Amen all right we are in Colossians chapter number two if you remember from
last week in chapter number one the main things that Paul was emphasizing in this
letter in chapter number one was the preeminence of Christ you talk about the
preeminence of Christ how he's the head of the body and he talked a lot about
Jesus Christ we talked about how he was the first begotten from the dead and a
lot of that was emphasized and really when you read through the book of
Colossians you know typically when you read a letter from Paul you see that
he's trying to fix some sort of problem that was taking place you think of the
book of Galatians there's Judaizing taking place there and a lot of those
issues are being dealt with in the New Testament now Colossians isn't
necessarily a book like that a lot of it is exhortative a lot of it is
instructional but he does do a lot of preventative type preaching where he's
trying to prevent a lot of bad things that can happen and specifically in
chapter two he gets into those preventative instructions and just based
off of the wording you can kind of see what he's dealing with in other churches
and the main thing he was dealing with was Judaizing okay a lot of these Jewish
Christ rejecting Jews were going into churches local churches and trying to
get him off Jesus Christ and get him back to obeying the old Old Covenant you
know the meats drinks and diverse washings try to get him to get
circumcised again and these and you read through the New Testament I mean that's
a lot of what he was dealing with in those days okay but in Colossians in the
book of Colossians they're not necessarily dealing with that but he's
kind of just bringing it up as a as a means to prevent that okay and we'll get
into that just a bit look at verse number one we're gonna look at the
conflict that Paul has right here he says in verse number one for I would
that you knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea for as
many has not seen my face in the flesh that their hearts might be comforted
being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of
understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and
of Christ so here we see that he has a conflict and the conflict is the fact
that he wants the Christians at the Church of Colossae to be united to be
knit together in love right and he puts it there being knit together in love
unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding and you say why is that
conflicting to Paul well it's conflicting to Paul because of the fact
that he's not there so he can't really mediate that he can't really set the
temperature in the church and be the example there to kind of help out with
that like hey we need to band together around doctrine we need to make sure
that we're unified in the church we need to make sure that we agree that
there's no division that there's no conflict that though we have our own
opinions at the end of the day we just need to agree on core doctrines right
and that's conflicting for him because he wants that to take place at Colossae
but he's not there to do it right now Epaphras is there as we saw and I'm sure
Epaphras is doing a great job you know leaving the church in this manner
because of the fact that we see that they are knit together that they are
agreeing with one another they do have unity in the church now let me read to
you from Ephesians 4 verse 1 you don't have to turn it says I therefore the
prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the
vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness with long
suffering forbearing one another in love endeavoring to keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace so what is he instructing the Ephesians he said hey
you need to endeavor to keep the unity in the bond of peace you know you need
to make sure that you put in your due diligence and do effort to make sure
that there's unity in the church don't be the weakest link amen don't be the
drama queen in the church okay don't be the weak Christian who seeks to just get
it to get involved in other people's business be a busybody and a toddler and
cause the vision and criticize the leader or criticize other people we
need to make sure that we endeavor we put in the effort to create unity in the
church right this does not mean that we can't have differing opinions okay we
can definitely have different opinions even in regards to doctrine we can have
different opinions now not on major doctrine such as salvation not a major
doctrine such as the deity of Jesus Christ or the eternal sonship of Jesus
Christ but those things we need to agree on 100% if you don't agree about
regarding those things then there's other churches you can go to that are
not here you know we need to agree on the King James Bible we need to agree on
soul winning we need to agree on the essentials but at the end of the day we
do have the option to disagree on other areas the main thing is this is that we
keep unity that were knit together in love and we endeavor to keep that unity
in the church to endeavor means every person needs to do their part right to
keep that unity within the church now let me read to you from another
scripture Philippians chapter 2 verse 1 says if there be if there be therefore
any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the
Spirit if any bows and mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded having
the same love being of one accord of one mind let nothing be done through strife
or vainglory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves so here we see that he instructs the Philippians be
like-minded okay doesn't mean we're in lockstep with one another perfectly in
agreement but we can be like-minded okay and by the way that's what makes
fellowship so good amen because we agree on so much even on things that are not
essential we agree on all right yeah that we agree on because of that we could
have fellowship regarding those things you know end times Bible prophecy you
know replacement theology what we're gonna talk about tonight these things we
can agree on and be of one accord of one mind but when that becomes a problem is
when there's strife in the church now look you could agree that excuse me you
could disagree on these doctrines that's not a problem there's not a problem with
that but it's if you cause strife right it's if you begin to undermine the
leadership undermine the Bible undermine the teaching from the pulpit and you
begin to try to be double tongue and spread things around right look better
for you to just disagree and just emphasize the things that you do agree
with us on I mean that's a better position wouldn't it be like I disagree
with this but I'm gonna I'm gonna really focus on the thing that things that I do
agree with you know that's how it ought to be we ought to be of the same love
being of one accord of one mind now how can the church be unified we'll look at
Colossians 2 verse 2 it says there that their hearts might be comforted being
