The Letter to the Colossians; Chapter 2:3-7 (Part A)

Now there are those that if you want to irritate just telling the truth. Just tell the truth about Jesus Christ, you make them your Christian people say that Christian long as you telling them the truth that I want to hear it. Then there are those that if you lie about Jesus Christ you irritate most of the true Christians.

It disturbs us when people say false things about the Messiah. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Colossians. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Colossians chapter 2 for today's edition of cross reference radio Colossians chapter 2 I think it's hypocritical for the body of Christ to protest the sins of society such as the murder of the unborn sexual perversity in all of its forms, lewdness, worldliness, holography while at the same time ignoring the heresies that are in the church and failing to preach the truth. This is to common practice and I think it the center of it is a confused notion about who God is who Jesus Christ is what the cross of Christ means.

I think at the center of it is selfishness view of self to self-centeredness, substituting the revelation of God for the preference of myself.

The Colts have been very successful in recruiting people through the ages and much of what they've used to recruit is the charm of secrecy, which again is a selfish thing. I will have knowledge. I will acknowledge that others don't have. And I'm going to use that knowledge that others don't have two exalt myself and knowledge can give an individual a false sense of advantage. Eve stumbled into sin because of that she was tricked because the lure of knowledge.

She thought that there was an advantage to learning more to going beyond what God had said, and she didn't really take the time to think it through and therefore she was deceived and brought the sin to her husband, and of course as husbands do. Even to this day I toss out the word of God for the words of their wife's sake of their marriages is not an endorsement for marriage is split not don't be ridiculous, but the idea is that we have to always be on guard the truth that God is given to us and not hungry for further revelations that don't come from God's word knowledge puffs up. Love edifies and was always have to do with Colossians. Well, that was what the Gnostics were there infiltrating the church trying to do.

Tell everyone we got secret knowledge we got mysteries we have the way to salvation.

It really the apostles don't have, but we've discovered it. We got the deeper things of the faith. Don't you want this again is what the Jehovah witnesses often start out with. Haven't you ever wondered why and they are trying to create the impression that you are lacking something that they have that there is a void that your church is not given to you what you should get what they they are ready to give it to you for a nickel or whatever there watchtower is costing you know the half the Bibles buy them in bulk and they have to sell them what they don't sell them. They just eat the cost to very good thing for the watchtower printing presses there in Brooklyn is very good thing for Satan in the Gnostics, they did have deeper knowledge they had more Whately things from hell as all the cults do the deeper things of hell, they can tell you that they themselves don't know that Satan does, I think sometimes they go in so deep that when that there being more upfront about their devilish ways.

It doesn't even really register with them. Will all of that has to do with Paul. Recognizing that Satan picked a fight with the church.

If Coliseum and it was his fight to that he belongs not only to the local church but to the mystical body of Christ. The church that is everywhere the true Church of true believers who know who Jesus Christ is love him, and with all that they have seek to obey him. I want to read first Corinthians chapter 8 verse one now concerning things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up and then reading from first Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. See the mystery is with God not puffing up knowledge about things, but it God has the mysteries he has the answers and the solutions and as he reveals them there no longer mysteries to us, but there still mysteries to the lost and we are the ones that are supposed to demystify the truths about God.

Paul continues God was manifest in the flesh, how much in your face.

You have to be to refute this idea that Jesus is not God the son. It says right there, God was manifest in the flesh, the cannot do this unless you change the words. This is justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. As Christ the ascension right there in front of the apostles, received up that suet is talking about.

This is who we love. This is when we worship so back to that opening statement that I made. It is hypocritical for the body of Christ to protest the sins of society, while ignoring heresies and failing to preach the truth. This is the truth.

We preach Christ is I get more blessed by songs that exalt the Lord than anything else, because if he is exalted.

Everything else is covered because of who he is who I know him to be. I'm not taking shots at songs, but for example there are songs we sing about God's love for us in and it has its place, but I don't have to sing about songs of love for us.

If I'm singing about my love for him at Canon free to do that trick you can get myself into messier trying to highlight something an important point that we Christians really don't.

I welcoming me speaking for myself.

Maybe if the shoe fits you can wear to I get a little irritated for some reason when I hear this phrase world view my Christian worldview I don't like it, saying it's wrong, but what I like is anointing the presence of God. The filling of God.

If I have that I got everything and if I have that I can move forward in any direction. I've got the real McCoy. This is what Paul is trying to tell the Colossian church. These Gnostics don't have mysteries, they don't have stuff that you need.

You've got it in Christ you need nothing else to Christ. Now, having said all that, if you can just hold onto it. If you disagree with it as we go to the second chapter, Paul will Holy Spirit through Paul will say very clearly, concisely better than what I've been attempting to do in this introduction we now look briefly at verse two where we left off last week, will start in verse three. That's we start. We just want to review briefly verse two of Colossians 2 Paul says that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God the father and of Christ. See, he's purposely using these words that the Gnostics are using, says the knowledge of the mystery of God according to the father.

