Pauls Epistle to Colossians (11)

Well, let's turn to Colossians 2 please. I received a note from our friends Dennis and Lynette.

Husted.

They've been in South Africa a few weeks. Dennis has preached in a Actually a South African Anglican Church last few Sundays. I met the pastor with him a couple years ago. We had coffee with him good man says.

The church has been blessed down there in. That's located in Durban they. You know, we we've known Dennis and Lynette for many years and our church has supported them as missionaries for many years. When they were stationed in South Africa.

They've been back in the States now for a handful of years and he's pastoring a small Southern Baptist Church in Arkansas the church our church has continued to.

Designate.

Missions offering. I think it's probably around $3 ,500 a year. But instead of going directly to Dennis and Lynette they hold it in reserve and so at the end of each year. We have now for a handful of years.

Send him a single check and they devote it to this conference ministry in South Africa. And so our church has fully underwritten these pastors conferences. Purchasing their ticket to get down there and back and the costs of putting on the conferences and there for pastors and Dennis wrote me and said that.

This attendance is significantly up this year in the first two conferences. I think normally the first one's pretty small maybe 20 people and 20 pastors and the second larger maybe 40. Between but this year between the two of them They've had about 125 already and their largest conferences yet this week in Johannesburg.

So they might may be hitting close to 200 pastors this year. That's a great influence that we can have there within South Africa. And he told me after they complete this week They're going down to Cape Town because he hopes to have contact with some pastors down there with view to maybe start in a conference in the future.

Hoping maybe to be down there at this time next year. Where he's hoping. That Doug van meter who pastors in Johannesburg and myself will cover the conferences they're dealing with now. We were there twice in the past and they're looking forward to us coming back.

I have numbers of them I can send our sermon notes to every week and I hear back from them pretty frequently and so we have we have a good mission work down there and Please pray for the Lord's blessing on their ministry this week.

Paul's Instruction to a Church He Had Not Visited

Well, here we are in Colossians 2 we want to consider continue to consider the Apostle Paul's Instruction to this church that he had never personally visited. We have just completed our consideration of Colossians 2 1 through 5 In which the Apostle had exhorted these Christians to be knit together in love.

Even to the reaching all the riches of full understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Jesus Christ. Paul wanted them to be grounded and steadfast. Secure their knowledge and commitment to the Lord.

And he desired this so that they would be characterized by stability and strength in their faith. And so in establishing them and their knowledge and commitment to Jesus Paul would be assured they would withstand those who would attempt who were attempting to corrupt their faith through what seemed to be plausible arguments that he alluded to in verses 1 through 5.

We now arrive to verse 6 and following In which the Apostle instructs these Christians further and how they should live as Christians. And he basically exhorts them to be wholly devoted to Jesus Christ.

And they were not to allow anyone or any teaching to divert them from their commitment to him. He then Paul set forth the sufficiency of Jesus Christ to enable them to live before him. He is able to do so because he has all authority Having caused them to be born again having saved them from all that threatened them.

And so let's read Colossians 2 6 through verse 15 and this is from the English Standard Version the ESV. Therefore as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him rooted and Built up in him and established in the faith just as you were taught abounding in Thanksgiving.

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?

And you who are 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 and stood again that stood against us with its legal demands.

That he said is 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.

Now that is one loaded passage of Scripture and we're going to be here for a few weeks. I Think that we'll get through the first three verses today Lord willing. But we'll have at least one more Lord's Day perhaps two more After we arrive back from our trip to California.

Now as we approach this section of Scripture again, what I want to help us to do is to help us to be better equipped to deal with the scriptures on our own as We approach this section of the epistle. It would be helpful to identify the paragraph divisions before us.

For a paragraph by definition contains a series of sentences that are related to a single topic. In other words a major idea. Supposedly each paragraph has a single major idea. Paragraph divisions are determined by translators and Different translators will often identify different paragraph divisions of the same portion of text and generally a more readable translation.

Newer versions Will have shorter paragraphs. Apparently our ability as Westerners is less than I don't once was and so we need things in you know smaller portions that we can comprehend them better and.

