encouraged refreshed because of who you are and what you've done for any who was not saved here.

Would you grant them repentance and saving faith. For those who are Lord I pray that they would indeed grow in the knowledge and fear and of King Jesus. I ask these things in the name of the risen King.

Amen.