knit together in love and until all riches of the full assurance of
understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and
of Christ so where do we get our unity from the Bible right we get our unity
from the full assurance of understanding of who God is of the Word of God of who
Jesus Christ is this is where we get our here we don't get unity from you know
the music that we sing right well let me just make sure that you don't play CCM
over there by the way we don't have CCM in our church we never will okay we will
never have the hoochie mamas up here dancing either you know like the victory
outreach type churches that they try to try to entice people with fleshly things
right we'll never have that type of music but you know what we don't
necessarily fellowship with people based upon the kind of music they listen to
though I would say this if you have the right doctrine you're gonna you probably
gonna listen to the right music right speaking to yourselves and Psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your hearts into the
Lord and that is in tandem with being spear filled when you're spear filled
you'll sing spiritual songs so that's it makes pretty much basic sense right but
here see is the full assurance of unity and the acknowledgement of the mystery of
God so unity is senator centered around having the same core beliefs hey being
King James only that is a core belief that can never be compromised in our
church and look that's something that is a staple in our church that we are very
much proud of that we're not ashamed to talk about and it's like oh yeah you
know of course I believe the King James Bible but you know I don't want to scare
people when they come into church so we're King James only you know we're
King James holding that's something that's never gonna change we believe
that will shatter from the house tops that's something that is a core belief
why because it has to do with the Word of God you know we don't accept any
other perversions of the Bible okay that's something that we need to be
unified on right salvation needs to be something that we're unified around so
it's not like we have one corner here that believes in repenting your sins and
then the right side believes that it's by faith alone you know oh it's okay
they could be Calvinist right there in the bag this guy could have a little
Pentecostal beliefs here you know this guy can be a tongue flapper over here
and they could be the dispensationalist right there in the back you know that
that's fine as long as we believe in the right Jesus no here's the thing
salvation needs to be correct as well okay salvation needs to be correct and
look you said well the Pentecostals have a correct no they don't the Pentecostal
believe you can lose it you know what is but they say they believed oh here
here's the thing though believing means to believe it's eternal it means to
believe you can ever lose it you see eternal security is not just another
step in your gospel presentation it is the gospel right to believe on Jesus
Christ for salvation is to believe you can never lose it that's why he calls it
eternal life all right not temporal life eternal life you know the Calvinist we
can't accept Calvinist doctrine in here Calvinists have a God that hates people
you know I'm talking about hates people from the time that they were born now
look obviously the Bible teaches that God does hate certain people and to to
say it doesn't is to ignore clear passages like Psalm 5 5 Psalm 139 and
other portions of Scripture hey it's to even ignore the concept of help right
but to say that God has hated the baby from birth that God has always hated
them and God has chosen them for hell predestined as they have to say for help
that's a wicked doctrine that is not the God of the Bible because God the Bible
clearly tells us that God gives us a free will to choose and look at if it's
funny how all the Calvinists say they're the chosen ones how do you know you're
not part of the other group right other walk cuz I have a desire to read the
Bible and I don't sin well you know you're deceiving yourself you're
deceiving yourself okay we can't accept that kind of doctrine in our church it's
a dandable heresy he said what about dispensationalism well there's a movie
back there you can watch about that now look I'm not against all dispensational
lists okay and what I mean by that is that there are some dispensationalists
that cherry-pick dispensational doctrine when it comes to the preacher of
rapture when it comes to the Jews but they adhere to it only because of those
things they reject they completely reject dispensational salvation okay and
they're wrong on that don't get me wrong they are completely wrong on end
times they're wrong about the Jews they're wrong about these other things
but you know the hyper dispensational is the Peter not oh yeah Peter Ruckman but
I was thinking of the other guy always forget Robert breaker Robert breaker
gene Kim these guys these are damnable heretics they believe in a complete
different salvation these are the guys that say you can take the mark of the
beast and still be saved they have a video with the solution of what to do if
you take the mark of the beast now I will say this they have differing
opinions you know you have Robert breaker who says well if you get the
mark on your right hand here's your solution just cut off your hand oh oh
thanks for letting me know that he's and he said this then he said but if you
get in your forehead you just gotta chop off your head oh oh that's easy
gene Kim on the other hand is more a little more civilized than just chopping
off your head he said if you get in your head you just got a gouge your own eye
out I'm not kidding he said this he said gouge your own eye out and you dig in
you need take it out oh yeah thank you now first of all obviously this guy's
completely ignorant of anatomy you're gouging your own it's the mark I'm
assuming is in front of the skull you're going behind the skull she's like to try
to get it out it's like mad you're you're you're setting yourself up for
failure it's like wait a minute I can't even get it from here but this is the
kind of stuff they believe they believe in dispensational salvation where they
say that salvation was by works in the Old Testament it's by faith today in in
the end times it's gonna be by works again that's damn to what heresy you
know you have them teaching about Nephilim reptilians aliens and they
wholeheartedly believe these things we cannot allow hyper dispensationalism to
ever come into our church that is a damnable heresy okay he said would you
allow just any what about just a regular dispensational who just believes in the
preacher of rapture and you know they believe that Jews are God shows the
people yeah they can come because here's the thing eventually I'm gonna
preach on one of the two and I'm gonna show a lot of evidence for those two and
in fact I've done many sermons on those you know these are things that we're
gonna cover a lot right and at the end of the day you're gonna see what the