According to the sun and not according to these Johnny-come-lately's incidentally by the time that Christ came all the world's major religions were already in place with the exception of his law. Islam is a Johnny-come-lately. It is takes from Judaism and some Christianity and it moseyed into this other stuff. It is false religion. It is as satanic as all the other religions.

It does not have to be as violent as it is to qualify as a satanic religion. It is satanic because it refutes or disagrees with what God says about Jesus Christ. First John chapter 2 verse 22 who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ, he is antichrist who denies the Father and the son. Again, the apostles were in your face when they wrote about truth.

They were in the face of a lie. Now there are those that if you want to irritate them just telling the truth to tell the truth about Jesus Christ, you make them your enemy the Christians people say they credited long as you're telling them the truth that I want to hear it.

Then there are those that if you lie about Jesus Christ you irritate them those of the true Christians. It disturbs us when people say false things about the Messiah.

While it is supposed to disturbs to the point of refuting that would truth from the Scripture that is what Paul is doing. There are many people who think a make-believe zone is available somewhere in the way to get there is to sidestep truth. Truth is something that is offensive to them. It is a hindrance for how they think the universe ought to run even though they know it doesn't run that way.

Acceptance explain liberalism. It hates the truth, thinks he can do everything better if the truth would just get out of its way.

This is again our mainstream media lives this way, but who cares. Were not trying to convert the mainstream media. We are trying to convert lost souls to the light to the truth that is only found in Christianity. Now in verse three of Colossians 2 recess, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now again words used by the Gnostics, we have the wisdom we have the knowledge and goodness go to know in the Greek we have the knowledgeable ones.

Now I haven't use these verses in a while but I want to use them now. Mark's gospel chapter 4 verse 24, Jesus warns about how we hear something I'm speaking to the seeker the person that is seeking the truth because the Gnostics were looking for people who were seeking the truth. The Jehovah's Witnesses are looking for people who are seeking the truth. We got a go farther than that of you going to be right with God and Jesus says, take heed what you hear this one. Take that apart from that verse Luke chapter 8 verse 18 is a verse that belongs with Mark chapter 4, Luke 818.

And there he says therefore take heed how you hear that pay attention to what is right, not what is feasible, not what is plausible or put it this way, not what is doable and what is believable. But what really is. We do not build doctrine off of what is doable or what is believable.

Something can be believable, but it's a lie. Something can be possible, but it's wrong and if you do not know the difference, then you are fair game for the Colson for Satan will how do I get to know the difference by knowing God's word by knowing him personally.

When this relationship with Jesus is established. He never leave you nor forsake you.

He's there all the time and this is why we are reminded that apostasy is deliberate is not an accident that someone falls away from the truth they choose to do this, they don't like the terms of God is set forth. They want something but you know the me just make me feel good and if you don't lie to me to make me feel good. I'm gone which God says bye-bye. This is illustrated in John chapter 6. This was a hard saying in many did not follow him after that Jesus turned to the site is a YouTube little it is now. You've got the words alive.

No one else is God, not about how it feels with what is right, spirit and truth, and so the treasures that Paul is talking about in verse three are hidden from those who are not ready to receive the treasure of truth, ready for something else and that is the difference between being saved and being lost. What is your view on what God has said is it true to you or is it not is God real to you or is he not is God your parents God and you just kinda going along with it because as all you know and the first time something else that comes along that looks better you going to jump ship and go for it. This is how they get our children in the universities and workplaces. Do you know him personally. That's what a born-again experience is you know God personally and you love what you know and you love were you going you love what you're doing if you are doing it in obedience to him and so countless multitudes of salt for truth, but on their terms, and that is the warning that I read from Mark and Luke. If you going to seek the truth. It's not going to be on your terms is going to be based on God's revelation, not your speculation. Verse four now this I say, lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words with a big word in that verse is deceive, I'm telling you this so no one checks you.

That's what he say with high sounding gibberish and nonsense regardless of what they pack until it and men are ingenious at this.

They have all sorts of plausible and feasible doable and believable arguments that are wrong. Evolution.

It sounds believable to someone, perhaps, not to me.

I mean, I'm telling you, since I could debate in elementary school is like you kidding me you're telling me we came from monkeys turned aside a little bit and I can see it all.

I just was stupid from the beginning to have the moon get there. Then what did that evolve from this is the home and is still is but now we've got people they just have this incredible ability to remember data and therefore people think they right with whatever they say we have to be on guard against this is a saying I'm saying is less anyone should deceive you with persuasive words and in the Greek persuasive words means just that, in the English it sounds good but it's false.

It's a lie cannot be trusted.

And if you're not watching out you will be victimized.

