The Letter to the Colossians; Chapter 2:1-2 (Part A)

They believe that evil was lodged in matter. They believe the whole bunch of things of various forms of this silly teaching of men that took off like wildfire because people wanted to be so they didn't want to have to address their sins they did not want to deal with the personal wickedness before Christ.

They did not want that to stand up and admit I am a sinner and I need a Savior. There's only one Savior. His name is Jesus Christ.

And if you don't want to do that, you're out that simple gospel simplify 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 with today's additional cross reference ready Colossians chapter 2 I think those who refuse Jesus have their reasons for refusing him. I think every reason that they have is wrong.

I think Satan knows that he works hard to hide that realization from them. Thus, the word lost lost in the lies of the devil. The devil does speak lies whenever he tells a partial truth so that he could tell a greater lie and human beings because of the sinful nature that we are born with make this a very doable event for the devil calls have claimed further revelation beyond the word of God beyond the Bible.

I mean cults that have some connection to the Scripture as we know it, and they claim to have new divine truth previously unrevealed above and beyond the apostles. This is more of Satan's lies to make this work go there have to be those people who wanted to be true. There have to be those people that always are looking for something more.

They want the pulpit to be more of an entertainment center than they do a platform for the word of God from a sinner by the power of God to be disbursed to be shared to be unfolded and as were in the Colossian letter remembering that Paul is in Rome about 800 miles away as the crow flies. He can't get to them and Coliseum to fight off these liars. So he puts together this letter the Colossian letter so that they will be better equipped to deal with these troublemakers with these who are bringing in Satan's lies. I think of the demonically inspired Mary Baker Eddy. She claimed, for example to show you how they have better revelation.

She claimed that Galatians 112 happened to her. Let me read Galatians 112 to you, Paul writings is for I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. This is all the difference between being an apostle and an imposter.

Paul just so happens, was hand chosen by Jesus Christ to form New Testament theology, not him alone all the apostles had this assignment and where they were not directly responsible for writing it. They were directly responsible for overseeing the writers when James wrote his epistle, James is not an apostle of Jesus Christ as an apostle of the church, but when he wrote his letter the other apostles John and Peter. For example, they were there they had every opportunity to object to anything that was foul or amiss in James writings and that they remain silent was an approval of what James had to say.

But it is interesting that as she claims this equality with the apostle Paul. She passes by what he says in the earlier verses of the Christian scientists want Christian at all Manitoba Christians who are scientists I'm talking about occult Christian scientists of science and who cares, I mean reading what they have to say is like reading Satan's blog. I'm not interested.

In fact, in preparation for this is to let me go to my today's religious handbook by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart. I can't get past the first few paragraphs that those men are wrong to write what they're doing but I don't care I don't care what someone has to say in Jesus name that contradicts what Jesus said, that person is a liar and I'm not accustomed to listening to liars. I don't feel like a hero now, once I know what they're up to with this is what Paul says before she claims verse 12. In verse six he says to the Galatians.

I am amazed. I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel which is not another, but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be anathema. Let them go to hell. That's what that means. Cursed as we have said before, so now I say again is so important. He repeats if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be anathema for do I now persuade men, or God would do I seek to please men were if I still please men, I would not be a bondservant of Jesus Christ. But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man and so he is now the right. The proper application of verse 12 for I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but he came to the revelation of Jesus Christ and everything that Paul God was consistent with what the apostles were already preaching Mary Baker Eddy comes along. What she preached is nothing near what the apostles preached as a woman a said death was an illusion.

I challenge anyone who believes in Christian science to give Mary Baker Eddy a call see if she answers. If it's an illusion. She should pick up the phone and people believe this junk and my blood pressure is not supposed to go up in the presence of people who claim Christ and start following either hurl hire someone else's lie can we all just hold hands, no touch me. I really want hold my own hands, but just sometimes, an irritated spirit at this collective idea. Speaking of collective ideas. Footnote told us you know one of these people in the news media on these lost souls saying something about your kids on your own, and race. A lady come try to take my kids what my point is this is the rebirth of slavery. That's what that is the alternative to your kids being yours is slavery you need to stand up for these things whenever you hear some doofus repeat this in the workplace. Stand up.

Don't sit there, be quiet, call it what it is and don't separate that there is a judgment. There is a fear of God that we benefit from and without the sphere of God.

This proper reverence of God. We are in jeopardy of losing our souls. So the bottom line with Christian science is that it is related to Gnosticism the same teachings that were trying to infiltrate the church and Coliseum are Opelousas and Laodicea.