Bible says about it and you can make your decision off of that but I will say
this once you see the evidence and you still don't believe it then it's not
because of us you have a problem with it's with the Bible you know what I mean
because at the end of the day the Bible speaks for itself right but there's
certain things that have to unify us and I'm not saying replacement theology
unifies us you replacement theology for us is like the icing on the cake right
the cake is the King James Bible the cake the cake is the right salvation the
cherry on top is is posture pre-wrath the the icing is you know replacement
theology the writing where it says happy birthday Bruce is the reppery doctrine
these are the extra things that we put on top that we could that we agree on
that makes it just look that much more better right so we see that there that
he's saying look I want you to be unified around understanding the
mysteries of God I want you to know the Bible I want you to understand what's
being said here that's why he tells them read this letter right read the letter
from the Laodiceans but make sure that this letter is also read to the land in
the Laodicean Church as well okay look at verse number three we're gonna look
at the danger of being beguiled look what he says in whom referring to Jesus
Christ are hit all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and this I say
lest any man should beguile you with enticing words so God will often
describe knowledge and wisdom as treasure right and this is important to
know you'll see this in Proverbs you'll see this in the Old Testament where God
compares knowledge and wisdom to treasures to rubies to gold and what
he's saying there is that this is a value right and not just any knowledge
obviously we want to emphasize knowledge like read a book every once in a while
it's good for you aside from the Bible read a book now don't read a book about
the Bible but read a biography read a history book read something that will
increase your knowledge just as a regular human being hey read a book on
grammar read a book on something that will help you just become a smarter
person right but when it comes to true knowledge and wisdom where is that found
in Jesus Christ he is the source of all knowledge and wisdom all right so keep
that in mind let me read to you a couple verses here Proverbs 2 verse 3 says yea
if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding if
thou seekest her as silver and searches for us for hid treasure then shalt thou
understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God now notice that in
Colossians he says this lest any man beguile you with enticing words so they
don't have this problem he just said hey be unified around truth right understand
the wisdom and knowledge that's in Christ lest any man beguile you now what
does it mean to beguile someone well beguile means to influence someone by
trickery right it means someone is trying to trick you into believing
something different now let me say this no one will be able to do that comparing
scripture with scripture okay they can't beguile you them themselves using
scripture with scripture you know what they have to do go to one scripture
that's it they have to go to James 2 or they have to go to Matthew 7 and they
can't go anywhere else but those portions of scripture here he tells us
look in Jesus Christ has found all knowledge the treasures of knowledge and
wisdom then he says let no lest any man beguile you okay with enticing words
with flattery trickery etc now go with me if you want to Ephesians chapter 4
hold your place there in Colossians now keep in mind that the book of Colossians
and the book of Ephesians they're very similar one to another okay you could
actually compare them both together and they kind of give meaning one to another
and look what it says in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11 he says here in
Ephesians 4 11 and he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists
and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of
the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the
unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man
unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ that we henceforth be
no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine
by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to
deceive so here he tells us in Ephesians hey God has given you some leaders to
teach you doctrine so you're not beguiled so you're not tricked by the
slight of man and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive in
Colossians he says you just need to know the knowledge and wisdom of Jesus Christ
personally so you're not beguiled so what's the solution to not be beguiled
know the Bible know the Bible yourself make sure that you're reading the Bible
make sure you're studying the Bible everyone goes at their different pace
everyone grows at a different rate but at the end of the day you need to be
studying the Bible you know the Shepherd is here to protect the flock from the
wolves but the Shepherd can't be with the Shepherd can't be with the sheep 24
7 right so when the sheep are by themselves they need to make sure
they're studying the Bible so they're not beguiled with enticing words okay
and we'll get back to that just a bit now look what it says in verse 5 of
Colossians chapter 2 so we see the danger of being beguiled being tricked
being flattered okay and look flattery is a very common attribute of an
infiltrator false prophet someone who's trying to teach you something that's not
according to the Bible what is flattery flattery is one they just like you know
what their words they just buddy you up they just make you think you're all that
in a bag of chips they're just like oh you're just like the best I love your
preaching you're like you're exaggerating no I've heard that I heard
it this week yeah we're really just like oh man you're just the bet it's like
okay easy there tone it down look I know I'm not that good okay I only accept
that kind of flattery for my wife I'm just kidding and she's telling the truth
right but flattery is when people spread a net under your feet and what they do
is they give you these over-the-top compliments right these over-the-top
compliments where you know it's like okay that's not me like that's that's a
little too much and they do it so you're none the wiser when they're
stabbing you in the back when they're actually criticizing you behind your
back so one way you can see if you're dealing with the unrighteous wicked
person is if they flatter you a whole lot you know what I mean and I'm not
talking about compliments like don't be mean to me after the service and feel
like your sermon I didn't really like it and stuff like that and you know I don't
like the way you talk and I'm not saying that right be nice to me okay what I'm
saying is flattery is when it's just over the top and the reason it's over
the top is because they have an agenda to stab you in the back or they're doing