He continues in verse five for though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. Their faith in Christ is what you meant something to Paul, not the reasonable devil.

The feasible devil. All error is superficially believable. On the surface rose nobody would go for often times theory masquerades as fact and if you don't know better, then you are con is in the spiritual sense nonsense disguises sophistication.

This is of all these hi words you're using. I don't know them, you tell me you've got microscopes and you've got this evidence, but you can show me any of the evidence, but you telling me that you have it is saying that because your profession has made these accomplishments in this area that I'm supposed to believe you in every area but it doesn't work that way I can have a doctor who can save my life in the hospital doesn't mean I believe him and everything else he does this, simply because he's done that is a time will come. We can do that then where are my every patient of every doctor dies no disciple of Jesus Christ dies. We just leave here that makes it sounds simple, but often times it is grueling is traumatic is grievous, but it is real. Nonetheless, our feelings don't make it less real. Our hatred for death things that steal from us does not make the promises of Jesus Christ not real. We have to embrace them by faith, and in no other way you can say what you know what I like what God is doing so okay I'm going to be a sunshine saying I'm going to serve him, so long as the sun is shining, but when those dark clouds come in that thunder begins to scare me. I will shake my fist at him because I don't like that he's allow that into my life and so the antidote for this is trusting God no matter what and when Paul says, though I'm absent in the flesh, not he's 100 miles away in Roman jail is as yet.

I'm with you in the spirit that is to say, this is my fight Satan's messing with that church. I've got the solution and I'm going to teach you how to deal with these guys and that's what this letter is all about anything. Not only my writing these things to you and the power of the Holy Spirit, but I'm there with you. I can see their faces I can hear their arguments and their raw we are right here is why we are right and so when he says, yet in verse five. I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order. He's saying I believe you're going to win this. Maybe you've got a child that you've raised in Christianity and their struggling. Maybe they drifted here is a good instruction from the Scripture on what sort of attitude to have towards this moment I'm with you I'm in this fight with you. I'm not going to just sit back and let the enemy steal you. I'm going to pray. I'm going to battle up in the spirit. This is the story of Abraham going to get lot now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive. The arm 318 train service core born in his own house and went in pursuit as far as dandies were men he could trust. They were born in his house. He wasn't going to let them get away with a lot let that one sink in little bit.

I liked it actually and that's our attitude also all right fights on I can get away from it. I don't want this, but here it is now. I'm going to throw at this beast everything. Not that I've got that the Lord has his riches. So verse five again, for though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and steadfastness of your faith. What should he have said why I can't get there if I could just get the I could do something with this, but I'm not there, and so they going to get your you're all good time to go to go to hell all of your dog, repairs existed in football you but house got there in the moments so steadfastness the steadfastness of your faith. Now what what is supposed to make faith, not steadfast when you find out. Don't tell me because you're wrong. Whatever it is nothing. Faith is supposed to overcome everything and is not feeling she could feel miserable just about the faith in me hating what you going through despising it just still got the faith I bought. I'm still here story of Joe. In fact, another part of Job was a contest between his experience and his faith was he going to trust what he was experiencing was he going to trust what he believed who was going to win theology or experience what I felt and I went through it and that's that will fit contrary to the Scripture Satan gave you that what is the Bible say by faith is with 12 what about those people who get saved in occult is having and how we maybe there was a light sternal Martin Luther is going up the steps on his knees, thinking that this is the wave of salvation and God says the just shall live by faith, not best and he gets up and walks away an endorsement on where he was at the moment that he got saved, it's an endorsement on God's word so we have to be on guard lists anybody she chewed steals from you what is yours now is theirs and should not be the heirs of the steadfastness of your faith in Christ am amazed at how many Christians get 1/2 leave a church and get upset with the people stay in the church and want them to leave to and they don't stop for decades able pack is still there. I wanted to teach that and that's that is found to and and then the other one just get tired of being packed and they quit and will join them. Then they just talk about the no salt.

King Saul what he spend his whole time on the throne doing chasing David that when you became king your full Saul played the fool know you really played the fool didn't say that with enough energy.

Saul should've been running the King should've been going at the enemies of God's people know you're going after God's anointed Christians will do it to this day they go after God's anointed. You want to say something. What are you doing mom criticizing people doing something sign me up.

I want to be on that team. We're so glad you tuned in today to learn from the New Testament letter of Colossians on cross reference rate cross reference radio is the daily radio ministry pastor Rick Gaston Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia.

We are honored to be able to share God's word with each time too if you'd like more information about this ministry you will want to listen to traditional teachings from Pastor Rick please visit our website cross reference radio.com. We also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast so you'll never have to miss a program.

Just search for cross reference radio iTunes and Google play music or your favorite podcast. We hope you tune in again next time. Join us as we continue our study through the buying right here on cross reference radio