Those three churches in the likeness Valley. They believe that evil was lodged in matter enabling a whole bunch of things of various forms of this silly teaching of men that took off like wildfire because people wanted to be so they didn't want to have to address their sins they did not want at the deal with the personal wickedness before Christ. They did not want that to stand up and admit I am a sinner I need a Savior. There's only one Savior. His name is Jesus Christ. And if you don't want to do that, you're out that simple gospel simplified and so these cults. Whether it's the Christian science the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, or any other group that's out there and they're all different kinds out there they use Christian words in terms what they empty those words in terms of their meaning of their biblical meaning they use the name Jesus Christ, but they have emptied the name and the title Christ of its meaning so he doesn't mean Savior exclusively so. Jesus, he doesn't mean Christ, God's chosen one, the anointed God himself become man doesn't mean that anymore means something that they wanted to mean and so they try to redefine the meaning of things we see this in our society have said it many times from this pulpit. You know during the Gulf War.

They were single this servicing the target image of telling people why we need a euphemism for that's what telling the enemy well. War is mean no getting so again we need to be outside of this drunkenness, that's a word, but I'm sober using need to be outside of the world were not part of them. In this sense, God has rebirth does where we generated. We are in touch with truth level. I can walk like you know the Savior we can do this is gentlemen and ladies, I can get. I got about had it with you and pull out a can of spinach and cleaning up the place and so again finding out what the cults believe for most of us is a big waste of time, but for some of us it is critical, and men like Josh McDowell and Don Stewart and there are many others. Walter Martin was one of brother Dave Hunn who recently went home to the Lord. He was another TA McMahon we need these champions in the church.

Paul was doing this, the you note again the frustration of not being able to get into that flock and deal with this God decides know this letter that I'm going to give you, Paul will deal with they will be equipped they will know and chapter 2 for example, gives to us the everlasting relevance of God's word. As these new heresies pop-up Rob Bell appropriate name for heretic Rob. Does it ring a bell. I know that's corny but I can't help it to come up and say you know God's word is like an old Oldsmobile and that's enough say people go to hell because what you are teaching you will stand in judgment for what you are teaching and I would teach against you every chance I get.

Until my death, Lord willing, because God's word is everlasting, it is relevant he himself says the grass withers, the flowers fade, but my word last forever, and not a speck of it goes away so I'm supposed to believe you because you're a best-selling author because you found a not. To buy your book and if any of you here and you have had respect for this person. You need to recheck yourself and don't think for one minute that I'm going to do you know downsize my wrath against such folly. I almost went to hell because of human beings presenting a wishy-washy gospel, if at all junk in Jesus made the best they could do was werewolves and light candles. Where was the truth. Where was something that dealt with my life and my eternal life wasn't there and so what happens other groups come along and start picking up that which falls by the wayside. The Muslims come in the Jehovah witnesses you one of the favorite drove witness lines is have you ever wondered why would you know you just want to say you know I viewed.

I want you to wonder this. How long is it going to take me to sit my dog on you not know don't do that it's okay to fantasize a little bit about some of these things in a cartoonish sense of the word, but we should have a displeasure for people mocking the Scripture that is so plainly given to us. And so now we look at the first verse of chapter 2 and Colossians we read Paul continuing saying to this church. I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, not just looking at that last clause as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.

You see, we can complicate this verse in the Scriptures.

Very simple. Mostly there are some parts that require a lot more intention, but the main message of the Scriptures right there and saw theologian. Some can take such a verse and make it read like well was Paul ever they are not only plainly says you're not seeing me. I'm not been there. You don't know me as a trivial one, but I'm using it to hopefully make clear to us that we can complicate a simple verse by now debating whether he was there or not. Which is not really that important. Based on that verse. If you read it as it says they had met him. He's met some of them but not there so I've gotten that out of the way but now coming back to this Greek word for conflict in the Greek are gone. We get our English word Guinea mentions the same words in verse 29 of the previous chapter.

The last verse of chapter 1 to this and I also labor agonizing according to his working. Paul lives for the gospel. I mean, if you take men such as Jeremiah Daniel, John the Baptist, Paul the apostle in our Lord Jesus Christ and you look at their lives. They did not live for kids first their wives. They lived for the gospel that you can't think that that's either given to you or you don't have it and if you try to fake it. Perversity is at the door. God gave it to these men and they are the dynamos of Scripture is fraught with instruction in a society of Christians that are often confused about their role. What are our priorities, we can identify what our priorities are we to say this is what I live for what the flesh will fight against us to fulfill the standard of that last Paul will say listen, if you get married, you're going to have some of that attention going toward your wife, not Jesus Christ the same marriage is evil, not all is calling it like it is and you can now standards.

It was not true. It is true, it doesn't mean I'm judge but I cannot lie about such a verse, most or many men I can't speak for the ladies because I haven't had these conversations with you. That's what my wife is therefore but with men is like when I came to Christ. I was Lord I don't want anymore to desire women want to serve you. I haven't met any of them admit it will pull that off.