The.

Various paragraph divisions can of various translators can be reflected in this passages before us. For example, the New International Version the NIV has verses 6 through 15 divided into four separate paragraphs.

The New King James Version has verses 6 through 15 in three separate paragraphs. The English Standard Version which we just read and also the Revised Standard Version which really stands behind the ESV.

Organized verses 6 through 15 into two paragraphs verses 6 and 7 and then 8 through 15. Interestingly the two most circulated editions of the Greek New Testament both have Colossians 2 6 Through 15 as one paragraph not two but one in the Greek text the modern critical Greek text that most scholars use.

In other words those Greek scholars understood verses 6 through 15 setting forth a single important idea. And we're going to assume this last Division of a single paragraph because we're going to see how it's all related to one another.

Now not only is it helpful to identify the paragraph division we should also attempt to distinguish the length and nature of sentences in each paragraph and Just as paragraph divisions vary between English translations.

So sentence divisions also vary. As we've shown earlier in our study the more readable translations like the NIV tend to set forth their translation into shorter sentences. For easier reading and comprehension and so the NIV translates verses 6 through 15 into nine distinct sentences.

The New King James Version set forth these verses in seven sentences. The older King James Version has five sentences, but when one examines the Greek New Testament Just as there are fewer paragraphs verses 6 through 15 comprising one single paragraph.

So there are only two sentences in all of verses 6 through 15. One sentence is verses 6 and 7 and in the Greek text. The other single sentence Begins with verse 8 and continues all the way to verse 15 one sentence in the Greek text.

And so when Paul originally wrote this epistle in the Greek language. This is the way he conveyed it. And I think this is probably the most accurate way if you really want to get in to Do the nitty-gritty work of understanding what's being expressed here.

Actually, although in verses 6 through 15, there are 27 different verb forms 14 of which are participles. Some of you may know what that means. If you don't that's okay. The Lord has spared you. Even though there's all these verb forms throughout all of these verses.

There are really only two finite verbs in the whole of verses 6 through 15 in other words two main verbs and One is in the sentence of verses 6 and 7 and the other main verb is right at the beginning of verse 8 and it's the main verb for all the verses 8 through 15 and.

So the first sentence of verses 6 and 7 have the main verb walk.

Again.

Beginning of verse 6 reads therefore as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him and that's the main verb main idea. The second sentence again in the original Greek text Which is all of verses 6 through 15 has its single finite word at the beginning of the sentence see.

Short.

Perhaps more intelligible if we see to it. It's a warning, isn't it? And perhaps the translation of the King James Version translates it best beware and. So there is but one main verb in verses 5 and 6.

That should be verses 6 and 7 not 5 and 6 and there's one main verb in verses 8 to 15 the word beware and so from these two.

Verbs.

We have derived our outline and that outline basically is how we are to be walking in Jesus Christ and How we are to be watchful while we're walking with Jesus Christ and there so there you have the title of today's message walking and watching and That's really the sum some idea of these verses.

Walking in Christ as We Received Him

So let's take the first one walking in him verses 6 and 7. Therefore as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him. Rooted and built up in him established in the faith just as you were taught abounding in Thanksgiving.

Now in verse 6 we're told what to do. In verse 7 we're told why we should do it and. So what are we to do verse 6 Paul wrote? Therefore as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him. And so we're instructed to walk in Jesus Christ.

Walking of course speaks of ongoing activity a direction a destinations. Suggested True Christianity is not a one-time decision, but rather it's a lifetime walk walk in Jesus Christ. Christianity is not a mere prescription to escape God's wrath.

It's a relationship with God and The idea is that we're walking with Christ we're walking in Christ. There's relationship suggested. And it suggests that it grows richer and deeper with the passing of time.

We grow closer to the Lord as we walk in the Lord. Well, we're commanded to walk in him. Perhaps it's a good question to answer how Therefore do we walk in Christ and the answer simply is as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord.

So walk in him and so let's Ask and answer the question. How is it that we received him because this is how we are to walk in him. Well, first of all, we certainly received him in humility and submission.