something else that's not right so they have to overly compensate for their
wickedness because they're gonna do something wicked or they have done or
they've already done something wicked they have to overcompensate and try to
flatter you and by the way more than likely if they're flattering you you're
the object of their wickedness they're you're the object you're the person
they're trying to offend you're the person they're trying to backstab
because they're trying to make sure that you don't know that it's you this is how
these people operate okay and it says right there that you beguiling through
what enticing words that's flattery okay look at verse number five for though I
be absent in the flesh yeah I'm with you in the spirit joining and beholding your
order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ so he says look I'm not
there in the flesh I'm not there in person but I'm hearing about your order
I'm hearing about your steadfastness in Jesus Christ you guys are growing you
guys are strong look at verse six as he have therefore received Christ Jesus the
Lord so walking in him in other words what he's saying there look how did you
receive Jesus Christ by faith well guess what keep walking in faith not to be
saved but to just grow in your faith right we walk by faith not by sight so
in other words it's telling like keep doing what you're doing verse seven
rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as he had been
top abounding the rim with Thanksgiving beware lest any man spoil you through
philosophy in vain to see after the tradition of men after the rudiments of
the world and not after Christ so he says here he uses the word spoiled now
when we think of spoiled we often think of that being a word to describe
something that you know you think of spoiled milk you you make it rotten you
take away its its properties you know I mean spoiled food which that is what it
means but another definition that we also see that it's liken unto it is when
you have war for example and one side of the the army defeats the other they come
in and they what they take the spoils they spoil the city of their what
treasures so they go in and they take all the treasures from that opposing
army whether they're gold they're silver yay sometimes the people they take it
captive right they're there to get the treasures the spoils so we see here that
he's saying beware lest any man spoil you spoil him of what the treasures
which are found in Jesus Christ the wisdom and knowledge you know he's
saying beware make sure you're rooted make sure you're grounded lest any man
spoil you lest they come in and they just take away your knowledge take away
your wisdom they begin to entice you with flattery they begin to trick you
and and teach you all kinds of false doctrine that's not true beware lest any
man spoil you through up philosophy vain deceit after the tradition of men now we
can apply this in many areas but let's just give the immediate application of
this because that phrase right there tradition of men is a common word phrase
that you'll find in the New Testament and it's always in relation to Pharisees
and Judaizers specifically the Jews and look the number one antagonist of the
New Testament aside from Satan himself where the Jews you're like how can you
compare the two well here let me just quote you what Jesus said to the Jews
ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father will you do you
read through the book of Acts the main antagonist who's constantly persecuting
the Christians who's throwing them into prison who's trying to get them not to
preach in the name of Jesus Christ was the Jews he said what does that have to
do with the traditions of men because they emphasize the traditions of men
more than the commandments of God and in fact through their traditions they make
null and void the commandments of men now I'll get into that just a little bit
so this is what he's saying he goes beware lest any man spoil you through
philosophy vain deceit traditions of men after the rudiments of the world and not
after Christ so he's saying look he's basically saying in case any Judaizers
come in your region you need to make sure you're aware of this you say oh
you're you're that's too much I don't think that's what it's saying read the
other books in the New Testament you'll find that teaching over and over again
the entire book of Galatians is all about that it's all about it look listen
to my sermon entitled if I can remember the title of it this major themes in the
New Testament one of the major themes of the New Testament is replacement
theology and that's why the Jews were persecuting the Christians in the New
Testament you think they were just willing to just give up give up every
no they were like fighting ardently against the Christians in the New
Testament okay and this is who he's warning them about so when something is
spoiled something this plunges something is just taken away look at first let's
read verse 8 again beware lest a man spoil through philosophy in vain to see
after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after
Christ so look I'm trying to spoil you after Christ I'm trying to take you
captive after Christ we're trying to captivate people after Christ how is that
done through the Word of God look even you're you yourselves if you have an
imagination if you have a false belief or an ideology that's not in accordance
to the Word of God what does the Bible tell you to do cast down imaginations in
every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God bringing
into what captivity every thought to what the obedience of Christ so when I
get up here and I preach what am I trying to do I'm trying to I'm trying to
captivate you to the obedience of Christ I'm trying to get you to obey Christ
right when you are by yourself you're reading the Word of God when you're
dealing with problems and issues and discouragement disillusionment whatever
it may be what do you have to do you have to cast it down and bring every
thought to the obedience of Christ but there are people out there who are
trying to captivate you after philosophies through philosophies to
reign deceits and the traditions of men okay go to go with me if you would to
let's see here go to Mark chapter 7 hold your place in Colossians chapter 2 so
what are some of the weapons that are being used to spoil us it says
philosophy vain to see in traditions of men what is philosophy well a definition
of philosophy is the rational investigation of the truths and
principles of being knowledge or conduct so it's to reason things away now this
is doesn't this fit the Pharisees perfectly because they were constantly
trying to reason away the things that Christ did and Jesus Christ would
commonly tell him why reason ye in your hearts right let me read to you from
Luke chapter 5 verse 21 says in the scribes and Pharisees began to reason
saying who is this which speaketh blasphemies who can forgive sins but