They all crumble me to when I first became women committed you Lord that lasted for eight minutes 31 seconds, but you can't fake it is. So then you say okay this is what the Lord is given to me how am I supposed to sail the ship.

This is the ship is given to me. I'm going to Capt. this day and I'm going to have it serve the Lord and that's freedom.

That's grace what's not.

Freedom is when someone else comes along's is no God gave it to mean that you shouldn't have liberals to children can eat meat maybe skinny meat you can eat me. You know I don't like guns you can have guns and they go shooting off the mouth of the various other things like that. We noticed shooting was put into that. Did you catch that right know my crowd so make sure we don't do that I homeschool you should homeschool stunted your business between that parent and God and I homeschool person but I don't force that anybody else had no right to do that, had the power to do that and the right to do that. So learning to be zealous for God without being this wet blanket on out in a windstorm on someone you know, we fail here and when we do this the whole church suffers because what begins to come out of this petri dish of bad Christianity is a growth upon the body and the unbeliever sees it, identifies it because there is clear it's right there in the only parts of the gospel when the church lives in the power of grace obedient to the Lord bottom is situational obedience.

Well, you should only eat vegetables now because the meat is not great and and this is situational ethics that situational judgment calls going to deal with this. In the second part of this second chapter we ever get to chapter 2 of Colossians is going to deal with this is the city since it uses the Gnostics were doing this, you need a deeper knowledge. If you going to get say and if you going to get to be saved and you want to function according to the gospel you going to need these deeper things donate this don't get married, don't do this. All this junk and Paul is teaching these Colossians to stand up to them. So put that mess you tell him you know that's not the gospel. I choose to believe the apostle Paul over you and we are in the same spot. To this day. So here he is having this conflict because he can't get there. Where is this conflict, it is in his prayer life for sure in Prairie praying for them in writing this letter in looking for feedback. How was the letter received at the church going to succeed or not because he also addresses the church at Laodicea on Coliseum. They had to deal with the heresy and that was their main problem. The heresy doctrinal corruption in Laodicea. They truly had to deal with the Gnostics infiltrating the church corrupting the doctrine of salvation and end up serving but also the church in Laodicea had to deal with their own personal well their assets became a liability. They no longer felt the need for Jesus and the passage of time, not at the time Paul wrote this, they were pretty much where Coliseum was but by the time 40 year later or so. John comes along from Patmos and writes the revelation. He says the church of Laodicea. You sicken the Lord because you're carrying on with his name and all the buzzwords from the Scripture without him. He's not in their but that doesn't stop you from demanding that you be respected as a Christian. He is my favorite line, someone caught in objects and don't judge me I will. Jesus told parables, according to your own words he said yeah we do judge according to the person's own words and if someone says I renounce Jesus Christ. We've made our decision with that person is they just told us it's not like where nitpicking them were nothing, you know, the Gestapo gospel coming along trying to herd them into hell and judgment and shame if someone is in sin caught in sin babe send is not a judgment on our end. It's a fact is a reality and trying to get out of it by by saying you don't have the right to judge me.

I have every right to judge that which is obvious. Otherwise I have no opinion I have no position. I have no conviction. I have no standard and otherwise the word of God is useless and that's what they wanted to be. That's why they try to do these things and so don't be afraid of those now that doesn't mean again we go snooping around trying to find something on someone is the were private investigators for the church at Laodicea. She will fail this another church. That's not mentioned here, but as mentioned later in this letter the church at her Opelousas. They were, according to history.

Extra biblical materials that are pretty solid Christian community therein in that area. Natural hot springs from which the hot water would flow down channels to Laodicea. Laodicea thought they were going to get some nice hot water, but by the time it reached them.

It was lukewarm and Jesus uses that, in his rebuke to them. He says you are neither hot nor cold your lukewarm.

They also had channels coming from the mountains bringing nice cool water to them and by the time it reached them. It was again lukewarm.

And so the Lord brings into his rebuke there very surroundings. I want to read again verse one of Colossians 2 for I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea for as many as not have not seen my face before reference numbers look at Colossians 1 verse four with me here it Paul says since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints, polls move. This was now his fight Satan was messing with the minds of the people in this church. Paul said I'll take that fight because he knows Satan messes with the mind. God goes after all of us. The body, the soul and the spirit, the whole being, Satan just needs the head. Once he gets that he's got everything else I get to numbers in a minute.

Second Corinthians chapter 4 and there we read in verses three enforces but even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine in. Now he is not an image of God created he is the image of God. And so then continues to breach.

Of course, this gospel of Jesus Christ, which is ours also.

We are 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 on 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.

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