When one receives the Lord he ceases to be his own Lord. His self-sufficiency is abandoned his self-dependency ceases. No one can be a true Christian as long as self is King and Christ is not enthroned in the heart.

By definition, that's what a Christian is. Notice again what he wrote as you received Christ Jesus the Lord. The Bible teaches Lordship salvation, doesn't it? We received him in faith and humility and submission.

The Christian has denounced his former independence and has made a declaration of dependence upon Christ Jesus as his Lord. And so as you receive Christ is Lord in humility and submission. So go about walking in him in the same manner.

How you came to Christ should characterize your walk in Christ. We're to be humble and submitted to our Lord Jesus. How else did we receive the Lord? Well, not only in humility and submission, but we received him certain in love.

Didn't wait. No one can be a true Christian who does not love his Lord and seek to serve him and bring honor to him. Peter would write to the Christians of the Christians heart Christ having seen having not seen you love and that's true of every Christian.

And so when a person perceives the love of God in Christ, he receives Christ as Lord and Savior. His heart is filled with love for his Savior. And so as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord in love so walk in him daily in love.

Guarding your heart lest you depart from your first love. Which is a common danger, isn't it to all professing Christians? How else did we receive him? Well, certainly we received him in joy. No one can be a true Christian who's not experienced the joy of knowing Christ is Lord and Savior.

Peter wrote further Christ having not seen you love in whom though now you see him not yet believing you rejoice with joy on X. Be unspeakable and full of glory. That's how a Christian feels about his Savior and.

So we received him in joy and we are to walk daily with him in joy as you receive the Lord Jesus. So walk in him. That's pretty simple, isn't it? How else did we receive him. Certainly we received him in faith.

No one can be a true Christian who does not come to Christ the Lord in faith. We believe who he is. He's the only begotten Son of God. We believe what he did he died was to save sinners from the penalty of death and judgment.

We believe where he is and what he is. He's risen. He's seated at the right hand of God high and exalted. The father gave him authority to grant repentance. Forgiveness of those that come to God through him in faith.

We also believe he what he will yet do. He will return to judge this world usher in the eternal state. We received him in faith believing these things of him. And so we are to walk believing these things day by day and so walk as you received Jesus Christ as the Lord.

Very simple not hard. And so verse 6 tells us what we're to do. And now when we look to verse 7 a we learn. Why we should walk in him as we received him. Why are we to do it again? We read therefore as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him rooted and built up in him and established in the faith just as you were taught and that bold italic.

Clause or.

With the multiple verbs or participles tells us Why we are to do it. The Apostle described these Christians relationship with Jesus in three ways. They were rooted in him. They were built up in him. They were established in the faith.

Now it's important to understand each of these three blessings and every true Christian Experiences is due to the grace of God operating upon him operating upon him and in him. These are blessings that God had bestowed upon each of them as Christians.

And if you're a Christian, this is true of you, too. First of all, you've been rooted in him. This imagery is that of a tree having been planted. This word rooted which is a participle a verbal adjective if you will is in the perfect tense.

Now there are different tenses in Greek. That's one of the strengths of the Greek language. And what this essentially means is that when God caused us to be converted to Jesus Christ It was God who then caused us to be rooted in Christ.

It happened then when we were converted and we're still rooted in him. That's the idea of the perfect tense. It happened at the past and its results continue even presently. That's the emphasis and so it was God who caused us to be rooted.

These are all passive by the way. You didn't root yourself you were rooted it was God who rooted you. This is what's what's being conveyed here in the passive voice of these of these.

Participles.

And so ever since the time you were converted you were Vitally connected to your Savior as a tree is rooted in the ground. God caused us to be planted rooted in our Savior. And again that happened when we were converted.

But the tense of the word also emphasizes that reality continues even now and that's why you were to walk. As you received him. Because God planted you in him. He rooted you in Christ. It follows that you ought to walk in him.

The second description of the Christian is that you're being built up in him. Rooted and built up now in the first participle. We have the metaphor of a tree being planted. The second metaphor is really of a building being constructed.