God alone but when Jesus perceived their thoughts he answering said unto them
what reason ye in your hearts whether is easier to say thy sins be forgiven thee
or to say rise up and walk look at Mark chapter 7 and verse number 1 then came
together unto him the Pharisees and certain of the scribes which came from
Jerusalem and when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with the filed hands
that is to say with unwashed hands they found fault for the Pharisees and all
the Jews except they washed their hands off eat not holding the tradition of the
elders now look I wash my hands when I eat okay and I think you should wash
yours too serious I think washing your hands is good right wash your hands when
you eat but here's the thing I'm not gonna tell you that that's what the
Bible tells you to do in my house we have a rule wash your hands and that's a
rule that I impose upon my children because it's my household I'm the leader
of my home I can tell them whatever I want as long as it is accordance with
the Word of God and it doesn't violate anything but you know for me to get up
here behind the pulpit and teach you that tradition of men as though it's
Bible that's when it becomes wrong this is today traditions of men is known
today as what standards right and look I am all for standards standards are
good when it becomes wrong is when we try to impose those standards upon you
as though it is doctrine when we place the traditions of men over the doctrines
of God you know people say all you guys are Pharisees bunch of judgmental
Pharisees no actually the Pharisees are the ones who try to impose their
standards and their traditions and try to teach it as though it's doctrine and
if you don't do you know their standards you're not right with God no if you're
obeying the commandments of God you're right with God you know we all need to
have standards and I'll preach for standards we need to have standards
standards protect our convictions but we can never take standards and say that
you need to do this or else you're not right with God or here's the thing if
someone doesn't have your standard you don't look down on them for that you
know as if you're like something better that's a holier-than-thou attitude and
you know what's destroyed the old I have B is that right there why is that
because they have forsaken the commandments of God and elevated the
commandments of men they've forsaken the commandments of God it's no wonder they
don't know the Bible because they're so busy propagating their traditions their
man-made traditions their standards it's exactly what the Pharisees did to the
point where the commandments of God are not even important anymore it's just
like you have a conversation was like well the Bible says this and they're
just like oh yeah yeah whatever you know it's like well that's the most important
thing yeah we need to make sure we will we're obedient we're obeying the
commandments of God you know what I mean and if you want to have your standards
you want to have your traditions yes but here's the thing and look traditions are
important look for example dress standards right you said what's the
dress standard for a man don't look like a fag don't look like a girl it's good
make sure that when we look at you you look like a man now what's my standard
part your hair but that's my standard I'm not gonna impose it on anybody if
you ask my opinion I said yeah if you want part your hair that's just my my
standard that's what I want you know but I can't impose it upon you all I can
tell you is like hey don't look like an effeminate little girl dress like a man
women dress like women you know don't have short hair on women because that's
that violates the scriptures you say well that's the standard no no that's a
command you see you need to be able to learn to differentiate between the two
okay the thigh is nakedness so is the buttocks right my standard for my wife
is long dresses but does that mean that if a lady has her skirt up to here that
she's not right with God no because she's covering the nakedness as long as
she's not bringing attention to herself right she's modest she has shame facing
this she's right with God and look if you're not careful people can have this
holier-than-thou attitude where we look down on people when they're just obeying
the commandments of God and they don't have your standard that will destroy
look at that point then what is the standard right who's the standard of the
standards right the why I think it should be this way so who died amen you
boss see at the end of the day that's why we need to go with the commandments
of God because at that point we can see okay this is God's standard and at that
point you choose where you want to draw the line as long as it doesn't pass this
biblical standard look my standard for my face is hair amen I'm born with that
standard okay but I'm not gonna tell you that if you can't grow a beard and I
write with God you know I'll just tell you that you know sorry so bad for you
that'd be wrong or how about this if you have a beard you're not right with God
we've heard that before yeah you're like oh I'm shave that being you hippie well
are you calling are you calling Jesus Christ the hippie cuz he had a beer too
some people don't think it's like they criticize the beard oh why do you have a
beard for you know that's that's that's not Baptist actually yeah it is and look
you this is what I used to joke around with someone who used to tell me that
I used to say you know what the number one problem with the modern versions of
the Bible is and they thought I was just talking about something else and I said
the modern the problem with the modern versions of the of the Bible is that
they take away that which God never intended to be taken away and I said
you're trying to get me to take away my beard and God intended it for it to be
on my face joking what I'm saying is look I can't say that if someone has a
beard that they're not right with God you're not right with God because you're
criticizing a brother because what if they're they had they don't have the
genetics for that you know what I mean some Asians right don't look at me like
that you know it's true there's some right now I've met some Filipinos and
some Asians who can grow some thick beards but I met others that can grow
four hairs really long hairs you know but it doesn't mean they're not right
with God it's just the way it is what it is so there's two extremes to this
but the main point is this we need to emphasize God's standard and make sure
we will we get we need to make sure where God draws the line and at that
point for our families we also make a standard for our families okay and not
try to impose that upon someone else or even look down on others because they
don't have your standard you understand now look the standard is not this why I
like CCM that's not a standard you're violating the Word of God at that point
that's it's it's not godly music okay we can say a lot about that where was that
