Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20000220.htm

COLOSSIANS: DISCERNING TRUE DOCTRINES
"Part IV: Using Christ's Person And Work To Detect Significant Errors"
(Colossians 2:1-23)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

wonder if even WE hold to the truth!

herself holds firmly to our stand against sign gifts being for today, the question was raised in class as to IF the Pastor's stand on tongues is RIGHT!

(2) I was handed a mailing from a believer last Sunday that he wanted me to review. In it is a doctrinal statement from a group, which, among other things, states: "We believe that as a chosen race, elected by God, we are not to be partakers of the wicked ness of this world system, but are called to come out and be a separated people. This includes segregation from all non-white races, who are prohibited in God's natural order from ruling over Israel . . . "

The group's definition of "Israel" is given as follows: "We believe the White, Anglo-Saxon, Germanic and kindred people to be God's true, literal Children of Israel."

Well, how do we BIBLICALLY discern if we are to segregate from non-white racial groups today or not?!

(3) The leader of the Basic Youth Conflicts, writes on pages 124 of his Basic Seminar Textbook (1993 ed.) that " . . . fasting increases spiritual awareness . . . if we neither eat nor exercise, a greater amount of blood is available for mental and spiritual concentration." He then goes on to detail how to fast in orde r to improve one's walk with God in several areas of life, p. 124-128. Well, should we promote fasting for spiritual vitality or not practice it like we don't do at Nepaug Church -- how can we tell?

(4) Seventh-Day Adventists, in their work, Seventh-day Adventists Believe, p. 244 (1989 ed.) teach that Christ's death ended the ceremonial part of the Mosaic Law for the believer, but that it established the Ten Commandments so that we really should observe Saturday, the original "Sabbath" instead of Sunday as a Church! Well, how can we tell we are meeting on the right day?



(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )

Need: "A variety of beliefs float about that people SAY are God's truths but which DIFFER from what WE teach at NEPAUG! Is there some CLEAR way to DISCERN the truth from error so we can know who to believe and HOW to LIVE so as to please God?!"
  1. When Paul wrote to the Colossians, they faced an ASSORTMENT of theological errors that flowed from errant human imaginations:
    1. Early Gnosticism tempted the Colossians, teaching error as follows:
      1. The gnostics felt matter was in and of itself evil.
      2. Thus, they concluded that God must have no connection with it.
      3. Therefore, gnostic teachers taught Christ did not have a real body, and/or was not fully God, denying His incarnation as the God-man.
      4. Also, they taught Christians could indulge in bodily lusts as the body was sinful, and would eventually be discarded anyway, Bib. Know. Com., N.T., p. 677; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, p. 1770!
    2. The Colossians were pushed toward false Judaism, being pressed to adopt the Mosaic Law and its rituals in the Old Testament, Ibid.
    3. Oriential mysticism appealed to some, leading them to a false humility and angel worship, Ibid., p. 678-679.
    4. Some even turned toward asceticism as had Eve in Genesis 3, a type of false spirituality that prided itself in the extravagant "don'ts" of man-made regulations, Ibid., p. 679, cf. Genesis 3:3 with 2:16-17.
  2. To COUNTER these SIGNIFICANT errors, Paul FOCUSED on the POSITION believers have in the ALL-SUFFICIENT CHRIST:
    1. Paul expressed how concerned he was for these Colossians to know the truth, especially since he had not met many of them, Col. 2:1.
    2. He wanted them to conquer the troublesome errors that faced them:
      1. He wanted their hearts to be comforted from the trouble such errors brought upon their minds and lives, Colossians 2:2a.
      2. He wanted them to be united in God's true love as well, Col. 2:2b.
    3. This would occur if they realized that it is in CHRIST that come ALL of the treasures of practical knowledge and theoretical theology ("wisdom and knowledge") God has for Christians, Col. 2:2c-5!
    4. Thus, he urged them to focus on Christ's all-sufficiency, for all the errors they faced incorrectly departed from that all-sufficiency, 2:6-7.
  3. Having stated the THEOLOGY of Christ's ALL-SUFFICIENCY, Paul APPLIED it to the FALSE beliefs afflicting these Colossians:
    1. Opposite the errant gnostic disrespect for the material world and its belittling of Christ's deity or negating of His full humanity, Paul taught all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in Christ in His body, Col. 1:8-9.
    2. [ALSO, applied to today, Paul would claim since we are spiritually complete in Christ in Colossians 2:10, we believers need no alleged "Second Blessing" accompanied by "sign gifts" (tongues speaking, prophecy, healing gifts, etc.) for fulfillment, see also Ephesians 1:3!]
    3. Opposite errant Judaism that sought to captivate Gentiles to Mosaic Law stipulations, Paul taught Christ's death ended the Law's rule, thus liberating ALL Gentile and Jewish believers from its jurisdiction:
      1. Paul claimed even the NON-Jewish believers enjoyed spiritual circumcision via Christ's death, 2:11-13. (B.K.C., N.T., p. 677)
      2. Accordingly, as Christ died, He also died to the Mosaic Law's jurisdiction AND condemnation so that no one can legally charge any believer of sin for failing to keep the Mosaic Law, Col. 2:14.
      3. In fact, the main Critic of men -- Satan with his demonic forces (cf. Rev. 12:9, 10b) -- had his case of charges of sin against the believer positionally demolished by Christ's death, Col. 2:15.
      4. Thus, no regulation of the Mosaic Law, be it "ceremonial" issues on diet or the keeping of Sabbaths in the "Ten Commandments" can be held up as a valid rule for the believer by anyone, Col. 2:16-17!
    4. Opposite errant Oriental mysticism pressures that sought to promote a false humility for spirituality and worship of angels, Paul taught the believer is to worship Christ alone Who solely builds up every believer in the spiritual realm independent of human efforts, Col. 2:18-19.
    5. Opposite errant ascetic pressures that sought to elevate "don't" regulations to foster "spirituality," Paul taught the believer was dead to ALL man-authored rules along with being dead to the Mosaic Law's jurisdiction. Thus, they were to live above such non-biblical "dont" regulations as a means of spiritual devel opment, Col. 2:20-23!
Application: To DISCERN truth from error taught anywhere, (1) believe on Christ to become a child of God and become indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the Teacher, Jn. 3:16; Rom. 8:9b; Jn. 14:16-17, 26. (2) As a believer, fellowship with God via (a) c onfessing sins done after salvation (1 Jn. 1:9) and (b) depend upon the Spirit for power for living (Gal. 5:16-23). (3) In this position, hold to the doctrine of Christ's All-sufficiency in His Person and Work of the Cross to discern with the Spirit's enab ling God's truths from error!