You're being built up in him and there is a change of tense in this second word. Whereas that first participle was how we described it the perfect tense that happened in the past. This second participle is passive.

God is doing it but it's in the present tense and what Paul is basically saying is that You are currently being built up in him. You were rooted in him. God is building you up in him. It's an ongoing process.

And so as the first word the perfect tense emphasize what God had done in the past and The results continue to the present the second word translated built up is in the present tense. What the Lord is telling us is he's causing every Christian to be presently built up in him.

Whether you are aware of it or not, if you're a Christian God is at work in you. He's building you up in Christ. It follows therefore you ought to work in Christ. It's reasonable, isn't it? Good reason and thirdly Paul reasons we should walk in Christ in the same manner that we received him because you're being established in the faith.

Now the Apostle commanded these Christians to walk in the Lord. They were to do so because of what God had done for them in Christ and because he was presently established them in the faith. Notice the first two participles have reference to what God has done for you in Christ.

But this third participle has to do with you and the faith. You see that and here faith. It's not speaking of the Christian subjective faith the fact that you believe. But rather faith here is a reference to the Christians objective faith what he believes.

Even the truth that is in Jesus Christ what is believed and you're being established in that faith. In other words the Lord is Stabilizing you establishing you in the Christian faith. He's talking about the doctrines of the faith the truth of the Christian faith.

The Christian faith the faith is that which the doctrines of Scripture touch upon. With regard to the identity and nature of the true God his son Jesus Christ and what he does. To secure the salvation of his people the faith involves those doctrines that are essential to ourselves.

Even the truth regarding sin its punishment the grace of God and bringing us salvation through faith in Christ all these doctrines and many more are what constitutes the faith and what the Lord is teaching us in this passage is that because of Our connection and relationship to the faith that we've come to know believe and embrace.

He tells us therefore as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him. This word establishes also in the present tense. Which indicates that God is in the process of establishing us further in the faith.

Some of us may know the faith a little bit better than others a little bit more than others. But the fact is that God is establishing each and every one of us more fully and firmly in the faith. The faith that was once for all delivered to the Saints.

We have heard it we've learned it we've embraced it and he is establishing us in this and therefore We are to walk of him. And so each of these three words depict what God has done or is doing for the Christian.

We're to walk in Jesus Christ because God has rooted us Or planted us in him because he's building us up in him and he's establishing us in the faith. And so because we've been the objects of God's gracious dealings therefore walk in him.

And so we're. Verse 6 tells us what to do. Verse 7a tells us why we should do it in verse 7b. Now the second portion of verse 7 that tells us how to do it. There's a manner in which we should be doing it.

Therefore as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him rooted build up in him. Establishing the faith just as you were taught abounding in thanksgiving. This is what should characterize us in our Christian walk.

Thomas Watson once wrote, you know. A thankful Christian is a godly Christian and a godly Christian is a thankful Christian they go hand in hand. So, how do we walk in Jesus Christ will we're to do so overflowing with expressions of gratefulness to our God for all that he's given us is giving to us and it's promised to give us in Christ and.

So when we consider everything that he's done everything that he's doing everything that he's promised to us. How could we do anything less? But walk in him abounding in thanksgiving. If our lives aren't characterized by this there's something Terribly deficient, isn't there?

However.

Again, it's a single paragraph. Giving us instructions on how to live. Not only are we to be walking in him verses 6 and 7 the first sentence, but we are to be watching while we walk. And that's what we have really the bulk of this paragraph verses 8 through 15.

The instruction to walk in him is very short and sweet and now we have watching in him. Let's read the paragraph again. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty to see. 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've 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. And. You who are dead in your trespasses in 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 his 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.

Again, our English Standard Version opens with the word see to it. See to it that no one takes you captive.

The.

Urgency perhaps is better conveyed by the King James Version. Beware. Beware lest this happen to you. Why was the warning necessary? What is the danger? The answer is that there are some Who are seeking to take you captive.

That's why you need to be on your guard. Suppose you knew or you heard that somebody was going to try and Ransack your house And pillage your goods. You would probably be alert and watch for it, wouldn't you?