I mean yeah what verse dude you just went all the way down the chapter there
I gotta read more I didn't go that far okay was it six all right well we'll
read from verse five how about we find a happy medium then the Pharisees and
scribes asked them why walk neither thy disciples according to the tradition of
the elders but eat bread with unwashing hands he answered and said unto them
well had desires prophesied of you hypocrites as it is written this people
on earth me with their lips but their heart is far from him how be it in vain
they worship me do they worship me teach him for doctrines the commandments of
men for laying aside the commandment of God ouch ye hold the tradition of men as
the washing of pots and cups and many other such like things you do and he
said unto them full well you reject the commandment of God that you may keep
your own tradition see there's people specifically the Pharisees who are so
enveloped and just elevating their own standard they just completely rejected
the commandments of God to the point that even know what salvation was and
this is what happens when you elevate standards over doctrine you can't even
get the simplest of doctrine correct the simplest of doctrine you can't get
correct because you're so focused on your traditions okay skip down to verse
13 look making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition which he
have delivered and many such like things do ye go back if you would to Colossians
chapter number two and look I'm not saying traditions are bad traditions are
good I we have traditions in our church amen the Bible does not say that we
should thou shall sing four songs in a church service right no one's seen that
right in the Bible right okay you guys are looking at me like I don't know does
it but that's a tradition we have we the fourth one is at the end of the service
okay yeah that's the tradition we have okay but you know that's a tradition we
do have that's a great tradition amen hey we have a tradition of celebrating
Christmas that's a good tradition we have a tradition that on the fourth of
July we celebrate freedom in America no in Christ okay that's a tradition that
we have we have many traditions that are good and they're not bad and we
encourage people what's that yeah that's a tradition that's dying okay yeah we're
gonna make void that tradition okay there's traditions that are good and
especially if they're traditions that promote doctrine right if they cause us
to to be more godly and holy if it helps us to be better Christians these are
good doctrine these are good traditions okay the bad traditions are this touch
not taste not handle not which we see later on in verse 21 now what is that
referring to it says touch not taste not handle not touch not the unclean thing
that was a command in the Old Testament which was a shadow of things to come but
once Christ died he was the fulfillment of that shadow hey now it's no longer
touch not the unclean thing physically touch not the unclean thing referring to
have you know be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers so the
commandment there is not don't touch a dead animal right in the New Testament
the commandment is this hey we shouldn't have fellowship with unbelievers you
understand taste not handle not you know back in the Old Testament they couldn't
eat shrimp right taste not we can now yeah amen you better amen
but you know you you have Christ rejecting Judaizers who are trying to
keep people under that law still no pork no shrimp no you're completely
neglecting and making void what the commandment of God was in the New
Testament what is that that the Gentiles should be partakers of this gospel as
well because of the fact that the Gentiles in the Old Testament were
considered to be unclean right but now in the New Testament what Peter heard
when he got when he was spoken to by God they say hey call not thou common that
which God hath cleansed I'm misquoting that basically saying look you need to
go to the Gentiles and not just the Jews and give them the gospel as well taste
touch not taste not handle that so that was the that's the gospel of the
Judaizers touch not taste not handle not that is a standard that they have
look if there's someone here who doesn't want to eat shrimp you know that's up to
you right if you don't want to eat shrimp and pork you know but the problem
would be is that you're trying to teach other people hey you shouldn't eat
shrimp and pork because that should be your own standard that you have for your
family okay oh you shouldn't eat me the Bible calls that doctrines of devils in
first Timothy chapter number four take that Catholics you know abstain from
meats Bible says that's a doctrine of Devils I'm thankful that the Bible says
that look at verse number nine for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the God
had bodily and year complete in him which is the head of all principality
and power and whom also you're circumcised with the circumcision made
without hands and putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the
circumcision of Christ now hold your place there go to Romans chapter number
two so now we really know what he's talking about if he's referring to
circumcision this is obviously referring to the Jews because even in the New
Testament the Jews are referred to as the what circumcision okay that's
something that was a practice that they had in the Old Testament and here is
saying in whom also ye are circumcised now he's not talking to Jews here and
he's not talking about a physical circumcision either he says also your
circumcised with the circumcision made without hands why because the physical
circumcision was made with hands and putting off the body of sins of the
flesh by the circumcision of Christ so the Bible is talking about the
circumcision of our hearts when did that take place when we believed on Christ so
that circumcision of the Old Testament was symbolic of salvation salvation in
the New Testament those salvation was the same in Old and New Testament the
fulfillment of that is to say when we believe on Christ our heart is
circumcised we put away the filth of the flesh we take off the foreskin of sin
so to speak okay look at Romans 2 verse 28 now this is a good verse okay if
someone's struggling with this with this concept of replacement theology it's
pretty clear right here for he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is
that circumcision which is outward in the flesh so people who claim to be Jews
and they're circumcised in the flesh what does God say he's not a Jew God
says that Paul the Apostle wrote it inspired by the Holy Ghost says he is
not a Jew well then who is then well let's keep reading but he is a Jew
which is one inwardly and the circumcision is that of the heart in the
spirit and not in the letter when it's referred to the letters referring to the
Old Covenant Old Testament the law whose praise is not of men but of God now what
does that mean when it says whose praise is not a man but of God praise is