Lesson: Focusing on the believer's spiritual position IN his All-sufficient Savior, the God-man, Jesus Christ equips him to steer away from a multit ude of errant beliefs to his blessing and liberation from bondage!

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 We now answer the questions we raised in our introduction:

Mosaic Covenant to the nation Israel to reveal Her need to repent and accept Christ or be judged; since we are not under the Law today, and God is not dealing with Israel as a nation, tongues is not Biblically justifiable for today!

especially Galatians 3:27-28. (b) Also, even though Israel was separated as a nation unto God, when foreigners were in Her land, She was to love them as Herself , remembering that Israel Herself was once oppressed in Egypt, Lev. 19:33-34! The idea of rejecting others who are racially different from us is very unbiblical!

(3) Regarding fasting promoted by the Basic Youth Conflicts Seminar leader for increasing one's spiritual vitality, Paul claimed in Colossians 1:20-22 that we are not to be subject to the "taste not" ordinances of men. God never commands fasting for Christians, and Jesus and His disciples were known for NOT fasting, Mtt. 11:18-19. If not fasting was fine for the sinless Jesus, we need not do it today!

(4) On keeping the Sabbath, or Saturday promoted by the Seventh-day Adventists, as we noted in our sermon notes from Colossians 2:11-17, we were released not only from the "ceremonial" part of the Mosaic Law (such as dietary restrictions), but also from th e "Ten Commandments" section (such as keeping the Sabbaths), 1:16. Since we are to "Let no man therefore judge you in meat . . . or in respect of . . . the Sabbath days . . . ", we should refuse to feel guilty for meeting on Sunday and not keeping Saturday as a holy day!

When we focus on the all-sufficiency of CHRIST and His WORK on the CROSS and His GOD-MAN Personhood, we can sift through ideas and come to the liberating truth in Christ!