We should be more watchful and on guard for our souls and for our goods. This is a warning and So if you're not alert, you do not take steps not to be deceived by them. Then you will be deceived by them.

You need to be on guard alert see to it. The idea of being suggested is that there is a spiritual battle being waged the defensive walls have been breached and the enemy comes in to take the spoils of the city and You're the spoils that they take.

See to it wrote the Apostle that this doesn't happen to you. Paul is referencing the error that had been promoted among the members of this church at Colossae. And as we previously said we really don't know the true and full nature of the heresy.

That Paul was addressing there in this church in those early days however, we can make some assertions about the error by considering what the Apostle sought to correct and What he sought to affirm to the church.

The fact is the false teachers were trying to lead away the Christians from viewing themselves as complete in Jesus Christ and This is what Paul was attempting to correct and inoculate them. Against this error.

Beware of Captivity by Philosophy and Empty Deceit

Two kinds of error threatened the church. He mentions the word philosophy and Secondly empty deception see to it. 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.

Philosophy. Now when we say philosophy within this context We're not talking about far-out thinking and philosophies of non-christian people. Those modernism existentialism all of those isms. We're not speaking about that kind of philosophy.

Spurgeon Described it, you know the he was describing here the history or the study of the history of philosophy. The history of philosophy is a record of the insanities of mankind and boy. That's a truism a Catalog of lunacies and that's where philosophy will lead to the philosophy of fallen men.

No, rather Paul is addressing some who claim to be Christian. Yet they were seeking to make a spoil of Christians by leading them to embrace a brand of Christianity. That was not after Christ. That's what he's concerned about.

It was more subtle Deluding these people. Pulling their eyes off of Christ and on to other things. He described it earlier as plausible arguments. People are deceived because they they they think that they're embracing something that is reasonable and right.

It seems plausible. But Paul basically says if it's not after Christ, it's not true. And you need to be on guard. This is one of the.

Really key.

Means that we have to detect and determine truth from error. Is it after Christ That answers it. That'll reveal a whole lot. Is it? Centered in Jesus Christ. And this error wasn't. There were errors that were common in first century Asia Minor, which was what is today Western Turkey?

Where Colossi was located? But similar there are errors today that are making spoil or taking captive of many professing Christians. I Did have a whole long list of various things I won't go into them at this time anyway.

But any teaching that would take your eyes off Jesus Christ as a center of all things the basis of all your hopes the meaning of all that exists is false teaching that would lead you astray from him and.

This can happen in churches and does all the time. And secondly he says. Let no one see to it that no one takes you captive by empty deceit. The second form of error that false teachers were using to corrupt the Christians at Colossi involved empty deception.

There are those who promise much but deliver nothing. They captivate professing Christians. Who fail to heed the instruction of our passage see to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy in empty deceit.

They deceive people. And so there were two kinds of errors.

And.

We might say that these two kinds of errors philosophy of philosophy and empty deceit were packaged In different ways two kinds of packaging through which air was promoted to them. Verse 8. According to human tradition and according to secondly the elemental spirits of the world.

That's a difficult phrase. First according to human tradition There are many in churches who embrace errant teaching because it comes to them in this form in the form of tradition Because the teaching and observance has been long in existence and has been observed by many.

It's assumed to be true or legitimate God honoring pleasing to God and of course, this is not the standard By which we assess what's true and false just because it's been done.

That way.

Even if it's been done for centuries, that doesn't bring any more credibility to it. It must be in accordance with the scriptures the Word of God. Our Lord rebuked his own people for the error they embraced because of this form of authoritative tradition.

The Pharisees scribes asked Jesus why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? But eat bread with unwashed hands. And he wasn't they weren't concerned about their hygiene this was a ceremonial washing that they thought was that everyone needed to do is spiritual before they ate and.

The tradition was that you know was that that teaching common to the prominent rabbis that actually became written down and became a legalistic code and. The Pharisees inscribed are criticizing Jesus's disciples for not conforming to their tradition and Jesus answers said to them.

Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites as it's written this people honors me with their lips. But their heart is far from me in vain. They worship me. There are many people in churches today that think they're worshiping God, but in vain.

It counts for nothing before God because it's not according to the scriptures. It's according to traditions. Maybe centuries-long traditions. But that is not to be our standard. Verse 8 for laid aside the commandment of God you hold your tradition of men.

The Washington pitchers cups many other things such things you do. All too. Well, you reject the commandment of God that you may keep your tradition and then he gave an example of this. They set aside the fifth commandment.

On your father and mother but you say hey if we can take that money. We would have given to dad mom and support them and say Corbin is dedicated to God. And we don't have to give it to support dad and mom.

And so Jesus said you make the Word of God of no effect through your tradition. Which you've handed down and many such things you do. Tradition counts for nothing unless it's in accordance with Holy Scripture.

Human tradition must always be assessed either and either accepted or rejected by the standard of the Bible. For a human tradition has a powerful appeal to people to embrace error that comes in this form.

Well, the church has always done it this way. Our denomination has done it this way. We've done it this way for centuries. And assuming that that is what makes it valid. It's not. And then secondly the air would come according to elemental spirits of the world.

Now this is a phrase that is debated by commentators. Some argue it reflects the ancient Greek world of elements that are basic components of the physical universe. These would have included say earth air fire and water.

Perhaps more likely Paul was addressing air that was based on elemental teachings or doctrines. Perhaps of a Jewish or pre-christian nature in origin. And so the commentator William Hendrickson a good all his commentate commentaries are good by the way good reformed scholar.

This was not apostolic tradition. Nor was it tradition that belonged to the mainstream of Judaism though. It did have something in common with Judaism and embrace Later tenants. It was rather a mixture of Christianity.

Judaistic ceremonial ism. Angel angel all the tree and asceticism as he says verses 11 to 23 later indicate. It was a philosophy according to the rudiments of this world. Rudiments are elements either in the physical or in the non-physical realm.

Ff Bruce wrote these words another good scholar of the 20th century. But for all its attractiveness this particular philosophy was but an empty illusion. If the Colossians embraced it they would be losers and not gainers thereby.

For those who had received Christ Jesus the Lord. It must be unacceptable. It was a human tradition Which ran counter to the essential truths of their Christian faith in life. It sounded well it appealed to their natural religious instincts.

But there is nothing in it for Christians. It was not a teaching according to Christ in accordance with the tradition handed down by him. But one which accorded with the elemental spirits of the cosmos.

Then Matthew Henry sought to identify the error to which Paul referring to be characteristic of both Jews and Gentiles. Who had been in that church at Colossae? And so his comments on the expression after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world this plainly.

I Would question that but this plainly reflects upon the Jewish Pedigree an economy as well as pagan learning. The Jews govern themselves by the Traditions of their elders and the rudiments or elements of the world the rights and observances which were only preparatory introductory to the gospel state.

The Gentiles mix their maxims of philosophy with their Christian principles and both alienated their minds from Christ. Those who pin their faith on other men's sleeves. I love that expression and walk in the way of the world have turned away from following after Christ.

The deceivers were especially the Jewish teachers who endeavored to keep up the law of Moses in conjunction with the gospel of Christ. But really in competition with it and contradiction to it. Again, the bottom line is whatever those elemental principles was it was teaching them to put their emphasis and confidence in something other than Jesus Christ.

That's the point. And of course throughout the New Testament throughout the Bible. We have warnings against false teachers.

Peter.

Described in his epistle about the written about the same time, you know within a handful of years. Described in similar ways false teachers that were corrupting the faith of his readers. And so in 2nd Peter 2 he's describing men in the churches.

They are wells without water clouds carried by a tempest for whom has reserved the blackness of darkness forever. For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness. Through the paradox, they're very swirling words.

They're very fluent. They're very articulate. They can move crowds. But there's no substance there. They allure you through the lust of the flesh are actually appealing to people's baser desires rather than spiritual longings.

Through lewdness the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. And so while they promise them Liberty they themselves are slaves of corruption. For by whom a person is overcome by him also, he's brought into bondage.