another word for recognition you know when you receive the praise of God it
means God recognizes you you understand so if it says here that this
circumcision this praise is not of men but of God it means God is the one who
sees you as a Jew not men God okay go to Galatians chapter number five
Galatians chapter number five now I encourage you to go home and read the
entire book of Galatians it's a great book dealing with this subject at hand
look at verse number five of Galatians 5 for we through the spirit wait for the
adoption excuse me wait for the hope of righteousness by faith for in Jesus
Christ neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision but faith
which worketh by love look you have Pharisees in the book of Acts trying to
convince people to be circumcised according to Moses the law of Moses to
be saved they're trying to convince people that in order for them to be
saved they have to be circumcised in the flesh and when a Paul say here that
circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision uncircumcision but faith
which worketh by love Paul said in Philippians chapter 3 verse 3 for we
speaking of himself and of those who he who whom he's writing to for we are the
circumcision which worship God in spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no
confidence in the flesh so hold on sir I thought you just said that they referred
to the Jews as a circumcision yeah but in this verse he's not talking about
them so how do you know well because he says we are the circumcision which
worship God in spirit and rejoice in Christ the Jews have rejoicing in Christ
the Jews believe that Jesus Christ is burning in hell in his own escriment the
Jews kill Jesus they're not the ones who are worshiping God and rejoicing in
Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh and in fact they're dependent
on their flesh to be saved till this day I always use the example but it's a
perfect example when I went into that rabbi a Mexican rabbi believe it or not
he had the the jerry curls and you know a little yeah Mexican rabbi he had the
entire outfit on and everything and I say you and look I didn't say all Jew
you know I wanted a witness to him and I said are you hundred percent sure you
died today you go to heaven he's off course I got a covenant with God like
don't shut my mouth oh man he literally said I have a
covenant with God and he and then he mocked the virgin birth to me he mocked
the virgin birth he mocked Jesus Christ he mocked Christians you know what he
said he said look he said we like you guys we like Christians you guys are
helping us build the next temple I said you guys there's a lot of people I'm not
helping you do any of that I don't know who you're talking about he's like we
like Trump he's helping us build the next temple you know and so this is not
referring to that in the Bible he says that we are the circumcision because the
circumcision that's emphasized is a circumcision of the heart why is that
because when we believe on Christ he forgives us of all sin past present and
future we're putting off the sins of the flesh okay we're putting off the wages
of sin which is death go back to Colossians chapter 2 so we are the
circumcision look at verse 12 buried with them in baptism wherein also you're
risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him
from the dead and you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your
flesh hath he quickened together with him having forgiven you all trespasses
now I don't have time to go into all that right there regarding the baptism I
preached an entire sermon on him from first Peter chapter number three where
we talked about how there's different baptisms in the Bible and one of them is
literally salvation and that baptism that day is relates to salvation is not
talking about the baptism in water that's this it's referring to the fact
that we trusted Christ therefore we're immersed in Christ okay and that's the
story for another day but if you have any questions about that you can see me
afterwards now look at verse 14 this is what I really really when I want to get
into look what it says in verse 14 blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the
way nailing it to his cross now what ordinances is it referring to well the
ordinance is referring to is the meats drinks and diverse washings and Cardinal
ordinances you see some people want to say we're not under the law anymore and
it's true to a certain extent now when they when they say we're not under the
law anymore they're basically saying hey we can you know murder and kill and
you know do all kinds of stuff and divorce or a man it's all good it's all
good all good anything goes you know we're not no we're under grace no you're
turning the grace of God into lasciviousness at that point when in
the Bible talks about we're not under the law but under grace it's referring
to the fact that we're not subject to those ordinances the meats drinks and
divers washes we don't have to do sacrifices all day morning noon and
night on a weekly basis on a yearly basis that's a lot of work we don't have
to abstain from certain meats okay we can wear clothes there are there are
woven together with different material we can put two types of seed in the
ground these things were things that they could not do in the Old Testament
and he says there that when Christ died for us because he saved us verse 14
blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us which was
contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to the cross then let me
ask you who was nailed to the cross Jesus Christ but here he says that the
ordinances were nailed to the cross why is that well look what it says that
goes on to say verse 15 and having spoiled principalities and powers he
made a show of them openly triumphing over them in it you see Jesus Christ is
the culmination of all these ordinances so they had to observe those ordinances
those meats drinks and divers washings up until the point that Jesus Christ was
crucified on the cross why because he is the Lamb of God who should take away the
sins of the world okay he is the fulfillment of these ordinances that we
see in the Old Testament so therefore he took those ordinances and he nailed them
to the cross referring to himself at that point we no longer have to adhere
to that because he is the culmination what did he do in the cross he made a
show of them openly so in other words the Jews who were you know observing
these things when Jesus Christ was crucified they need to be like oh this
this is what we're waiting for this is the shadow the shadow of things to come
this is the fulfillment of it what was the problem with the Judaizers what was
the problem with the Jews they're focusing still on the shadow you see a
shadow is not the person it's just the figure of the person it's you know you
go around the corner and you see a shadow of a person you're not like oh
hey what's up you see my shadow around the corner like hey brother me here
what's going on you just that just to let you know that I'm around the corner
then I'm coming it's a figure of something that is about to come you
understand so here it tells us in fact look what it goes on to say here verse
16 let no man therefore judge you and meet or in drink or in respect of a holy
day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath day someone's phones going off here but
the Chevy that's alright that's right you can leave it I'll answer for you
later or of the new moon or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of
things to come but the body is of Christ so what is the Bible teaching us here is
teaching us that these ordinances were a figure of things that were going to come
in the future but you know what once you have that figure fulfilled hey
forget the shadow why still focus on the shadow and I like what it says in verse
16 let no man therefore judge you and meet in drink about it's not referring
to alcoholic beverages either we definitely judge that okay or respect of
unholy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath days he says don't let anybody
judge or you're not observing the Sabbath hey don't judge me on that don't
judge me bro you know we would that is actually a good context no one's looking
at Chevy right now he's he's completely camouflaged no one's no one could see
you brother Chevy you're doing a good job I'm just messing with them that was
funny he's a good sport he's a good sport what was I saying yeah let no man
judge you in me drink or even holy day or of the Sabbath day no you said what
was the Sabbath a picture of salvation because of the fact that if you remember
in the Old Testament if anyone was caught working during the Sabbath what
would happen to them they would be put to death why is that because the Sabbath
is a picture of rest in Christ but someone who chooses not to trust Christ
as their Savior they're not choosing that rest what are they doing they're
working for their salvation and what happens the wages of sin is death they
will ultimately experience hell because of that me or in drink or respect of an
holy day which are shadow things to come but the body is of Christ look at verse
18 let no man beguile you of your reward and a voluntary humility and worshiping
of angels intruding in those things which he hath not seen vainly puffed up
by his fleshly mind and not holding the head in other words they're not they're
not emphasizing Christ they don't have Jesus Christ which all the body by
joints and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together increases
with the increase of God now can you see why he was he had that conflict in the
beginning he says if you're not if you don't have unity just any regular Joe
Schmoe can come in here and teach you these things and you can get beguiled of
your reward you know you're following the right doctrine you're doing the
right thing someone comes and teaches you something that's contrary to the
Word of God someone can spoil your rewards okay increase it with the
increase of God verse 20 it says wherefore if he be dead with Christ from
the rudiments of the world why is though living in the world are you subject to
ordinances touch not taste not handle not which all are to perish with the
using after the commandments and doctrines of men which things have
indeed a show of wisdom in will worship and humility and neglecting of the body
not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh so what is he saying these
commandments of men these ordinances they indeed have a show of wisdom why is
that because people were supposed to look at that in the Old Testament and
say just like Abraham did God will provide himself a lamb right they look
forward in spite of what the dispensationalist will say they look
forward to the cross so every time they offered a sacrifice that was a show
right that was to show them of something that was gonna happen in the
future when they burn the sacrifice that was a figure of Jesus Christ burning for
arson okay when they observe the Sabbath that was a picture of the fact that when
Jesus Christ came though they had that salvation then it was a picture of the
fact that we're resting in Christ from our works because Jesus Christ did all
the work for us these were indeed a show of wisdom and will worship and
humility and neglecting of the body not in any honor to the satisfying of the
flesh so what's the main thing that he's basically just driving in in Colossians
chapter 2 let no man right spoil you through philosophy in vain to see in
other words don't let anybody rob you of the treasures of the Word of God okay
hey you know the truth you see it right here you have the Holy Spirit of God
living within you you have the Bible don't let anybody spoil you through
philosophy in vain to see he said well this is a problem that they had back
then but you know what this is popping its head in today as well the Hebrew
roots movement and all these people who want to elevate you know the Old
Testament Old Covenant law even though the Bible specifically tells us that
that thing is diminished it's done away with we we are in a better covenant
which is established upon better promises with the better mediator the
Bible says referring to Jesus Christ no we're New Testament Christians and
that's not to say that we don't refer back to the Old Testament for figures
and shadows principles and doctrine but at the end of the day we need to make
sure that we we the preeminent one is who Jesus Christ and that everything in
the Old Testament points to him that's what we need to make sure we emphasize
the head of our church is Jesus Christ amen
inspire heads and have a word of prayer father we thank you so much for this day
thank you for your word and Lord thank you so much for the teachings of your
word Lord we're thankful for the Apostle Paul and the Church of Colossae and all
the teachings that they received and things that we're gleaning wisdom from
even to this day 2,000 years later and we're I'm thankful Lord that we are the
circumcision and that circumcision is not of the flesh but of the heart and in
the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not a man but of God and thank
you so much that you've placed that within your word you can give us
understanding and although there's doctrines in the Bible that are hard to
be understood and obscure at times the things that you want us to know clearly
are very clearly put in the Bible for us to know and you put enough of it in it
in order for us to understand it perfectly and especially regards to
salvation and these things that are important Lord these things are very
clear in the Word of God and we're thankful for the understanding that the
Holy Spirit gives us I pray God that you'd help us as the Colossians to be to
be aware of these things to make sure that these things don't don't enter into
our church that we stay within the Word of God and we're gleaning treasures of
wisdom and knowledge through him and in Jesus name we pray amen